Municipal Leaders: Develop Faster, Lead Stronger, Build Better
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How one partnership turned a podcast, a keynote, and a conference into a statewide celebration of local leadership.
When the Kentucky League of Cities invited me to deliver the opening keynote at their Annual Conference, I saw an opportunity to do something bigger than a single speech. I wanted to create an experience, one that would celebrate Kentucky’s municipal leaders, build anticipation leading up to the event, and continue long after the closing session.
Thanks to the vision and partnership of Amy Carrington Stout, KLC’s Member Education Manager, that’s exactly what we did. Together, we turned the Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference into a living example of what happens when storytelling, leadership, and community pride converge.
In the weeks leading up to the conference, The HaltingWinter Podcast became a statewide spotlight on leadership in Kentucky. Multiple episodes featured conversations with local government leaders whose stories reflected the heart of public service in the Bluegrass State: real people doing meaningful work in cities and counties across Kentucky.
These weren’t policy discussions or project summaries; they were human stories about courage, calling, and the often-overlooked joys of public service. And they gave listeners a reason to walk into the conference already connected and inspired.
Featured Pre-Conference Episodes
Each episode helped build statewide excitement, not just for the conference itself, but for the people behind it. By the time attendees arrived in Lexington, they’d already heard familiar voices, stories, and themes that reminded them why local government matters.
Then came the main event.
After delivering the opening keynote, I stepped off the stage and onto another one, right in the middle of the Lexington Convention Center entrance. There, surrounded by attendees, cameras, and the hum of conversation, The HaltingWinter Podcast went live.
On the opening day of the conference, I interviewed four local government leaders from across Kentucky, capturing their insights, challenges, and hopes for the future of their cities and counties. Attendees stopped by between sessions to listen, laugh, and share their own reflections. It wasn’t just an interview, it was connection in real time.
Live from the KLC Annual Conference
The success of this collaboration wasn’t about production or scale; it was about intention.
We didn’t just tell stories; we built belonging.
By integrating the podcast and keynote, KLC turned their conference into more than an event; it became a platform to celebrate their members, amplify their voices, and remind everyone in the room why public service is worth the work.
It’s the same mission that drives The HaltingWinter Project: to restore pride, purpose, and participation in local government by telling the real stories of the people who make communities thrive.
This Kentucky experience is now a model that other Leagues can replicate.
Before the conference: we feature your members and tell their stories through the podcast.
During the conference: we deliver a powerful keynote that connects head and heart.
Afterward: we keep the conversation going, amplifying your leaders’ stories nationwide.
It’s not just a partnership. It’s a movement.
If your League of Cities or association is looking to create an unforgettable experience that honors your members, amplifies your mission, and leaves a lasting impression, I’d love to collaborate.
Let’s tell your state’s leadership story together.
Founded by speaker and strategist Seth Winterhalter, The HaltingWinter Project is a national movement to restore pride, purpose, and participation in local government. Through keynotes, workshops, and The HaltingWinter Podcast—featuring hundreds of conversations with city managers, county administrators, and public servants across America—Seth shines a spotlight on the people who keep our communities moving. Because when local government thrives, communities thrive.
