Making this even more challenging is the history of Baltimore itself - having a checkered history of under-investment and mismanagement.

To begin, Chris is listening - to both employees and residents. At the same time, he and Mayor Scott have a concrete Action Plan they’re implementing, refusing to accept the status quo as good enough.

Please enjoy my conversation with Chris Shorter.

Yet with that opportunity has come real challenges - housing, transit, public safety. Yet while Mayor Hancock is the Chief Executive, he is under no illusion that these are his challenges to tackle alone.

In this episode we discuss the difference between a visionary and implementer leader, the most surprising aspects of being a major city Mayor, and his thought process before using his veto powers for the first time.

Please enjoy my conversation with Mayor Michael Hancock.

Like all other major cities in the US, the past two years has seen a worrying trend of increasing gun violence and homicides, undoing a decade plus of hard work in this area. But to Robert, the solution can’t be found in targeting these metrics alone or just putting cops on dots.

It comes with a broader understanding of what a quality life means, and the deeper social ills that are manifesting in these outcomes. I lost count of the number of times trust and transparency were mentioned, while at the same time Robert emphasized the uniquely difficult job law enforcement officials have, that many of us often forget.

Please enjoy my conversation with Robert Clark.

Today, we discussed where policing is headed, how to bridge the gap between PD and community, and despite common beliefs, why the NYPD is one of the most progressive policing agencies across the world.

Please enjoy my conversation with Chief Brandon del Pozo.

When I asked him how this was done, the answers were not at all what I was expecting. This story isn’t about balance sheet management, chasing grant funding or cutting services. Instead, it’s about one transformative idea that can be put to use whether you’re leading a billion dollar City or a local rec soccer team. That story is about the power of people, and I hope you stick around to hear what’s possible when you begin treating them as drivers for change rather than a cost center.

Please enjoy my conversation with Tommy Gonzalez.

With a background in prosecution and police strategy, Maurice brings an analytical mind to the conversation that shines through on each topic, being able to understand and synthesize multiple points of view at one time to find a solution: no easy task.

Today, we discuss the pressure such a role entails both professionally and personally, how the City of Chicago tried to remain empathetic yet also responsible to its taxpayers throughout the 2020 protests, and a few war stories from the Mayor’s Office.

Please enjoy my conversation with Maurice Classen.

I specifically enjoyed this conversation not only for the discussion on the timely work being done, but also for Meredith’s extremely thoughtful insights into leadership at the top of local government: the good, bad and ugly. Her level of self-awareness and honesty will no doubt shine through to you also.

Today, we discuss what exactly Covid recovery entails, how to hear beyond the usual voices at the table, and what’s changed in her personal life after being given a shiny new title.

Please enjoy my conversation with Meredith Reynolds.

Today the country is being ravaged by Fentanyl, and New York is no different. Pouring in from Mexico, this cheap and easily concealable drug is finding its way into everything, from cocaine, to heroin and prescription pills like Oxy and Xanax.

With a fatal dose equating to a little finger-nail, getting the importation and distribution of this under control is critical. Today we talk about how this is being done, the interesting nuances of New York City in this regard, and more philosophically about the ‘war on drugs’.

Please enjoy my conversation with Bridget Brennan.

Greg Russ is the Chair and CEO of the largest public housing authority in the United States, the New York City Housing Authority. Impacting over a quarter of a million people, the ability of the Agency to provide safe and warm housing since 1935 has been critical to New York’s position as a cultural and economic driver.

That’s under threat, however, with massive capital demands mounting for widespread repairs.

The City, State and Federal governments all turned to Greg for his wealth of experience across the country in tackling this challenge. Today we talk through the ambitious plan his team has put forward to address this, why public housing remains a critical element for any thriving city, and the unfortunate challenges around communicating the plan the Authority has faced.

Marcos brings an incredible background to the role, drawing on extensive academic work as well as roles within local and Federal government. This informs an incredibly rich perspective.

However, the thing you will notice about Marcos is his intense focus on being the quietest voice in the room. His view is that progressive reform comes when we focus on listening first, before proferring solutions.

Today we talk about the challenges with gun violence and crime New York is facing since Covid began, the success the Office has had in engaging the community directly in solutions, and the reasons behind the backlog in the local jail system.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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

Dave Amos: YouTube, Twitter

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

Barbara Canales: Twitter, LinkedIn

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.

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

Jeff Cook: LinkedIn, GovTech

That’s why Smart Dublin exists. It’s a joint program between 4 Councils, led by our guest today Alan Murphy, with the goal of implementing systemic improvements across the entire region, rather than the more common piecemeal approach.

Coordinating this brings many challenges but also many benefits, and today Alan and I discuss the projects his team is engaged in (like MaaS and 5G rollout), what makes a good private sector partner for government, and the early signs you can use to determine if a project is going to take off, or fall flat.

Please enjoy my conversation with Alan Murphy.

Jack English: LinkedIn

Alan Murphy: LinkedIn

He has insight for days, and today he shares it on the lessons governments should take from the private sector, what it really means to be a Smart government, and how to ensure that every voice at the table feels heard.

Please enjoy my conversation with Kevin Knutson.

Jack English: LinkedIn

Kevin Knutson: LinkedIn, Twitter

In addition to this, Jordan previously held directorate roles at Siemens, and is currently active in start-up investment and mentoring.

This has created a unique service-focused mindset that includes a wealth of operational and technical expertise. We discuss his experience joining San Jose in the middle of the pandemic, how the City is pushing for unparalleled economic mobility, and the ongoing struggle with broadband accessibility.

Please enjoy my conversation with Jordan Sun

Jack English: LinkedIn

Jordan Sun: LinkedIn, Twitter

Today, we dive into all of these topics to understand how the modern City is being planned and built.

Note, you may hear birdsong and the occasional car drive past. We’ve left this in to help you imagine a summer walk through Pittsburgh as the City wakes up. Or something like that.

Please enjoy,

Jack English: LinkedIn

Karina Ricks: LinkedIn, Twitter

Mike’s office is tasked with confronting all of these, using a holistic framework that looks 100 years into the future to forecast how Wellington can continue being a safe and dynamic population center.

Today, we discuss how to incorporate indigenous knowledge into strategic planning, how to manage relationships with short-term results oriented peers, and the plan to quake-proof NZ’s capital city.

Please enjoy my conversation with Mike Mendonça.

Jack English: LinkedIn

Mike Mendonça: LinkedIn

We talk about how to implement innovation in the most cautious industry there is, what differentiates nice to have and need to have technology, and what his Office is doing to help address climate risk.

Please enjoy my conversation with Pete Buryk. 

Jack English: LinkedIn

Pete Buryk: LinkedIn, Twitter

Our conversation touches on the misconception that it's impossible to 'fight' City Hall, fundamental issues with electoral voting and Council-Manager governance, plus how to benchmark...when there is no benchmark.

Please enjoy.

Jack English: LinkedIn.

Brent Stockwell: LinkedIn, Twitter

While we often think of local government as serving the citizens, it’s often overlooked that every City has a business community requiring support and advocacy. Today, Josh and I go deep on how to create a vibrant local economy, the necessary tension between business and citizen interests, plus the unique code of ethics that binds Coloradan cities. 

More than just creating a path from A to B, Warren is committed to using mobility as a tool to change how Oaklanders live. A large part of this is reimagining what a city street can and should do (hint, it's more than just move cars).

Our conversation touches on all things land use and equity, and will make you think differently about the ideal city of 2035.