GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government

Building an inclusive government. Nefertiri Sickout, the Acting Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, joined the podcast to talk about the work of advancing equity and improving the diversity of the City's workforce. She shared how the City has changed specific hiring practices and methods to improve the diversity of candidates and how the City is working to improve the diversity of businesses that participate in the procurement process. She also shared her career path into local government and how COVID-19 and the protests in 2020 impacted her work. Host: Ben Kittelson

It's been a year. The GovLove co-hosts teamed up to hand out awards and recap the fifth full year of a podcast about local government. Kirsten, Kent, Alyssa, Javon, and Ben all selected four of their favorite episodes to honor with the most prestigious award in local government podcasting, a GovieLovie. They also debated the best holiday movie, made up local government themed songs, and shared a memory from the first five years of GovLove. Plus meet some new GovLove contributors for 2021 in Lauren, Toney, & Mike. Hosts: Kirsten Wyatt, Kent Wyatt, Ben Kittelson, Alyssa Dinberg, & Javon Davis The GovieLovies Kirsten Race and Equity in Minneapolis with Joy Marsh Stephens Public Art & Black Lives Matter with Amina Cooper, Arts & Science Council Greedy Bastards with Sheryl Sculley, San Antonio, TX Remote Public Meetings & COVID-19 with Lindsay Lara, San Rafael, CA Ben Leadership and FireStat with Chief Reginald Freeman, Hartford, CT Community Safety & Innovation with Sarita Nair, Albuquerque, NM Building Inclusive Communities with Juan Carlos Gonzalez, Oregon Metro Budgeting During COVID-19 with Gregory Patrick, Norfolk, VA Javon Civic-Minded Journalism with Lucas Grindley, Next City Embracing Failure in Local Government with Andi Mirviss Reducing Reliance on Policing with Alex Vitale, Brooklyn College Reducing Evictions in Newark, NJ with Khabirah Myers Alyssa Leadership Through Crisis with Betsy Hodges, Kauffman Mayors Council Building Strong Towns with Chuck Marohn Addressing Equity During COVID-19 with Shannon Hardin, Columbus, OH Leadership in Times of Crisis – The Drucker Playbook with Tanya Ange and Lawrence Greenspun Kent Advocating for Public Records with Ginger McCall Recruiting in the City of Bend, OR with Eric King & Stephanie Betteridge Supporting Akron Businesses During COVID-19 with James Hardy and Michael Mazur Library Operations During COVID-19 with Jamie Eustace, Baytown, TX Exit music: The 12 Clogs of Christmas by NEORSD

The Port Orange Government Show. Christine Martindale, Public Information Officer for the City of Port Orange, Florida, joined the podcast to talk about her new podcast for the City of Port Orange. She shared her transition from the private sector into local government as well as all of the work she does as a department of one. Christine and Ben discuss the benefits of podcasting and how easy it is to start a podcast of your own. Host: Ben Kittelson

Placemaking and economic development. Sandi Curd, Promise Zone Coordinator for the Kentucky Highland Investment Corporation, joined the podcast to talk about her work supporting communities and small businesses through placemaking. She shared how the Promise Zone impacts the 22-county service area in southeastern Kentucky and how placemaking can serve as an economic incubator. Sandi also discussed placemaking examples and how the community drives what they do. This episode is part of ELGL's Creative Community series, a partnership with ArtPlace America and CivicArts to write, explore, share, and learn about creative placemaking. Host: Ben Kittelson

Tips for video conferencing. Becky Hirst, Community Engagement Consultant from McLaren Vale, South Australia, joined the podcast to talk about her work as a community engagement consultant and her new e-book covering video conferencing etiquette. She discussed how she works with communities to inform the decision-makers by connecting with the community. She also shared the 10 tips for video conferencing in her new e-book such as testing your equipment, rules of engagement, and how to minimize distractions during meetings. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Doing it all. Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator for the Town of Franklin, Massachusetts, joined the podcast to talk about innovation, change management, and responding to COVID-19. He shared how the Town takes a customer focused approach to their work and the freedom departments have to implement new technology. He also discussed how smaller local governments have to manage large issues with fewer resources. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Preserving black history. Rebecca Bellan, Freelance Reporter for Forbes and CityLab, joined the podcast to tell the story of 227 Duffield in Brooklyn, New York. This home has ties to New York's abolitionist movement and is believed to have been part of the underground railroad. In two articles this year she's detailed the battle over preserving the home and the fight to preserve black history. Articles: What It Takes to Preserve a Building Tied to Black History and Did a Brooklyn Home's Tunnel Provide Passage to Escaped Slaves? Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Don't make videos, make an impact. Dana Healy, Executive Director of CTV North Suburbs, joined the podcast to talk about the benefits of local community media centers. She discussed CTV North Suburbs which is a collaboration between nine cities in the Minneapolis area that creates video content on behalf of those local governments. The core function of the non-profit is to can help local governments promote and amplify their message. Dana also shared the upcoming content series with ELGL on effective relationships with community media centers and local governments. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Freedom to move. Kyle Rowe, Global Head of Partnerships for Spin, joined the podcast to talk about the role of micromobility in transportation. He discussed how micromobility helps people travel the last mile to their destination and how Spin, Inc. works with local governments to improve the experience of traveling by bike or scooter. He talked about how COVID-19 has impacted micromobility programs. Kyle also shared his career path which included time in the City of Seattle Department of Transportation. Host: Javon Davis

Government after shock. David Pembroke, Founder & CEO of contentgroup, joined the podcast to talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing communications and digital tools in the public sector. He is the host of the upcoming GovComms Festival, which is an online event exploring how government communications is changing around the world. He talked about how COVID-19 has shown that communications needs to be a central, strategic function of government. Host: Ben Kittelson

A Texas-sized struggle to avoid financial crisis. Sheryl Sculley, former City Manager for the City of San Antonito, Texas, joined the podcast to discuss her book Greedy Bastards, which tells the story of her time leading San Antonio and dealing with financial challenges. Sculley was at the center of renegotiating public union safety contracts, which if not changed, would have bankrupted the City. She also talked about her career path and leadership style. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Attracting aspiring local government leaders. Eric King, City Manager, and Stephanie Betteridge, Chief Innovation Officer, joined the podcast to talk about a new recruitment in the City of Bend, Oregon. The City is hiring for a Strategic Initiatives Manager (and other roles) and they shared what led to creating this position, what skills they are looking for, and what the first few months on the job will be like. Eric and Stephanie also shared their own career paths in local government and what makes Bend unique. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Inspiring dialogue through art. Salam Rida, Project Director, and Travis Crabtree, Project Manager, discuss the Fertile Ground Project in Jackson, Mississippi. This project uses public art to talk about urban farming, the availability of healthy food, and the history of land use in the City of Jackson. Salam and Travis shared what led to the project and how food access intersects with history, class, race, and planning. This episode is part of ELGL's Creative Community series, a partnership with ArtPlace America and CivicArts to write, explore, share, and learn about creative placemaking. Host: Ben Kittelson

Empowering local governments. Nathan Lee, the Founder and Managing Director of Civic Pulse, joined the podcast to talk about their research and data analysis into local governments. He shared how he started Civic Pulse and the partnership with ELGL on the Diversity Dashboard measuring the diversity of the local government profession. He also discussed Civic Pulse's research into COVID-19 efforts by local governments on compliance and budget impacts. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Inspiring equitable cities. Lucas Grindley, the Executive Director of Next City, joined the podcast to talk about local journalism and the role Next City is filling by covering issues that impact cities. He discussed non-profit news organizations and solutions journalism. Lucas also shared he career path into journalism and the topics Next City has covered that local governments can learn from. Host: Javon Davis

Encouraging diversity. Pamela Antil, the City Manager of the City of Encinitas, California and Founder of the League of Women in Government, joined the podcast to talk about diversity in local government. She shared what the League of Women in Government does and why they were founded as well as the value of diversity. Pamela also talked about her new position, why data is important to the conversation, and ELGL's Diversity Dashboard. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Creating meaningful experience. Pat Madej, Senior Budget & Management Analyst for the City of Durham, NC, and Molly Gaskin, Graduate MPA Student at the University of North Carolina, joined the podcast to talk about the City of Durham's internship program. Pat discussed how the Budget Department established its internship program. Molly shared what it was like to be an intern during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also discussed the project Molly worked on this summer which added a performance measurement and equity lens to evaluating budget requests. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

GFOA Fiscal First Aid. Shayne Kavanagh, Senior Manager of Research for GFOA, and Greg Devereaux, retired Chief Executive Officer of San Bernardino County, CA, joined the podcast to talk about recovering from a financial crisis. GFOA has identified a 12 step process for dealing with any crisis. Even the best-prepared local governments can be impacted by situations where there isn't enough money to do everything that people expect to get done. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Technology and emergency response. Sarah Tuneberg, the Innovation Response Team Lead for the State of Colorado, joined the podcast to talk about a new COVID-19 exposure notification app that uses bluetooth to alert people if they have exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. She described how the technology works and how it helps as another tool in the State's response to the coronavirus. Sarah also shared how she ended up working on the Innovation Response Team and what else the group is working on. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Powering communities. Joy Ditto, the President and CEO of the American Public Power Association (APPA), joined the podcast to talk about public power utilities and how the electric industry has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. She discussed how APPA shared best practices to keep employees safe and how incorporating pandemic response measures fits with the safety culture in the electric industry. She also talked about the role of public power agencies. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Reimagining government. Amanda Renteria, the CEO of Code for America, joined the podcast to talk about using technology to serve communities and use technology for good. She discussed how Code for America wants to encourage a delivery driven government that starts with people it serves. She also shared her career path in public service and example projects completed by Code for America brigades. Host: Javon Davis

Using data and technology to monitor streets. Three guests joined the podcast to talk about how the City of Savannah, Georgia is using new technology to understand the condition of their road infrastructure and more efficiently maintain their roads. Heath Lloyd is the Chief Infrastructure & Development Officer for the City of Savannah, Joe Shearhouse is the Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Savannah, and Stuart Frick is a Partner Success Lead for RoadBotics. They talked about how Savannah adopted RoadBotics to measure road condition more effectively and use data to better invest road maintenance funding. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Inequity eliminator. Manisha Paudel, Equity Coordinator for the City of Des Moines, Iowa, joined the podcast to talk about implementing racial equity work and engaging with the community. She shared her career path doing equity and engagement work as well as how she works to normalize racial equity concepts and identify inequities in the City. Host: Ben Kittelson

City management as a family business. Meredith Reynolds, Park Planning & Partnership Manager for the City of Long Beach, California, and Jan Reynolds, Retired City Manager for the City of Hanford, California, joined the podcast to talk about their careers in local government. Meredith shared what she learned from growing up with a father who was a City Manager and how it has impacted her career choices. Jan shared what he learned in his career and his advice for people that want to become City Managers. Host: Kent Wyatt

Authentically reflecting community values. Amina Cooper, Program Director of Public Art CLT for the Arts & Science Council, joined the podcast to talk about creating more equitable and diverse public art. She discussed the recent efforts by communities across the country to rethink their public art and what it emphasizes or honors. Amina also talked about how the way public art programs are administered can exclude artists from marginalized backgrounds. This is part of ELGL's Creative Community, a partnership with ArtPlace America and CivicArts to write, explore, share, and learn about creative placemaking. Host: Javon Davis

Making communities safer. Alex Vitale, Professor of Sociology and Coordinator of the Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College, joined the podcast to talk about rethinking public safety and his book, The End of Policing. He discussed how past policing reforms have not been successful at changing outcomes and the need to solve community problems in new ways rather than just using the criminal justice system. He also shared examples from across the country of how cities are reducing the role of police (Examples: The Ithaca Plan, CAHOOTS, Cure Violence, and City of Berkeley). Host: Ben Kittelson

Rewards for shopping local. James Hardy, Deputy Mayor for Integrated Development at the City of Akron, Ohio, and Michael Mazur, Vice President for Business Development for Colu, joined the podcast to talk about an app that connects Akron residents with local businesses. The Akronite app gives retailers marketing tools and incentivizes shopping local by providing rewards at participating Akron businesses to residents. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Feeling politics. Brandon Davis, Assistant Professor of Law and Society for the University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration, joined the podcast to discuss a recent paper he published titled, Feeling Politics: Carceral Contact, Well-Being, and Participation. His paper is about the impact that contact with police and the criminal justice system have on civic participation. Brandon discussed what his research found and how local governments can address this issue. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Creating a City of lifelong learning. Jennifer Henecke, the Communications Manager for the St. Joseph County Public Library, and Rick Wartzman, Head of the KH Moon Center for a Functioning Society, joined the podcast to talk about a new online learning resource developed for South Bend residents. The Drucker Institute partnered with the Library and the community to create Bendable, a platform with curated resources for professional development and training. They also designed community collections with local experts on topics like buying your first house, coding, and film making. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Increasing impact through data. Natalie Evans Harris, the Co-Founder and Head of Strategic Initiatives at BrightHive, joined the podcast to talk about using data to improve local government's response to COVID-19. She shared how BrightHive is partnering with public sector agencies and their recently released Responsible Data Use Playbooks. Natalie also discussed trends she's seeing in public sector data use. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Focusing on people, not just place. Majestic Lane, Chief Equity Officer and Deputy Chief of Staff for the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, joined the podcast to talk about the creation and work of the City's Office of Equity. He discussed gentrification and how cities need to focus on people and impacts of who is served by new investments. Majestic also talked about workforce development efforts and the work Pittsburgh is doing to improve the diversity of businesses it works with. Host: Ben Kittelson

Meaning making and synthesizing. Carrie Christensen, Senior Planner for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, joined the podcast to talk about how she has used art and artists in engagement. Using artists has improved the quality of engagement and brought more diverse residents to the table. This is part of ELGL's Creative Community, a partnership with ArtPlace America and CivicArts to write, explore, share, and learn about creative placemaking. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Linking innovation and impact. Andi Mirviss, Program Manager for the Centre for Public Impact, joined the podcast to talk about failure in government. She shared how failure is key to innovation and embracing it allows people to embrace new ideas. The Centre for Public Impact has a new report about Failing Forward and understanding how local governments can fail forward and create a culture of innovation. Host: Javon Davis

Lessons from the Great Recession. Richard Berry, former Mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, joined the podcast to talk about the work of the Kauffman Mayors' Council and the long term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. He shared what it was like to go through the Great Recession and the need to support local businesses. He also discussed how Albuquerque supported entrepreneurs through accelerator programs and changing the regulatory environment. This interview is part of a four part series with the Kauffman Mayors' Council. The Mayors' Council harnesses the knowledge and experience of former mayors to support cities across the county in efforts to build equitable community wealth. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Community organizing in government. Ben Duncan, Chief Diversity and Equity Officer for Multnomah County, Oregon, joined the podcast to talk about his career working on equity issues which began with environmental justice and health issues. He discussed the County's Workforce Equity Strategic Plan and how employees have been engaged to improve their workplace. He also shared the work he's done on the strategies Multnomah County is implementing to improve the diversity of their workforce and how the organization uses an equity lens. Host: Ben Kittelson

An entrepreneurial mayor. Sly James, former Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, jointed the podcast to talk about the work of the Kauffman Mayors' Council and attracting talent and supporting entrepreneurs. He shared two programs led by the City of Kansas City, an innovation partnership program and a startup in residence program. He also discussed the racial gap in entrepreneurship and the need to incorporate equity in economic development. This interview is part of a four part series with the Kauffman Mayors' Council. The Mayors' Council harnesses the knowledge and experience of former mayors to support cities across the county in efforts to build equitable community wealth. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

One Albuquerque. Sarita Nair, the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, joined the podcast to talk about a new approach to public safety and implementing innovation. She discussed the City's new Community Safety Department, the impacts of COVID-19, and creating a fund to support the Black community in Albuquerque. She also shared how innovation training has changed culture and her career path into local government. Host: Ben Kittelson

Managing ongoing uncertainty. Betsy Hodges, former Mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota, jointed the podcast to talk about the work of the Kauffman Mayors' Council and leading during a time of crisis. She discussed the importance of communication, understanding what's right, and self care. She also shared why she ran for Mayor and what it was like dealing with the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting. This interview is part of a four part series with the Kauffman Mayors' Council. The Mayors' Council harnesses the knowledge and experience of former mayors to support cities across the county in efforts to build equitable community wealth. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Public service and voter education. Janice Allen Jackson, Principal at Janice Allen Jackson & Associates and Host of Local Matters, joined the podcast to talk about her career path in local government and her current efforts to engage and educate voters through her podcast. She discussed how the conversation about defunding police should shift to interdisciplinary public safety. Janice also shared stories from her time leading the cities of Albany and Augusta, Georgia. Host: Ben Kittelson

Thinking outside the box about economic development. Mark Stodola, former Mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas and attorney, jointed the podcast to talk about the work of the Kauffman Mayors' Council and the importance of entrepreneurship. He talked about his work as Mayor including his time as President of the National League of Cities (NLC). He also discussed the work of the Kauffman Foundation to support small businesses. This interview is part of a four part series with the Kauffman Mayors' Council. The Mayors' Council harnesses the knowledge and experience of former mayors to support cities across the county in efforts to build equitable community wealth. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Planning for a stronger, more equitable Minneapolis. Joy Marsh Stephens, the Director of the Division of Race & Equity for the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota, joined the podcast to talk about the work her team is doing to advance racial equity and the current moment of activism around structural racism. She discussed the City's Strategic and Racial Equity Action Plan and the policies the City is pursuing to address racial equity. She also talked about the importance of cultural change and capacity building. Host: Ben Kittelson

Support for crisis response. Raylene Yung, the Co-Founder and CEO of US Digital Response, joined the podcast to talk about how they are connecting technologists to work with governments in responding to the COVID-19 crisis. These volunteers with experience in software and technology help governments find creative ways to deliver services and operate during the pandemic. She shared examples of their work and how to work with US Digital Response. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Understanding the drivers of poverty. Two members of the Office of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives joined the podcast to talk about their work addressing poverty and working with departments to use data. Henry Fitts is the Grant Management and Research Coordinator and former Director of Innovation and Kate May is the City's Chief Performance Officer. They discussed the City's work in helping residents find employment and testing a micro loan program for entrepreneurs. Host: Ben Kittelson

Making the career leap. Christian Williams, Planner for the City of Goodyear, Arizona, joined the podcast to talk about his recent career change to working in planning and his career path in local government. He shared how the City is engaging residents in the planning process and encouraging people to participate. Christian also discussed his recent post about his experience as a Black person and being vulnerable in sharing his stories. Host: Ben Kittelson

Don't be clever, be conscientious. Lawrence Greenspun, Director of Public Sector Engagement for the Drucker Institute, and Tanya Ange, Deputy City Manager of Boulder, Colorado, joined the podcast to talk about leadership in times of crisis and the new Drucker Playbook for the Public Sector. Lawrence shared the story of Peter Drucker and the principles of leadership that inform their training and approach. Tanya discussed how the City of Boulder is using the Drucker Playbook to train staff and develop leaders. Host: Alyssa Dinberg

Keeping the fire lit. Joey Garcia, Senior Administrative Analyst for the City of Torrance, California, joined the podcast to talk about his career path and public works. He shared his experience finding that first job in local government, what he's learned from working in public works, and the impact of COVID-19 on their operations. Joey also discussed culture change and finding your passion. Host: Ben Kittelson

Creating a culture of health. Sean Knierim, the Co-Founder of SidePorch, joined the podcast to talk about resources for communities in reopening after COVID-19 shutdowns and expanding testing capacity. He talked about the need to be adaptive and flexible in procurement as well as being ready to scale small actions. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

"Y'all, I'm hurt." Christina Roach, Digital Content Officer for the City of Dallas, Texas, and Victor Henderson, Communications Specialist for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, joined the podcast to talk about what it's like working in communications right now. They shared what they deal with as black government social media managers and managing social feeds with nonstop reminders of unjust and lethal treatment of people of color. They discussed how coworkers can be supportive and what led them to share their experience in a post to other government communicators. Host: Kirsten Wyatt

Do more of what works and less of what doesn't. Rick Cole, long time public servant and former City Manager of Santa Monica, California, joined the podcast to talk about his vision for how government needs to change to meet the new challenges it faces. He shared lessons on leadership and how to shift government from providing legacy services to solving problems. He also discussed his career path and departure from Santa Monica. Host: Ben Kittelson

Thinking creatively about being mission critical. Alison Rhodes, the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Boulder, Colorado, joined the podcast to talk about operating during COVID-19. She shared how the pandemic has affected the work of her department and what they are doing to creatively offer services. Alison also talked about her career path and how she sees the parks profession changing after the pandemic. Host: Kirsten Wyatt