About Mayor Victoria Woodards
Victoria Woodards has called the “City of Destiny” her home for nearly her entire life. She is a proud graduate of Tacoma’s Lincoln High School and a veteran of the United States Army.
As Mayor, she continues to be a champion on equity issues and Anti-Racist systems transformation while expanding her involvement in regional and national efforts related to homelessness and affordable housing, public safety, support for youth and families, growing local business, and the creation of family wage jobs.
Under her leadership, the City appointed members to its first Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, and launched Compassionate Tacoma to recognize acts of compassion and service in our community. She has also worked to more fully engage the City’s youth in community decisions that impact them every day, by expanding Student Government Day and establishing the City's first Youth Commission.
In partnership with County Executive Bruce Dammeier, County Council Member Ryan Mello, and former County Councilmember Connie Ladenburg, she convened leaders from across the County to explore opportunities for regional collaboration on affordable housing in the region, an initiative that formally came to be known as the South Sound Housing Affordability Partners.
As a founding member of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, Mayor Woodards partnered with United Way of Pierce County to launch 'Growing Resilience in Tacoma' or GRIT -- A local guaranteed income demonstration that has positively impacts 110 families in Tacoma, and will inform future State and Federal policy efforts to address poverty. Though the pilot program has now concluded, work continues to share lessons learned and success stories to change the narrative and advocate for State and Federal guaranteed income programs.
Building on work she led in her first term, she is focused on continuing earn and learn workforce training models like the Introduction to Healthcare Apprentice Pilot to ensure residents have the freedom to achieve economic stability in a way that works for them.
National and Regional Leadership
Mayor Woodards has been selected to serve in a number of national leadership roles that allow her to work with other cities across the country and bring best practices back to Tacoma. She currently serves as the President of the National League of Cities (NLC), which collectively represents 200 million people across the Country, and connects leaders with tools to improve the quality of life in their communities. The theme of her presidency is engaging the unique skills and cultures of PEOPLE in new and innovative PARTNERSHIPS to create endless POSSIBILITIES that improve the livability of cities, towns, and villages. Specifically, she will work with the American Planning Association and the Federal Department of Labor on bringing new resources and partnerships to Tacoma – and communities across the nation – that address affordable housing and workforce needs to ensure our residents and our local businesses can fulfil their destiny in Tacoma.
At the United States Conference of Mayors, she serves on the advisory board; as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Jobs, Education, and the Workforce; and as Chair of the Women Mayors Leadership Alliance.
Locally, her leadership roles include positions on the Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board, Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board, Greater Seattle Partners, South Sound Housing Affordability Partners, Tideflats Subarea Planning Steering Committee, and the WorkForce Central Board.
Before she was Mayor
Demonstrating a lifelong track record of public service, Mayor Woodards served for seven years as an at-large member of the City Council before becoming Mayor in 2018. During that time, she launched the Equity and Empowerment initiative which led to the establishment of the City’s Office of Equity and Human Rights. She also brought partner organizations together for then President Barack Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative, and spearheaded the City’s Project PEACE initiative which bridged community members with the Tacoma Police Department.
Mayor Woodards has also served as president of the Tacoma Urban League and director of community development for the Tacoma Rainiers. Her past civic engagement work also included leadership positions with the Tacoma Metropolitan Parks Board, the Washington State History Museum, and the Washington State Commission of African American Affairs.