Stay ConnectedAn exploration into the organizations that define our society, and the individuals that lead them.
We speak to local government innovators to understand how our future cities, towns and counties are being built in real-time, plus learn best practices on the strategy and vision that creates an effective government.
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Arnoldo Matus follows a rich group of Chief Resilience Officers we’ve had on the podcast - one of the most fascinating and critical roles Cities are implementing to address rapid environmental and social changes. Arnoldo - now leading a private consultancy - oversaw one of the largest resiliency projects in the world, leading the sustainability charge for the massive Mexico City.
In this role Arnoldo had to grapple institutional objections and cultural sensitivities owing to the rich Mexican history. Today we discuss the precarious situation Mexico City sits with air pollution, draining water supplies and earthquake risks, how narcos on the Mexican border impact Mexico City, and what it will take for regular folks to ‘get in the game’ around the climate fight.
Please enjoy my conversation with Arnoldo Matus.
Jeanethe Falvey is the Chief Digital Officer of the City of Boston, Massachusetts. Jeanethe has an incredible resume that speaks to a love of the environment and a deep sense of care for her local community. While at the EPA she drove a revival of the historic Documerica project, before moving to lead National Geographic’s digital strategy. From here she was tapped to lead Boston Mayor Marty Walsh’s - now Secretary of Labor - vision to accelerate digital accessibility for every Bostonian.
In our conversation we discuss the hard choices residents will have to make around data privacy if they truly want private sector efficiency, the singular power of photographs to evoke emotion, and why so many cities are still stuck in the dark ages when it comes to offering residents digital services.
Please enjoy my conversation with Jeanethe Falvey.
Eleni, or Lenio, Myrivili is currently the Chief Heat Officer of the City of Athens, Greece, and a leading European actor in the urban fight for climate resilience and adaptation.
Formerly the Deputy Mayor for urban nature and resilience, she is on a mission to prepare Athens’ millions of residents for the decades of scorching heat that await.
Lenio was a delightful guest, and genuinely challenged my conception of a City’s role in the global response to climate change. We discuss best practices in heat-proofing cities, the heatwave that torched Europe this past summer, and how to continue getting out of bed each day when facing such monumental, and frankly scary, forces.
I hope you enjoy this conversation with Lenio Myrivili.
Jack English: LinkedIn
Theo Blackwell is London’s first Chief Digital Officer. Responsible for carrying out Mayor Sadiq Khan’s vision of cementing London as the leading digital-first local government in the world, Theo both provides strategic direction to the City on digital direction, while also facilitating innovation within the dozens of independent boroughs that make up the London metropolitan area.
Theo is passionate about transforming service delivery with a resident-first focus, and ensuring common design standards across all digital platforms to ensure a cohesive and easy experience for Londoners, whatever they’re trying to do.
Today we talk about managing IT projects that touch millions of people, how resource strapped communities can leverage technology for their benefit, and the difference between ‘interesting’ technology projects and ones that truly move the needle.
Please enjoy my conversation with Theo Blackwell.
Phoenix is the fastest growing City in the United States. Located in the searing hot Southwest state of Arizona, its growth faces severe constraints from rising heat, water shortages and arable land. For it to be able to sustain the growing number of humans choosing it as home, it requires constant innovation in how it procures and allocates resources.
Enter Ginger Spencer, the City’s newly appointed Deputy City Manager responsible for overseeing Community and Economic Development, Planning, State Land and Revitalization. Having spent 20 years in Public Works achieving incredible outcomes, she now faces her most difficult challenge: ensuring Phoenix continues to grow while solving the myriad challenges that come with that growth.
Today we discuss rising through local government ranks, the imposter syndrome, and how to overcome the steep learning curve that comes with taking on an entirely new portfolio.
Please enjoy my conversation with Ginger Spencer.
Jack English: LinkedIn
Ginger Spencer: LinkedIn
The City of Worcester is the second largest city in the entirety of New England, just behind Boston. With that size comes an incredible diversity - over a fifth of its residents were born outside the USA.
Like all large American cities its spoils have not trickled down evenly, and not only is its median income $8000 less than the US average, but ethnic, historic and racial lines see big differences across demographics.
Stephanie Williams was recently brought in as the City’s Chief Diversity Officer, a role that’s beginning to arise more and more across local government. Today we talk about why ‘this time is different’ for diversity in Worcester, how to have difficult conversations in the workplace, and what the end goal of inclusion actually is.
Please enjoy my conversation with Stephanie Williams.
Dave Amos runs City Beautiful, the most popular YouTube channel in the world focusing specifically on urban planning and design. Amassing over 36 million views, his videos draw from his PhD to introduce regular folks to concepts of livable and healthy communities.
Today we discuss things that local government leaders can do right now to address the climate emergency, why more freeway lanes are not the answer, and why the US can’t look to Europe for all of its urban planning answers.
Please enjoy my conversation with Dave Amos.
Jack English: LinkedIn
South Texas has been the focal point of disaster for the past 18 months, and Nueces County is no different. Overseeing 250k residents, Judge Barbara Canales is the chief executive officer of a county which faced hurricanes, snow storms, and at one point the highest covid positivity rate in the US.
Today we talk leadership, how family informs her decision making, and the toughest decision she's faced in office. Sprinkled throughout are beautiful verbal paintings of southern Texas life, and why it's such a special place.
I hope you enjoy my conversation with Judge Barbara Canales.
Jack English: LinkedIn
If you think all a communications team for a city does is send out notices when a pipe bursts (as I admittedly did), then you couldn't be more wrong. As we learn today from Shannah Hayley, Communications Director of Plano, TX, successful communication is one of the key strategic levers a local government has to drive engagement, trust and ultimately outcomes that better reflect it's residents.
Today we discuss some of the private sector instincts had to curb when joining local government, how she goes about recruiting world class talent for her team, and how her team has built the largest YouTube channel of any local government in the US.
Behind every City, Village and State is a web of tools enabling staff to keep our lights on, our roads paved and our taxes safe. Many of these tools are software applications loosely connected by the name GovTech. This space has seen an eruption of interest in the past decade with the growth of software as a service, and especially in the past few years as a growing mound of capital chases stable growth.
Jeff Cook sits in the middle of this all as managing director of shea and company. A leading author on GovTech, Jeff's role is facilitating the growth of GovTech firms through investment, mergers and acquisitions.
While this sounds like a rather dry subject I do hope you stick around for this episode as I found it personally fascinating. Jeff takes us on a retrospective through the industry, why govtech is in the global investment spotlight, and how a deal comes together.
Please enjoy.
Jack English: LinkedIn
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