Municipal Leaders: Develop Faster, Lead Stronger, Build Better
Every week, you’ll get insights and actionable steps to help you navigate personal growth and professional success.
Episode 238 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
City management is often described in terms of budgets, ordinances, and long-term planning. But those who’ve sat in the chair know the reality is far more volatile: power struggles, political pressure, and crises that erupt with no warning.
In Episode 238 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, we sit down with Lori Curtis Luther, City Manager of Overland Park, Kansas, to hear the unfiltered truth of leading a city when the spotlight turns harsh and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Episode 236 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
Most city managers don’t set out to become city managers. For Lee Feldman, it started as a summer internship and a gopher job in a city manager’s office in North Miami Beach. He had no idea at the time that it would lead to a career spanning four decades, four major cities, and a term as ICMA President.
But Lee’s story isn’t just about longevity. It’s about knowing when to say yes to opportunity…and when to walk away.
Episode 235 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
Most city managers will tell you they never planned on ending up in their role. For Kiel Mangus, City Manager of Derby, Kansas, that couldn’t be more true. His career began with what was supposed to be a short internship in economic development. On his first day, the director went on maternity leave. Suddenly, Kiel was fielding calls, learning on the fly, and realizing just how much local government shapes everyday life.
Episode 224 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
When most people picture a city manager, they imagine someone who came up through planning, finance, or administration. Rarely do they imagine a firefighter.
But for Sean Grayson, City Manager of Nevada City, California, the path to municipal leadership started in a firehouse.
Episode 232 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
What happens when a leader trades the efficiency-driven pace of private law for the people-centered, transparency-driven reality of local government?
That’s the journey of Regan Bolli. In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Regan shares how a difficult transition from “bottom-line first” to “people first” became the defining shift of his career and the culture of an entire city.
Episode 230 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
What happens when you’ve spent your entire career building and protecting the city you grew up in, only to face the challenge of handing it over to the next generation?
That’s the story of William “Buzzy” Newman, former city manager and now assistant city manager of Henderson, Kentucky. His leadership journey is anything but conventional. From being the son of a six-term mayor, to leading Henderson through economic transformation, social unrest, and the chaos of COVID, Buzzy embodies what it means to lead with courage, honesty, and a love for community.
Episode 229 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
Most municipal leaders learn their craft in boardrooms, classrooms, or city council chambers. Jason Monroe learned his in burning buildings and on the back of an ambulance.
Before becoming City Manager of Frankfort, Kentucky, Jason spent more than two decades as a firefighter and paramedic. His career path was anything but conventional, beginning with an EMT class he took on a whim, leading to years of public safety service, and ultimately landing him in the city’s top leadership role.
Episode 227 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
When you hear “Medina, Washington,” you might picture manicured waterfront estates, private security gates, and neighbors named Gates or Bezos. From the outside, it looks like a city flush with wealth. But as veteran city manager Doug Schulze shares in this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, the reality is far more complicated: a city filled with billionaires can still struggle to pay its bills.
Episode 226 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
In Episode 226 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, I sat down with Andrew Hart, Town Manager of Carmel, Maine. Andrew’s story is a masterclass in resilience, humility, and the unseen realities of municipal leadership.
Most city managers never plan to enter the profession. Andrew certainly didn’t. But at just 24 years old, he was thrown headfirst into leadership when his town uncovered embezzlement, all before he’d even officially started. His trial by fire set the stage for a career that would span three decades, across towns and counties, with lessons every local government leader can relate to.
Episode 224 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
Scott Andrews didn’t take the straight road into city management. He started as a recreation supervisor, hustling his way into opportunities by handing out resumes at conferences, introducing himself to strangers, and following up with handwritten thank-you cards.
That persistence paid off. He helped build Sugar Hill, Georgia’s downtown from scratch, transformed development in Smyrna during the Atlanta Braves’ stadium move, and eventually took the reins as City Manager of Covington—all before moving west to serve in Bakersfield, California, and now as County Manager in New Mexico.
But behind the titles is a much deeper story.
