About CEA
We know county officials work hard to accommodate the needs of the people they serve. But to remain effective leaders, they must continue their important role in shaping national policy. County Executives of America provides its members with the voice they need to remain strong politically and economically.  CEA works directly with the principal decision-makers in all areas of the federal government so our members get their questions heard and answered. We also work with private sector business leaders from around the world in order to create economic opportunities for our members' local communities. And we offer valuable county programs that will help our members cut county costs and improve local services. In short, we work for our members so they can do more for their counties.

The Organization
CEA began as a league formed by county executives who believed that the job as the chief elected officer of a county was too important to overlook. Their initial desire to create an alliance that would assist county officers in executing their duties sparked a dramatic evolution that produced today's association of nearly 700 counties. CEA's current membership includes County Executives, County Judges, Parish and Borough Presidents, City-County Mayors, Commission Presidents and Chairs, and all county leaders elected at-large by the public constituency.

A long-time affiliate group of the National Association of Counties, CEA has operated as an independent organization since 1997. With its headquarters in Washington D.C., CEA brings together top-level local officials to discuss and determine policy on wide-ranging issues that affect local governors and the people they serve.

CEA also provides a voice at the national level among the various policy making representatives including members and staff of the United States Congress, officials in the Executive Branch at both the federal and state government level and various interest groups and associations based on Capitol Hill.

CEA is governed by a Board of Directors and selected Executive Officers. The Board President is elected and serves a two-year term.

Our Mission
County Executives of America's mission is two-fold:

  1. To help county governments serve the American people in the most responsive, most efficient way by acting as a national voice for its leaders and representing its interests on all levels of government.
  2. To develop, promote, and preserve the core philosophy of federalism and devolution.

Indeed, there is no faster growing government in the nation, nor one with as much potential to truly influence the course of public policy at home and abroad. From coast to coast, from border to border, county executives are abuzz with policy entrepreneurship. In fact, we believe the most ambitious policy experiments, such as regionalism and international economic partnerships, are taking place at the local level first. County Executives of America aims to foster an environment in which such experiments can be nurtured and grown into effective government programs.

CEA Primary Staff

Washington, DC Headquarters
Michael Griffin, Executive Director
Kirstin Brubach, Associate Director
Michal McElwain Malur, International Outreach Consultant

New York City Office
Kelly Griffin, Deputy Director
Board Liaison, Meetings & Events, Publications, Legal

CEA Membership

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Board Members

Member Counties List