The 16/50 Story
Women represent just 16% of Michigan’s local chief administrative officers. This leadership gap is inexcusable. We’re doing something about it.
Highly qualified women entering the field encounter barriers in the selection process. The next generation of female leaders is being left untapped. Aspiring managers are eager for development opportunities to advance and prepare them for greater responsibilities. Through the 16/50 Project, the Michigan Municipal League is working to address these issues. We’re ready to move the needle upward on the number of women serving at the most executive level of government.
Learn more about the barriers for female professionals seeking to move toward the chief administrative officer roles in local government by reading ICMA’s Report on the Status of Women in the Profession.

The 16/50 Project is supported by organizations dedicated to the empowerment of women as leaders. Thanks to their assistance, we are able to execute these programs and provide these resources.
Why 16/50?
Women make up over 50% of the state’s general population, but a mere 16% of Michigan municipal managers are women.
Making the Case for Women's Leadership
Not just about parity: the number of women as local chief administrative officers matters to community success.
In 2014, ICMA issued its Report on the Status of Women in the Profession, detailing the case for female leadership in local government chief administrative offices.
The report found:
The demographics of an organization have shown to influence individual behavior, culture, employee health, and organizational performance. A lack of gender diversity in organizations can have a big price tag in lost productivity and financial success. With no or few women in positions of power, gender persists as a salient factor with negative consequences for women throughout an organization, despite balanced representation in non-managerial roles. Striving for more diversity can have a huge payoff for communities. In addition, as we strive to deal with changing demographics and ensure that the workforce at all levels reflects the communities being served, embracing diversity of all types—including gender—is essential for the future health of our communities. |
The Three Focus Areas
01.
The Elected Officials Impact
02.
Professional Development for Advancing Women
03.
Developing Tomorrow’s Women Managers
16/50 will be proactive in outreach and recruitment to help bring interested candidates to the profession and encourage women just getting started.
Meet the 16/50 Work Group

Executive Profiles

Amy Sullivan

Elaine Leven

Torrie McAfee

Bridgette Gransden

Dr. Sheryl L. Mitchell

Deborah Stuart
