Becca Martin Appointed Mentor for National Chamber CEO Leadership Program

(September 29, 2026) - Rebecca Martin, CCE, IOM, President and CEO of the Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed a mentor for the 2026-27 cohort of Propel, a national program of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) that supports chamber leaders stepping into the CEO role for the first time.

Propel equips new chamber executives with targeted professional development, mentorship and coaching, and peer engagement through a learning cohort. ACCE launched the program in 2025 after its Horizon 2035 research identified leadership turnover among chamber CEOs, key staff, and volunteer business executives as a significant factor in organizational stability in the years ahead. The program is open to chamber CEOs within their first 18 months in the role.

As a mentor, Martin will share her experience leading regional chambers across economic development, membership strategy, internal operations, board governance, and public advocacy, helping a new CEO turn Propel's tools into results for their members and local economy.

"The first eighteen months in the CEO seat set the direction for everything that follows, for the chamber and for the business community it serves," said Ashley Purdy, Senior Manager, Head of Learning, ACCE. "Propel gives new executives the tools, relationships, and practical insight to lead with confidence from day one. Mentors like Rebecca bring the hands-on experience that makes those tools work in real communities, with real budgets and real boards."

"Every tool a new CEO receives becomes more valuable when it comes with the experience of someone who has used it under real conditions," said Martin, noting the business climate is shifting quickly, from workforce and cost pressures to changes in how employers evaluate their investment in membership organizations.
 
“Sharing what works, and how to adapt it as conditions change, helps new leaders deliver measurable value to their members sooner,” she said. “That strengthens chambers nationwide and keeps Federal Way connected to the best thinking in our industry."

The appointment follows Martin's 2025-26 service as a mentor in the inaugural cohort of ACCE's Next Generation Leadership Program, designed to develop chamber professionals working toward vice president and CEO roles.  Martin noted that the professionals in this cohort are already carrying real weight inside their chambers. Our sessions focused on the decisions that separate a strong manager from an organizational leader.”

"Rebecca brings decades of chamber expertise to every mentoring relationship,” said Purdy.  “She shares what she knows generously, she is easy to work with, and she invests fully in the success of the leaders she supports. Our Next Gen participants left their sessions with practical guidance they could put to work right away, and we are glad to have her carry that experience into Propel this year as she works with first-time CEOs."

Next Gen and Propel serve two distinct points in a leader's career, and chambers need both, says Martin.

"Next Gen is pipeline work. It prepares a rising VP or director to earn the top job, so the conversations center on judgment, visibility, and seeing the whole organization,” she noted. “Propel begins on day one in the CEO seat, when the questions turn to board governance, the budget, dues revenue, and the first-year decisions that set a chamber's financial footing for years to come.”
 
“Mentoring at both stages gives me a clear view of the full leadership pipeline, and a strong pipeline protects the return member businesses earn on their chamber investment,” she added.

Martin holds the Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) designation, ACCE's highest professional credential for chamber leaders, and is the only CCE certified executive on the west coast. She also earned her IOM certification from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management. Martin serves on the Board of WCCE, Washington Chamber of Commerce Executives.