Wise County Judge J.D. Clark delivers his inaugural address after being sworn in as the National Association of Counties (NACo) president Monday in Philadelphia. COURTESY | NACo
Wise County Judge J.D. Clark was sworn in as president of the National Association of Counties (NACo) in Philadelphia on Monday, elevating his position in the organization that advocates for county governments at the federal level.
Clark’s ascension to president at the 2025 NACo Conference was assisted by his daughter, Claire, who guided him through the oath of office without missing a beat.
The path to NACo president for the 39-year-old Chico resident and former English teacher started in 2023, when he was elected as second vice president — the association’s sole elected position. He served as vice president beginning in July 2024 and now begins his year-long term as NACo president.
“It’s an honor to have your county colleagues from across the nation to say, ‘we’d like to have you lead this.'” Clark said in a phone call Monday.
Clark is tasked with leading an organization that represents 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs, advocating to provide national solutions and resources at the local level on behalf of 40,000 elected officials and 3.6 million county employees across state lines.
Clark first became an elected official in 2006 when he was elected to the Chico City Council. Now, the Republican represents counties throughout America. The county judge said the weight of his new title is still settling in.
“It’s a bit surreal when I think about it in that scope, but what’s been the same from then to now is my love of local government,” Clark said. “It’s the best form of government we have, because the impact is so direct. It’s neighbors representing neighbors, and you’re living in it every day. There’s nothing abstract about it — your county government is on the ground and the people you represent, they know if their streets are in need of repair or if their ambulances are taking too long. But you can also get immediate results, and you can look at a project and know you made a difference.”
Clark brings a unique perspective to the organization through his experience representing an emerging rural area surrounded by major metropolitan counties, like Tarrant County and Denton County.
Among his early priorities in office are expanding and streamlining county access to federal resources — especially for smaller counties that may lack the capacity or staff to navigate complex grant programs. He also pointed to his goal of collaborating with federal partners on FEMA reform and improving the process and transparency for counties who have applied for federal disaster relief.
Clark said his time serving with NACo and participating in the dialogue at the federal level has been beneficial.
“It’s incredibly valuable as a county official to be involved in NACo,” Clark said. “In Wise County, I can connect with our two congress members, but through NACo, I’m connected to all kinds of members of congress, as well as the administration, enhancing the ability to impact change at the federal level that can trickle down to the county level.”
Before securing a NACo officer position, Clark served on the board of directors as a representative for the Texas Association of Counties. He became involved with organization in 2014, serving as chair and vice chair of the Rural Action Caucus, co-chair of the Broadband Task Force, chair and vice chair of the Telecommunications and Technology Steering Committee, chair of the Veterans and Military Services Committee, and vice chair of the Finance, Pensions and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.
Clark was elected county judge in 2014 at age 28 and he has served in that role since, helping raise Wise County’s profile through participation in numerous state and national organizations. He was previously elected mayor of Chico in 2009 at age 23, making him the youngest mayor in Texas at the time.
He and his wife, Leah, have three daughters: Claire, Maggie and Zelda. Leah Clark is executive director of the Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation.
In addition to establishing its executive committee, NACo also celebrated its 90th anniversary at this year’s conference, which coincides with the year-long celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. Three commissioners and several county staff members attended the conference to both celebrate Clark and serve on various NACo committees.
J.D. Clark, the newly inaugurated NACo president, county judge and local singer songwriter, concluded his presidential address by performing a song, “County Line.” COURTESY | NACo
After being sworn in, Clark delivered his presidential address to attendees.
His speech touched on his presidential spotlight initiative: county storytelling — going beyond statistics to show how county governments are impacting quality of life.
To drive that point home, his presidential address ended with a surprise moment of levity, as the county judge was presented an acoustic guitar. The newly-minted president performed a song that celebrated local government, with a few Wise County-specific references sprinkled in, with a rallying cry chorus to “hold the County Line.”
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