Best Charles F Kettering Foundation Podcasts (2025)

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#694 Democracy and City Management with Valerie Lemmie, Charles F. Kettering Foundation 1:07:26

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11d ago1:07:26

1:07:26

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 …

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#696 Pouring into Public Service with Lesley Milton, St. Helena, CA 1:00:54

2h ago1:00:54

1:00:54

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 Reyno…

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Bonus: Gen Z is Taking Their First Steps onto the Political Stage (from Disrupting Peace podcast) 43:11

6d ago43:11

43:11

This week, we bring you an episode of the Disrupting Peace podcast, from the World Peace Foundation. In this episode, host Bridget Conley talks with two guests about how Gen Z Americans are—and aren’t—engaging in democracy and what people of all ages can do to encourage the next generation of peaceful leaders. Find more episodes and subscribe here:…

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#695 Dream Play Build - Hands On Community Engagement in Clackamas County, OR 1:03:00

4d ago1:03:00

1:03:00

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 …

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What Makes Social Movements Win 36:43

7d ago36:43

36:43

Deva Woodly joins host Alex Lovit to discuss the importance of social movements for American democracy and the role they can play at this precarious moment in American political history. We need these networks of trust and coordinated action to push the country away from authoritarianism and toward a democracy that works for everyone. Deva Woodly i…

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#693 Form of Government Change and Elected to City Manager with Deb Mohlenhoff, Ithaca, NY 59:44

22d ago59:44

59:44

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 a…

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Practical Advice for Reclaiming Democracy 40:45

21d ago40:45

40:45

Want to know what you can do to fight authoritarianism? Organizer Daniel Hunter joins host Alex Lovit to give practical advice for people seeking to reclaim democracy in the United States. Daniel Hunter has studied authoritarianism and resistance around the world. He is an educator with Freedom Trainers and the director of Choose Democracy. https:/…

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#692 Sustainable Libraries Initiative with Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Mid-Hudson Library System 48:20

25d ago48:20

48:20

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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#691 The Scenic Route to City Hall with Peggy Flynn, Petaluma, CA 50:37

1M ago50:37

50:37

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 ran…

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Why Democracies Unravel Under Leaders Like Trump 40:11

1M ago40:11

40:11

In the United States, today’s Republican Party is what political scientists call “personalist.” Power is concentrated with one individual, and other party elites don’t have much ability—or willingness—to oppose that leader. In other countries around the world, when personalist parties have won control of national government, the result has been dem…

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#690 Finance, Innovation, and Emerging Trends with Chris Morrill and Shayne Kavanagh, GFOA 57:13

1M ago57:13

57:13

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 fu…

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#689 Communications in a Growing Town with Angela Wilson, Frederick, CO 58:54

2M ago58:54

58:54

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 …

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Authoritarianism Isn’t Coming. It’s Here. 37:03

2M ago37:03

37:03

Steven Levitsky, a leading expert on authoritarian regimes, joins host Alex Lovit to talk about the US’s current slide into authoritarianism and what we can do about it. Democracies tolerate dissent. In a democracy, citizens and institutions can criticize, protest, or file legal claims against the government, without fear of reprisal. That is no lo…

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#688 Navigating a Career Path and Capital Projects with Ariana Adame, West Sacramento, CA 50:41

2M ago50:41

50:41

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 a…

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Best of: Employee Onboarding Best Practices with Benjamin Mead-Harvey 1:05:33

2M ago1:05:33

1:05:33

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 …

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From Barber to Banker: The Man Fighting for Financial Justice in Little Rock 33:33

2M ago33:33

33:33

We can’t have a full democracy without financial justice. Host Alex Lovit speaks with Arlo Washington, a banker creating access to loans, credit, and financial literacy training for his underbanked community in Little Rock, Arkansas. Arlo Washington is a barber, entrepreneur, and the founder and president of People Trust Community Federal Credit Un…

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#687 Starting as a New County Manager and Building Culture with Josh Edwards, York County, SC 57:07

2M ago57:07

57:07

Josh Edwards, County Manager for York County, South Carolina, rejoined the podcast to discuss starting as a new County Manager. He shared why he chose York County and the challenges of a fast growing community. He discussed the process to develop the County's first strategic plan and the employee-driven core values for the organization. He also ref…

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#686 From the Fire House to the City Manager's Office with Bryan Dehner and Donna Lake 1:03:43

2M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

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 o…

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Only Bad People Have Bad Politics. Right? 31:14

3M ago31:14

31:14

Americans are constantly arguing about politics—on the internet and at the family dinner table. But we rarely change one another’s minds, and we often emerge from those disagreements feeling frustrated and distrustful. Host Alex Lovit is joined by research psychologist Keith Payne to discuss the science behind the political divide and how the psych…

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#685 10 Years of Local Government Stories with GovLove 58:01

3M ago58:01

58:01

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 hea…

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The US Doesn’t Have Fair Elections. What Can We Do? 38:38

3M ago38:38

38:38

Voting rights are the foundation of democratic governance. But recent changes in elections policies have disenfranchised millions of Americans, and the voting gap between White and minority voters is continuing to expand.Host Alex Lovit is joined by Sean Morales-Doyle. Morales-Doyle is the director of the Voting Rights and Elections Program at the …

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#684 Fellowships and Lead for North Carolina with Dylan Russell, UNC School of Government 59:15

3M ago59:15

59:15

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 loc…

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#683 Performance Excellence and Building a Premier Community with Polly Walker, Henderson, NV 57:44

4M ago57:44

57:44

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 t…

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Learning US History Is about Hope, Not Shame 30:53

4M ago30:53

30:53

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed joins host Alex Lovit to discuss Juneteenth’s history and the transformative potential of reckoning with our country’s complex past. Annette Gordon-Reed is the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard, where she teaches both his…

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#682 Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence with Rochelle Haynes and Carrie Bishop 53:36

4M ago53:36

53:36

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…

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#681 Public Service and Responsive Government with Brooks Williams, Ferris, TX 53:32

4M ago53:32

53:32

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 go…

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Trans Kids Are Under Attack. That Hurts Everyone. 36:41

4M ago36:41

36:41

Who should make decisions about what kinds of health care American minors can receive: their parents and doctors, or their state governments? A growing number of states are claiming the right to ban gender-affirming health care for minors—but only if the person being treated is transgender. This month, the Supreme Court will decide if those power g…

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#680 Coaching Those Who Lead Our Communities with Kellye Mazzoli, City Boss Coaching 54:07

4M ago54:07

54:07

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 …

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Sarah Longwell: To Defend Democracy, Stop Talking about “Democracy” 36:29

4M ago36:29

36:29

Pro-democracy progressives are their own worst enemy when it comes to recruiting conservative Americans to their cause. In part two of our conversation, political strategist Sarah Longwell offers suggestions for how to connect with anti-Trump conservatives. Her ideas draw on what she hears from voters in her frequent focus groups, as well as on her…

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#679 Land Use Planning and Residential Segregation with Scott Markley, National Zoning Atlas 26:58

4M ago26:58

26:58

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 Associati…

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Sarah Longwell: The Republican Party Has Abandoned Its Principles 35:19

5M ago35:19

35:19

How did one of our major political parties abandon its principles? And what do voters make of that shift? Host Alex Lovit is joined by Sarah Longwell—a political strategist who broke from the Republican party when it acquiesced to Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. She went on to cofound a media outlet (The Bulwark) and an advocacy organization (Def…

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#678 Change Management and Implementing a New Form of Government with Michael Jordan, Portland, OR 51:24

5M ago51:24

51:24

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 transit…

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#677 From Animator to Deputy City Administrator with Kim Nakahodo, North Kansas City, MO 44:55

5M ago44:55

44:55

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 li…

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Diane Ravitch: What’s Democratic about Giving Tax Dollars to Private Schools? 36:23

5M ago36:23

36:23

Public schools are essential for democracy—and they’re under attack. But the very policies that are being championed as their salvation may have a catastrophic impact on American education for generations. Public education advocate and historian Diane Ravitch unpacks how school choice policies like vouchers and charter schools are dangerous for dem…

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#676 Local Responses to Intoxicating Hemp with Glen Cole, Rolling Meadows, IL 59:53

5M ago59:53

59:53

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 discu…

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#675 Role of the Assistant Manager and Nonpartisan Leadership with Emily Colon 58:34

5M ago58:34

58:34

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 h…

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Sharon L. Davies: Someone Has to Be Willing to Say “That’s Not Right” 31:15

6M ago31:15

31:15

US institutions are being pressured into compliance with the Trump administration’s capricious demands. Many law firms, philanthropic organizations, and higher education institutions are choosing the path of least resistance. But will it keep them safe? Sharon L. Davies is the president and chief executive officer of the Charles F. Kettering Founda…

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#674 Stand By Me, Emergency Mutual Aid in Malibu, CA with Joseph Toney and Alexis Brown 1:08:19

6M ago1:08:19

1:08:19

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 othe…

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#673 Managing Disruption in a Rapidly Changing World with Michael Welker, ncIMPACT 54:02

6M ago54:02

54:02

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 c…

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Ece Temelkuran: There Is No Hope. There Is Us. That’s It. 36:37

6M ago36:37

36:37

Life under an authoritarian regime can erode one’s faith in humanity. Today's guest says that’s why it’s more important than ever for Americans to lean into building human connection. Ece Temelkuran is a Turkish political thinker, writer, and award-winning journalist. Her two most recent books are How to Lose a Country: Seven Steps from Democracy t…

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#672 Reimagining Communities and Local Government Trends with Sheila Shockey and Grant Mayfield 53:21

6M ago53:21

53:21

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 profe…

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#671 Inside the City Management Internship Experience with Emilia Krajewski, Diksha, and Sarah Nissen 57:36

6M ago57:36

57:36

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 thei…

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Gábor Scheiring: Saving Democracy Is about Saving People 35:58

6M ago35:58

35:58

A former member of the Hungarian Parliament tells us what interventions Americans need to take right now to avoid the authoritarian backsliding that has dismantled democracy in Hungary since Prime Minister Viktor Orbán came to power in 2010. Gábor Scheiring served in the Hungarian Parliament from 2010–2014. He is an assistant professor of comparati…

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#670 Innovation and Collaboration through the Sparks Program with Grace Hanne, Johnson County KS 41:56

7M ago41:56

41:56

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 bene…

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#669 Bar Exam on Recent Legal Cases Affecting Local Government with Megan Mack and Greg Jones 59:41

7M ago59:41

59:41

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 resi…

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Adam Goodman: Why Are Politicians Obsessed with Mass Deportations? 33:43

7M ago33:43

33:43

Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign promised “the largest deportation operation in American history.” Will he be able to achieve this goal? What would this kind of mass deportation look like, and what would its human costs be? And what is the current “largest deportation operation in American history,” anyway? We get answers from Adam Goodman. Goodman is …

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#668 Career Change and Leadership with Kayla Barber-Perrotta, Albany, OR 54:28

7M ago54:28

54:28

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 othe…

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#667 Urban Cooling and Climate Action with Brianne Fisher, Tempe, AZ 1:01:47

7M ago1:01:47

1:01:47

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 resili…

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Madiba Dennie: The Constitutional Crisis You’re Not Hearing About 40:38

7M ago40:38

40:38

The Constitution is under attack—and not just by Trump and the executive branch. For a long time, the conservative justices on the Supreme Court have been inconsistently interpreting the Constitution. But our guest, Madiba Dennie, says focusing on their decision-making processes is a trap. She says there’s a better way for concerned citizens to tak…

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#666 Civic Match with Caitlin Lewis, Work for America 49:22

7M ago49:22

49:22

Caitlin Lewis, Executive Director for Work for America, joined the podcast to discuss her work in tackling the government staffing crisis in communities nationwide. She shared information about their Civic Match program, opportunities the transition of federal administrations presents for local governments, and why she wants to ban the term ‘bureau…