Voices in Local Government

People, jobs, and commerce cross borders every day. How can local governments build lasting partnerships that keep pace with community needs?
In El Paso, Texas, close ties with neighboring Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, make cross-border collaboration essential. Through the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC), the city is turning individual relationships into a coordinated approach to trade, infrastructure, and regional economic development.
In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Leonie Zapata and Adriana Pulecio, International Programs Administrator for the City of El Paso, join ICMA’s Gabe Daugherty to discuss how trust becomes the foundation for lasting cooperation. You’ll also hear why these lessons matter even for communities far from an international border.
IN THIS INTERVIEW:
How El Paso is turning cross-border relationships into shared priorities and action.
How trust and an embedded ERC fellow helped the city expand its capacity and pursue new ideas.
How policies, committees, and working groups can sustain collaboration through staff turnover and political change.
FEATURED GUESTS:
Leonie Zapata, Fellow, Economic Recovery Corps, serving the City of El Paso, Texas
Adriana Pulecio, International Programs Administrator, City of El Paso, Texas
HOST:
Gabe Daugherty, Assistant Program Manager, Innovation & Research, ICMA
For local government and economic development professionals, this conversation offers practical lessons on building partnerships that help communities thrive.
LEARN MORE:
Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/
El Paso Economic & International Development: https://elpasoeid.com/
National League of Cities: How El Paso Is Advancing Cross-Border Coordination and Growth

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, lessons of that day continue to resonate for local government leaders. Ron Carlee was county manager of Arlington County, Virginia, when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. His experience offers important lessons for leaders preparing their own communities for crisis.
In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Carlee joins ICMA managing director Tad McGalliard to reflect on 9/11 and discuss preparedness, partnerships, communication, and crisis leadership.
IN THIS INTERVIEW:
1. Why crisis preparedness must involve the entire local government organization.
2. How strong relationships and regional partnerships strengthen emergency response.
3. Why leaders must uphold community values and build trust, even in moments of crisis.
FEATURED GUEST:
- Ron Carlee, DPA, Clinical Assistant Professor & Director, Center for Regional Excellence, Old Dominion University
HOST:
- Tad McGalliard, Managing Director, ICMA

Economic development is often measured in jobs, investment, and business growth. In Taos County, New Mexico, local leaders are taking a different approach by starting with the people, culture, and traditions that already strengthen the community.

Through the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) and the Cultural Treasures Project, Taos County is working with residents to better understand the cultural assets they value and how those assets can help shape the county’s future. The work brings community voices directly into conversations about economic development, preservation, affordability, and opportunity.

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Jessica Stern, Economic Development Director for Taos County, and Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Contessa Trujillo join ICMA’s Gabe Daugherty to discuss building an economy from the inside out and what it means for local government to “move at the speed of trust.”

IN THIS INTERVIEW:

How culture and community identity can inform local economic development.

How Taos County is using cultural asset mapping to understand what residents want to protect, restore, and revitalize.

Why trust, collaboration, and community participation matter when planning for long-term growth.

FEATURED GUESTS:

Jessica Stern, Economic Development Director, Taos County, New Mexico

Contessa Trujillo, Fellow, Economic Recovery Corps & Project Manager, Cultural Treasures Project

HOST:

Gabe Daugherty, Assistant Program Manager, Innovation & Research, ICMA

For local government and economic development professionals, this conversation offers a different way to think about growth: one that starts with understanding what a community values and builds from there.

LEARN MORE:

Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/

Cultural Treasures Project: https://www.culturaltreasuresproject.org/

Featured Guest: Ben R. Spoer, PhD, MPH, Program Director, City Health Dashboard and Congressional District Health Dashboard, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Department of Population Health

Episode Host: Emily Sparks, Program Director, Thriving Communities, Innovation & Research, ICMA

In this Interview:

1. Learn how local leaders are turning city health data into action.

2. Discover the local government decisions that influence community health every day.

3. Explore real-world examples of data-driven problem-solving and grant success.

4. See how neighborhood-level insights can help target resources where they're needed most.

 

Resources Mentioned:

cityhealthdashboard.com

congressionaldistricthealthdashboard.com

In This Interview:

How the Economic Recovery Corps program builds local capacity through embedded, on-the-ground expertise.

Strategies for preserving affordable housing and preventing displacement before it happens.

The role of partnerships, data, and coalition-building in solving complex community challenges.

Why housing is critical infrastructure and a key driver of long-term economic development.

Featured Guests:

 

- Tomeka Lee, program manager, National League of Cities (NLC)

- Laura Searfoss, AICP Programs, associate director, Enterprise Community Partners

- Vonnette Harris, president & CEO, Kairos Development, LLC, ERC fellow

For city managers, economic development professionals, housing leaders, and local government staff, this conversation offers practical insights on how to align housing, transportation, and economic strategies to create more resilient and equitable communities.

Resources:

 

Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/

Enterprise Community Partners: https://www.enterprisecommunity.org

Purple Line Corridor Coalition: https://purplelinecorridor.org

National League of Cities Housing Supply Accelerator: https://www.nlc.org/initiative/housing-supply-accelerator/