Western Legislative Academy Western Legislative Academy

NEWS

“Serving Western Legislatures” from the Western Legislative Academy Western Legislative Academy

2005 Academy Attracts Record Number of Applicants record number of Western legislators applied for The list of occupations and positions found in the Class Aa limited number of places at the 2005 Western of 2005 included pilots, lawyers, educators, business Legislative Academy. WLA is the premier training program owners, labor union members, financial advisors and offered by the community activists. The Council of State class boasted former Governments- police officers, a film WEST (CSG- producer, a firefighter, WEST) for newer a microbrewery owner, lawmakers. a landscape designer, The Academy a marathon runner, a convened tribal leader, a research November 15-18, scientist and a Harley 2005 in Colorado Davidson-riding oil Springs, Colorado. trader, to name a few.

Legislative leaders What these legislators from the 13 had in common was Western states the desire to improve made more than personal legislative 160 suggestions Nevada Asmbr. Moises Denis (left) and Hawaii Rep. Pono Chong found WLA skills and strengthen about potential training fun as well as hard work. legislative institutions. applicants, and eventually more than 90 lawmakers applied A faculty of distinguished academics, corporate trainers, for positions at the Academy. Because the maximum class U.S. Air Force instructors and veteran legislative leaders size is 39, many highly qualiﬁed legislators could not be worked with lawmakers on such skills as communications, accommodated. Lawmakers still in their ﬁrst four years of negotiations, ethics, team building, time management and service are encouraged to apply for the 2006 WLA. legislative effectiveness.

The WLA Class of 2005 looked like a microcosm of the Since its inception in 2000, the Western Legislative West. Women and men, Republicans and Democrats, Academy has graduated 224 lawmakers. Many of these urban and rural lawmakers spent three and a half days WLA alumni have gone on to leadership positions in state together mastering some of the key “tools of the legislative legislatures and in the executive branch. trade.”

Winter 2006 The 2006 Western Legislative Academy takes place June 12-15, and the deadline to apply is March 1, 2006. 2005 ClassPresident...... 2 Click on the WLA link at www.csgwest.org to download Class of 2005...... 3 an application. For more information, call CSG-WEST Sponsors...... 3 at (916) 553-4423. Class of 2005 “Students”...... 4-5 Faculty...... 6-7 Alumni...... 8 Proﬁle of the 2005 WLA Class President: Nevada Assembly Member Heidi Gansert

he’s a mother, wife, athlete, engineer and medical When asked if the legislature was like she expected it to Spractice consultant. And in her “spare” time, she’s be when she ran for office, Gansert says she found it to be also a freshman in the Nevada Legislature. That’s the much less contentious and less polarized than she antici- short story on the newest Western Legislative Acad- pated. If there’s one thing she learned the first year, it was emy (WLA) class the importance of president, Nevada reaching across the Assembly Member political aisle to build Heidi Gansert. consensus. “I talk to everyone, because At the close of everyone’s opinion is the 2005 West- valuable.” Gansert ern Legislative also learned that Academy, class because Nevada is members elected a small state, one Gansert to repre- person can have a sent all 224 WLA significant impact. alumni on the CSG-WEST Ex- Looking back at the ecutive Commit- training she received tee. Gansert also at the 2005 Western serves on CSG- Legislative Academy, WEST’s governing Nevada Asmbr. Heidi Gansert works on a ropes problem at the U.S. Air Force Gansert says that board by virtue of Academy. Gansert’s classmates elected her WLA 2005 class president. probably the most an appointment valuable take-home from Nevada legislative leadership. lesson was the importance of time management. “I’m trying to work on my planning skills,” she says. Gansert says her many roles outside the legislature actually helped prepare her to juggle the multitude of When she’s not legislating or working or parenting, Gan- duties she faces as a lawmaker. For example, in her job sert’s favorite activities are coaching her children’s volleyball as a medical practice consultant (her husband serves and basketball teams and biking with her husband. in an ER practice group), Gansert negotiated contracts with hospitals. That experience, she says, helped her Other lawmakers who have served as Western Legisla- become a better listener. tive Academy presidents are Nevada Senator Barbara Cegavske, Alaska Representative Lesil McGuire, Montana As an athlete who has participated in numerous tri- Representative Jim Keane, Nevada Assembly Member athlons and marathons, Gansert finds that keeping in Kelvin Atkinson and New Mexico Representative Jose shape gives her greater endurance for the long haul of Campos. the legislative session. And her engineering background gives her a comfort with numbers that comes in handy when she sits on the Ways and Means committee.

Special appreciation is extended to the El Pomar Foundation for its continuing ﬁnancial support of the Western Legislative Academy. El Pomar also provides meeting management services and the use of the historic Penrose House in Colorado Springs as the WLA campus. El Pomar fellows participate as analysts in charge of the WLA evaluation process. CSG-WEST is grateful for the continuing partnership with the El Pomar Foundation in enhancing the leadership capacity of Western state legislatures. 2 CSG-WEST Western Legislative Academy Winter 2006 WLA Class of 2005 Photo taken by Lynn Boutte Photo taken by Lynn Members of the Western Legislative Academy Class of 2005 gathered in Colorado Springs November 15-18 for intense professional development training.

Back row (left to right) Gerald Ortiz y Pino (NM Sen), Andy Olson (OR Rep), Mike Kelly (AK Rep), Kurt Olson (AK Rep), Clifford Bayer (ID Rep), Jim Riesberg (CO Rep), Tim Cosgrove (UT Rep), Derek Kilmer (WA Rep), Thomas Lubnau II (WY Rep), Charlie Huggins (AK Sen) 3rd Row (left to right) John Rusche (ID Rep), Shan S. Tsutsui (HI Sen), Larry Galizio (OR Rep), Dennis Himmelberger (MT Rep), Kyle Yamashita (HI Rep), Tim Corder (ID Sen), Charles Townsend (WY Sen), Bob Hasegawa (WA Rep), Moises Denis (NV Assm), Albert Hale (AZ Sen) 2nd Row (left to right) Lane Larson (MT Sen), Betty Komp (OR Rep), Pono Chong (HI Rep), Kermit Brown (WY Rep), David Bradley (AZ Rep), Russ Jones (AZ Rep), Elsie Arntzen (MT Rep) 1st Row (left to right) Debbie Beneﬁeld (CO Rep), Kathy McCoy (NM Rep), Lorraine Quarberg (WY Rep), Lorie Fowlke (UT Rep), Ronda Rudd Menlove (UT Rep), Joni Gutierrez (NM Rep), Judy Clibborn (WA Rep), Heidi Gansert (NV Asmbr) Not Pictured: Barbara Bailey (WA Rep), Marilyn Kirkpatrick (NV Asmbr), John Jay Lee (NV Sen)

SPECIAL THANKS TO 2005 WLA SPONSORS CSG-WEST gratefully acknowledges the significant support provided to the Western Legislative Academy! DIAMOND SPONSOR BRONZE SPONSORS CONTRIBUTORS El Pomar Foundation Altria Corporate Services Coors Brewing Company AT&T Eastman Kodak Company SILVER SPONSORS Electronic Data Systems Grande River Vineyards & Winery GlaxoSmithKline Intermountain Rural Electric Assoc. Bayer Healthcare Healthnet RJReynolds MedImmune International Gaming Technology sanofi-aventis Johnson & Johnson The Procter & Gamble Company Pfizer Inc. Wyeth

The 2006 Western Legislative Academy will convene June 12-15. For information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Cheryl Lee Duvauchelle at (415) 330-0312 or [email protected].

Winter 2006 CSG-WEST Western Legislative Academy 3 Class of 2005 Legislative “Students”

4 CSG-WEST Western Legislative Academy Winter 2006 Class of 2005 Legislative “Students”

Winter 2006 CSG-WEST Western Legislative Academy 5 Western Legislative

Eagleton Institute of Politics Professor Alan Rosenthal delivered a keynote address on “What Makes a Good Legislature?”

New Mexico Representative Jose Campos, 2004 WLA Class President, inspired and wel- comed incoming WLA students.

Renowned speech and drama coach Arch Lust- berg worked with lawmakers to develop unforget- table communication techniques.

Aaron Gould Sheinin, the national president of Capitolbeat (state capitol report- ers and editors), gave lawmakers tips on working with journalists.

Pam Vaccaro, president of Designs on Time, gave legislators practical meth- Corporate trainer Jim Hennig taught FranklinCovey trainer Leigh Ste- ods to prioritize, organize and balance powerful lessons in principled vens taught lawmakers important professional and personal lives. negotiations. lessons from the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”

6 CSG-WEST Western Legislative Academy Winter 2006 Academy Faculty

WLA 2005 graduation closed with an improvisational Boise State University Professor Gary Moncrief comedy team depicting scenes from the life of a legislator. reviewed 50 years of change in American state LaughingStock Comedy Company actors from left to right legislatures. are Lesley Abrams, Dean Steeves and Brendan Murphy.

CSG-WEST’s 2005 Chair, Oregon Senate Using real-life case studies, ethicist Majority Leader Kate Brown, presided over the Jack Marshall taught the “Secrets of Academy using large quantities of humor and Virtuous Lawmakers.” energy to keep legislative “students” on target.

New Heights Training and Development trainers Lt. Col. Danny Miller and Ret. Chief Master Sergeant Lisa Best conducted exer- Former Oregon House Speaker Larry Campbell (Left) cises at the Air Force Academy to help lawmakers become more and former Montana Senate Minority Leader Mike skilled team builders. Halligan delivered lessons on the do’s and don’ts of effective legislators.

Winter 2006 CSG-WEST Western Legislative Academy 7 WLA Alumni 2000-2005 ALASKA COLORADO IDAHO continued NEW MEXICO UTAH continued Class of 2000 Class of 2000 Class of 2003 Class of 2000 Class of 2004 Rep. Eric Croft Fmr. Sen. Jim Dyer Rep. Sharon Block Rep. Mary Helen Garcia Rep. Gregg Buxton Spkr. John Harris Fmr. Rep. Carl Miller Sen. Curt McKenzie Fmr. Rep. Ron Godbey Rep. Todd Kiser U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski Fmr. Spkr. Lola Spradley Rep. Elaine Smith Rep. Thomas Taylor Rep. Rosalind McGee Class of 2001 Sen. Gary Wilken Sen. Ron Teck Class of 2004 Class of 2005 Class of 2001 Rep. Joseph Cannon Rep. Brian Moore Rep. Tim Cosgrove Class of 2001 Sen. Mary Kay Papen Fmr. Rep. Jim Snook Sen. Dick Compton Rep. Lorie Fowlke Sen. Gretchen Guess Rep. Alfred Park Rep. Ronda Rudd Menlove Rep. Lesil McGuire Class of 2002 Rep. Robert Ring Rep. Alice Borodkin Sen. H. Diane Snyder Sen. Gary Stevens Rep. Mack Shirley Rep. Mary Hodge Class of 2002 WASHINGTON Rep. Peggy Wilson Class of 2005 Rep. Patricia Lundstrom Rep. Debbie Stafford Rep. Clifford Bayer Sen. Richard Martinez Class of 2000 Class of 2002 Fmr. Rep. Carolyn Edmonds Sen. Abel Tapia Sen. Tim Corder Sen. Lidio Rainaldi Rep. John Coghill Class of 2003 Sen. Jim Honeyford Fmr. Rep. Hugh Fate Rep. John Rusche The late Rep. Raymond Ruiz Fmr. Rep. Ramey Johnson Class of 2003 Sen. Linda Evans Parlette Rep. Mary Kapsner Rep. Raymond Rose Rep. Irvin Harrison Class of 2001 Rep. Kevin Meyer Sen. Paula Sandoval MONTANA Sen. Gay Kernan Rep. Glenn Anderson Class of 2003 Class of 2004 Class of 2000 Rep. Jane Powdrell-Culbert Rep. Bruce Chandler Rep. Jim Holm Sen. Jim Isgar Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger Class of 2004 Rep. Mark Miloscia Rep. Ralph Samuels Spkr. Pro Tem Cheri Jahn Sen. Kim Gillan Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones Class of 2002 Rep. Jose Campos Rep. Mike Armstrong Sen. Tom Wagoner Class of 2005 Rep. George Golie Rep. Sam Hunt Class of 2004 Rep. Debbie Beneﬁeld Rep. Monica Lindeen Rep. Andy Nuñez Rep. Teresa Zanetti Rep. Kirk Pearson Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom Rep. Jim Riesberg Class of 2001 Class of 2003 Rep. David Guttenberg Fmr. Rep. Linda Holden Class of 2005 Sen. Dale Brandland Rep. Paul Seaton HAWAII Rep. Joey Jayne Rep. Joni Gutierrez Sen. Mike Hewitt Sen. Ralph Seekins Class of 2000 Rep. Mark Noennig Rep. Kathy McCoy Rep. Dawn Morrell Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino Class of 2005 Fmr. Rep. Emily Auwae Sen. Don Ryan Rep. Beverly Woods Class of 2004 Sen. Charlie Huggins Sen. Lorraine Inouye Class of 2002 OREGON Rep. Mike Kelly Fmr. Rep. Sol Kaho’ohalahala Rep. Jim Keane Rep. Dan Newhouse Class of 2000 Rep. Ed Orcutt Rep. Kurt Olson Rep. Hermina Morita Sen. Frank Smith Rep. Bob Jenson Class of 2001 Class of 2005 Class of 2003 Sen. Vicki Walker Rep. Barbara Bailey ARIZONA Sen. J. Kalani English Sen. Rick Laible Class of 2001 Rep. Helene Hale Rep. Judy Clibborn Class of 2000 Rep. Michael Lange Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson Rep. Bob Hasegawa Fmr. Rep. Mindy Jaffe Sen. Trudi Schmidt Fmr. Rep. Janet Carlson Rep. Derek Kilmer Fmr. Sen. Herb Guenther Class of 2002 Sen. Harry Mitchell Class of 2004 Class of 2002 Sen. V.P. Donna Mercado Kim Sen. Ken Hansen Fmr. Rep. Vic Backlund Class of 2001 Sen. Russell Kokubun WYOMING Rep. Scott Mendenhall Rep. Phil Barnhart Rep. Meg Burton Cahill Fmr. Rep. David Pendleton Rep. Jackie Dingfelder Class of 2000 Sen. Robert Cannell Class of 2003 Class of 2005 Class of 2003 Rep. Pete Illoway Class of 2002 Fmr. Sen. Melodie Williams Aduja Rep. Elsie Arntzen Rep. Vicki Berger Spkr. Pro Tem Colin Simpson Sen. Timothy Bee Rep. Cindy Evans Rep. Dennis Himmelberger Rep. Linda Flores Class of 2001 Sen. Toni Hellon Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu Sen. Lane Larson Rep. Mitch Greenlick Rep. Jerry Iekel Rep. Tom O’Halleran Class of 2004 Rep. Mike Schauﬂer Rep. Thomas Lockhart Class of 2003 Rep. Lynn Finnegan NEVADA Class of 2004 Rep. David Miller Rep. Gordon Anderson Rep. Jennifer Burns Rep. Scott Nishimoto Class of 2000 Class of 2002 Rep. George Gilman Fmr. Rep. Saundra Meyer Rep. Olivia Cajero Bedford Rep. Glenn Wakai Pres. Pro Tem Mark Amodei Sen. Frank Morse Rep. Bill Thompson Rep. Phil Lopes Class of 2005 Sen. Barbara Cegavske Rep. Pono Chong Class of 2005 Class of 2003 Sen. Thayer Verschoor Asmbr. Jerry Claborn Rep. Larry Galizio Sen. Shan Tsutsui Sen. John Barrasso Class of 2004 Asmbr. Ellen Koivisto Rep. Betty Komp Rep. Kyle Yamashita Sen. Stan Cooper Sen. Gabrielle Giffords Class of 2001 Rep. Andy Olson Fmr. Rep. Liz Gentile Rep. Bill Konopnicki Fmr. Asmbr. Don Gustavson Rep. Elaine Harvey Sen. James Waring IDAHO Asmbr. John Oceguera UTAH Class of 2004 Class of 2005 Class of 2000 Asmbr. Debbie Smith Class of 2000 Rep. Rosie Berger Rep. David Bradley Sen. Don Burtenshaw Class of 2003 Sen. Peter Knudson Rep. David Edwards Sen. Albert Hale Rep. Steve Smylie Asmbr. Kelvin Atkinson Class of 2001 Rep. Marty Martin Sen. Joe Stegner Rep. Patricia Jones Rep. Russ Jones Asmbr. Marcus Conklin Sen. Carlene Walker Class of 2005 Class of 2001 Asmbr. William Horne Rep. Kermit Brown Rep. Darrell Bolz Class of 2002 CALIFORNIA Class of 2004 Rep. James Ferrin Rep. Thomas Lubnau II Sen. John Goedde Rep. Lorraine Quarberg Class of 2000 Sen. Patti Anne Lodge Asmbr. Roderick Sherer Rep. Neil Hansen Asmbr. Valerie Weber Rep. Merlynn Newbold Sen. Charles Townsend Fmr. Asmbr. Marco Firebaugh Fmr. Rep. Gary Young Class of 2005 Fmr. Rep. J. Morgan Philpot Class of 2001 Class of 2002 GUAM Asmbr. Jenny Oropeza Asmbr. Moises Denis Class of 2003 Sen. Skip Brandt Class of 2000 Class of 2004 Asmbr Heidi Gansert Rep. Brad Dee Rep. R.J. Harwood Fmr. Sen. Marcel Camacho Sen. Jeff Denham Asmbr. Marilyn Kirkpatrick Rep. Michael Morley Sen. Brent Hill Sen. David Thomas Rep. Dell Raybould Sen. John Jay Lee

The Council of State Governments-WEST CSG-WEST is a nonpartisan, nonproﬁt association serving legislatures in the 13 Western states. CSG-WEST promotes excellence in state legislatures through regional cooperation and professional development.

CSG-WEST • 1107 Ninth Street • Suite 650 • Sacramento • CA • 95814 • (916) 553-4423 phone • www.csgwest.org