#701 Leading ICMA and the Roots of Professional Government with Julia Novak, ICMA
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Release Date: 11/07/2025
#729 Insane Curiosity with Susan Arntz, Mankato, MN
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Susan Arntz, City Manager for the City of Mankato, Minnesota joined the podcast to talk about the importance of curiosity in her career. She shared her transition to a new city after working 20 years in her past role and her passion for civic education. She discussed creating a Parks and Recreation department and the work that goes into starting a new service. She also talked about the impact of the Operation Metro Surge immigration enforcement effort on local communities in the Minneapolis area. This episode was recoded at the 2026 MCMA Annual Conference in Brainerd, MN. Host:
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#728 State Professional Association Leadership with Jackie Schulze and Noah Schuchman
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Two guests joined the podcast to talk about state professional association leadership. Jackie Schulze is the Assistant City Administrator at City of Waconia, Minnesota and Noah Schuchman is the City Manager for the City of Golden Valley, Minnesota. They shared the value of professional associations, and how professional associations can help promote the future of the profession. They also discussed what they hope to accomplish as leaders of the Minnesota City/County Management Association (MCMA). This episode was recoded at the 2026 MCMA Annual Conference in Brainerd, MN. Host:
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#727 A Data Center in Every Community with Christopher Jordan, National League of Cities
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Christopher Jordan, AI and Innovation Program Manager for the National League of Cities, joined the podcast to talk about data centers. He shared the responses he has seen from citizens to data centers coming to their communities. He discussed the benefits that local governments are trying to extract from data center projects to make these deals more palatable. He also shared advice to local leaders deciding whether to allow a data center in their community. Host:
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#726 Elevate Boulder and Guaranteed Income Programs with Jamie Hackbarth and Elizabeth Crowe
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Two guests joined the podcast to talk about guaranteed income programs. Jamie Hackbarth is a Senior Program Manager at AidKit and Elizabeth Crowe is the Deputy Director of Housing and Human Services at City of Boulder, Colorado. They shared what a direct cash assistance program is and the desired outcomes of the program. They also discussed the Elevate Boulder guaranteed income program and success stories from the program. Host:
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#725 Making Digital Government Accessible with Rebecca Bond and Kristin Stitcher
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Two guests joined the podcast to talk about making digital government accessible. Rebecca Bond and Kristin Stitcher are both former Civil Rights Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice. They shared a brief history of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and examples of how web content and mobile apps are designed that can be difficult for people with disabilities to navigate. They also discussed new rules regarding web accessibility and how local governments can comply with them. Host:
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#724 Gen Z in the Local Government Workplace with Emma Roniger and Jill Parsons
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Two guests pursuing their Master's of Public Administration at the University of Kansas joined the podcast to talk about Gen Z in local government. Emma Roniger is a Management Intern for the League of Kansas Municipalities and Jill Parsons is a Management Intern for the City of Leawood, Kansas. They shared the biggest myth local governments have about their generation and responses they received for a survey regarding Gen Z. They also talked about how different generations can work together. Host:
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#723 Allyship and Building Connection, Adrianna Tušek Erickson, Chandler, AZ
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Adrianna Tušek Erickson, Connection & Impact Program Coordinator for the City of Chandler, Arizona, joined the podcast to talk about connection and belonging. She discussed the importance of serving all residents in the community and why allyship is important. She shared the impact that changes from the Federal government have had her work. She also talked about the transition of reentering the workforce after a ten year break. Host:
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#722 Public Communications and Building Trust in Rural Communities with Nick Lemmer, Goodhue County, MN
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Nick Lemmer, Outreach & Communications Specialist for Goodhue County, Minnesota joined the podcast to discuss public communications. He talked about the challenge and importance of building trust in rural communities. He shared rebranding projects from his past position, communicating cost shifts in reduced federal funding, and public communication related to data centers. Host:
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#721 How Participatory Mapping Can Transform Your Community with Emma Falkenstein, Highland Planning
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Emma Falkenstein, Associate Planner at Highland Planning joined the podcast to discuss participatory mapping. She talked about community and how can local governments can incorporate walk audits into their regular planning procedures. She also talked about the value of community relationships as it relates to shaping where people live. Host:
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#720 Making Government Smarter with Cori Zarek, Apolitical
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
Cori Zarek, Vice President for North America at Apolitical joined the podcast to talk about her career in public interest technology and helping make government smarter. She shared how Apolitical is working to support peer learning among government staffers and a recent report they published on from organizations across the country. She also discussed the trends and insights they have found in how government staffers are using artificial intelligence and how organizations can support their staff. Host:
info_outlineJulia Novak, the CEO and Executive Director of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), rejoined the podcast to discuss her new role at ICMA. She shared how the organization is adapting after reduced federal grants for international work. She discussed how she has engaged with members and how the Board is revamping the strategic plan. She talked about why the history of public administration is important to the profession and how the role of a Manager has evolved. She also reflected on local government trends from the last 10 years.
This episode was recorded from the 2025 ICMA Conference in Tampa, FL.