In The Arena

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. Sometimes all the officials can manage is to list the three most recent books they have enjoyed because, as Blair Milo, Indiana’s secretary for Career Connections and Talent, explained, “I could no sooner pick a favorite star in the heavens,” than pick a single best book to read. Books often become favorites if they provide some sense of nostalgia or wonder. They can be an escape into an alternate reality or a world that satiates the present moment’s wanderlust. During the coronavirus pandemic, this can also act as a form of stress relief, an escape from the confines of the shelter-in-place orders. Los Angeles, Calif., Mayor Eric Garcetti turns to Jorge Luis Borges’ Ficciones, a book of short stories “and many of them are these beautiful fantastical metaphors for the universe.” But he also turns to books for hope, which can act as an escape from the fear and uncertainty of this global pandemic. He discusses how Marge Pearcy’s book of poetry, Stone, Paper, Knife, which gets its title from a poem that is “all about how, in the midst of struggle, do we still stay idealistic and hang on to hope, and hope rests in each one of us.” For others, a favorite book can be a connection to a cherished moment in time. For Kristen Cox, executive director of the Utah Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, it also happens to be a moment of triumph. “Because I had some vision growing up, they didn’t teach me braille. But then as I went more and more blind, I had no way to read,” Cox explains. After having her first son, she taught herself to read braille, learning a letter a day, so that she could read to her son. Eventually, she was proficient enough to read her first book in braille: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. “I love The Hobbit anyway, but to read that in braille was a huge accomplishment for me.” Other times, a favorite book can create a cherished moment and connection between two people despite physical separation. For In the Arena host, Cathilea Robinett, and senior advisor to the California Office of Emergency Services, Karen Baker, this unity was fostered over a mutual favorite children’s book: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. “I just don’t know what secret garden is around the corner for me,” Baker explains. “The good is about to happen.” Books can offer us many things during these unprecedented times, whether that is escaping to a different land or building connection between two people and the public officials who have spoken with us “In the Arena” have read it all. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 while attending UCLA, working for a congressmember in Washington, D.C. or being appointed by President Clinton to help create AmeriCorps, Karen Baker has always been inspired by creativity and problem solving within communities. “I'm particularly interested in that because I feel like one of the biggest things that people miss as a leader is just the ability to really listen very hard and then create,” Baker explains. “And part of how community is created by being there for each other and serving, and I think that's the glue of our culture.” Karen Baker has held cabinet positions under three California governors, and currently leads Gov. Newsom’s Listos California, a multi-million-dollar initiative to educate disabled, non-English speaking, and other vulnerable populations across the state about disaster preparedness, including COVID-19. Its mission is guided by the principle of letting the community decide how best to reach its members. Baker admits it is a big and complicated job, but it is the kind of problem-solving that she knows will have a significant impact on the lives of others. “I think the only thing that you have to be aware of when you need to be inspired is: What are you giving?” she asks. “You have to keep doing those acts of service. Cause that's what makes you feel connected in my view. And that's where the joy comes.” Listen to the full interview with Karen Baker to hear more about her tremendous career of helping others, an inspiring drive-thru event in Mendota, Calif., and a special bond created over a shared favorite book. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 following summer. The experience led him to transfer to the University of Bridgeport, where Simama earned his bachelor’s degree. Afterwards, he found his way down to Atlanta, Ga., where he eventually earned two graduate degrees, a master’s from Atlanta University and his Ph.D. from Emory University. At this point in his life, Simama entered public service and served two terms on the Atlanta City Council, then worked as deputy chief operating officer and chief of staff for DeKalb County and later became the president of Georgia Piedmont Technical College. Despite the challenges, he has always found inspiration through his own childhood and his family’s humble beginnings. “All of my life, I felt this tremendous kinship and commitment with lifting up ‘the least of these.’ And it's probably because at one point I was part of ‘the least of these,’” he explains. Jabari Simama’s commitment to helping others has also come from the great support he has received from others throughout his life. A friend from the Christian fellowship organization Young Life, helped Simama travel outside of Missouri for the first time. That same friend introduced him to Jack Carpenter who headed Young Life in Connecticut and offered him the summer job. After college, a woman named Lillian introduced him to his first job in Atlanta and to her husband, the late Congressman John Lewis. Jabari Simama and John Lewis met in 1973 and maintained a close friendship. Simama recounts how it was good to know the human side of John Lewis and to see his loving and humble nature  even when their wives were conspiring on the phone about the lunches at their children’s shared preschool. “I could hear John in the background saying ‘Lillian, remember we're non-violent, we don't talk like that, we're not violent,’” Simama says. “So even in his personal life, something that didn't exactly have anything to do with civil rights, the spirit of non-violence was the way he lived.” Listen to the latest “In The Arena” episode to hear more about Jabari Simama’s friendship with the late John Lewis, the tenderness of his heart and the racial discrimination of hand dryers. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 bring a folding chair.” Sheila Oliver has brought several folding chairs during her long and successful career in public service. She started her career as the director of a private nonprofit in Newark, became the president of her local board of education and then was elected a county commissioner. Later, she was the first woman to launch a competitive campaign for mayor of East Orange, N.J., but ended up losing by just 51 votes. “I began to connect the dots about how important it was to encourage people to vote because many people in my town said, ‘Oh, I just knew that was a slam dunk for you. I didn't even vote yesterday,’” Oliver said. She went on to successfully serve in the state Legislature for 16 years. When Oliver was unanimously elected to be the 169th speaker of the New Jersey State Assembly in 2009, she was the first Black woman to hold the position in the state's history. Her election also made her the second Black woman in the nation to lead a state legislative house. Several years later when she served as the lieutenant governor for New Jersey, she became the fourth Black woman in the nation to do so, the first as a Democrat. But her time in public service has not always been easy, especially during the coronavirus pandemic as New Jersey ranked No. 2 among states with COVID-19 cases for many months. Even as the numbers appear to be decreasing, the state still must be cautious about its reopening guidelines for the health and safety of its residents. “We're still on guard,” explained Oliver. “We don't feel quite comfortable that we're beyond it yet. And all of the epidemiologists that we consult with tell us that we are probably going to experience a surge in November.” Listen to the “In The Arena” episode with Sheila Oliver to hear more about her inspirations and achievements, her aspiration to laugh every day and New Jersey’s response to the death of George Floyd. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 disagree with me politically, then there’s something wrong with your character,” Bruce explains. “We just felt that was a really dangerous thing.” He and his childhood friend, Erik Olsen, developed an idea of putting people from opposing viewpoints on stage together and then asking them to find points of agreement. The Common Ground Committee was first a side job, something Bruce and Erik would do when they had some spare time. But after two extremely successful events — one in the wake of the 2018 Charlottesville protests and another with John Kerry and Condoleezza Rice — the side job started to gain traction. Not long afterwards, Bruce quit his decades-long IT career to develop Common Ground into a full-time nonprofit. As the country grows more divided over the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black Americans, the national response to the coronavirus pandemic and the upcoming presidential election, Bruce hopes that the public uses these meetings of the minds as the foundation for difficult but civil conversations. “When people are awakened to the seriousness of a problem or what is possible either way, they start to move differently and they start to think and act differently and speak differently than what they've done in the past,” he says. “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Listen to the complete episode with Bruce Bond to hear more about Common Ground Committee’s “grass-tops” approach, the exhausted majority and Bruce’s high school experience with the notion of try, try, try again. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 backgrounds. “About three years into my Ph.D., I started to feel like the work I was doing was maybe not as relevant as I wanted it to be in terms of having an impact on the world,” she explains. After that realization, Repenning soon found herself doing field research for several political campaigns, one of which was for a young Eric Garcetti. She talked with voters and constituents about the changes they wanted to see in their communities and immediately felt that her work could have a direct effect on people’s lives. Now, working for Los Angeles County’s public transportation agency and serving as the vice chair of the board of directors for the region’s Metropolitan Water District, Repenning’s work impacts millions of people across Southern California. “I love to help people and I consider it a gift that I can wake up every day and get paid to make the world a better place,” Repenning says. “And right now, the needs are great.” Between the pandemic, the resulting economic crisis and the devastating wildfires now raging in the West, Repenning sees countless opportunities to address issues that affect people’s everyday lives, such as economic inequality, workplace diversity and climate change.   Repenning acknowledges that this is a uniquely difficult period and that people need to look out for themselves and their families, but she also urges people to get involved whenever possible. “Democracy will only be healthy to the degree that everyday people are active and actively participating in it,” she says. “Whether it's speaking out against something that you disagree with, whether it's voting, in whatever way you can, please get into the arena.” Listen to the episode with Heather Repenning to hear more about working closely with Eric Garcetti for 20 years, the timely values of Toni Morrison’s Beloved, and learning about the world through the availability of water. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 Helen would come to Cathilea's family's house each Sunday. Helen was warm, kind, and considered part of the family. Helen was also Black. Cathilea's stepfather was an "Archie Bunker" of his time, close-minded to things he did not know. Cathilea always had a tense relationship with him because of this, which only worsened as she went on to experience the vast, diverse world that existed beyond Humboldt County. However, it eventually got to a point where Cathilea could no longer accept the dissonance between them. The day she brought home her fiancé Henry, a Black jazz musician.  Cathilea pulled her stepfather aside that day and explained that just as they loved Helen and welcomed her into the family, despite her skin color, they could also do the same for her new fiancé. Her stepfather never again mentioned the color of Henry's skin. In that moment, Cathilea learned that familiarity, understanding, and acceptance are deeply intertwined. Unfortunately, that was not the last time that Cathilea saw or experienced racism. As our country struggles with racial injustice and equality, Cathilea leans on the lesson she learned years ago. She reminds herself that, "Racism isn't a political issue. It is a human issue." She reminds herself of the amazing people that have shown kindness and compassion, despite how others may treat them. Listen to this special episode of "In The Arena" to discover more about Cathilea's travels across the nation, her time in The American Conservatory Theater's Young Actors Program, and her understanding that we all want to be respected, admired, and loved. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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. Afterwards, he served time in the U.S. Navy, earned an MBA and worked several jobs in the corporate world. It was not until a friend mentioned The PhD Project to him in 1994 that Davis begin to consider returning to academia. Davis was drawn to the program’s mission of increasing the number of underrepresented minorities with PhDs in business to affect systemic change. He went through his entire undergraduate career without a single Black professor. The PhD Project gave him the possibility that he could become a professor with a vision of doing something more meaningful with his life. “It was being a part of The PhD Project where I saw the possibility of becoming a professor and doing something more than making another deal in corporate America,” he says. "It would nurture my spirit and soul and my commitment to helping others grow and make a difference in the lives of people.” Davis went on to become the Project's first college dean and president. Dr. Miles Davis is now the first Black president of Linfield College and, as president, he must navigate the complexities of COVID-19. While thousands of schools across the nation have transitioned into remote learning, It is not as simple as making sure everyone has the necessary technology, he explains. Switching to distance learning relies on several underlying assumptions, according to Davis. Students have a home in which they can do online education, and they have and can afford Internet connection or a cellular data plan that can supplement it. Distance learning also takes away the variety of other opportunities that colleges and universities offer, like a reliable source of the next meal or the diverse social interaction that feeds intellectual interest and engagement. But David acknowledges that the issues are bigger than just Linfield College. “Our republic cannot stand if it doesn’t have educated citizens," he says. "We need people who can think, we need people to engage, and that’s part of my calling: I want to fight the battles. It gets me up every morning.” Listen to the full episode to hear the inspirational conversation with Dr. Miles Davis on making systemic change, taking responsibility for your decisions and exploring the scientific world with quantum physics.  Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 development, education, health care and government, Greenberger is guided by the notion of community. Serving as the New York YMCA president and CEO is no different. “We're very focused on empowering you to improving health and strengthening community,” Greenberger explains. “I think that we try to help New Yorkers find two things that everyone needs: a sense of belonging and a sense of achievement. People think of the Y as their second home.” This strong sense of connection is something that drove Greenberger and her staff to create new methods of community in a socially distanced way after COVID-19 forced them to stop their normal operations on March 16. Since then, the Y has completely transformed itself. Now, the YMCA is providing housing for homeless, offering to house non-COVID patients to free up bed space for COVID patients in local hospitals, providing child care for health-care workers, creating online platforms with fitness classes as resources to its members and establishing a call network to connect with isolated seniors. All this change and resilience reflects Greenberger’s own strength, fortitude and experiences. When she was battling cancer, she realized the importance of using the life force of others to succeed and survive. When she was running the New York City School Construction Authority she helped to design and build 100 new school buildings across the city and complete 2,000 construction projects within four years. When she joined the Bloomberg administration just after 9/11, she saw the fortitude of New Yorkers and their unwavering ability to support one another. Greenberger knows it is this resiliency that propels New York through this unprecedented crisis. I know we will get to the other side and it will require an enormous amount of resilience and strength, but I would just say, especially in New York, we are tough,” Greenberg says. “We've been to the other side many times before and we will get there now, just please stay strong.” Listen to the full episode to hear more from Sharon Greenberger about focusing on continuous improvement, her passion for water skiing and her self-guiding rules of participation. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 vibrancy in life and an education that she had been yearning for. After college Toni Carter moved to St. Paul, married, had a good job, had the “picket fence with a dog and kids” lifestyle that she thought would be the perfect life, but still something was missing. “I know that it was my ability to have more of a direct impact on what I felt was a community yearning to blossom,” she says. “I found that there were people here in this land of milk and honey who looked like me, who weren’t doing so well.” Toni Carter has public service in her blood. She began fulfilling her desire to help the community first by running for the local school board. Then she realized that there were more underlying concerns than just student achievement, so she ran for, and won, a position on the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, where she has served four terms across 15 years. When she was first elected in 2005, she was the first Black American to serve on a county board in the state.  She has created a legacy of community development, not only through her own achievements and actions but also through her children. Her son, Melvin Carter III, has been mayor of St. Paul, Minn., since 2018, the first city’s African-American mayor. While proud of the achievements that her community has achieved, Carter continues to push for progressive change, especially in the wake of George Floyd’s death. “There are so many things that we have been able to change, but there are also so many things that we still need to do, as is observed from the George Floyd killing here in the Twin Cities area,” she explains. Carter sees there are reforms that need to be made within the system of law enforcement, but also through larger social systems that allow everyone to not just survive, but to thrive. “I felt compelled in working with my community, on behalf of my community, to help those voices be heard and to help those changes that are required to be made. And I still do,” she says. Listen to the episode as Toni Carter discusses the future of Ramsey County, the community support that has blossomed in the wake of George Floyd’s death and her new adventures with the upright bass.  Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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. Eventually, Black returned to his hometown, but instead of landing in the inner city where he grew up, he took a job as the city’s new chief financial officer, with a corner office in city hall. “With my personal circumstances growing up in the inner city, I saw what the power of public service could be in terms of making a difference in the lives of people, particularly disadvantaged people,” said Black. “So, I’ve committed myself to trying to make a difference.” After bolstering Baltimore’s finances, Black moved to Cincinnati to fulfill a longtime dream and became a city manager. Though he admits he was not ready to leave his hometown, he knew he had to take the chance to pursue his goal. Then, one day out of the blue, Black received a phone call from the mayor of Stockton, Calif. Black has been the city manager of Stockton for barely four months but is already helping the city implement plans and develop ideas on how best to respond to the protests over the death of George Floyd, while balancing the financial devastation brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. He hopes to change the perspective of his new city. Black wants people to know that Stockton is not a broken city, but a place with an opportunity for optimization and enhancement. He hopes to take advantage of the uniqueness of Stockton to produce jobs, housing solutions and positive change to combat social and racial inequities while strengthening the community. “It’s not just the death of George Floyd, but it’s people using that as an opportunity to really vocalize inequities, injustice,” he explained. “And we’ve got to pay attention to this.” Listen to the episode to hear more about Harry Black’s unique path to becoming one of Stockton’s leaders, his love for cooking savory foods and his determination to help Stockton and the rest of the nation become more equitable and just. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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. His many years in corrections have taught him the value of surrounding yourself with good people, the great human capacity for change and the importance of breaking generational trauma. “I think corrections has a really unique opportunity to really help people change their lives,” he says. “And when we do that, we also change the lives of their family members.” Wetzel understands that it takes a lot of hard work and determination to bring about change in communities, so that is why he trusts his staff to be creative: “The closer people are to the ground, the better their information as to how to operationalize things are. So, lean on that and use that.” This creativity has allowed the staff to adapt quickly when guidelines were administered to prevent the spread of COVID-19, swapping in-person visits for Zoom visits for the incarcerated individuals. Wetzel also keeps detailed spreadsheets to track data and figures that help analyze and improve the system. And when that is not enough, he uses his passion and strength to persevere. “It continues to be, certainly, a challenging environment, but an environment that gives us an opportunity to just reimagine how we deliver the services we deliver,” he points out. During this time of national protesting against policing and violence against Black Americans, Wetzel is even more inspired to use his role to create positive change. “As a Black man who runs a big criminal justice system, I have a foot in a bunch of these camps. So, this is a very personal issue for me.” Listen to “In the Arena” with John Wetzel to learn more about criminal justice reform, his focus on doing the next right thing and his in-depth knowledge of Columbo. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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’s success helps to uplift her community. When she was elected to the County Commission in 2002, she was the youngest African American woman in the entire nation elected to the post. Now, she is glad that she no longer holds that title, because it means that “there are so many more young African American women who have now sought out county government as a way to serve their community.” Ultimately, helping other people has always been Alisha Bell’s mission. She now serves the county where she was born and raised, giving her a strong connection to the community. When she faces challenges, she reminds herself to “be true to yourself, stay the course,” because she simply wants to make a difference in the lives of all Wayne County residents. Even as Detroit and other areas of Wayne County have been hit hard by COVID-19, Bell has been working with the county commission to tackle the virus and protect the community. “It's a slow process and we want to make sure that all of our employees are safe as they go back to work in the Wayne County buildings and then make sure that people get tested at the general public so that we know where our numbers are,” she says. Listen to the latest In the Arena episode to hear more about Alisha Bell’s prom dress donation program, her unique professional bond to her mother and the impact that the death of George Floyd has had on Wayne County. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 caring for other people, which is really her driving force. As Douglas County commissioner, Mary Ann Borgeson honors the impact she can have on people’s lives every day through her closeness to the community. As president of the National Association of Counties (NACo), even though it is a larger scale, she still maneuvers her national role with community-level intimacy. “As president, you’re like a leader and an ambassador to the rest of the counties across the country.” She cares for counties across the nation by sharing stories, ideas and resources, to provide a network of support and connection. Mary Ann Borgeson works, at every level, through empathy. She is humbled by her experiences with victims of Hurricane Katrina, inspired by the words of Mother Theresa and powered by positivity and giving others care. Especially in hard times, “try to take care of yourself as well as your family… Remember your compassion and love that you’re able to give to each other.” Mary Ann Borgeson steps “In the Arena” and shares some of the joys of Nebraska, her hidden athletic talents and how she is working to support others during this national health crisis. Listen to her episode to hear more. Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA

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 helping to maneuver the devastating financial impacts that the coronavirus pandemic has had on the state’s budget. Her scope of duties as state controller is immense, working on everything from taxes and retirement funds to pollution control and wildlife financing. But she does not just use her financial expertise to make her impact. Betty Yee grew up in a San Francisco, Calif., household that did not speak English, and yet she received a sociology degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She arrived in Sacramento to work in the state Senate and noticed a gender disparity in the financial arena, and yet she now holds one of the top financial positions in the state. Even in the face of unprecedented financial crisis, Betty Yee finds opportunities for growth and betterment. She hopes that as California rebuilds its economy, it uses this opportunity to attend to communities that have been ignored in the past. “Our economy is only as strong as the financial health of each and every Californian.” Listen to her episode to hear more about her journey to becoming State Controller, coronavirus’ impact on California’s economy and, despite it all, serving with compassion.   Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA  

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.

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 he believes that some of the best methods of combating COVID-19 are support, tolerance and positivity. Clay Jenkinson steps In the Arena to discuss pandemic history, that literature can teach leaders how to respond to crises like this, and how life offers more good things than bad.

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 group of people… That led me to becoming the student body president among the myriad of other leadership roles in the university.” The seemingly simple invitation ended up paving his path into serving his community as a public servant. Listen to the full interview to hear Bryan Barnett discuss glow in the dark sidewalks, the importance of “being invited,” and how the coronavirus pandemic has caused mayors across the nation to be “In the Arena” together.

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 understand that you can’t make everyone happy as an elected official, so he just continues “to just vote my conscience and let the chips fall where they may.” Ryan Coonerty steps “In the Arena” to talk about not taking jobs too seriously, his diplomatic middle name, and his journey to continue improving Santa Cruz for the future generations.

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, Ohio. Though she admits “I was pretty green,” she learned enough about how to develop, lead and grow a community that she was later elected to be the first female and the youngest mayor of Findlay. Lydia Mihalik loved being mayor because of its “opportunity to make connections and improve people’s lives.” Luckily, that same opportunity exists in her latest role as director of Ohio’s Development Services Agency.  Listen to the interview to hear Lydia Mihalik discuss her love for Ohio, her thoughts on leadership and her cooking abilities as she steps “In the Arena.”  

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 resident he was able to truly get to know the city and to be mayor “You need to know [the city’s] heart and its history and its future and its pain and its aspirations.” In his role as mayor, Cabaldon continues to use that same intimacy to embrace change and innovation as West Sacramento provides a unique opportunity “to try new things and take some risks.”             Through these risks and keeping the residents in the forefront, Mayor Cabaldon has helped West Sacramento grow businesses and programs, like urban farms, breweries, city seed funding for college savings accounts, and bikeshares. But he is “very clear on what it is that my organization and the city itself can do, what our capacity is, what our context is,” and knows when collaboration and partnership with other organizations, cities are necessary to further the creative process.             Listen to his interview to hear more about how community, passion, and purpose have helped navigate Chris Cabaldon’s time “In the Arena” as mayor of West Sacramento.

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.

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.

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 the arena,” you have to be humble and strong, with firm understanding that “you cannot do it on your own.” His collaborative spirit dreams of a Los Angeles in which his daughter and her generation can afford to live, work and attend school. Mayor Garcetti envisions a Los Angeles in which the California Dream is alive and well, a place where people’s daily needs are taken care of. Eric Garcetti steps “In the Arena” and discusses his role as mayor and how first interactions, technology, and legacy are at the forefront of his city vision.

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  

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 10 years and is dedicated to shaping education and workforce training for the next generation.

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.

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 Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers. He was also honored by the President Obama White House as a Champion of Change.  For more on the In The Arena podcast, visit https://www.governing.com/ITA 

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, equality and government efficiency. For more on the In The Arena podcast, visit https://www.governing.com/ITA 

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.com/ITA 

People thought Rebecca Rhynhart was crazy when she decided to run for Philadelphia controller. At the time, the city never had a woman in the position. Rhynhart also did not have a traditional political background, working on Wall Street for seven years before transitioning to city government. In Philadelphia, she took on the role of city treasurer, budget director and chief administrative officer prior to jumping into the controller race. Despite the doubts, Rhynhart shocked thepolitical establishment by ousting a three-term incumbent to become the city’s first female controller in 2018. Now, she’s shaking up the old-school political climate by auditing public spending and identifying ways to help taxpayers get the most for their money. You listen and learn more about In The Arena at https://www.governing.com/ITA

We live in a time of political division and public fear about the future. But one conversation with Dr. Crow might just make you optimistic. Dr. Crow has been the president of Arizona State since 2002. He previously served as Executive Vice Provost of Columbia University, where he also taught science and technology policy. In Crow’s years working with students of the digital age – the Sapiens [dot] net as he calls them – he has been comforted by their intelligence, their creativity, and their commitment to inclusivity. For more on the In The Arena podcast, visit https://www.governing.com/ITA 

Toi Hutchinson knows how to make a comeback. Her first foray into politics came when she challenged an incumbent to run for atownship supervisor seat in Illinois. She lost.The day after the election, an Illinois state senator asked Hutchinson to be her chief of staff. A few years later, when the senator won a seat in the U.S. House, Hutchinson took her place in 2009. But taking on a state legislator role as the mother of three young boys wasn’t all Hutchinson had going on. She was also in law school at the time. For more about In The Arena, visit www.governing.com/ita 

U.S. mayors have a lot on their plates these days. From infrastructure to climate concerns, today’s rising class of local politicians are changing the way things are done and seeking out creative solutions to help their residents. Four of these promising leaders had the opportunity to speak on a panel at Governing’s Summit on Performance and Innovation last month. Mayors Melvin Carter of St. Paul, Minn., Jenn Daniels of Gilbert, Ariz., Jacob Frey of Minneapolis, Minn., and Francis Suarez of Miami, Fla., shared their experiences bringing new perspectives to their governments. For more on this podcast, or to subscribe for free on major platforms, visit In The Arena online at governing.com/ITA.  

Chris Castro is full of big ideas, and he’s ready to shake up how local governments do business. Castro’s love for the environment grew on his parent’s palm tree farm in Miami. Now, he combines that passion with innovation as Orlando’s Director of Sustainability. His project includes the city’s Fleet Farming program, which provides nutrition to food insecure communities by turning front yards into small farms. But Castro has another ambitious effort underway: making Orlando carbon-free by the year 2050. There is more about Chris and the In The Arena podcast at www.governing.com/ita

Kimberly Foxx is unapologetic for where she came from and what she believes in. Foxx grew up in the 1970s and ’80s in Chicago’s infamous Cabrini-Green public housing project, a development known for high crime rates and police neglect. Her family later moved to the more affluent Lincoln Park, but her background shaped her in meaningful ways. After moving, she started to notice the disparate opportunities available to her new neighbors versus those from her old housing project. That seed later grew, driving Foxx to leave her position in insurance law to work with the Cook County Public Guardian’s office representing children in the foster care system. This role cemented her desire to work in public service. Foxx eventually served as an assistant state’s attorney for 12 years. In 2016, she challenged — and beat — the incumbent Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez to become the first African-American to hold the position. As top prosecutor of the nation’s second-largest county, Foxx oversees more than 1,000 people. In this role she has worked to make the office more transparent, advocate for bond reform and vacate dozens of wrongful convictions. These efforts drew Governing magazine’s attention, recognizing her one as a member of its 2019 Women in Government Leadership Program.

Theodore Roosevelt doesn't have a presidential library. Yet. A nonprofit foundation in North Dakota, with the help of technologists, historians and Gov. Doug Burgum, is working to correct that oversight. When Burgum talks about public service, he sounds a lot like Roosevelt, who said, "It is not the critic who counts. ... The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood." Burgum says that "anybody with a phone and two thumbs can be a critic." He advises public officials to "stay above it" and muster "the courage to jump in." He did just that in 2016, when the business man made a last-minute run for political office. He tells those stories, plus reflects on his first 18 months in office, on this episode of "In the Arena," a podcast about public leadership.        

It is the way things have always been done in Dayton. Neighbors talk to each other over fences and on porches about what they are really thinking about.  Tapping into that dynamic helped Nan Whaley become mayor in 2013. Even after she won, she still keeps in touch with the Ohio city’s 140,000 residents through "porch tours." Whaley says she listens fearlessly because she has learned that in public service, you cannot be afraid of failure. Before becoming mayor, she served as one of the city's youngest commissioners. On this episode of "In the Arena," a podcast about public leadership, Whaley talks about her porch tours and what she has learned from them. There's more at www.governing.com/podcasts 

Mayor Steve Benjamin is no stranger to having difficult conversations on a public scale. He got his start in politics as a student activist seeking to bring the Confederate flag down from the South Carolina statehouse. In his new role as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, he speaks with and for 1,500 mayors about common challenges -- opioid addiction, homelessness, immigration and trade. In his town, Columbia, he is focused on the “three I's” of city life -- infrastructure, innovation and inclusion. On this episode of "In the Arena," a podcast about public leadership, Benjamin talks about the things that make cities work at this "definitive moment" in the country's history.

Kristen Cox knows about constraints. After the fiscal crisis, the Executive Director of the Utah Office of Management and Budget applied the same kind of fiscal stress tests the Federal Reserve uses on banks to do a reality check on the State of Utah’s books. It surfaced both the state’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Her life is really a story about strength and vulnerability. In coming terms with becoming blind, she hit bottom in a man hole. That’s not a metaphor.  Nor is her solo skydiving.  But they do give you a sense of the highs and lows she’s confronted.  And she’ll tell you that embracing your constraints makes for good public policy – and a good life.

Mayor Acquanetta Warren credits her father for her big dreams. "You've been to the moon," he used to say. There was some truth to that. Acquanetta Warren's election in 2010 was historic. She is Fontana, Calif.'s first female and first African-American mayor. Her inspiration for public service is actually rooted in watching history being made. “My parents would have [me] in front of the TV every morning and every evening watching the news," remembers Warren. “I was really afraid because of the civil rights [protests] going on in the South [in the 1960s]. But the more I became afraid, the stronger I became about what I wanted to do -- and that was to change things.” On this episode of "In the Arena," a podcast about public leadership, Warren reflects on the importance of teaching kids about the legacies of MLK and JFK, her initial resistance to running for office, the pitfalls of working in public view, and why her father -- an aerospace worker -- used to tell her that she's been to the moon.

On his Inauguration Day in 2011, Greg Fischer turned heads when he announced an experiment to make Louisville "the nation's first compassionate city." "Nobody disagrees with the concept of compassion. But the question is, how do you operationalize it in a city?" In the last seven years, the city has worked with local businesses and nonprofits to help answer that question. The Kentucky city's work has helped to forge a model that other cities are watching closely. On this episode of "In the Arena," a podcast about public leadership, Fischer discusses how.

Themis Klarides has made a career of defying expectations. Earlier this year, the Connecticut House minority speaker resisted pressure to run for the open governor’s race in her state. Instead, she's making a play to form a Republican majority and become Speaker. Klarides, 52, the first woman leader of the House Republicans in Connecticut history, was first elected to the legislature two decades ago. Her path wasn't the most traditional route to public office: A former model and competitive body-builder, Klarides also did a stint as a "ring girl" for World Wrestling Entertainment. Early political opponents tried to hold that against her, she says. "I was the state rep who was a swimsuit model and worked for the WWE," says Klarides, who studied for her bar exams backstage between television tapings of Monday Night RAW.

On the heals of the 86th annual meeting of the US Conference of Mayors in Boston over the weekend, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says mayors have what America wants. Garcetti, 47, has been testing the waters for a potential presidential bid in 2020.  Even if he doesn't run, he hopes other mayors will. As the chief executives of cities, Garcetti says mayors are "practical, results-oriented, inclusive and decent." In a veiled reference to the current administration, Garcetti laments the current climate, "We have a lot of division, we have a lot of impracticality, we have a lack of experience in government." "You never win by talking," says Garecetti, 47, a fourth generation Angeleno and self-described accidental public servant, the "highest calling" he says is fundamentally about listening. He says the mayor's job is to "knit together a narrative" that explains a city to itself.  Garcetti thinks technology can help if mayors strike the right balance, saying too many are either "future phobic" or "future passive." He views himself as "future guiding" as evidenced by the city's recent recognition for its use of data in planning and operations by Bloomberberg Philanthropies' What Works Cities, and Equipt to Innovate, a joint initiative of Governing and the non-profit Living Cities.

On April 23, 1910, Theodore Roosevelt gave what would become one of the most widely quoted speeches of his career. In it, the nation's 26th president used his hyperbolic oratory to bear on the themes of leadership and loneliness. "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood," Roosevelt said. While most of the guests on this show will be public officials, our debut episode features humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson. He explores the context of the quote, which inspired the name of this podcast, and how it fits in Roosevelt's world view of power, persuasion and politics.  "It's probably the most frequently quoted thing that Roosevelt ever said, and if you go into the boardrooms of major corporations or to the offices of CEOs and politicians, anywhere where there is some need for power to assert itself, you almost invariably find that quotation tacked to the wall," says Jenkinson. 

In a new podcast from Governing magazine, Cathiea Robinett interviews public officials who serve In The Arena today about courage, compassion and creativity in public leadership.  The debut season features conversations with: Clay Jenkinson, Author, Educator, Roosevelt Scholar Greg Fischer, Mayor of Louisville, KY Acquanetta Warren, Mayor of Fontana, CA Themis Klarides, House Majority Leader (D), Connecticut Kristen Cox, Executive Director, OMB, State of Utah Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, CA Episodes drop every Wednesday, beginning June 6.