| OLYMPIA— Representative and Washington House Democrat Majority Whip, Mari Leavitt, is continuing her leadership development as a second-year participant in the prestigious CSG Henry Toll Fellowship, while also taking on expanded national leadership roles through the Council of State Governments (CSG) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), both bipartisan bodies.
Originally selected as a member of the 2025 Toll Fellowship class, Leavitt now enters her second year in the program, joining a nationwide network of more than 1,400 alumni across all three branches of state government. |
In addition to her continued participation in the fellowship, Leavitt has recently been selected to serve in several prominent national leadership roles, including:
- Serving on the CSG National Executive Committee
- Serving as Co-Chair of CSG Shared State Legislation Committee (CSG’s National Executive Committee)
- Serving as Co-Chair of the NCSL Military and Veterans Affairs Task Force
- Serving as Co-Chair of NCSL’s Labor and Economic Development Committee
“These opportunities reflect the importance of collaboration across states and across the aisle,” said Leavitt. “In my second year as a Toll Fellow, I’m honored to continue building relationships with
leaders from across the country while also helping shape national conversations on economic development, workforce, and support for military families and veterans. I look forward to bringing those insights back to Washington to better serve our communities.”
Leavitt represents Washington’s 28th Legislative District and serves as House deputy majority whip. Since first being elected in 2018, she has held leadership roles on committees including Postsecondary Education and Workforce, Housing, Appropriations, Capital Budget, and Rules. She also co-chairs the WA Legislative Joint Committee on Veterans’ and Military Affairs.
A parent, small business owner, and former higher education administrator, Leavitt earned her Ph.D. in community college leadership. Her legislative work has focused on expanding access to education and workforce pathways, supporting military families and veterans, strengthening public safety, increasing access to housing and behavioral health services, and expanding early learning opportunities for children and families.
The CSG Henry Toll Fellowship is widely recognized as the nation’s premier leadership development program for state government officials. Each year, a select group of leaders is chosen through a competitive, peer-nominated process to participate in intensive programming designed to enhance leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
Since its founding in 1986, the program has helped prepare state leaders to navigate complex policy challenges and build bipartisan solutions that deliver results for their constituents.
About The Council of State Governments
The Council of State Governments is the nation’s only organization serving all three branches of state government. CSG fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy and develop solutions through collaboration across regions and states.
For more information, visit csg.org.