(Juneau) - The Council of State Governments - WEST (CSG-WEST), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization serving Western state legislators in 13 Western states, has selected Representative Carl Gatto (R-Palmer) as a participant for its prestigious training institute for state legislators. The purpose of the Western Legislative Academy is to build excellence and effectiveness in state legislators in the Western region.

Funding for the Academy comes from the Colorado Springs - based El Pomar Foundation, which is dedicated to excellence in nonprofit organizations, and from Western state legislatures and corporate sponsors. The El Pomar Foundation also donates the campus for the Western Legislative Academy.

Admission to the new Western Legislative Academy is highly competitive and is based on commitment to public service, desire to improve personal legislative effectiveness and interest in improving the legislative process. Thirty-nine state legislators from Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming were chosen as members of the Class of 2006.

The Western Legislative Academy will convene June 12-15 in Colorado Springs, Colorado for three and a half days of intensive training in subjects such as the legislative institution, ethics, team building, communications, legislative strategies and working relationships, negotiations and time management. Faculty will include the Eagleton Institute's Alan Rosenthal, a nationally recognized authority on state legislatures; Washington, D.C. communications expert Arch Lustberg, and a leading U.S. Air Force trainer in team building. Experienced Western legislative leaders will discuss legislative strategies and working relationships.

Representative Gatto was pleased that he was selected for the Academy. "I am honored that my colleagues selected me and I hope that the skills I learn will help me to better represent my constituents in Mat-Su."

The Council of State Governments - WEST established the Academy in response to increased turnover and loss of experienced lawmakers in many Western state legislatures in recent years. CSG-WEST is part of the national Council of State Governments based in Lexington, Kentucky. Regional offices of CSG are located in Sacramento, Chicago, Atlanta and New York.

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