With just over a week until Santa Clarita leaders head north, organizers of the 17th Annual KHTS Sacramento Road Trip have announced that Jodie Muller, president and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association, is set to serve as the trip’s keynote speaker.

The 2026 Sacramento Road Trip is scheduled for March 9–10 and is organized by KHTS FM 98.1 & AM-1220 in partnership with State Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares and her office.

The annual event brings a delegation of Santa Clarita Valley business owners, educators, nonprofit leaders and elected officials to the State Capitol to advocate for regional priorities.

“I am thrilled to partner with KHTS to bring back the KHTS Sacramento Road Trip,” Valladares said. “It has been a powerful annual event since 2005. We are honored to build upon Senator Wilk’s legacy and look forward to making the 2026 trip a truly memorable experience.”

Keynote Leadership Experience

Muller has led the Western States Petroleum Association since Sept. 1, 2025, overseeing the trade organization’s operations and advocacy efforts across California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington and Oregon.

During her 26-year career with WSPA, Muller held several senior leadership roles, including senior vice president and chief operating officer, where she directed state and regional government relations throughout the organization’s territory.

Muller also previously served as vice president of external affairs and California refining, and vice president of government and external affairs. In those roles, she worked closely with the association’s executive leadership to implement its strategic vision and represented the organization in political, regulatory and media settings.

Before joining WSPA, Muller served five years as a legislative analyst to the Long Beach City Council, worked for several trade associations in Washington, D.C., and held a position in the White House Communications Office under President George H. W. Bush.

She holds a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organization Management, earned her Certified Association Executive credential, and received both her Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Science degrees in public administration from the University of Southern California.

Muller also serves on the Association Leadership Academy Faculty for the California Society of Association Executives, was a founding board member of the Women’s Energy Network California Chapter, and volunteers with the Los Alamitos Education Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club of LA Harbor.

A Tradition Of Advocacy

Founded in 2005 by the late Assemblyman Keith Richman and KHTS co-owner Carl Goldman, the Sacramento Road Trip was created to bridge the gap between local communities and state leadership.

“Over the past three decades, we’ve traveled with more than 1,000 Santa Clarita community leaders who took time out of their busy lives to get a glimpse behind the curtain of our state government,” Goldman said.

The delegation will meet with lawmakers and state officials to discuss four to five key issues impacting the Santa Clarita Valley, typically including education, water, business, infrastructure and public services. Organizers emphasize that the trip is bipartisan, bringing together leaders from across the political spectrum.

KHTS FM 98.1 & AM-1220 will broadcast live throughout the trip, providing updates and interviews with attendees, with additional coverage posted online to give the broader community an inside look at the advocacy effort.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.