The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region’s (PNWER) Delegate Council has elected 32nd District State Rep. Cindy Ryu to serve as the next PNWER president. Ryu’s election came at this year’s PNWER annual summit in Whistler, British Columbia, July 21.

Ryu was elected to serve as PNWER U.S. vice chair in 2022 and will continue to represent Washington state as PNWER president for the next year. In this role, Ryu will work to foster cross-border collaboration between PNWER’s 10 member jurisdictions and ensure the Washington state government remains an engaged partner on important regional issues.

PNWER is a public/private nonprofit organization created by statute in 1991. Member jurisdictions include Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, and the Canadian provinces and territories of Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan and the Yukon. PNWER’s mission is to increase the economic well-being and quality of life for all citizens of the region; identify and promote “models of success” and serve as a conduit to exchange information.

“I am thrilled to be serving as the PNWER president and will work hard to serve our member states, provinces and territories,” said Ryu, who chairs the state Legislature’s Innovation, Community and Economic Development, and Veterans Committee and serves on the Washington Tourism Marketing Authority, NCSL 2024 Taskforce on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Privacy, and the FCC Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. These roles occurred “in large part because of the conversations and engagements within PNWER over the 14 years I have been in the Washington State Legislature,” Ryu said.

Ryu is serving her seventh term in the Washington State House of Representatives and is running for reelection this year. She was a Shoreline city councilmember prior to joining the legislature, during which time she became the first Korean American woman mayor in America.

During her term as PNWER president, Ryu said her focus will be on tourism, disaster resilience and advanced technology, including biosciences and artificial intelligence.

“PNWER has both informed and demonstrated to me the value of regional cooperation and coordination PNWER provides on critical topics of the Pacific Northwest and beyond,” Ryu said.