30 years and no change in the percent (13%) of women managers in local government. It’s time for a change. We’re asking you for your perspective and ideas for action. In the next several months, we’ll introduce a series of initiatives to address the 13 percent issue.
Dan Weinheimer
City of Fort Collins, CO – Policy and Project Manager
Where were you in 1984?
I was in elementary school.
Describe your view of whether local government has been effective in attracting a diverse workforce?
I’d say the profession has been mildly successful. I think success is local – that the staff of most of the cities I’ve worked in or observed tend to reflect the diversity of their residents.
Wave a magic wand and give us three suggestions for improving diversity in the local government workforce.
Tell our story better at all education levels (show how local government makes your community cool), focus on the emerging generations by encouraging students and young professionals to seek out mentoring (and seasoned managers to take a minute to reach back to lend a hand), and get an ICMA Task Force together to work on addressing work-life balance (both men and women with young families face tough choices balancing career and family).
Give us the names of the local government professionals that you look up to.
- Linda Kelly, City of Windsor, CA
- Jane Brautigam, City of Boulder, CO
- Darin Atteberry, City of Fort Collins, CO
1984 – Archives
- Kristen Crane, City of Del Mar, CA
- Megan Smit, County of Cabarrus, NC
- Polly Hulsey, College of Southern Idaho
- Benjamin DeClue, City of Lebanon, MO
- Whitney Rhodes, Pierce County, WA
- Carmen Mays, City of Spartanburg, SC
- Diedra Lane, City of Tallahassee, FL
- Sarah Bledsoe, Village of Rye Brook, NY
- Michelle Daniels, City of Henderson, NC
- Dr. Penelope Culbreth-Graft, Culbreth Associates