Laura Weinberg believes that the best way to improve a community is to bring everyone to the table — not just government, but private industry, neighboring cities, and the people who live and work there every day. For Laura, real progress on complex challenges like housing doesn't come from a single solution, but from collaboration across borders and sectors.

Laura is the Mayor of Golden, Colorado, a city of roughly equal parts residents and daily commuters, home to Colorado School of Mines, Coors Brewery, and a thriving outdoor recreation economy. Before running for office, Laura built a career in IT and business strategy, working across financial services and software companies, ultimately running her own consulting practice. When she decided to run for city council — and later for mayor — she did it her way. She also works as a fitness instructor, a role she says provides crucial balance to the policy-heavy demands of public service.

Laura joined the podcast to discuss what it's really like to be a part-time mayor with a full-time workload, her through line of improving systems across every chapter of her career, and why staying curious and true to yourself matters more than having a plan.