GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government

Kristen Dorman, Assistant City Manager for the City of Warrensburg, Missouri, joined the podcast to discuss her new position and family ties to local government. She shared her transition from remote to in-person work and from working for the Alliance for Innovation to returning to City Hall. She also discussed her ties to local government with both her mom and husband and what projects she is exc...

Quinn Cole, Management Analyst - Economic Development for the City of Topeka, Kansas joined the podcast to share the importance of being real and authentic. He shared her work on the Topeka Land Bank, dealing with negativity at City Hall, being named the Number Two Top Influencer in Local Government for 2024, and why she wears pink everyday. Host:  Lauren Palmer

Amy Eckberg, Sustainability Programs Manager for Orange County, North Carolina joined the podcast to discuss climate action and sustainability. She talked about the background and elements of the County's Climate Action Plan and highlighted the Community Climate Action Grant Program which funds local sustainability projects. She also discussed piloting an agrivoltaics program and her career path f...

Diane Kalen-Sukra, author of Save Your City , joined the podcast to discuss toxic culture and how it can erode a sense of belonging, community and well-being. She also argues that the capacity to collaborate and innovate is undermined by the rising incivility and divisiveness local governments are seeing. She shared her own experience of tackling toxic culture, the importance of cultivating civili...

Vince DiPiazza, City Manager for the City of Uvalde, Texas joined the podcast to share his experience from the tragic shooting that occurred at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022. He shared what happened that day of the tragedy, lessons learned, and highlighted the importance of mental health. Host:  Lauren Palmer

Halee Ratcliff, Finance Director for the Town of Wilkesboro, North Carolina joined the to podcast to discuss community investments. She shared how the town used American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to invest in a community park and support economic development. She talked about how the Town's outdoor action plan informed the investments and shared the exceptional healthcare benefits the Town provides....

When public administration is a family business. Monica Davis, Deputy City Administrator for the City of Oakland, California, and Poonam Davis, Retired City Clerk for the City of Long Beach, California, joined the podcast to talk about their careers in local government. Monica shared what she learned growing up with parents in public service, Poonam shared her path to local government, and they bo...

Brian Elms is the Founder of Change Agents Training, author of Peak Performance, and the former Director of Peak Academy and Analytics for the City and County of Denver. Brian joined the podcast to discuss innovation in local government. He shared how to start the process of innovation, the importance of subtraction in processes, and strategies to lead your team in change management. Host:  Rafael...

Housing and homelessness. The GovLove Co-hosts joined together in a grand experiment they are calling GovLove Island to discuss two of the latest topics in the local government world. First, they discussed the recent Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling from the Supreme Court. They chatted about what the court ruled, how it impacts local governments, and the complicated problem of homelessness for commun...

Lydie Gutfeld, Director of Park, Recreation, and Community Services for the City of San Bernardino, California joined the podcast in honor of Parks Make Life Better month. She talked about her career path getting into parks, career accomplishments, and the transition to being a Director. She also discussed emerging trends in the parks and recreation field and cheerleading. Host:  Meredith Reynolds

Sandy Spang, Executive Director at the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, joined the podcast to discuss her transition from elected official to local government staff. She shared her career journey from small business owner to an elected City Council member to working in economic development for the City of Toledo. She discussed her career accomplishments and how each career has impa...

Dave Walker, Design Director for the City of Detroit, Michigan, joined the podcast from the APA National Planning Conference to discuss the award-winning Cody Rouge and Warrendale Neighborhood Plan . This neighborhood is home to the largest concentration of children in Detroit and the City wanted the next generation to shape the neighborhood plan. He shared important elements of the plan, how the...

Curating Professional Development with Jessica Deakyne and John StefanskiTwo guests joined the podcast to discuss curating professional development. Jessica Deakyne is the Assistant City Manager at the City of Novato, CA and John Stefanski is the Assistant City Manager at the City of San Rafael, CA. They discussed the importance of professional organizations, the UpNext professional development pr...

Two guests rejoined the podcast to discuss rethinking municipal budgets. Chirs Morrill, Executive Director, and Shayne Kavanagh, Senior Manager of Research, at the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) discussed why it is time to rethink the budgeting process and GFOA's Rethinking Budgeting initiative . They also talked about why it is more important to be a chef rather than a cook and ho...

A panel of planning lawyers joined the podcast to share their experiences in planning law while working at law firms. They shared their career paths along with what they do in their current positions. The panel included: Sean Suder, Lead Principal & Founder, ZoneCo; Deborah Rosenthal, Senior Attorney, FitzGerald Kreditor Bolduc Risbrough LLP; Taylor Palmer, Partner, Cuddy & Feder LLP; and David Si...

Can public officials block you on social media? Robert Hagemann, a Partner at Poyner Spurill LLP, joined the podcast to discuss Lindke v. Freed  and its impact on free speech and the use social media in local government. He shared the First Amendment landscape prior to the Supreme Court ruling, what the outcome of the most recent ruling means for local governments, and unanswered questions regardi...

Two guests joined the podcast to discuss using applied science in public policymaking. Both guests work at The Lab at DC. Sam Quinney is the Director and Ryan Flynn is a Civic Design Researcher. They shared how The Lab at DC was formed, improving housing vouchers, and how other local governments can use applied science in policymaking. This episode was hosted by guest host  Danno Lemu as part of a...

The Real Deal Caitlin Clark. The most famous planner in the nation joined the podcast to talk about her work and starring in a television commercial . Caitlin Clark, Planning Specialist for the City of Scottsdale, Arizona, shared her career path to working in local government and how she ended up in a commercial with the basketball star of the same name. She also shared her advice for people trans...

In anticipation of the 2024 Top Influencers in Local Government , two guests joined the podcast to discuss their work in local government after being awarded an ELGL Top Influencer in Local Government in 2022 . Sarah Mondesire is the Community Well-Being Manager for the City of Commerce City, Colorado and Jessie Brown is a Social Media and Communications Specialist at the Iowa Department of Natura...

Robert Sturns, Economic Development Director for the City of Fort Worth, Texas, joined the podcast to discuss his role and how the City works to guide growth and development. He talked about the importance of strategically growing during rapid population rise and Fort Worth's downtown development. He discussed the value of small business and entrepreneurs, as well as how the City supports that sec...

Heather Worthington, Principal for Urban3, rejoined the podcast to discuss the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which was passed when she was the City's Director of Long Range Planning. She talked about the ambitious objectives Minneapolis 2040 was trying to solve regarding climate change and racial inequity. She discussed how the implementation of the plan has been in litigation for several y...

Achieving true resilience. Danielle Arigoni, Managing Director for Policy and Solutions at the National Housing Trust, joined to podcast to discuss her book  Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation . She talked about the demographic trends that lead to an aging population and how vulnerabilities from aging intersect with risks from climate change. She shared interventions that work to meet the need...

Experiencing parks and recreation from behind the desk and out from under it. Anthony Iracki, CORE Professional Development Manager at PlayCore, joined the podcast to discuss being an enthusiast in your own profession. He shared his career path, how he came to love parks and recreation, and his transition into his new role at PlayCore. Host:  Meredith Reynolds

Chelsea Jackson, Deputy City Manager for the City of Douglasville, GA joined to podcast to discuss her role and leadership approach. She talked about the importance of building a pipeline for new talent, her career transition to Deputy City Manager, and provided advice for those looking to make the leap to management positions. She also shared her career path which started as a local government ma...

Jeff Richardson, County Executive for Albemarle County, VA, joined the podcast to discuss his management principles. He shared how to manage a high performance organization, the benefit of being a "needs improvement" organization, and tips for aspiring managers. Host:  Rafael Baptista