Mayor Ferrell presented the Key to the City to Advancing Leadership’s founding Executive Director Teri Hickel at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

“Through Advancing Leadership, Teri has helped to shape a stronger Federal Way, supporting residents in developing leadership skills and encouraging new people to get involved at all levels of the community,” said Mayor Jim Ferrell. “She has accomplished this through her passion for leadership development, her ability to form and inspire action-oriented networks, and most of all, her love for the community of Federal Way.”

The Federal Way resident took the helm of the community leadership organization in 2000 and has built the group into a powerful force for community progress. She announced her retirement from Advancing Leadership in late 2014 and is currently assisting new Executive Director Lawrence Garrett in the transition.

Advancing Leadership is an organization dedicated to transforming people who are passionate about Federal Way into leaders for the future. Each year a group of applicants are selected for both an adult and a youth class.

During the past 15 years, more than 480 adults and 350 students have graduated from the Advancing Leadership and Advancing Leadership Youth programs. Each youth and adult class takes on a community project that is completed during their class year. Past projects include One Day Federal Way, the anti-human trafficking Break the Chains 5K event, and various mentoring and fundraising programs for community needs.

Many of the more than 800 Advancing Leadership graduates are now involved as leaders in community organizations, and local government agencies, like the city of Federal Way. A small sample of the notable graduates of Advancing Leadership includes City Councilmembers Kelly Maloney and Lydia Assefa-Dawson, Chamber of Commerce President Lori Santamaria, Woodstone Credit Union CEO Susan Streifel, Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang, Grace Church Pastor Jon McIntosh, South King Fire and Rescue Chief Al Church, Tracy Oster, Communities in Schools executive director and current AL Executive Director Lawrence Garrett.

Ferrell introduced the Key to the City program to recognize individuals who have demonstrated lasting, significant contribution to building the Federal Way community. The first recipient was King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer.