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 246 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What if one day could change your entire career?
For Tansy Hayward, City Manager of Thornton, Colorado, that day came when she shadowed a local government leader as a college student and discovered the purpose that would define her life’s work.
Episode 245 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What would make someone turn down the NFL to serve in local government?
For Ifo Pili, it wasn’t about walking away from football, it was about running toward purpose.
Episode 242 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
National headlines shout about division. Political fights dominate cable news. But when residents turn the faucet, drive on the road, or walk into city hall, they aren’t asking for red or blue solutions; they just want their community to work.
That’s where local government steps in.
Episode 242 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
When hundreds of Kentucky’s city leaders came together for the Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference, the energy in the room was unmistakable. Mayors, clerks, and administrators gathered not just for sessions and speeches, but to connect, share stories, and remind each other why local government matters.
Episode 241 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What if the utility billing clerk became the city’s CEO?
That’s not a hypothetical; it’s Amber Vogan’s story. And it’s one every municipal leader should hear.
Episode 239 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
What does leadership look like when tragedy strikes?
For Ghida Neukirch, City Manager of Highland Park, Illinois, that question became more than hypothetical on July 4, 2022, when a mass shooting devastated her community during its annual parade.
In Episode 239 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Ghida shares her remarkable journey, from fleeing civil war as a child to leading through one of the darkest days in Highland Park’s history, and the lessons she carries for every city manager and local government leader.
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.
