Third Ward Council candidate and Secaucus School Board Member Mike Makarski joined more than 200 other young elected officials in Washington, DC last week at the fifth annual convening of the national Young Elected Officials Network. Culminating the conference was a private invitation to a special issues briefing at the White House.
The participants, progressive elected officials from across the country, are all under the age of 35. The young leaders met with a number of national leaders in Washington and share with each other their policy ideas, leadership strategies, and best practices. Makarski was briefed on issues like health care, stimulus funding and job creation plans by representatives of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
“This was a phenomenal chance to experience the work other elected officials are doing across the country. We are all facing similar challenges and this conference allows us to exchange ideas and learn what others are doing to solve similar problems,” said Michael Makarski.
Makarski, 24, was elected to the Secaucus Board of Education in 2008. At the convening, he shared with other elected officials best practices for implementation of technology, and utilizing shared service drive down costs.
The Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network, organized by the People For the American Way Foundation, consists of over 550 young city, county, state and federal officials from all 50 states. The program provides a network of support for young elected leaders to share ideas and discuss issues that affect their common interests and constituencies.
For any additional information, please contact Philip Swibinski at (201) 864-0600 or philip.swibinski@vmmi.net.
(Photo attached: Mike Makarski outside the White House after the Briefing.) Makarski attends Special White House Briefing at YEO Convening