Voices in Local Government

People, jobs, and commerce cross borders every day. How can local governments build lasting partnerships that keep pace with community needs?

In El Paso, Texas, close ties with neighboring Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, make cross-border collaboration essential. Through the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC), the city is turning individual relationships into a coordinated approach to trade, infrastructure, and regional economic development.

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Leonie Zapata and Adriana Pulecio, International Programs Administrator for the City of El Paso, join ICMA’s Gabe Daugherty to discuss how trust becomes the foundation for lasting cooperation. You’ll also hear why these lessons matter even for communities far from an international border.

IN THIS INTERVIEW:

• How El Paso is turning cross-border relationships into shared priorities and action.
• How trust and an embedded ERC fellow helped the city expand its capacity and pursue new ideas.
• How policies, committees, and working groups can sustain collaboration through staff turnover and political change.

FEATURED GUESTS:

• Leonie Zapata, Fellow, Economic Recovery Corps, serving the City of El Paso, Texas
• Adriana Pulecio, International Programs Administrator, City of El Paso, Texas

HOST:

• Gabe Daugherty, Assistant Program Manager, Innovation & Research, ICMA

For local government and economic development professionals, this conversation offers practical lessons on building partnerships that help communities thrive.

LEARN MORE:

• Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/
• El Paso Economic & International Development: https://elpasoeid.com/
• National League of Cities: How El Paso Is Advancing Cross-Border Coordination and Growth

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, lessons of that day continue to resonate for local government leaders. Ron Carlee was county manager of Arlington County, Virginia, when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. His experience offers important lessons for leaders preparing their own communities for crisis.

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Carlee joins ICMA managing director Tad McGalliard to reflect on 9/11 and discuss preparedness, partnerships, communication, and crisis leadership.

IN THIS INTERVIEW:
1. Why crisis preparedness must involve the entire local government organization.
2. How strong relationships and regional partnerships strengthen emergency response.
3. Why leaders must uphold community values and build trust, even in moments of crisis.

FEATURED GUEST:
- Ron Carlee, DPA, Clinical Assistant Professor & Director, Center for Regional Excellence, Old Dominion University

HOST:
- Tad McGalliard, Managing Director, ICMA

Economic development is often measured in jobs, investment, and business growth. In Taos County, New Mexico, local leaders are taking a different approach by starting with the people, culture, and traditions that already strengthen the community.

Through the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) and the Cultural Treasures Project, Taos County is working with residents to better understand the cultural assets they value and how those assets can help shape the county’s future. The work brings community voices directly into conversations about economic development, preservation, affordability, and opportunity.

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Jessica Stern, Economic Development Director for Taos County, and Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Contessa Trujillo join ICMA’s Gabe Daugherty to discuss building an economy from the inside out and what it means for local government to “move at the speed of trust.”

IN THIS INTERVIEW:

• How culture and community identity can inform local economic development.
• How Taos County is using cultural asset mapping to understand what residents want to protect, restore, and revitalize.
• Why trust, collaboration, and community participation matter when planning for long-term growth.

FEATURED GUESTS:

• Jessica Stern, Economic Development Director, Taos County, New Mexico
• Contessa Trujillo, Fellow, Economic Recovery Corps & Project Manager, Cultural Treasures Project

HOST:

• Gabe Daugherty, Assistant Program Manager, Innovation & Research, ICMA

For local government and economic development professionals, this conversation offers a different way to think about growth: one that starts with understanding what a community values and builds from there.

LEARN MORE:

• Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/
• Cultural Treasures Project: https://www.culturaltreasuresproject.org/

Featured Guest: Ben R. Spoer, PhD, MPH, Program Director, City Health Dashboard and Congressional District Health Dashboard, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Department of Population Health

Episode Host: Emily Sparks, Program Director, Thriving Communities, Innovation & Research, ICMA

In this Interview:

1. Learn how local leaders are turning city health data into action.

2. Discover the local government decisions that influence community health every day.

3. Explore real-world examples of data-driven problem-solving and grant success.

4. See how neighborhood-level insights can help target resources where they're needed most.

Resources Mentioned:

• https://www.cityhealthdashboard.com/
• congressionaldistricthealthdashboard.com

In This Interview:

• How the Economic Recovery Corps program builds local capacity through embedded, on-the-ground expertise.
• Strategies for preserving affordable housing and preventing displacement before it happens.
• The role of partnerships, data, and coalition-building in solving complex community challenges.
• Why housing is critical infrastructure and a key driver of long-term economic development.

Featured Guests:

- Tomeka Lee, program manager, National League of Cities (NLC)

- Laura Searfoss, AICP Programs, associate director, Enterprise Community Partners

- Vonnette Harris, president & CEO, Kairos Development, LLC, ERC fellow

For city managers, economic development professionals, housing leaders, and local government staff, this conversation offers practical insights on how to align housing, transportation, and economic strategies to create more resilient and equitable communities.

Resources:

Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/

Enterprise Community Partners: https://www.enterprisecommunity.org

Purple Line Corridor Coalition: https://purplelinecorridor.org

National League of Cities Housing Supply Accelerator: https://www.nlc.org/initiative/housing-supply-accelerator/

Guest Information

Zhikun Liu, Ph.D., CFP®, vice president, head of MissionSquare Research Institute

Gerald Young, senior researcher, MissionSquare Research Institute

Topics

Financial wellness: Generic benefit, or strategy?

Guaranteed income options altering

Artificial intelligence impact on staffing.

Retirement decisions: Human advice vs Technology.

Employers recognizing and tracking mental and emotional labor.

Resources

MissionSquare Research Institute

Local Government Reimagined Conference - The AI Edge: Orlando, FL | April 8-10, 2026

Key Takeaways:

• The ERC program focuses on building long-term economic resilience.
• It funds people and capacity, not just projects.
• Communities gain repeatable local controllable tools for investment.
• Economic development is a relational function, not just technical.
• Local governments can be conveners and enablers of economic growth.
• Community capital allows residents to invest in local businesses.
• The ERC experience emphasizes the importance of trust and relationships.
• Resilience is built through alignment with community priorities.

Featured Guests:

Sydney Davis

Entrepreneur & Funding Navigation Specialist
ERC Fellow with National Coalition for Community Capital

Resources

Economic Recovery Corps (ERC)

Community Investment Fund Handbook & Toolkit: The National Coalition for Community Capital is a great resource. NC3 offers practical education, case studies, and tools that help communities understand what’s possible beyond traditional grants and incentives—and how to approach these models responsibly.

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Phil Kiraly and Julia D. Novak, ICMA-CM answer the critical question at the heart of our profession: why council-manager government matters now more than ever. They discuss how ICMA's Future of Professional Management Fund supports advocacy and how to educate residents when defending and adopting council-manager government comes up on the ballot.

Key Takeaways:

• Why council-manager form of government is effective and how to best educate residents
• What is ICMA's Future of Professional Management Fund, what it's used for, and why it matters for members
• How a "team sport" approach of advocacy led to success defending council-manager government in Illinois
• Excitement to continue the conversation on form of government and more at ICMA Annual Conference

Featured Guests:

Phil Kiraly - ICMA-CM - village manager of Glencoe, Illinois

Julia D. Novak - ICMA-CM – CEO and executive director of ICMA

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:

ICMA's Future of Professional Management Fund

PM Magazine: Making Big Strides in Advocating for Council-Manager Government

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa.

Key Takeaways for local government AI:

• Why policy might not be the best starting point... start doing!
• Get in the figurative sandbox and to play and test AI with small teams for real outcomes.
• Official policy documents and templates can be found (and copied!) via the GovAI Coalition.

Featured Guest:

Parth Shah – CEO and Co-Founder, Polimorphic

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa.

Multiple AI trainings on the ICMA Learning Lab.

AI policy, templates, and more tools from theGovAI Coalition

Voices in Local Gov Episode: GovAI Coalition - Your Voice in Shaping the Future of AI

Key Takeaways for local government's emergency management and response:

• Best practices in governmental preparedness.
• How to address the entire community.
• Ways to leverage technology to enhance information management and situational awareness.
• Cooperation with FEMA.
• Implement actionable review and continuous improvement.

Featured Guest:

John Antapasis, Emergency Management Director, Fire Rescue, City of Tampa

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:

ICMA Recovery Resources

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa

Key Takeaways for local government's data and software:

• Be intentional during idea stage with disciplined winnowing.
• The difference between a platform and a tool - and what will best serve your needs.
• Sunk cost fallacy and resisting the urge to double down.

Featured Guest:

Raman Shah – Owner, Raman Shah Data Science

Connect with Raman on LinkedIn

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources

Learn more from Raman in his three-part blog series, Software Trouble.

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa.

Key Takeaways for Retention and Workplace Wellness:

• How mental health impacts employee engagement, retention, and workplace culture
• Practical leadership strategies to create a mentally healthy environment
• What leaders, managers, and peers can do to support each other
• How local governments can address burnout—and prevent it from driving people away

Featured Guest:

Adrienne Wise – CEO of Wise Choice Counseling and Consulting Services; trauma-informed care consultant, emotional wellness expert, and global public speaker

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:

Mental health services from ICMA affinity partner, Cope Notes.

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa. With sessions on mental health in the workplace and more. Registration opens June 25.

Voices in Local Government: Mental Health Ask Me Anything with Johnny Crowder

Key Takeaways for Financial Resilience and Success:

Proven strategies to improve financial resilience in your municipality

How city managers and finance directors can best collaborate and work together

Tools for long-range planning and adapting to new fiscal challenges

Real examples of budget solutions that reflect community priorities

Featured Speakers:

Justin Marlowe – co-host of Public Money Pod, research professor at the University of Chicago, director of the Center for Municipal Finance

Liz Farmer – co-host of Public Money Pod, award-winning journalist, and fiscal policy writer

Dave Schmiedicke – finance director, City of Madison, WI; Former Wisconsin state budget director

Will Jones – city administrator, Mequon, WI; president, Wisconsin City/County Management Association

Whether you’re a city manager, budget officer, or just care about sound fiscal strategy, this episode offers practical tips to help you lead with financial resilience.

Resources

Public Money Pod by the Center for Municipal Finance

ICMA: A Budgeting Guide for Local Government 3-Part Series

Guest Information

Julia D. Novak, ICMA-CM, CEO and executive director of ICMA

Hosts

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Topics

Welcome Voices in Local Government's New co-host, Angelica Wedell

Introduction and Understanding Change in Local Government

Strategies for Effective Change Management

Fostering Innovation

The Role of Supervisors

Advice for Local Government Leaders

Resources

ICMA Effective Supervisory Practices Training Series

Getting to Know Our New CEO/Executive Director, Julia D. Novak, ICMA-CM

Guest Information

Laura Savage, Senior Program Manager, ICMA

Topics

Assistant Chief Administrative Officer (ACAO) Development Series Overview

Career Progression and Development Opportunities

SheLeadsGov Virtual Forum Insights

Resources

The Essential ACAO Development Series: Building Your Path to Leadership Excellence

SheLeadsGov Virtual Forum | Innovate, Inspire, Impact

EP47 Local Gov Life Advice: Career Moves, Coworkers, and Council

Guest Information

Amanda Hesse, chief revenue officer, LCPtracker

Stephanie Ramos, customer success manager, LCPtracker

Topics

The Importance of Workforce Development and the impact on the local economy.

Real-World Examples of local government Workforce Initiatives.

Steps for Local Government Engagement.

Measuring Success.

Future Trends.

Resources

Workforce development program tracker

Case Study on the ROI of hiring local

Guest Information

Zhikun Liu, Ph.D., CFP®, vice president, head of MissionSquare Research Institute

Gerald Young, senior researcher, MissionSquare Research Institute

Topics

Retirement
Employee investment programs

Resources

MissionSquare Research Institute

Guest Information

Zhikun Liu, Ph.D., CFP®, vice president, head of MissionSquare Research Institute

Gerald Young, senior researcher, MissionSquare Research Institute

Topics

Part One:

Workforce motivations
Succession Planning
Concerns over emerging technologies
Employee Debt, Stress, and Mental Health

Then Listen to Part Two:

Retirement
Employee investment programs

Resources

MissionSquare Research Institute

Guest Information

Michael Paulhus, town manager, Plainville, CT. LinkedIn

Topics

Crushing the Stigma of Local Government

Building a Brand for Local Government

Empowering a Creative Social Media Team

Engaging the Community Through Content

Measuring Success and Overcoming Negativity

Tools and Strategies for Effective Communication

The Role of Government Structure in Community Engagement

Resources

Self-Paced Online Course: Communicating with Elected Officials, Staff, and the Media

Free On-demand Webinar: Improving Trust and Transparency with Better Public Communications

See Plainville's social accounts in action:

LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Topics

FEMA Individual Assistance.

FEMA Public Assistance.

Cost and reimbursement and documentation.

Assign someone on staff as the point to understand FEMA reporting requirements and ensure compliance.

Categories of reimbursement and cost share between Federal, state, and local.

Policies for overtime pay.

The importance of not going it alone.

How to take care of yourself and staff.

Resources

ICMA Hurricane Response Resources

Federal Disaster Assistance

Leadership Before, During, and After a Crisis