What does it look like to lead a city when national politics dominate the headlines, communities are increasingly polarized, and residents arrive at city hall with deep mistrust of government?

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Graham Mitchell, City Manager of El Cajon, California, to explore the lessons of a career that’s spanned small towns, growing suburbs, and now one of the most diverse cities in the country. From his early years in Washington, D.C., watching federal leaders up close, to discovering the power of local government as an intern, Graham’s journey is a case study in leadership, resilience, and impact.

We talk about:

• Fit over prestige – why bigger isn’t always better, and how the right cultural fit creates lasting impact.

• Building trust with immigrant communities – from tours of city hall to restoring confidence in public institutions.

• Innovation under constraint – how budget crises led to unexpected breakthroughs in Lemon Grove.

• Politics in city hall – what happens when national polarization seeps into local councils, and how leaders can rise above it.

• Saying yes before you feel ready – the mindset that helped Graham move from intern to city manager by age 31.

This conversation is a reminder that while Washington may dominate the news cycle, it’s in city halls where trust is built, lives are changed, and the future of our communities is decided.

Show Some Love for Our Sponsors

• Tyler Technologies – the nation’s leading provider of software designed for the public sector. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• Zencity – helping hundreds of local governments cut through the noise and make data-driven decisions with confidence. Learn more at info/zencity.io/winter

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

What happens when you gather Kentucky’s municipal leaders under one roof? You get stories that remind us why local government matters.

In this special episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, recorded live at the Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference, Seth Winterhalter sits down for a series of short conversations with leaders serving on the frontlines of municipal life.

You’ll hear from:

• Mayor Robb Adams (City of Carrollton) – on his journey from paramedic and firefighter to elected office in a small Ohio River city.

• Ashley Jackson (City Clerk, Bowling Green) – on her career path, the importance of city clerks, and her role as President of the Kentucky Municipal Clerks Association.

• Brian Traugott (KLC Chief Member Services Officer) – reflecting on more than a decade as Mayor of Versailles and his new work supporting cities statewide.

• Kathy Walker (City Clerk, Nicholasville) – on the lessons learned from nearly two decades in public service and what it takes to serve a growing city.

These conversations capture the heart of local leadership: ordinary people stepping into extraordinary responsibility to keep their communities thriving.

Show Some Love for Our Sponsor

• Tyler Technologies – the nation’s leading provider of software designed specifically for the public sector. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

What happens when the clerk in the back office becomes the city’s CEO?

In this episode, Amber Vogan, City Manager of Bonner Springs, Kansas, shares her unexpected journey from utility billing to the city manager’s chair and what it feels like to lead when you don’t believe you’re ready. From fighting imposter syndrome to juggling three counties, nine councilmembers, and an amphitheater that seats 18,000, her story is a raw look at the weight and reward of public service.

We talk about:

• Why imposter syndrome is common even at the highest levels of leadership.

• The unique pressures of running a “small” city with big-city problems.

• How mentors and peers can push leaders out of comfort and into growth.

Whether you’re leading a city, a department, or considering the leap into management, this conversation will remind you: no leader ever feels fully ready, but the seat still needs you.

Show Some Love for Our Sponsors

• Tyler Technologies – the nation’s leading provider of software designed for the public sector. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter

• Zencity – helping hundreds of local governments cut through the noise and make data-driven decisions with confidence. Learn more at info/zencity.io/winter

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: Book of the Week – The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace
Episode 240 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

Why do your best appreciation efforts seem to fall flat with your team? In this episode, Seth explores the hidden reason behind employee disengagement and turnover in local government and introduces the solution that's transforming teams across North America using insights from the book, "The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace."

• The Appreciation Disconnect: Why good intentions aren't enough when showing employee appreciation
• Local Government Pain Points: Recognizing the specific challenges municipal and county leaders face with team recognition
• The Five Languages Revealed: Introduction to Gary Chapman and Paul White's appreciation framework
• Budget-Friendly Solutions: How to improve morale without expensive programs or complicated policies
• Real Results: The measurable impact of speaking your team's appreciation language

Join the MLDC for the Complete 5-Part Series

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a network of local government leaders from across North America, including city/county managers, administrators, and department heads, giving you access to:
✔ A weekly podcast series breaking down one book for municipal applications
✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation tools
✔ Our live, weekly, virtual mastermind session
✔ Monthly webinars with relavant training from local gov leaders

➡ Learn more at www.HaltingWinter.com

Resources Mentioned

• Book: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Episode 239 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity

What happens when the unimaginable strikes your community?

For Ghida Neukirch, City Manager of Highland Park, Illinois, that question became reality on July 4, 2022, when a mass shooting shattered the city’s annual parade.

In this conversation, Ghida shares her personal journey, from fleeing civil war in Lebanon as a child to becoming a respected city manager, and the lessons she’s learned about resilience, leadership, and recovery in the face of tragedy.

Listeners will hear:

• The pipeline problem: how a college project sparked her career in local government.

• Breaking silos: why culture and collaboration matter more than org charts.

• Networks that save you: the value of professional associations when “it’s lonely at the top.”

• Preparedness in practice: how Highland Park’s training and mutual aid agreements shaped the response that day.

• The human side of leadership: carrying both professional responsibility and personal grief.

This episode is both a case study in crisis leadership and a reminder of the unseen burdens city managers carry.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ghida-neukirch

Tyler Technologies
We’re also proud to be sponsored by Tyler Technologies, the largest software company in the nation dedicated exclusively to the public sector. From financial management and utility billing to citizen engagement and digital government solutions, Tyler helps communities operate more efficiently, transparently, and effectively.

Learn more at Tyler Technologies

Zencity
This episode is made possible by Zencity, a trusted partner to hundreds of local governments worldwide. Zencity helps leaders cut through the noise of the “same ten people” by gathering real-time resident feedback across every neighborhood and demographic. With Zencity’s AI-powered tools, decisions can be made with clarity and confidence.

Learn more at Zencity.io

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs like the Municipal Leadership Development Program (MLDC).

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

2025 City Clerks New Law and Elections Seminar
November 12-14 | Los Angeles, CA
Details at CalCities

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference
December 3-5 | Manhattan, KS
Details at KCMA

2026 Illinois City/County Management Association Winter Conference
February 11-13 | Normal, IL
Details at ILCMA

2026 Wisconsin City/County Management Association Winter Conference
February 25-27 | Oshkosh, WI
Details at WCMA

Show Notes: Book of the Week – The 8 Dimensions of Leadership
Episode 237 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

Episode Overview

This week in the Municipal Leadership Development Community, we're exploring "The 8 Dimensions of Leadership" by Jeffrey Sugerman, Mark Scullard, and Emma Wilhelm. Discover why your biggest leadership challenges come from people who think completely differently than you and what you can do about it.

Join the MLDC for the Complete 5-Part Series

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a network of local government leaders from across North America, including city/county managers, administrators, and department heads, giving you access to:
✔ A weekly podcast series breaking down one book for municipal applications
✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation tools
✔ Our live, weekly, virtual mastermind session
✔ Monthly webinars with relavant training from local gov leaders

➡ Learn more at www.HaltingWinter.com

Resources Mentioned

• Book: The 8 Dimensions of Leadership by Jeffrey Sugermen, et. al
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com