Washingtonian’s October issue features our 2026 list of the area’s 300 Most Powerful Women. In the print article, which comes out today, we ran photos of four of the women: Janeese Lewis George, the presumptive next mayor of DC; Natalie Harp, Special and Executive Assistant to the President; Jodie McLean, the CEO of Edens; and Myechia Minter-Jordan, the CEO of AARP. We emailed each woman a few questions about their lives and careers, and used part of their answers for the captions that appear with each photo. But we didn’t have room for all of their answers, so we are sharing their complete responses online. Below is what Janeese Lewis George’s office sent us in August, on what her first actions in office would be, how she will work with President Donald Trump, and why she thinks more women should run for public office.
1. As the presumptive next mayor of DC, what will be your priorities for your first year in office?
The people of DC gave us a clear mandate: to build a government that works for all of us and to make the District more affordable for residents in all eight wards. I’m looking forward to working with the Council, community leaders, and residents across the city to lower costs by building more affordable housing, reining in utility company greed, and implementing universal childcare.
As mayor, I will be relentlessly focused on delivering reliable public services to every DC neighborhood. Because if government cannot deliver the basics, it risks losing public trust and failing to deliver more. I also committed to end cooperation between MPD and immigration enforcement agencies, and I plan to take that action immediately as mayor.
2. How will you deal with an aggressively hostile president, especially one who is trying to remake the city and has threatened more federal control of DC under your leadership?
I’ve consistently stated that as mayor I’m willing to work with the federal government and, yes, this administration, to improve the lives of DC residents. We have the opportunity to revitalize downtown, repurpose unused federal buildings to meet DC residents’ needs, build more housing to curb the affordability crisis, transform Union Station into a world-class transit hub, and restore our local parks.
I will also stand up to anyone who harms our communities or threatens local autonomy. As mayor, I’ll work collaboratively with DC’s Attorney General to defend DC. I will continue meeting with Members of Congress and expand DC’s federal affairs office to strengthen our relationships, protect our local sovereignty, and elevate DC’s priorities in Congress. I will also build and leverage relationships regionally and nationally and work with local and national grassroots groups to build power.
3. What will some of the other big challenges be in the coming year?
I have ambitious housing goals because that’s what we need in DC, but it’s going to take a lot of work to get it done. I’m going to work with everyone, including housing providers and tenants, to meet our goals. And DOGE firings and the related fallout has hit DC hard. A lot of those folks are still unemployed and underemployed, and we also have residents who are dealing with long-term unemployment. I’m going to work with as many partners as I can to grow our economy and bring more good jobs to DC.
4. What do you think has been the key to your professional success?
My mom and my grandma taught me to serve my community and make a way out of no way. Those lessons have served me well. And I’ve always believed the people closest to the problem are closest to the solution, so I listen to the people with lived experience.
5. What advice would you give to other young women who are interested in a life in politics, especially elected office?
Do it! We need more women in office. Research shows that women elected officials are more likely to support and achieve equitable outcomes that improve everyone’s lives. You don’t have to wait until someone asks you to run. Just make sure you know why you’re running, stay true to your values, and you have a solid team of advisors to support you.
