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PODCAST

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government

Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL)

GovLove is a podcast about the people, policies and profession of local government. From Mayors and City Managers to interns and everyone in between, we interview the people making a difference in their communities to learn about the great work being done at the local level. GovLove is brought to you by Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL).

government careers

All Episodes

40:50

#706 Maintaining Good Government During Transitions...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/12/12

Jessica Carrero, Operations Project Manager for the Town of East Hartford, Connecticut joined the podcast to discuss project management and ensuring operations continue when organizations go through changes. She shared her experience during mayoral transitions, how standard operating procedures helped her succeed during those transitions, and how to navigate tension between new ideas and current practices. Host: Marissa Baum

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56:48

#705 Increasing Representation with Amber Cabrera and...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/12/05

Amber Cabrera. Senior Assistant to the City Manager for City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Maylee De Jesús, City Clerk for the City of Boynton Beach, Florida joined to podcast to discuss increasing representation in local government. They shared recent efforts they have worked on for Latinos in Florida Local Government, advice for the next generation, and how to get involved with the Local Government Hispanic Network. This episode was recorded at the 2025 ICMA Annual Conference in Tampa, FL. Host:

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51:04

#704 Development and Customer Service with JC...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/11/28

JC Hudgison, Chief Building Official for the City of Tampa, Florida rejoined the podcast to discuss development, technology, and process improvement. He talked about how the City responded to and has been recovering from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton in 2024. He shared how the City has worked to improve customer service through process improvement and how they are carefully integrate artificial intelligence into their plan review workflow. He also reflected on local government trends from

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45:05

#703 Staying Authentic with Aarón Zavala, Pleasanton, CA

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/11/21

Aarón Zavala, Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Pleasanton, California joined the podcast to discuss his role with the City. He talked about the work he does for the City and his career goals moving forward. He also shared how he remains authentic to himself as he serves the public. Host: Lauren Palmer

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58:40

#702 The Mayor Has a Hammer and Other Poetry with Jim...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/11/14

Jim Schutz, a Principal at JMSB Strategies joined the podcast to discuss his transition from a City Manager to poetry author. He shared how he decided to transition into consulting and how he got into local government poetry. Plus he talked about his favorite poem and other highlights from The Mayor Has a Hammer, a book of poetry on the everyday heroism of local government. Host: Meredith Reynolds

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48:31

#701 Leading ICMA and the Roots of Professional...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/11/07

Julia Novak, the CEO and Executive Director of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), rejoined the podcast to discuss her new role at ICMA. She shared how the organization is adapting after reduced federal grants for international work. She discussed how she has engaged with members and how the Board is revamping the strategic plan. She talked about why the history of public administration is important to the profession and how the role of a Manager has evolved. She also

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43:24

#700 An ICMA Conference Recap, Leadership, Urban...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/10/31

GovLove Co-hosts Meredith and Ben were joined by several friends of the pod to recap the 2025 ICMA Conference. Tom Modica is the City Manager at the City of Long Beach, CA, April Walker is the Assistant City Manager at the City of Long Beach, CA, Jackie Wehmeyer is the Senior Director of Strategy and Intergovernmental Affairs at City of Parkland, FL, and Amie Hendrix is the City Manager at the City of Geneva, NY. They discussed highlights from Tampa, downtown revitalization, and navigating the

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58:18

#699 Parks Commissioner to City Council Member with...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/10/24

Mitchell Silver, City Council Member for the City of Raleigh, North Carolina rejoined the podcast to talk about the transition from working as a staff member in local government to becoming an elected official. He reflected on his work as Parks Commissioner for the City of New York and the decision to run for elected office. He discussed the challenges of going from a staff expert to a member of a governing body and balancing the needs of constituents with all the different needs of an organization

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57:21

#698 Cohesive Planning and Community Growth in...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/10/17

Four plans in one. Jason Zawila, Planning Manager at the Village of Downers Grove, Illinois and John Houseal, Partner at Houseal Lavigne joined the podcast to discuss the APA Award-Winning Village of Downers Grove Comprehensive Plan update. They discussed the concept of total community development and how the effort updated four plans at the same time, the Village's Comprehensive Plan, Active Transportation Plan, Environmental Sustainability Plan, and Downtown and Fairview Streetscapes Plan. They

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55:05

#697 Leadership and Change Management with Kelly...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/10/10

Kelly McAdoo, the City Administrator for the City of Santa Barbara, California, joined the podcast to talk about her leadership and change management approach. She discussed transitioning transitioning to a new city and getting to know a new organization. She talked about navigating challenges like a budget shortfall, homelessness, and new State laws related to land use and housing. She also reflected on local government trends from the last 10 years. Host: Ben Kittelson

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01:00:54

#696 Pouring into Public Service with Lesley Milton,...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/10/03

Lesley Milton, Deputy City Manager for the City of St. Helena, California, joined the podcast to talk about her passion for public service. She discussed her prior positions as a City Clerk and her experience working in small cities. She also discussed recent projects and initiatives and the City St. Helena's Community Academy. Host: Meredith Reynolds

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01:03:00

#695 Dream Play Build - Hands On Community Engagement...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/09/26

Two guests joined the podcast to talk about play based engagement and how it can be a meaningful way to create change. Leah Fisher is a Built and Natural Environment Analyst for Clackamas County, Oregon. John Kamp is Urban and Landscape Designer for Prairieform and the co-author of the book Dream Play Build. They discussed when to use this form of engagement, how to make it successful, and how to measure success. Host: Lauren Palmer

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01:07:26

#694 Democracy and City Management with Valerie...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/09/19

Valerie Lemmie, Senior Advisor for State and Local Government for the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, joined the podcast to talk about her career in city management and the state of democracy. She shared how she navigated difficult situations during her city management career, including as City Manager of Cincinnati, Ohio when there were protests against the Police Department. She also discussed meaningful citizen engagement and how the profession needs to evolve in our current democracy.

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59:44

#693 Form of Government Change and Elected to City...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/09/12

Deb Mohlenhoff, City Manager for the City of Ithaca, New York, joined the podcast to talk about her role transitioning from an elected official to a City Manager and changing the City's form of government. She shared why the city decided to transition forms of government, her role in the transition, and challenges faced during the transition. She also discussed her career path and how her experience as an elected official informs her approach to city management. Host: Ben Kittelson

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48:20

#692 Sustainable Libraries Initiative with Rebekkah...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/09/05

Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Executive Director for the Mid-Hudson Library System joined the podcast to discuss the Sustainable Libraries Initiative. She shared how the initiative was created, how libraries can earn the certification, and the importance of adapting sustainability language. Host: Lauren Palmer

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50:37

#691 The Scenic Route to City Hall with Peggy Flynn,...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/08/29

Peggy Flynn, City Manager for the City of Petaluma, California, joined the podcast to talk about fostering a culture of innovation, transparency, and engagement. She also discussed delivering effective and efficient public services. She shared how the City of Petaluma has evolved, projects her team is working on, and similarities between cattle ranching and city management, Host: Meredith Reynolds

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57:13

#690 Finance, Innovation, and Emerging Trends with...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/08/22

Two guests rejoined the podcast to discuss finance and innovation. Chris Morrill, Executive Director, and Shayne Kavanagh, Senior Manager of Research, at the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) discussed their work. They talked about GFOA's research initiatives and how they are helping organizations deal with recent changes in federal funding. They shared why GFOA is changing its membership structure. They talked about a new finance innovation lab effort and their upcoming Innovator in

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58:54

#689 Communications in a Growing Town with Angela...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/08/15

Angela Wilson, the Deputy Public Information Officer for the Town of Frederick, Colorado, joined the podcast to talk about communications in a fast-growing community. She shared strategies the Town uses to stay engaged with residents and how to provide honest and transparent communications to residents. She also discussed the importance of setting expectations with new employees and her approach to onboarding new staff. Host: Ben Kittelson

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50:41

#688 Navigating a Career Path and Capital Projects...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/08/08

Ariana Adame, Assistant City Manager for the City of West Sacramento, California, joined the podcast talk about her career path and capital projects. She discussed the pros and cons of career paths working for one or many jurisdictions. She talked about her time leading the City's capital program and how they incorporate equity into the work. She also shared the pro and cons of leaving an organization, how to leverage new hires from outside your organization, and her involvement in the Local

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01:05:33

Best of: Employee Onboarding Best Practices with...

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government ·

2025/08/01

This week we're sharing one of our favorite interviews from the GovLove archive. This episode originally aired in August 2021 and is all about successful employee onboarding. Benjamin Mead-Harvey, Instructional Designer for the Arizona Department of Economic Security, came back to the podcast to discuss onboarding. He shared tips on how to improve in three areas: welcome elements, training with the team, and onboarding check-in meetings. He also talked about the outcomes of onboarding that employers

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