As 2020 comes to a close, we take a moment to reflect on the numerous books that government officials from across the nation have recommended over the past several years. In the Arena ’s podcast interviews have included many good book recommendations, often more than one, from government officials all over the country. The officials have suggested books for all kinds of reasons; some have enchanted them as a child, others have inspired them to pursue their current career of public service. Somet...
Dec 08, 2020•23 min
The career public servant has served a president and in the cabinets of three governors, and is not afraid of tackling big, complicated jobs that help the disenfranchised while building better communities. Karen Baker was raised in Ohio with seven siblings where there was not much opportunity to be selfish. Her upbringing taught her the value of selflessness and service, which has helped shape her decades-long career in public service. Whether it was volunteering with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps ...
Nov 09, 2020•30 min
Humble beginnings and a kind demeanor have made him a great public servant, including work as an elected county official and college president. It also has led him to foster a deep friendship with legendary John Lewis. Jabari Simama’s story has many different chapters. He grew up in Columbia, Mo., and attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., through a football scholarship. During a college Christian fellowship, Simama travelled to Connecticut, where he found kinship and a job the foll...
Oct 26, 2020•37 min
Inspired by trailblazer Shirley Chisholm, New Jersey’s Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver has become a powerful and inspirational leader in her own right and has already left a mark that will last for generations. Sheila Oliver has always been inspired by the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress. She was particularly motivated by a simple but memorable remark that Congresswoman Chisholm made in one of her speeches: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, then b...
Oct 12, 2020•38 min
In a time of an extremely divided America, Bruce Bond works with his team to develop common ground and inspire others to create positive change. Bruce Bond has always had a love of politics; he studied it in college and has found great value in political engagement. But over the past several years, American politics has morphed into a new beast, something very different from what he had studied and admired. “It had come to the point where there was a lot of demonizing going on, where if you disa...
Sep 28, 2020•40 min
She didn’t grow up dreaming of working in a position of power in a big city like Los Angeles, but her strong desire to help people and make the world a better place rerouted her into a career of public service. Heather Repenning moved to California from small-town Kentucky with the intention of earning a Ph.D. in comparative literature, but soon began to wonder if it was truly her correct path. She worried that the highly academic language of her work was not accessible to people of all backgrou...
Sep 14, 2020•25 min
Life is an unpredictable collision of people and events that set our lives' trajectory and shape who we become. In this special episode of "In The Arena," host Cathilea Robinett talks intimately of the collision of people and events that have helped define the woman she is today. Cathilea Robinett grew up in California's Humboldt County — rural, predominantly white, and a place she admired growing up. Helen Thomas Cook lived next to Cathilea's grandmother. The two women were best friends, and He...
Sep 01, 2020•19 min
Dr. Miles Davis wants to use his platform as first Black president of Linfield college to affect systemic change. Even as COVID-19 drastically changes the face of education, Dr. Davis is determined to create the next generation of leaders. Miles K. Davis’ path to becoming the first Black president of Linfield College was not a straight line. While raised in poverty, his parents instilled in Davis a strong belief in the transformational power of education, which led him to go to college. Afterwar...
Aug 17, 2020•40 min
As president and CEO of the New York YMCA, Sharon Greenberger is constantly working to make New York a healthier, happier community. Now she uses her decades of experience to transform The Y into a place of hope amid COVID-19. The New York YMCA has been focusing on the trifecta of mind, body and spirit for nearly 170 years, and Sharon Greenberger aims to further that focus despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. With a background in urban planning and experience in economic developme...
Aug 03, 2020•23 min
Ramsey County’s commissioner has fought for change in the state for the past three decades through vigorous community engagement. She has marked history with her achievements and now watches her son do the same as mayor of St. Paul. Toni Carter has constantly aspired for more. Born in rural Alabama, Carter moved with her parents to Cleveland to escape the Jim Crow treatment they had received in the South. Eventually she left Cleveland to go to school in Northfield, Minn., where she found a vibra...
Jul 20, 2020•35 min
A former Baltimore CFO and city manager for Cincinnati, Harry Black just started as Stockton’s city manager when the pandemic began, quickly followed by national protests. But with his extensive, unique career, he is ready to help the city succeed. Harry Black grew up in the inner city of Baltimore, and saw the impact that good and bad public policy had on his gritty neighborhood. After college, Black worked in several local government positions, giving him opportunities to grow and succeed. Eve...
Jul 06, 2020•32 min
John Wetzel uses decades of experience and an unyielding determination to serve Pennsylvania as the secretary of corrections. But he knows that the true value of leadership comes from data, creativity and good people. John Wetzel has worked in corrections for over 30 years, but he is sure not to take himself too seriously. Starting as a part-time correctional officer when he was in college, Wetzel has worked up through the ranks and has been Pennsylvania’s secretary of corrections since 2011. Hi...
Jun 22, 2020•38 min
A county and national leader, Alisha Bell has learned how to be a successful public official by following the path her mother laid down. Now she ensures that her actions will help those who will one day follow her. Whether she is Commission Chair for Wayne County, Mich., president of both the National Association of Black County Officials and the Women of the National Association of Counties, or founding her own charity program, there does not seem to be anything that Alisha Bell cannot do. Bell...
Jun 12, 2020•35 min
Whether it’s a small county or a national stage, Mary Ann Borgeson leads Douglas County, Neb., and the National Association of Counties with compassion and the understanding of the impacts her decisions can make. Mary Ann Borgeson did not consider running for elected office in her home state of Nebraska until her husband encouraged her to do so. But, even after nearly three decades in public office, she does not look at it as being a politician or an elected official, she simply sees a job of ca...
May 22, 2020•22 min
Betty Yee uses her role as California’s state controller to uplift underserved communities, encourage women participation in politics and public office and remind others that a state is only as strong as its individuals. Betty Yee grew up keeping track of the finances of her family’s laundry and dry-cleaning business and now she keeps track of the finances for the fifth largest economy in the world. As California State Controller, she sits on 70 different boards and commissions and is now helpin...
May 11, 2020•34 min
Whether it is a devastating hurricane or global pandemic, Serena DiMaso will be there to lend a helping hand. From the front lines and Assembly floor, DiMaso is constantly working to strengthen and uplift her community. Join Serena DiMaso “In the Arena” to hear more about her lifelong career of helping others, the history of the term “freeholder” and New Jersey’s efforts to combat the coronavirus.
Apr 28, 2020•32 min
Clay Jenkinson, Governing ’s editor-at-large and humanities scholar on Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt, tells us how literature and history can help inform leaders in this time of global national crisis. community’s plans for containment; he describes how current government officials can find inspiration for strong leadership, bold actions, science-based serenity and an optimistic faith in the American people through the study of Theodore Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson among others; and ...
Apr 14, 2020•34 min
His passion for authentic relationships helps Bryan Barnett to excel as Mayor of Rochester Hills and as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Even in a time when the nation is without strategy, he continues to lead with integrity. A simple card game provided community and a career in public service for Bryan Barnett. He hadn’t found inspiration for his scholastic studies until he was invited to join a card game at lunch. It didn’t seem transformation at the time, but he “said yes, met a gr...
Mar 23, 2020•30 min
Ryan Coonerty knows Santa Cruz, California. After being raised in the small coastal city and then going across the pond and country for schooling, he returned to his hometown to get connected with public policy in a way that he felt he was missing in Washington D.C. Just because he has a passion to help his Santa Cruz community doesn’t mean that he doesn’t encounter difficulties in his role as County Supervisor. But he uses his previous experiences as city council member and mayor to help better...
Mar 10, 2020•33 min
Lydia Mihalik is a fierce team leader and has a passion for improving the lives of others, two qualities that have suited her perfectly for Ohio’s public service as Director of the Development Services Agency. Though a Hoosier transplant, Lydia Mihalik has found a home in the buckeye state. An internship in a small Northwest Ohio community helped her realize her interest in local government, especially in community and economic development, and eventually lead her to work for the city of Findlay...
Feb 25, 2020•26 min
West Sacramento has been an incorporated city since 1987 but most people living in the area never knew much about the city; Chris Cabaldon was no exception. In fact, he says the only reason why he discovered West Sacramento was because he accidentally got off on the wrong freeway exit. But he ended up finding “a place that I wanted to live.” Chris Cabaldon began seeing many opportunities for change and growth in his new city and used it to build his platform for his political candidacy. As a res...
Feb 11, 2020•36 min
A passionate representative for women, Navajo people, and Wyomingites, Affie Ellis is a force to be reckoned with and she hopes to use her curiosity and patience to dig deeply into century-old tensions for years to come. Join Ellis “In the Arena” for a thoughtful discussion about cultural history, representation and problem solving that extends beyond the great plains of Wyoming.
Jan 28, 2020•33 min
CIO uses courage, persistence to uplift Detroit through technology. Caring, passionate, and having always pushed back against the status quo, Beth Niblock has used her role as Detroit chief information officer to revitalize the city with technology after a tough period of bankruptcy.
Jan 14, 2020•27 min
Eric Garcetti says he ended up as the mayor of Los Angeles, California, “kind of by accident.” He attributes his mayoral pathway to his parents who taught him the importance of public service and listening, and his humble and inclusive heart have helped him find success in the position. "You never win by talking. I think public service is about listening. If you hear your city, you hear your country, you hear your world, it will speak to you." Mayor Garcetti explains that to be successful “in th...
Dec 17, 2019•22 min
From reporting on congress to building the first mobile streaming news network, small-town, north Dakotan Ed O’Keefe has extensive media experience. And as CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, O’Keefe is creating an experience that preserves and shares Roosevelt’s legacy. For more on the “In The Arena” podcast, visit https://www.governing.com/ITA
Dec 03, 2019•51 min
After five years of active duty in the Navy, including stints in Bahrain and at the Pentagon, Blair Milo saw that her hometown of LaPorte, Ind., was running out of money in six months. She thought, “How can this even happen?” This inspired her to run for mayor at the age of 28. She won and became the youngest mayor in LaPorte’s history. In 2017, she was appointed secretary of career and talent connection for the state of Indiana. She is currently working to fill over 1 million jobs over the next...
Nov 20, 2019•33 min
Kirsten Baesler has a deep commitment to empowering students and a passion for raising the standards of education. She grew up in a family of seven and was always told, "It's not a question of if you can serve, it's a question how you can best serve." This led her to find her passion in education.
Nov 05, 2019•33 min
During Phil Bertolini’s 31 years of public service, he built a world-class IT organization in the second-largest county in Michigan. As former CIO and Deputy County Executive for Oakland County, MI., Phil oversaw more than 150 employees serving over 1.2 million residents. Phil’s efforts earned the county national attention, winning numerous awards for technology innovation and excellence. He was named one of Governing Magazine’s Public Officials of the Year and Government Technology Magazine’s T...
Oct 21, 2019•22 min
A fourth-generation Washingtonian and life-long resident of King County, Dow Constantine, who lives in the same West Seattle neighborhood where he grew up, has been involved in local politics since joining a preservation effort as a law school student in the 1980s. Throughout his service in the Legislature, on the King County Council, and as Executive of King County, Dow has consistently fought for and delivered transportation solutions, environmental conservation, public health and safety, equa...
Sep 17, 2019•19 min
Harry LaRosiliere knew he would be a mayor 20 years before it happened. Today he is serving his second term as mayor of Plano, Texas. LaRosiliere comes from humble beginnings. Born in Haiti, he moved with his family to New York as a child where his mother cleaned office buildings and his father worked in a factory. Running for mayor was a “calling,” LaRosiliere says, born out of a desire to effect positive change in his community. For more on the In The Arena podcast, visit https://www.governing...
Sep 03, 2019•21 min
