CHAIR

David Ige was elected Hawai’i’s 8th governor in 2014 and reelected in 2018. He began his political career in 1985 after being appointed to fill a vacant seat in the Hawai’i House of Representatives. In 1994, then-Representative Ige was elected to the Hawai’i Senate and served until 2014. As WGA Chair, Governor Ige launched the Western Governors' Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative to focus on the impacts that nuisance species and pathogens have on western ecosystems, forests, rangelands, watersheds, and infrastructure, as well as how biosecurity can address risks posed by invasive species.

DIRECTOR

Brian Sandoval was elected Nevada's 29th Governor in 2010 and served until 2019. He is currently the President of the University of Nevada, Reno. Prior to this, he served as Nevada’s Attorney General, Chairman of the Gaming Commission of Nevada, President of Global Gaming Development for MGM Resorts International, and a Distinguished Fellow in Law and Leadership at the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law. As WGA Chair, Governor Sandoval launched the Western Governors' Drought Forum, which provided a mechanism for states to share best practices and policy options to prepare for and mitigate drought in the West.

DIRECTOR

Michelle Lujan Grisham assumed office as the 32nd Governor of the state of New Mexico in 2019.  The 12th generation New Mexican grew up in Santa Fe and is the first Democratic Hispanic woman to be elected Governor in U.S. history. Prior to her election as Governor, she served three terms in Congress, as a cabinet secretary for three different New Mexico Governors, and as a Bernalillo County Commissioner.

As Chair of the Western Governors' Association, Governor Lujan Grisham launched Building Resilient and Affordable New Developments in the West (BRAND West), a project focused on expanding access to housing in western states. 

DIRECTOR

Dr. Josh Green was elected as the 9th Governor of Hawai’i in 2022. He was inspired to run for office after practicing medicine in the underserved area of Kā’ū on the Big Island of Hawai’i. He initially served in the Hawai’i State House of Representatives from 2004 to 2008. From 2008 to 2018, he served in the Hawai’i State Senate, including as Majority Floor Leader, Chair of the Health and Human Services committees, and Vice Chair of the Energy and Environment, and Human Services and Housing committees.

DIRECTOR

Scott Pulsipher currently serves as President of Western Governors University (WGU), leading all academic and organizational affairs. Prior to assuming the presidency of WGU, Pulsipher earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and worked for several high-profile businesses including Amazon and Sterling Commerce. He serves on a number of higher education and technology boards including as Education Co-Chair for the Committee for Economic Development and a member of the Executive Committee on the Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity.