GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government

GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government

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).

Episodes

July 18, 2025 63 mins

Two guests joined the podcast to talk about the their transition from the Fire Department to the City Manager's Office. Bryan Dehner is the Assistant City Manager at the City of Overland Park, Kansas and Donna Lake is the Assistant City Manager at City of Lee's Summit, Missouri. They shared how they facilitated the transition, how the departments operate differently, and the importance of working regionally.

Host: Lauren Palmer

Mark as Played

Join the GovLove co-hosts as they celebrate GovLove turning 10 years old! It has somehow been 10 years of sharing local government stories from across the country. The co-hosts reflected on those years and the growth of the podcast and then shared their hot takes for what local government will be like when GovLove turns 20 years old.

We want to hear from you! What do you think local government will look like in 10 years? Call the G...

Mark as Played

Dylan Russell, the Executive Director of Lead for North Carolina and Faculty Lead for Public Service Matters at the UNC School of Government, joined the podcast to talk about connecting young leaders to local government service. He shared his experience starting Lead for America and placing recent graduates in fellowships. He also discussed how local governments can support and retain talent as well as how local government and pros...

Mark as Played

Polly Walker, Director of Organizational Performance and Innovation for the City of Henderson, Nevada joined the podcast to discuss the City's achievement of earning the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. She talked about why the City chose to go after the award, building buy-in to the journey, and the organizational changes the process led to. She also shared her journey from entry level employee to department director, the...

Mark as Played

Two guests joined the podcast to talk about the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification program. Rochelle Haynes is the Managing Director for What Works Cities Certification at Results for America and Carrie Bishop serves as Data Initiative Lead for the Government Innovation Program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. They shared examples of local government problems solved through data analysis, what can hold cities back...

Mark as Played

Brooks Williams, City Manager for the City of Ferris, Texas joined the podcast to discuss his passion for public service and building a responsive government. He shared how he transformed the City of Ferris into a results-driven local government and how they measure operating efficiency. He discussed his thought provoking LinkedIn posts on local government leadership and public service. He shared his views on the role of local gove...

Mark as Played

Kellye Mazzoli, Founder & City Executive Coach at City Boss Coaching joined the podcast to discuss coaching those who lead our communities. She shared her transition from local government to coaching, what her coaching sessions entail, and how she stays up to date with the local government industry and how she keeps her edge to provide services to your clients.

Host: Meredith Reynolds

Mark as Played

Scott Markley, Research Director for the National Zoning Atlas joined the podcast to discuss land use planning and residential segregation. He shared the Connecticut origins of the National Zoning Atlas, what the data is telling us, and how communities can utilize the atlas.

This episode was recorded at the Missouri City-County Management Association 2025 Annual Conference.

Host: Lauren Palmer

Mark as Played

Michael Jordan, the City Administrator for the City of Portland, Oregon, joined the podcast to discuss Portland's transition to a new form of government. He talked about the voter apporved change in 2022 and the work that went into preparing the organization for its first elections under the new form of government in 2024. He shared how the transition occurred, unexpected challenges during the transition, and how City Council membe...

Mark as Played

Kim Nakahodo, a 2025 ELGL Top Influencer and Deputy City Administrator for the City of North Kansas City, Missouri joined to podcast to discuss her journey in local government. She shared the value of professional organizations and the importance of empowering and engaging youth. She also talked about the impact of losing a police officer in the line of duty and creatively involving the public in the budgeting process.

This episode...

Mark as Played

Glen Cole, the Assistant City Manager and Community Development Director for City of Rolling Meadows, Illinois joined the podcast to discuss intoxicating hemp regulation at the local government level. He shared how intoxicating hemp is different than recreational marijuana and the lack of state regulation related to intoxicating hemp. He also discussed how local regulation was implemented in Rolling Meadows.

Host: Dan Bolin

Mark as Played

Emily Colon, former Deputy City Manager for the City of Lakeland, Florida, joined the podcast to talk about her career and two important management concepts. She recently wrote about the importance of nonpartisanship and she discussed how it can be a superpower for local government staff in an era of high polarization. She shared her approach for how she managed department directors and other positions in her career that were sub...

Mark as Played

Two guests joined the podcast to talk about the response to the Palisades Fire. Joseph Toney is the Acting City Manager for Malibu and Alexis Brown is the Deputy City Manager for Malibu. They discussed how these fire emergencies have affected staff and the importance of mutual aide. They also shared tips for other agencies who may face fire or other emergencies in the future.

Host: Meredith Reynolds

Mark as Played

Michael Welker, Director of Policy and Research Partnerships for the ncIMPACT Initiative at the UNC School of Government joined the podcast to discuss managing change. He talked about a recent report they released on Managing Disruption in a Rapidly Changing World. He shared why managing disruption is so important, the elements they identified as contributing to potential disruption, and examples of North Carolina communities show...

Mark as Played

Two guests joined the podcast to talk about trends in local government and futurology. Sheila Shockey is the Founder and CEO of Shockey Consulting Services. Grant Mayfield is a Public Administration Consultant for Shockey Consulting Services. They discussed their path to working with local government organizations and attracting people to the profession. Sheila shared her work as a futurists and how she thinks about the trends that...

Mark as Played

Three civic starters joined the podcast to discuss their city management internships. Emilia Krajewski is a Management Intern for the City of Chandler, Arizona; Diksha is an Administrative Intern in Economic Development for the City of Saginaw, Texas; and Sarah Nissen is a City Management Intern for the City of Plymouth, Minnesota. They shared their main responsibilities during their internships, what projects they are working, and...

Mark as Played

Grace Hanne, an Innovation Principal Analyst for Johnson County, KS joined the podcast to discuss the County's Sparks Pilot Program, which is an effort to encourage collaboration and innovation across the organization. The program brings together employees from different areas of the County to work on transformative projects. She detailed what benefits the County and its employees gained from the program and the reasons why local g...

Mark as Played

Three lawyers walk into a bar. Megan Mack and Greg Jones, both Partners at the local government law firm, Ancel Glink, joined the podcast to talk about recent cases impacting local governments. They discussed the Supreme Court ruling affecting camping bans in Grants Pass v. Johnson. They talked about two zoning cases involving a challenge from residents about a proposed wind farm and a church claiming religious discrimination be...

Mark as Played

Kayla Barber-Perrotta, Deputy City Manager for the City of Albany, Oregon, rejoined the podcast to talk about her new role. She discussed the transition from Budget and Performance Manager to Deputy City Manager in a new state, what she was looking for in a new position, and the process to interview for a leadership role. She shared advice for others making a career change outside of their organization and how she got to know her n...

Mark as Played

Brianne Fisher, the Climate Action Manager for the City of Tempe, Arizona, joined the podcast to discuss sustainability and climate action. She talked about the importance of urban cooling to reduce risk from extreme heat and how green infrastructure plays a roll. She also shared key elements of the City's Climate Action Plan and the role of resiliency hubs.

Host: Ben Kittelson

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

    24/7 News: The Latest

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    Latino USA

    Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S. centering Latino stories, hosted by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Maria Hinojosa Every week, the Peabody winning team brings you revealing, in-depth stories about what’s in the hearts and minds of Latinos and their impact on the world. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.