From Marine to Mayor: Joshua Penner on Leadership, AI, and Public Service
Joshua Penner, Mayor of Orting, WA and Co-Founder of Inquisio, joins Jason Cavness to discuss leadership, innovation, and the future of AI in government. A U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and Harvard-educated strategist, Joshua has applied both battlefield discipline and startup agility to rethinking public service.
This conversation explores the intersection of technology, local government, and community building — from emergency preparedness and family life to the challenges of bringing AI into municipal operations.
Episode Highlights• From Marine Corps service to leading as Mayor of Orting, WA • Using AI to improve transparency and efficiency in government • Building Inquisio to help small cities modernize with technology • Veteran leadership, discipline, and civic innovation • Parenting, travel, and raising children with disabilities • Police training, local governance, and the defunding debate • Startup fundraising, equity, and de-risking early ventures • Mental health, productivity, and balance in leadership
Guest Bio (Condensed)Joshua Penner is the Mayor of Orting, Washington; a board member at the Association of Washington Cities; and a Trustee for the AWC Employee Benefits Trust. He's also the Co-Founder of Inquisio, a company developing AI-powered tools to make local government more transparent and accessible.
A U.S. Marine Corps Veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Joshua blends his experience in public administration, technology, and leadership to create practical innovation at the city level. His focus: helping smaller governments embrace AI to streamline workflows and better serve their citizens.
Guest LinksLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuapenner/ Inquisio Website – https://inquisio.ai/
Guest Quote / Advice"If anyone's watching this to this point, I'd say — if you have an idea, run with it."
Call to Action🎧 Listen to full episodes: www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com 💡 Become an owner in CavnessHR: https://wefunder.com/cavnesshr 📘 Download 7 free startup ebooks: https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/ebooks
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By Jason Cavness
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From Marine to Mayor: Joshua Penner on Leadership, AI, and Public Service
Joshua Penner, Mayor of Orting, WA and Co-Founder of Inquisio, joins Jason Cavness to discuss leadership, innovation, and the future of AI in government. A U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and Harvard-educated strategist, Joshua has applied both battlefield discipline and startup agility to rethinking public service.
This conversation explores the intersection of technology, local government, and community building — from emergency preparedness and family life to the challenges of bringing AI into municipal operations.
Episode Highlights• From Marine Corps service to leading as Mayor of Orting, WA • Using AI to improve transparency and efficiency in government • Building Inquisio to help small cities modernize with technology • Veteran leadership, discipline, and civic innovation • Parenting, travel, and raising children with disabilities • Police training, local governance, and the defunding debate • Startup fundraising, equity, and de-risking early ventures • Mental health, productivity, and balance in leadership
Guest Bio (Condensed)Joshua Penner is the Mayor of Orting, Washington; a board member at the Association of Washington Cities; and a Trustee for the AWC Employee Benefits Trust. He's also the Co-Founder of Inquisio, a company developing AI-powered tools to make local government more transparent and accessible.
A U.S. Marine Corps Veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Joshua blends his experience in public administration, technology, and leadership to create practical innovation at the city level. His focus: helping smaller governments embrace AI to streamline workflows and better serve their citizens.
Guest LinksLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuapenner/ Inquisio Website – https://inquisio.ai/
Guest Quote / Advice"If anyone's watching this to this point, I'd say — if you have an idea, run with it."
Call to Action🎧 Listen to full episodes: www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com 💡 Become an owner in CavnessHR: https://wefunder.com/cavnesshr 📘 Download 7 free startup ebooks: https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/ebooks