Leading Thriving Cities

Join us as Keith Baldinger, Assistant Town Manager of Shrewsbury, MA, reflects on his journey in public service starting with mowing parks. Discover how Keith navigates the shift from hands-on work to empowering teams, celebrates big and small wins, and finds fulfillment in public service. This episode offers great insights on leadership growth and the power of seeing the bigger picture in city management.

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners
We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.

This episode originally aired April 15, 2025. Thomas Hunter is currently the City Manager for the city of Liberty Hill, Texas.

Join us for a conversation with Thomas Hunter, the Assistant City Manager of Pflugerville, TX. Discover how to navigate the challenges of public service by embracing collaboration, storytelling, and maintaining a strong vision. Learn about the importance of celebrating successes and fostering a positive environment for both leaders and their teams. Stay tuned for insights on how we can look beyond the realm of public service for innovative ways to transform and improve!

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives, and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners
We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.

In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome back Euriah W. Brown! She is the HR Director in Greenville, TX, and the author of Don't Be A DUMB Smartphone: Essential Reprogramming for Life and Leadership. Chad and Euriah have a great discussion, sharing insights about the importance of intentionally upgrading your leadership skills and reprogramming the things that hold you back.

 Book Link: https://a.co/d/04HEIL2N
More from Euriah: https://www.brownsugarleadershiplounge.com/

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners
We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.

We’ve partnered with LJA to bring you episodes of Leading Thriving Cities with a focus on public works and engineering. Join us for such a great conversation with Jonathan Wheat, the Director of Engineering for the City of Carrollton. Jonathan shares insights on bridging communication gaps with his team, the importance of understanding individual needs, and how to connect daily tasks to a larger purpose. It’s a great conversation that encourages keeping the curiosity! 

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners
We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.

We are excited to present a special episode in partnership with UMANT! Chad traveled to Flower Mound, TX, for an engaging live discussion about leadership in public service, battling with burnout, and the value of establishing a sustainable pace early in your career. Be sure to listen until the end, because they answer some fantastic questions! 

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners
We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.

Our guest today is LaShon Ross, she is the Deputy City Manager of Plano, TX, and she shares invaluable insights from her 35 years in public service. LaShon emphasizes the importance of embracing imperfection, modeling vulnerability, and the value of legacy. The discussion covers the shift from technical roles to leadership positions and the impact of public service on enhancing quality of life. LaShon also shares personal advice and emphasizes the practice of showing people their value beyond work accomplishments. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in making a meaningful impact in their city and beyond!

This episode originally aired November 28, 2024.

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives, and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.

Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Jon Amundson, the City Manager of Richland, WA. In our conversation, Jon shares his insights on creating an environment that promotes problem-solving rather than rushing to find solutions on our own. He discusses handling criticism on social media, learning to avoid getting stuck "in the weeds", and the crucial role of being comfortable with uncertainty, including the ability to say, "I don’t know."

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners
We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.

Join us for a special episode of Leading Thriving Cities as we partner with LJA to bring you impactful stories centered on public works and engineering. With 45 years of experience, Jim Proce shares his insights on building sustainable infrastructure, investing in people, and the importance of humility and community in leadership. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about making our communities even better together.

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners
We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.

We’re back with the second part of Leading Thriving Cities Live! This episode was recorded live at the 2026 TMHRA Conference. If you missed part one, be sure to check out episode 71. Chad continues the discussion with guests Matthew Wright, Tadd Philips, and Perla Ceped, along with a terrific live audience. Stick around until the end because they answer some great questions from the audience!

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners
We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.

Welcome to Leading Thriving Cities Live! This is the first of two episodes recorded live at the 2026 TMHRA Conference. Chad is joined by incredible guests: Matthew Wright, Tadd Philips, Perla Ceped, and a fantastic live audience! They discuss HR questions related to defining culture, building trust, accountability, and growth, all aimed at championing a thriving culture.

Leading Thriving Cities is a Forward Partners Production designed to shine a spotlight on leadership in public service. We have deep conversations about sustainability and how we create a thriving future for our cities. From the front lines to the city manager’s office, we want to bring you a wide variety of perspectives and create an ongoing dialogue about healthy leadership and thriving teams.

Find more at www.forwardpartners.net/cities

Forward Partners
We partner with organizations to develop healthy leaders to transform the future of leadership. Find more leadership content, courses, and events at www.forwardpartners.net.