Chair Initiatives

Each year, the Chair of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) chooses an initiative on which to focus the Association’s convening power and policy prowess. The findings of the WGA Chair initiative are memorialized in an initiative report that is released at WGA’s Annual Meeting.

Current Initiative

Health Beyond Healthcare

The initiative will examine strategies to improve mental healthcare access and delivery, prioritize prevention and early intervention, expand coverage and affordability of mental health services and supports, and build lifelong well-being and community resilience.

Recent Initiatives

Energy Superabundance: Unlocking Prosperity in the West

This initiative will examine challenges and opportunities for expanding production, transmission, and storage options across the energy spectrum to unlock more reliable, secure, and affordable energy to meet growing demand and achieve energy abundance across the West. 

Building Resilient and Affordable New Developments in the West

The 2025 WGA Chair initiative of New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Building Resilient and Affordable New Developments in the West (BRAND West), will focus on expanding access to housing in western states.  The initiative will examine strategies to address housing availability and affordability and promote smart and sustainable development in communities throughout the West.

Contact WGA

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