Scott Grayson serves as Chief Executive Officer for the American Public Works Association (APWA) and the Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA). In this role he provides strategic leadership and directs operations to ensure that the vision and core values of APWA and CPWA are communicated and implemented at all levels of the organization. Grayson serves as the spokesperson along with the APWA and CPWA Presidents, on behalf of APWA’s 30,000 members. He collaborates with key stakeholders in the public works sector including: the U.S. Congress, Canadian Parliament, and federal and provincial/state branches of government agencies.
Grayson came to APWA from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE), the world’s largest professional/technical association. There, he served as the Associate Managing Director with responsibility for programs related to employment, career and professional development, licensing, and accreditation and support of the IEEE-USA Board of Directors. While at IEEE-USA he had been responsible for grassroots, state and federal legislative programs including being a staff liaison to numerous scientific engineering and legal organizations to build coalitions. He has worked in the areas of communications, public relations, chapter relations, membership development, conference management, fundraising, research, and prior to joining APWA he had been working with global student and young professional member engagement.
Grayson served for four years as a city councilmember for the City of Golden Valley in Minnesota and chair of its Housing Redevelopment Authority. In his role as councilmember, he also served as liaison to multiple public school districts, the League of Minnesota Cities, Basset Creek Watershed Commission, Joint Water Commission for the cities of Golden Valley, Crystal, and New Hope, and the Golden Valley Human Rights Commission. During his time on the council he founded a non-profit foundation to establish the Golden Valley Arts and Music Festival.
Mr. Grayson holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s in Latin American & Caribbean Studies, specializing in international relations and economic development from New York University. He is also an active member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), from which he holds a Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential, a member of the Council for Engineering and Scientific Executives (CESSE) Board, and serves as a Board Member and Secretary of the Kansas City Society of Association Executives (KCSAE).