Communications and Community Engagement

 
East West Gateway Council of Governments’ Department of Communications and Community Engagement works to ensure members of the public and its many diverse stakeholders remain aware of the mission and vision of East-West Gateway Council of Governments and its initiatives that support regional collaboration and advancement across jurisdictional boundaries. Actively and equitably engaging members of the public as well as EWG’s numerous partners and stakeholders is a critical component of the department’s work. The department hosts both in-person and virtual public engagement meetings and informational events around the region to gain public input on key plans and initiatives.

Sunshine Requests

All open records requests, whether in writing or otherwise, need to be submitted to the custodian of records. To contact EWG’s custodian of records:

Email: sunshine@ewgateway.org
Phone: (314) 421-4220 (MO) or (618) 274-2750 (IL)

For the Media and General Questions

Nancy Cambria
Director of Communications and Community Engagement
nancy.cambria@ewgateway.org
314-421-4220
618-274-2750
 
Rob Krosley
Communications Manager
rob.krosley@ewgateway.org
314-421-4220
618-274-2750
Areas of support: Office management, Planning & Zoning Certificate program; Local Government Briefings, social media, special projects, community engagement
 
Laine Sulz
Communications Coordinator
laine.sulz@ewgateway.org
Areas of support: Local Government Briefings listings, OLGA Award nominations, Public Officials Directory listings, social media, meeting and event planning
 
Lee Harris
Graphic Designer
lee.harris@ewgateway.org

Community Engagement

Effective community engagement ensures that the public and stakeholders are aware of key EWG projects and initiatives. The Communications and Community Engagement Office provides inclusive access and ample opportunities for the public to actively engage with EWG staff regarding its programs and initiatives. Members of the public are encouraged to voice their opinions and insights during both virtual and in-person public meetings and through surveys and other events. Active engagement with the public helps guide EWG staff regarding the allocation of billions of dollars in federal, state, and regional funding to support transportation, regional security, community planning, public safety, and other key projects within the St. Louis Region. EWG utilizes a Public Involvement Plan that outlines EWG’s community engagement goals, objectives, and strategies. The plan was most recently updated in 2019 and will be updated again in 2025.

Community Engagement public meetings, surveys, and events focus on initiatives undertaken by EWG. Though these projects may vary by year, generally, EWG seeks public involvement on the following initiatives:

Coming in 2025: A full-year calendar of community engagement opportunities.

Questions about community engagement? Email communityengagement@ewgateway.org.

Stay Informed!

EWG Website Calendar
Check out EWG’s online monthly calendar for dates and times of various public and stakeholder events, including EWG Board of Directors and EWG Executive Advisory Council meetings.

EWG Newsletters and Affiliated Web Sites
Subscribe to Local Government Briefings, EWG’s weekly email newsletter featuring local government resources, news, job postings, features, headlines, spotlights, and more.
Read back issues of Local Government Briefings.
Sign up for the OneSTL quarterly email newsletter which provides updates on the activities and initiatives associated with regional sustainability.
Check out the OneSTL website.
Sign up for the monthly Where We Stand email newsletter which presents updated metrics on where the St. Louis region stands among the 50 most populous metro areas in the country.

EWG News Blog
Read about news and events on EWG’s News blog.

EWG Social Media
Follow EWG on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.
Follow OneSTL, a regional sustainability collective impact initiative, on Facebook and Instagram.

EWG Initiative Email Updates
If you are interested in receiving email updates regarding upcoming Save Lives Now! meetings and events, email savelivesnow@ewgateway.org. Save Lives Now! is a regional initiative to rapidly reduce homicides and shootings.
If you are interested in receiving email updates regarding upcoming Housing First STL meetings and events, email nancy.cambria@ewgateway.org.

Other Communications & Engagement Resources

EWG Public Officials Directory
EWG publishes an annual comprehensive Public Officials Directory. It is updated after the spring elections every year, and a final version is posted in July. It is kept as up-to-date as possible throughout the year as we are notified of revisions. If you are from a local government and wishing to make a change to the directory, contact POD@ewgateway.org.

EWG OLGA Awards
EWG recognizes Outstanding Leaders in Local Government (OLGAs) during its Annual Meeting in November. EWG accepts OLGA award nominations from January 2 through the seventh day of September. If you would like to nominate an outstanding OLGA candidate, please fill out this easy form and send it to olga@ewgateway.org. EWG encourages nominators to submit well in advance of the early September deadline. Reminders are posted via direct email, in Local Government Briefings, EWG email lists, and social media. Questions? Contact olga@ewgateway.org.

EWG Planning & Zoning Certification Classes at UMSL
Registration takes place in the late summer and early fall for this annual 7-week evening class run in partnership with the St. Louis chapter of the American Planning Association, the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Special Panel Events
To mark the release of the 9th Edition of Where We Stand, EWG will host several panel discussions around the region in 2025 focusing on Where We Stand and Where We Want to Go. Subscribe to Local Government Briefings and/or the Where We Stand e-newsletter for future dates TBD.

COMING SOON: EWG in the NEWS
Stay tuned for a list of media coverage on East-West Gateway news and initiatives.