Nominees for the award should have demonstrated excellence in one or more of the following areas:
- Ability to engage officials across party, departments, branch and/or state lines in meaningful ways to advance the common good for their state/territory;
- Provide exceptional leadership to a state project, committee, chamber, commission or special group;
- Serve as a champion of change and seek to enhance the lives of all constituents within a specific policy area.
Nominees required to:
- Be an elected or appointed state official from a U.S. state or territory;
- Be age 40 or younger on December 31.
- Attend the recognition ceremony during the 2026 CSG National Conference held Dec. 3–6 in Anaheim, CA
- If a nominee cannot attend the 2026 CSG National Conference, we ask that they defer applying to the next year.
Any state official age 40 or under is eligible to apply.
Nominations for the 20 Under 40 Leadership Award can be emailed to LeadershipDevelopment@csg.org. Please include title, name, and email of a nominee.
A nominee may also apply directly and include a letter of nomination.
Recipients of the award will be chosen from all nominee applications received by a selection committee comprised of CSG public sector members and up to two private sector representatives. Award winners will be recognized at the CSG National Conference.
The twenty individuals selected will receive their leadership award during the 2026 CSG National Conference in Anaheim, CA | Dec. 3-6
Award recipients will also be featured in the CSG Capitol Ideas magazine.
LEAD SPONSORSHIP | $25,000
*Lead Sponsorships are limited to two.
- Invitation for one company/organization representative to serve as an ex-officio member on the 20 Under 40 Advisory Group which oversees selection process.
- Opportunity to nominate state leaders for the CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Award. (Deadline is July 31.)
- Opportunity to provide a greeting during the invitation only leadership development session.
- Invitation to photo shoot with 20 Under 40 Leadership Award winners and inclusion in a class photo.
- Acknowledgment as lead sponsor on all nomination and marketing materials sent to chamber leadership and all legislators 40 years and younger in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
- Invitation (for two) to invitation only leadership development session for CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Awardees.
- Verbal acknowledgment as the lead sponsor during announcements at the invitation only leadership development session and plenary awards ceremony.
- Acknowledgment on the CSG 20 Under 40 signage at the CSG National Conference.
- Acknowledgment as a conference Diamond-level Sponsor.
- Featured on mobile app.
- Complimentary registration (for two) to the CSG National Conference.
- Invitation (for two) to the CSG Executive Committee reception.
- VIP seating (for two) at the plenary awards ceremony at the CSG National Conference.
SPONSOR | $5,000
- Opportunity to nominate state leaders for the CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Award. (Deadline is July 31.)
- Acknowledgment as sponsor on all nomination and marketing materials sent to chamber leadership and all legislators 40 years and younger in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
- Invitation (for one) to invitation only leadership development session for CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Awardees.
- Verbal acknowledgment at the CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Awards plenary awards ceremony at the CSG National Conference.
- Acknowledgment on CSG 20 Under 40 signage at the CSG National Conference.
- Acknowledgment as a conference Bronze-level Sponsor.
- Featured on mobile app.
- Complimentary registration (for one) to the CSG National Conference.
- Invitation (for one) to the CSG Executive Committee reception.
- VIP seating (for one) at the plenary awards ceremony at the CSG National Conference.
2025 CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Award Recipients
- Matt Ball, Colorado
- Terry Brown Jr., Chief Democratic Whip, North Carolina
- Wlnsvey Campos, Deputy Majority Leader, Oregon
- Justin Chaires, Director, Senate Energy & Telecommunications Committee, New York
- John Fredrickson, Nebraska
- Gov. Kyle Evans Gay, Delaware
- Emily Gise, Oklahoma
- Kyle Hall, North Carolina
- Steven Jackson, Louisiana
- Joshua Jefferson, Deputy Secretary, Business Development, Kansas
- Trish La Chica, Assistant Majority Floor Leader, Hawaii
- James Lomax, Alabama
- Jeremiah Moor, Arkansas
- Assemblymember Erica Mosca, Assistant Majority Floor Leader, Nevada
- Cindy Nav, New Mexico
- Taylor Rehfeldt, South Dakota
- Calvin Schrage, Alaska
- Ally Seifried, Oklahoma
- Mary-Katherine Stone, Assistant Majority Leader, Vermont
- Mario Treto Jr., Secretary, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Illinois
CSG 20 Under 40
