Mayor Lily Wu

Mayor Lily Wu was elected Mayor of Wichita on November 7, 2023, and was sworn in as the City of Wichita’s 103rd mayor on January 8, 2024. Mayor Lily is the first woman elected to a full term in the largest city in Kansas. She is the first Asian American mayor in the state of Kansas.

Mayor Lily speaks Cantonese and Spanish, was born in Guatemala, and immigrated to Wichita, Kansas with her family in 1993. On her 30th anniversary of coming to America, she announced her candidacy for mayor. She champions an inclusive vision for the entire city focused on ensuring public safety, strengthening our economy, restoring trust in City Hall and building a united community.

Prior to being elected, Mayor Lily spent 12 years as a journalist, serving as an anchor and reporter for Wichita television stations KAKE and KWCH 12 News.

Mayor Lily is dedicated to serving the community as an active community volunteer for various organizations. She is a member of the Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association, Civic Engagement Academy Alumni, Steve Clark YMCA Advisory Board, WSU Barton School of Business Dean’s Alumni Council, Wichita Crime Commission, and Wichita Asian Association. Mayor Lily previously served on the boards of Botanica’s Chinese Garden of Friendship, Diversity Kansas, Orpheum Theatre, Students In Free Enterprise, Visioneering Wichita, and WSU Alumni Association.

Mayor Lily graduated from the International Baccalaureate program at Wichita East High School. As a Gore Scholar at Wichita State University, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with two bachelor’s degrees in international business and integrated marketing communication. While serving as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, she also earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Hong Kong.

She received the “2024 Spotlight Award” by the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) Women’s Collective in Seattle on June 28. Lily was named the “2022 Rising Star in TV” by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, “2020 Exceptional Young Leader” by the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, and a “2015 Leader in Diversity” by the Wichita Business Journal. In 2012, she was crowned Miss Kansas United States.