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GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government

Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL)
Local Government
Community Engagement
Public Administration
Economic Development
Public Service
Urban Planning
Sustainability
Climate Change
Artificial Intelligence
Covid-19
Leadership
ICMA Conference
Public Safety
Public Policy
North Chicago
California
East Hartford
Housing Affordability
Zoning
Affordable Housing

GovLove is a podcast about the people, policies and profession of local government. From Mayors and City Managers to interns and everyone in between, we interview the people making a difference in their communities to learn about the great work being done at the local level. GovLove is brought to you by Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL).

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes743Founded11 years ago
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Latest Episodes

Casey Lucius, City Manager for the City of Marco Island, Florida joined the podcast to discuss her transition into the City Manager role and into local government. She talked about her career path which has included time as a Naval Intelligence Offic... more

YouTube

Melissa Murphy Rodrigues, Town Manager at the Town of North Andover, Massachusetts joined the podcast to discuss leading with empathy. She talked about what leading with empathy actually looks like in government leadership and a powerful example invo... more

YouTube

Aleea Slappy Wilson, Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer for the City of Norfolk, Virginia, rejoined the podcast to discuss the work of equity and economic inclusion through supporting small businesses. She shared the work of Diversity, Equ... more

YouTube

Tim Reavis, Senior Multimodal Transportation Planner for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, joined the podcast to discuss celebrating America's 250th birthday. He shared the story behind the Washington County quilt, how he was able ... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Melissa Murphy-Rodriguez
Town Manager of North Andover, Massachusetts
Town of North Andover
Episode: #741 Leading With Empathy with Melissa Murphy Rodrigues, North Andover, MA
Aleea Slappy Wilson
Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the City of Norfolk, Virginia
City of Norfolk
Episode: #740 Equity in Action and Supporting Small Businesses with Aleea Slappy Wilson, Norfolk, VA
Tim Reavis
Senior Multimodal Transportation Planner
Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission
Episode: #739 Celebrating America's 250 with Tim Reavis, Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission
Ginger Spencer
Assistant City Manager, City of Phoenix
City of Phoenix
Episode: #738 City Management and Public Works with Ginger Spencer, Phoenix, AZ
Alex Kado
Senior Project Manager, Office of Public Service, City of Minneapolis
City of Minneapolis
Episode: #737 George Floyd Square, When Infrastructure Becomes Sacred Space with Alex Kado, Minneapolis, MN
Elizabeth Linos
Professor of Public Policy and Management, Harvard Kennedy School; Faculty Director at The People Lab
Harvard Kennedy School; The People Lab
Episode: #736 Public Servant Pulse and the People of Government with Dr. Elizabeth Linos, Harvard Kennedy School
Michael Baskin
Chief Innovation Officer, Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County Government
Episode: #735 Government is People and Culture in Action with Michael Baskin, Montgomery County, MD
Dianne Miller
City administrator of Eagan, Minnesota
City of Eagan
Episode: #734 Managing Growth with Dianne Miller, Eagan, MN and Justin Miller, Lakeville, MN
Justin Miller
City administrator of Lakeville, Minnesota
City of Lakeville
Episode: #734 Managing Growth with Dianne Miller, Eagan, MN and Justin Miller, Lakeville, MN

Hosts

Lauren Palmer
Host of GovLove; on-location host in several episodes; associated with EverStrive Solutions and the GovLove/ELGL network
Tony Thompson
Host of GovLove; interviewer; affiliated with state and local government leadership

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 226 ratings
  • I love learning about local gov!

    This podcast is so fun and informative. It’s so interesting to hear about local gov topics you don’t typically think about and learn more about the ones you do. I appreciate the host easing the interviewees into the interview portion with the lightening round—it’s always fun to hear how those answers vary (sometimes widely!) from person to person!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KKittels
    United Statesa year ago
  • This is in my wheelhouse

    As a public administrator I thoroughly enjoy these conversations. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cnacious
    United States3 years ago
  • Stop w/the long lightning rounds pls

    Many of the topics have shared pertinent info, but I question why so much time is spent on the long winded multiple question lightning rounds. I believe the meat of the topics often times is a long wait, and the lightning rounds lead onto longer discussions that are often awkward and not pertinent.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    us2centralAm
    United States4 years ago
  • Pretty good

    I’ve been exposed to a lot of good information via this podcast. I’m a council member in a small city, and this is a great resource to expand the professionals, and their thinking, that I’m exposed to. That said, the interviewers could sometimes ask more critical questions. For example, a recent guest posited that adjoining use conflicts could be better resolved by one-on-one arbitration by planners, or civil litigation between the parties, rather than preemptive but sometimes-blunt traditional ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Councilmember2
    United States4 years ago
  • Way too WOKE

    One guest mentioned “equity” about thirty times. He hit all the blue check marks: Climate Change (not global warming), Red lining, George Floyd, infrastructure funding, climate action, BLM, environmental justice, climate…

    If he had said “orange man bad” he would be a full fledged Woke-alist.

    Can’t you just discuss policy without the elitist slant?

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    OG dnb
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners want tighter lightning rounds or deeper critique, but still valuable
Great for local government insights and practical takeaways
Positive, energetic hosts with a strong local gov focus

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#110
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#154
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#212
Germany/Government
Apple Podcasts
#229
Australia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#74
Taiwan/Government
Apple Podcasts
#79
South Africa/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#738 City Management and Public Works with Ginger Spencer, Phoenix, AZ
Q: What's the first concert you went to?
The first concert Ginger remembered was MC Hammer performing in Phoenix at America West Arena, which sparked her love for dancing and performance.
#739 Celebrating America's 250 with Tim Reavis, Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission
Q: What advice do you have for others trying to implement a totally new idea in their organizations?
Tim advises persistent follow-up, vetting the idea with trusted colleagues, building broad buy-in, and embracing the reality of significant work while leveraging volunteers and local partners to execute a creative, community-driven initiative.
#739 Celebrating America's 250 with Tim Reavis, Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission
Q: Tell us about your career path and how you arrived at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission.
Tim outlines his early work in homeland security grant programs and management, his move back to Arkansas for family and local opportunity, and his transition to the city of North Little Rock's planning department before joining the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission as a multimodal planner, driven by a desire for new professional challenges and to contribute to a fast-growing region.
#734 Managing Growth with Dianne Miller, Eagan, MN and Justin Miller, Lakeville, MN
Q: Tell us about your background and career trajectory.
Dianne describes growing up in Minnesota and pursuing city management through the University of Kansas, starting as an intern in Eagan, and progressively moving up to chief administrator roles; Justin shares a path through Texas, the University of Kansas, Des Moines, and Minnesota, with a long-distance relationship before joining Lakeville.
#735 Government is People and Culture in Action with Michael Baskin, Montgomery County, MD
Q: What is the Accelerator program and how does it change organizations?
The Accelerator is a nine-step, three-day cycle that teaches structured problem solving and community collaboration, followed by a bright spots showcase to scale what's working, all delivered with no new budget or hires.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About GovLove

What is GovLove about and what kind of topics does it cover?

GovLove focuses on the people, policies, and profession of local government, featuring city managers, department leaders, and public sector innovators. Episodes cover leadership journeys, governance challenges, and innovations—from data-center policy and guaranteed income pilots to accessibility, equity, and community engagement. A notable thread is how local governments navigate complex cross-agency collaboration, funding, and public trust, often highlighting practical takeaways for practitioners, vendors, and elected officials. The show stands out for its hands-on conversations with real-world public servants and a consistently optimistic, mission-driven tone that emphasizes tangible improvements in communities.

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How many listeners does GovLove get?

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What are the audience demographics for GovLove?

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How many subscribers and views does GovLove have?

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Which podcasts are similar to GovLove?

These podcasts share a similar audience with GovLove:

1. The Daily Show: Ears Edition
2. Voices in Local Government
3. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
4. The Daily
5. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

How many episodes of GovLove are there?

GovLove launched 11 years ago and published 743 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact GovLove?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for GovLove?

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What guests have appeared on GovLove?

Recent guests on GovLove include:

1. Melissa Murphy-Rodriguez
2. Aleea Slappy Wilson
3. Tim Reavis
4. Ginger Spencer
5. Alex Kado
6. Elizabeth Linos
7. Michael Baskin
8. Dianne Miller

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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