Board of Directors
Rafael Baptista, Secretary
Rafael has worked in local government for over 7 years. He joined Buncombe County, NC in 2020 as the Director of Strategy & Innovation. In his current role, he oversees special projects, process improvement, policy management, innovation, and strategic planning for the County. Rafael believes that local government can and should be a leading industry in innovation. He holds a Master of Public Administration for UNC- Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Willamette University. Rafael loves exploring new activities with his family, watching Formula 1, and playing water polo.
Term Expires June 30, 2025
Mike Ekey
Mike Ekey serves as the Assistant City Manager in Belton, Missouri. With more than a decade of public service in local government and higher education, Ekey has served in a variety of roles in communities around his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. Before getting into public service, Ekey served as a City Hall reporter for the Kansas City Star and editor of the Northeast News. Following journalism, he worked in the marketing office for Metropolitan Community College and taught communications and technology classes there for five years. Ekey holds a bachelors in journalism from the University of Missouri and a masters in public administration from Park University. Although not an official title, he will also tell anyone willing to listen about his LEGO collection and how he is a top 50 LEGO Master Builder.
Board of Directors Term: July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027
Olivia Hilton
Olivia serves as the Town Manager of Mount Jackson, Virginia. One facet of her role is developing quality of life initiatives with a dual focus on community engagement and tourism. She has spearheaded the development of the Master Park & Pedestrian Connectivity Plan, improving river access, website development, planning and zoning, business support, beautification, and marketing. Olivia earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from James Madison University, a Bachelor of Science in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Women’s Studies from Radford University. She has served in such capacities as Director of Strategic Initiatives and Director of Community Development within other localities, a consultant for a National Greek Organization, A Leisure and Event Coordinator for a luxury boutique hotel, and a Marketing Specialist for the private sector. Her passion for public service has led her back to the Shenandoah Valley. Olivia’s outside interests include riding her motorcycle, playing pickleball, and loving on her dachshund, Moe!
Board of Directors Term: July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027
Cassie Johnson, Treasurer
Cassie Johnson is the Director of the Strategic Initiatives Division for the City of Scottsdale in the Police Department. She oversees the Planning, Research, & Accreditation, Budget & Finance, and Records sections in this role. Cassie oversees many high-profile projects for the department with expertise in the areas of performance measures, strategic planning, process improvement, workload analysis, policy, UCR, and data analytics. She manages the department’s law enforcement accreditation process (both CALEA and ALEAP) and supports other state agencies as the President of the Arizona Police Accreditation. She is a team leader on the City’s High Performance & Innovation Team and a What Works Cities certification team member. She holds a master’s in public administration from Arizona State University and a master’s in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School. She loves to travel, dabbles in both cooking and baking, and is a big fan of iced coffee.
Term Expires June 30, 2026
Warren Kagarise, Chair
Warren Kagarise is the Digital Engagement Manager for King County, WA, where he leads efforts to connect the nation’s 12th-largest county with 2.2 million residents via social media and other digital tools. Warren’s career in public service started in 2013 when he served as Communications Coordinator for the City of Issaquah, WA, where he launched the city’s nationally recognized social media presence. A former journalist, Warren first became interested in public service while working as a reporter covering local governments in Washington state and Florida. Warren was named the 2023 Social Media Professional of the Year by Government Social Media. In addition to his King County role, Warren is the past president of the Government Social Media Membership Council, a member of Nextdoor’s Public Agency Advisory Board, and a regular contributor to ELGL’s Morning Buzz.
Term Expires June 30, 2025
Meredith Reynolds, Vice Chair
Meredith Reynolds currently serves as a Deputy City Manager in Long Beach, CA and throughout her local government career, Meredith has worked on critical efforts in community services, parks and open space, sustainability, economic recovery, and innovation. Previously, Meredith served as the Long Beach Park Planning and Partnerships Manager and Park Development Officer. During the pandemic, she was reassigned to the Long Beach Health Department and was entrusted with the critical responsibility for standing up COVID-19 testing sites across Long Beach. She also served as the Community Services Manager and Environmental Programs Administrator for the City of Irvine. Meredith’s early career was spent as the first team of Sustainability Coordinators with the Long Beach Office of Sustainability and she started her career in the City of Long Beach’s Management Assistant Program. Meredith holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University with a concentration in Local Government Management, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration with a minor in Organizational Communication from California State University, Chico.
Term Expires June 30, 2026
Toney Thompson Jr.
Toney Thompson Jr. is an accomplished local government professional known for fostering a culture of innovation and leading high-priority strategic projects for organizations. As an Innovation Strategist for Wake County, NC, Toney manages several high-priority projects for County leadership, develops prototypes to test innovative improvements to government services, and provides multi-disciplinary consultation services to internal stakeholders and project teams. Toney's educational background includes a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from Duke University, and an International Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.
Term Expires June 30, 2026
Jackie Wehmeyer
Jackie Wehmeyer has been a proud public servant to municipalities for 29 years, with most of her experience in Human Resources. Turning her focus from nurturing internal relationships to enriching external relationships, she is currently the Senior Director of Strategy and Intergovernmental Affairs for the City of Parkland, Florida. She is responsible for the City’s strategic plan, is the Library Director and Code Compliance Liaison, is a key link between the City and its essential business partners, and assists with special projects. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University. Jackie loves traveling with her family, cooking new and exciting dinners, and floating in the pool with or without an exotic cocktail.
Board of Directors Term: July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027
Board Members Emeritus
Below are the ELGL Board Members Emeritus. These individuals completed their terms on the Board and are active representatives of ELGL.
