Washington, DC (March 8, 2021) — Route Fifty, which connects the people and ideas advancing state, county, and municipal governments across the United States, and is part of Government Executive Media Group, today announced the launch of their new advisory board comprised of talented and diverse experts from across state and local government. 

Given the publication’s dedication to supporting state and local government leaders with the news, analysis, and insights they need to do their jobs and grow their careers, Route Fifty created the advisory board to provide counsel to the editorial team on key issues and trends at the state and local levels; develop and participate in Route Fifty events; and help raise the visibility of the publication. 

The advisory board is a diverse group of 22 individuals from across the country, including former mayors, a former governor; a former legislator; current state and local government officials with backgrounds in technology, workforce, government administration; and individuals from think tanks, academia, and state and local government associations. The board is co-chaired by Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene, Senior Advisors and Columnists for Route Fifty. The members include: 

• Ray Baray, Chief of Staff, International City/County Management Association
• RJ Berry, Former Albuquerque, NM Mayor
• Reggie Bicha, Former Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families and Former Director of Colorado Department of Human Services
• Ryan Bingham, Former Torrington, CT Mayor
• Tracy Wareing Evans, President and CEO, American Public Human Services Association
• Janel Forde, Director, Illinois Department of Central Management Services
• Mark Funkhouser, Former Kansas City, MO Mayor
• William Glasgall, Senior Vice President, Volcker Alliance
• Saundra Johnson, Director of Statewide Equity Initiatives, Delaware 
• Bill Leighty, Former Chief of Staff to Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine
• Martin O’Malley, Former Maryland Governor
• Mike Pagano, Dean of the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Director, Government Finance Research Center 
• Rita Reynolds, Chief Information Officer, National Association of Counties
• Jamie Rodgers, Deputy Director, National Association of State Chief Administrators
• Leslie Scott, Executive Director, National Association of State Personnel Executives
• Alex Smith, Chief HR Officer, City of Memphis
• Keith Squires, Former Commissioner, Utah Department of Public Safety
• Diana Urban, Former Connecticut Legislator
• Aldona Valicenti, Commissioner, Chief Administrative Officer, Lexington-Fayette (KY) Urban County Government
• Jenny Wong, Auditor, City of Berkeley

“Bringing together this illustrious board of experts in state and local government to be part of the strategic direction of Route Fifty is an honor and privilege,” said Alisha Powell Gillis, Senior Editor, Route Fifty. “Their knowledge and networks will position us to gather the most current and innovative information and practices happening across the country and deliver that to our readers. We are thrilled to have created this board.” 

Said co-chair Katherine Barrett, “We’re delighted to have an opportunity to work with this remarkable group of men and women to help bring Route Fifty into the future. We’re particularly pleased that Route Fifty is taking the unusual step of assembling such a group to get direct guidance and counsel.”

Added fellow co-chair Richard Greene, “Over the course of over thirty years covering state and local government, we’ve relied on the wisdom of all the Route Fifty board members—either through direct personal contact, or by learning about their accomplishments and observations. We don’t think it’s an overstatement to think of them as an all-star team.” 

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About Route Fifty

Route Fifty is dedicated to covering the stories and people impacting state, county, and municipal governments across topics including technology, innovation, open government, and public services. Route Fifty is a digital news publication from GovExec, which is also home to market-leading Government Executive, Nextgov, and Defense One brands. For more information, visit www.routefifty.com.

Media Contact
Liz Stein
lstein@govexec.com | (240) 461-3053