Council
The Council is the Association’s advisory body responsible for the strategic directions of the Association’s development. It is elected by the General Assembly of Members in a democratic vote, and its term of office is aligned with the term of office of local government authorities. The Council’s responsibilities include, among others, submitting candidates for the Management Board to the General Assembly, requesting the Management Board to convene the General Assembly of Members, and providing opinions on matters submitted by the Management Board, including the draft annual budget.
Currently, its members include:
Magdalena Czarzyńska-JachimChair of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilMayor of Sopot
Born in 1972 in Gdańsk. Holds a Master’s degree from the Faculty of History at the University of Gdańsk. Graduate of postgraduate studies at the Kozminski University in Warsaw. Recipient of a French government scholarship in Montpellier and at the University of Toulouse Le Mirail.
Since 2006 associated with the Sopot local government; Deputy Mayor of Sopot in 2019 - 2023, and Mayor of Sopot since 2024. Chair of the Human Rights and Equal Treatment Committee of the Polish Cities Association. Member of the Standing Committee for Equality at the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR). Laureate of the “Kozminski Lion” award in the Administration category.
Aleksandra DulkiewiczVice-Chair of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilMayor of Gdańsk
Born on 10 July 1979 in Gdańsk. A Polish local government official, Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk for Economic Policy (2017 - 2019), and since 16 January 2019 acting Mayor of Gdańsk. Since 11 March 2019, Mayor of the City of Gdańsk.
She studied law at the University of Gdańsk (2006) and at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (2004 - 2005).
She was a volunteer at the Gdańsk Areopagus, a forum for the exchange of ideas that for over a decade played an important role in Gdańsk’s intellectual landscape (2000 - 2012).
She began working with the Mayor of Gdańsk, Paweł Adamowicz, in 2006 as his assistant. She took part in preparing Gdańsk for UEFA EURO 2012™ (2008 - 2009). She contributed to the establishment of the European Solidarity Centre (2009 - 2014). She prepared advisory and investment projects and worked on attracting investors at the Gdańsk Economic Development Agency InvestGDA (2009 - 2014). She was twice elected to the Gdańsk City Council.
In March 2017, the Mayor of Gdańsk, Paweł Adamowicz, appointed her as his Deputy Mayor for Economic Policy. Following the 2018 elections, she again assumed the post of Deputy Mayor.
After the death of Mayor Paweł Adamowicz, she took over as acting Mayor of Gdańsk. In the subsequent by-election, she was elected Mayor of the City of Gdańsk.
She is the mother of Zosia.
Aleksandra KosiorekVice-Chair of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilMayor of Gdynia
Born in 1985, resident of Orłowo (previously Działki Leśne). Graduate of Primary School No. 26 and VI High School in Gdynia. She completed her law studies at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk with a very good overall grade.
A long-time legal advisor and co-owner of a law firm until assuming the office of Mayor of Gdynia. In her professional practice, she specialised in medical law, human rights, as well as civil and compensation cases. She is also a court mediator. Co-author of four books and author of dozens of press articles. For many years, she was involved in providing free legal assistance to those in need.
As an activist, she co-organised protests in front of courts and was a leader of the Women’s Strike. In 2017, she co-authored the civic resolution “Kids Ride Free”, presented to the Gdynia City Council.
She was also involved in aid efforts following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and was honoured by the Sapere Aude Foundation in the “Altruists - Heroes of Wartime” project.
She is married and has two children. She enjoys family caravan trips and exploring Poland, especially the mountains. She is also active in sports, including jogging and obstacle races.
Jacek MichalskiMember of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilMayor of Nowy Dwór Gdański
Born on 22 December 1961. He holds a Master of Engineering degree in agriculture. For over twenty years, he worked as a teacher at School Complex No. 2 in Nowy Dwór Gdański, serving in his later years as the head of the institution. He has served as Mayor of Nowy Dwór Gdański since December 2010, and on 16 November 2014 he was re-elected by the residents of the Municipality of Nowy Dwór Gdański for a second term.
He is married to Barbara and has two sons, Mateusz and Kacper. The family home is also shared with a dog, Megi, and two cats. His interests include sports and music; he enjoys listening to Bob Dylan and, among newer rock bands, Kings of Leon. In 2024, he was elected for a fourth term.
Janusz WróbelMember of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilMayor of Pruszcz Gdański
Born on 3 September 1968 in Gdańsk. A graduate in political science from the University of Gdańsk. From 1994 to 1996, he served as a Member of the Board of the City of Pruszcz Gdański. From 1998 to 2002, he was the Deputy Starost of Gdańsk County. Since 19 November 2002, he has been the Mayor of Pruszcz Gdański. In the most recent local elections, he achieved one of the best results in the country - 77.09% of all votes cast for all candidates.
Over the years of his work for the city, he has undertaken many valuable actions and initiatives, including the construction of the Pruszcz Gdański Bypass and numerous roads that improved safety and traffic flow in the city. He established the Baltic Investment Zone within the city, which resulted in attracting many new investments to Pruszcz Gdański, such as the company LPP S.A. Thanks to his efforts, Pruszcz Gdański has, over the years, become a leader among “county towns” in the Pomeranian Voivodeship in obtaining external funding.Throughout his long career, he has also become known as a patron of sports and culture. During his tenure, the unique nationwide cultural event Faktoria Kultury was created, featuring summer-long performances by the Wybrzeże Theatre and concerts by top Polish music bands. He is also an initiator of active cooperation with non-governmental organizations, including participation in the World Disability Awareness Days, organizing the Senior Ball and Children's Ball, and supporting the University of the Third Age. He also fosters international cooperation by initiating and developing multigenerational partnership exchanges with the cities of Šilutė in Lithuania, Kupiansk in Ukraine, and Hofheim am Taunus in Germany.
Piotr Mirosław SzwedowskiMember of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilStarost of Malbork County
Born on March 23, 1966, in Malbork. He graduated from the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw and the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdańsk. He holds a Diploma in Education Management and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
A Malbork County Councilor since 1998. He is a member of the Board of the St. Faustyna “Fides” Association - an organization dedicated to supporting the homeless - and a co-founder of the Catholic School Complex in Malbork. He is also the initiator and editor of the “Malbork Library” publishing series, which has released six volumes focused on the Polish history of Malbork.
Leszek SarnowskiMember of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilStarost of Sztum County
Born on February 17, 1959, in Barcin. He is a graduate of the Jan Kasprowicz 1st Secondary School in Inowrocław and studied History at the University of Gdańsk. He is a historian, journalist, and local government official.
For 12 years, he taught history at a primary school in Sztum. In 1989, he was the founder and chairman of the "Solidarity" Citizens' Committee in Sztum. Between 1989 and 1993, he served as the founder and editor-in-chief of the biweekly magazines Sztumska Solidarność and Gazeta Sztumska. He also worked as a correspondent for Gazeta Wyborcza, Dziennik Bałtycki, Radio Gdańsk, and Radio Plus. For 12 years, he was a journalist and reporter for the regional branch of TVP (Polish Television) in Gdańsk. He is the creator and editor-in-chief of Prowincja, a socio-cultural quarterly covering the Lower Powiśle and Żuławy regions, which has been published in Sztum since 2010.
He is the author of the following books: Sztumska droga do wolności (2017), Ocalona pamięć. Żydzi na ziemi sztumskiej (2018), and Franciszek Baumgart. Osaczony bohater (2024).
He has been involved in local government since 1990. His public service includes two terms as a councilor for the Sztum Town and Commune Council (1990 - 1998), a councilor of the Pomeranian Regional Assembly (Sejmik) from 2010 to 2014, and a Sztum County Councilor since 2014. He first took office as the Starosta of Sztum County on June 1, 2021, and was re-elected to the position in 2024. He lives in Sztum.
Jarosław BiałkMember of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilStarost of Puck County
Born on August 21, 1967. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Philology and History at the University of Gdańsk and completed postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Management at the same university. From 1998 to 2006, he was a councilor of the Krokowa Commune, serving as Chairman of the Krokowa Commune Council from 2002 to 2006. He worked at the Puck County Office from 1998 to 2006, and from 2006 to 2014, he served as the Deputy Mayor of the Krokowa Commune. He has held the position of Starosta of Puck County since 2014. Jarosław Białk is a member of the Kashubian-Pomeranian Association.
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Bogdan ŁapaMember of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilStarost of Kartuzy County
Born on May 29, 1957. He is a graduate of the Agricultural Academy in Poznań. In 1990, he was elected Mayor of the Town and Commune of Żukowo, a position he held for three terms. He has been a councilor of Kartuzy County since 1998; from 1998 to 2002, he served as the vice-chairman of this council. From 2010 to 2018, he was the Deputy Starosta of Kartuzy County. He has held the position of Starosta of Kartuzy County since 2018. For his contributions to the local community, he was awarded the Golden Cross of Merit by the President of the Republic of Poland in 2001.
Krzysztof HildebrandtMember of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilMayor of Wejherowo
Born on December 6, 1953, in Wejherowo. A graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdańsk. He also completed the European Project Managers Study Program. He has been the Mayor of Wejherowo since 1998.
A third-generation resident of Wejherowo. Working for the benefit of Wejherowo is his passion. He aims to make Wejherowo a modern and dynamically developing city that cares for the needs of its contemporaries while respecting tradition and history.
Krzysztof Hildebrandt actively participates in the life of not only Wejherowo but also the Kashubia region. He is an active member of several non-governmental organizations, such as the Association of Friends of the Family and the Kashubian-Pomeranian Association. He holds Veterans' Associations in particularly high regard and takes an interest in the activities of the Guild of Crafts and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.
He is the founder of the Center for the Prevention and Resolution of Alcohol Problems in Wejherowo. He also initiated the establishment of the City Guard and the implementation of video surveillance in Wejherowo.
He is a leader who deeply cares about both the intellectual and physical development of children and youth. During his tenure, the following facilities were built: an indoor swimming pool, an artificial ice rink, a sports hall, multi-purpose sports fields, and a bicycle path.
An important focus of Krzysztof Hildebrandt's local government activity is the utilization of EU funds and the implementation of key municipal investments. These include the renovation of the Wejherowo Calvary, the restoration of the historical and natural values of the Aleksander Majkowski City Park, the revitalization of the city center, and the thermal modernization of schools. He initiated the construction of the regional cultural center, the so-called "Kashubian Philharmonic," which was the largest municipal investment under the revitalization program carried out between 2008 and 2015.
Krzysztof Hildebrandt is the happy father of two adult children, Alicja and Artur, and the husband of Joanna. His extensive public, local government, social, and political activities leave the city mayor with limited time to pursue his hobby of motor water sports. Since his youth, he has also been involved in philately.
Mirosław AugustynMember of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilStarost of Tczew County
Mirosław Augustyn has been continuously involved in local government for over 30 years. As a Tczew City Councilor, he consecutively served as the chairman of the Economic Policy Committee of the Tczew City Council, and subsequently as the chairman of the Tczew City Council.
He has held the position of Starosta of Tczew County since 2018. Out of concern for the needs of the residents of Tczew and Tczew County, during his tenure as Starosta, he takes actions aimed at raising the standards of services provided by the Tczew hospital. The Starosta of Tczew County also continuously strives to increase the energy efficiency of public buildings in Tczew County, fostering the development of a low-emission economy, enhancing energy security, and improving the state of the natural environment. Throughout his entire period of public service, he also finds time for charitable work, helping to organize picnics, sports tournaments, competitions, festivals, and the like, while financially supporting an orphanage, sports clubs, kindergartens, and schools.
Jarosław LitwinMember of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area CouncilMayor of Lębork
Born on March 28, 1988, in Lębork. He graduated with degrees in journalism and social communication, and in European studies specializing in federalism and regional policy in Europe. He ran his own business for 13 years.
A local government official. He served as a Councilor of the Lębork City Council from 2010 to 2024, and as the Chairman of the Lębork City Council from 2018 to 2024. He has held the position of Mayor of Lębork since 2024.
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He is a native of Tczew. Together with his wife Agnieszka, he is raising their daughter, Łucja. He graduated in Political Science from the University of Gdańsk and completed postgraduate studies in Management at the Gdańsk University of Technology. For 15 years, he has been actively working for the benefit of the residents. He co-founded initiatives such as "Dawny Tczew" (Old Tczew) - the Virtual Museum of the City, which focuses on promoting local history, and the Social Committee for the Reconstruction of the Bridge, dedicated to rebuilding the Tczew Bridge. For 4 years, he was involved in organizing the "Zdarzenia" Festival - the largest international cultural event in the history of Tczew. For 12 years, he served as the president of the Tczew Civic Initiatives Movement. The association initiated, among other things, the social revitalization project of the City Park, the creation of the City Forest on a former military training ground, and the establishment of the National Railway Museum in Tczew.
He is the co-author of two books on the history of Tczew and also serves as a volunteer city guide.
During the 2018 - 2024 term, he served as a Councilor of the Tczew City Council. In 2024, he became the Mayor of Tczew.
He is a graduate of two programs at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Gdynia Maritime Academy: Maintenance Management Engineering and Marine Power Plant Operation. He has been connected to Rumia for over 20 years. A longtime player for Arka Gdynia, he has been active (also as a coach) in the Arka Rumia Rugby Club since 2004.
In 2010, he became a councilor of the 6th term of the Rumia City Council. He served as the chairman of the Sports, Culture, and Recreation Committee, worked on the Finance and Budget Committee, and from September 2013, he held the position of chairman of the Rumia City Council.
On November 30, 2014, the residents of Rumia elected him as the city's mayor for the first time. In 2018, the residents of Rumia decided he would hold this position for another term, and in 2024, he became the Mayor of Rumia for the third time.