2005 Local Government Management Fellows
The 2005 Local Government Management Fellows are:
.jpg) City of Tucson, Arizona
Tory Schlievert
Management Intern
MPA, University of Arizona, 2005
Tory's work in Tucson:
The City of Tucson has served as a great backdrop for the beginning of Tory's career in local government. Throughout her fellowship Tory has been given a wide array of activities and projects to become involved with. She was given the opportunity to serve as a Lead Examiner for the Arizona State Quality Awards Program, she was also able to serve as a budget analyst, and join the board of the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona. Tory was part of an effort to form a new program evaluation unit within the City's Budget and Research Department, which has since allowed her to gain project management experience by heading up several department evaluations. Some other activities have included, recruiting and supervising an intern for the City's City Manager Intern Program, planning lunches for the new City Manager to meet City staff, and serving as the Activities Coordinator for Tucson's Katrina evacuees.
Why the Local Government Management Fellowship?
Tory viewed the ICMA Local Government Management Fellowship as a perfect vehicle for making the transition from graduate school into a career in local government. No other program offers the ability to step into an organization on a management level and gain meaningful experience that will help to make students better equipped for their future careers. Beyond simply the experience, Tory, through her attendance at the ICMA National Conference, was also able to meet and network with prominent local government professionals throughout the country that were willing to share their vast knowledge. Also, by being a member of the 2005 class of Fellows, Tory was able to form relationships with other young professionals that she has already begun to benefit from. Overall, the LGMF program offers wonderful benefits for both the organization and the Fellow and has given Tory an experience that has only increased her interest in a career in local government.
.jpg) City of San Jose, California
Allison Brummel
Local Government Management Fellow
MS, Carnegie Mellon University, 2005
Allison's current work:
Allison has found her work at the City of San Jose to be diverse and challenging. In her rotation in the Office of Economic Development, her projects included updating the City's Economic Development Strategy, researching options for streamlining development services, working to find a lessee for City-owned property, coordinating a downtown business appreciation program, and securing federal funding for the renovation of a neighborhood shopping center. In her rotation in the Department of Transportation, she has worked on an agreement with the County of Santa Clara to relinquish an expressway and assisted a group of consultants with a fiscal impact study for a planned development. She looks forward to her next two rotations, where ever they may be.
Why do you like being a fellow at City of San Jose?
Allison enjoys working at City of San Jose because it is a big city (the nation's 10th largest) with many interesting initiatives. She has been impressed with the progressive, innovative nature of the staff and likes going to work in the new City Hall building. Finally, she has enjoyed the Fellows program because it allows for interaction with senior staff in various departments and provides diverse perspectives on the organization.
 City of San Jose, California
Erica Shinohara
Local Government Management Fellow
MSPPM, Carnegie Mellon University, 2005
Erica's Work in San José:
Erica's first rotation in the Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services Department presented an enormous task of designing a feasible Parks Asset Management System. The challenge was to recommend a process that reflected the limited resources facing the implementation phase of the project. Erica also helped to establish review criteria to assess community-based organizations that apply for Re-Use Facilities and she participated in discussions surrounding a department-wide reorganization. The second rotation took Erica to the City Manager's Office, where she not only acquired sensitive projects that attract public attention, but also learned how to perform under tight timelines. Erica also assisted in a city-wide revenue generation effort to identify methods that would help departments to raise funds to continue supporting programs. In her current rotation, Erica is in the Employee Services Department, where she will focus on launching the City of San José - San José State University Public Sector Career Initiative. There is much attention around the issue of succession planning and Erica is excited to have an opportunity to actually be doing something about it.
What attracted you to this Fellowship and did you make the right decision?
In her various experiences, Erica had a feeling that the local level of government was where she could see the fruits of her labor faster, measure the results of her work better, and really have a personal sense of fulfillment in knowing that she made a difference in the community. In this sense, Erica was extremely excited about ICMA's Local Government Management Fellowship and being part of a new endeavor that will hopefully continue to grow. Without a doubt, Erica believes her decision to accept this position was the right move. Not only is she finding that San José has a lot to offer (as a place to live, work, and play), but she is continuously being challenged with a diverse array of assignments. Erica is learning so much from observing how theory meets practice in the art of local government management and examining how "the rubber meets the road." It is hard to imagine other entry-level positions that could provide this breadth of experience in one year.
.jpg) City of Miami Beach, Florida
Raj Verma
Junior Management Consultant/City Manager's Office
JD/MPA, University of Colorado School of Law and Graduate School of Public Affairs, 2005
Raj's work in Miami Beach:
The City of Miami Beach has afforded Raj the flexibility to pursue many challenging and stimulating projects, including addressing homelessness issues and creating a social impact analysis relating to the digital divide with the advent of a wireless network in the city. In addition to participating in management meetings, Raj has tackled unfamiliar projects in the areas of grant management. He has written or reviewed several grant proposals in subject areas ranging from environmental restoration to capital improvement projects. Raj will continue his rotation in human resources, labor relations and budget over the course of the year.
Why the Local Government Management Fellowship?
The fellowship presented an attractive proposition because it allows the fellow to develop and refine real-world management skills. Raj had extensive legal experience through a variety of different internships, but was interested in the policy and management component of public affairs. The fellowship offers Raj a wide array of responsibilities and experiences that could not have been attained at an entry-level position in the public sector. In addition to the diversity of work responsibilities, Raj has been able to develop good working relationships with management and staff, meet new friends, and reside in an exciting part of the country.
 Sarasota County, Florida
Sara Woolfenden
Local Government Management Fellow
MPP, Pepperdine University, 2005
Sara's work in Sarasota County:
Sara's had the opportunity to work in the County Administration, Public Works, Fiscal and the Health Department. Some of her projects include: developing a streamlined proposed budget book for fiscal planning, creating a targeted fire prevention program which used GIS to locate areas where fire calls are the highest and target them for reduction in calls resulting in lives saved and property damage reduced, performance measures coaching, and planning a community housing conference. She also served as communications liaison during Hurricane Wilma.
Her current projects include examining the permit and development process for efficiencies, a parks interlocal agreement with one of the cities, and a combined effort to improve planning with coordination between transit, public works, planning, and parks.
Why the Local Government Management Fellowship?
The fellowship gives me a once in a life-time opportunity to quickly learn from a pool of talented mentors about local government. Sarasota emphasizes collaboration and continuous improvement. The projects I've been involved in are at the nexus of change in Sarasota, and I've had the opportunity to work on joint teams creating change. Sarasota County administration and employees mentor me - keeping the perspective that we serve the people and we are in the business of building community.
 Dakota County, Minnesota
Lisa Henning
County Administration Management Fellow
MPA, Indiana University, Bloomington, 2005
Lisa's work in Dakota County:
Lisa Henning, an Iowa native, graduated in May 2005 from Indiana University and is now working as a Fellow in Dakota County, Minnesota, a county of 380,000 just south of Minneapolis/St. Paul. The projects Lisa has worked on this year are quite diverse, providing the opportunity to become acquainted with multiple departments as well as county initiatives. Projects include: coordinating efforts for a new countywide joint dispatch center, working with the Community Development Agency in building affordable housing and assisting with the Community Development Block Grant program, and researching the use of hiring incentives. Lisa has also provided analysis work and field-based research for the Criminal Justice Information Integration Network (CJIIN), an innovative project that improves law enforcement practices through data-sharing technology. Besides designated projects, Lisa works on a daily basis with the County Administrator assisting in policy improvement efforts.
Lessons Learned:
Lisa quickly learned as a Local Government Management Fellow that a typical workday is not applicable in local government, with every day bringing new projects and public policy challenges. One of the biggest lessons learned is understanding the process of government, which is invaluable information that cannot be taught in the classroom. The fellowship has also provided a unique opportunity to work firsthand with senior-level management, better understand the complexity of local government management, and gather experience necessary to decide whether to pursue a career in local government administration.
.jpg) City of Henderson, Nevada
Allison M. Mims
Local Government Management Fellow
MPA, Clemson University, 2005
Allison's projects with the City of Henderson:
Allison's rotational schedule allows for active engagement in key City departments including Information Technology, Property Management and Redevelopment, Human Resources, and most recently Parks and Recreation. Migratory trends in the Southwest and in particular to Henderson, precipitate the City's need to adequately accommodate City services for its residents. Thus, Allison's main projects consist of in-depth research on measures for improving the quality of life, and relaying these means for optimal service for Henderson residents. Allison's most current project involved strategic planning for the Parks and Recreation Department. The project allowed Allison to become vigorously involved in the fundamental development of ideas and procedures of a line-service department. The rotation offered an understanding of how the department responds to the needs and requests of the Henderson populace. Working with the strategic planning is excellent preparation for comprehending the upcoming budget request process. Next up for Allison will be the Office of Budget and Strategic Planning and the City Manager's Office, where she will work with the budget committee on the allocation of budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year.
Why this Fellowship?
The ICMA fellowship affords me the opportunity to work in an organization serving over 250,000 (and growing) residents. Direct supervision by an Assistant City Manager is truly advantageous, and ushers in an excellent foundation for a career as a public servant. In addition to learning at work, the fellowship is wonderful due to its location, location, location…living near Las Vegas is an opportunity to learn about public administration in a different part of the country from my graduate internship experience in the southeast. Among lessons learned are these: 1) The bottom line is outcomes and results - not process; and 2) Planning focuses on where you are, where you want to be, and how to get there.
.jpg) Washoe County, Nevada
Kimberly Gunn
Local Government Management Fellow
MPA, Texas State University, 2004
Kim's work at Washoe County:
Kim's projects have allowed her to work with a variety of departments and topics, including developing the County's first organization-wide Diversity Strategic Plan, creating employee Trip Reduction programs, and managing a set of projects to engage the Board and community in evaluating a proposed coal power plant. Kim has also served as a Public Information Officer during a regional emergency, assisted with County Strategic Planning, and helped to design a County Leadership Academy for citizens. Other projects during her fellowship will include developing a fellowship/internship program to improve recruitment of social workers, nurses, and bilingual staff; working with finance and budget to enable our Cashiering Center to process all payment forms; creating a Guide to the ADA for Supervisors and Managers; and, forming a Countywide Policy Manual on the intranet.
Why a Fellowship after being in the working world?
Prior to the Fellowship Kim was Director of Government Relations for a trade association, yet her passion remained in public service. Kim chose this fellowship for the hands-on-training and mentoring by leaders in the field of local government. Washoe County has been professionally and personally welcoming, and provided broad areas of exposure in county management, as well as close proximity to Lake Tahoe and snowboarding.
.jpg) Catawba County, North Carolina
Joseph McRae
Management Analyst
MPA, Cleveland State University, 2005
My work in Catawba County:
As the Local Government Management Fellow for Catawba County, Joseph has had a rewarding and diverse array of management-oriented projects and professional development opportunities. Since starting in July, Joseph has assisted in the research and development of several projects such as the County Code of Ethics, the Catawba County Mentoring Program, strategic planning for the 911 Communication Center, and fundraising for the Litter Task Force. In addition, Joseph is also serving as a budget analyst for two departments and is assisting the County Board of Elections in its efforts to comply with new state regulations regarding electronic voting equipment. Joseph has also participated on panel discussions at the North Carolina International Personnel Management Association fall conference and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill MPA Conference on the topic of Generational Diversity.
Why are you enjoying the program?
Joseph is enjoying the program because of the tremendous county staff he works with and the invaluable guidance he has received while working with the county. This fellowship has allowed him to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the strong ethical and professional leadership qualities that local government managers must possess in order to be effective. Moreover, Joseph enjoys the moderate weather, southern hospitality, delicious food and the great quality of life that the Hickory metro region affords young professionals.
.jpg) Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Clayton Voignier
Management Fellow
MPA, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2005
Current work in Mecklenburg County:
With its innovative Executive Management Team and business-like approach to local government, Mecklenburg County has proven to be an excellent fit for Clayton's interests and abilities. Clayton's projects include coordinating logistical and project management support for the County's Minority, Women and Small Business Enterprise (MWSBE) Program, assisting with design, implementation, and data analysis for the District Attorney's Office Resource Benchmarking Study, and providing lead research support for Web Services Business Case Development. Clayton has also provided research and key recommendations on the structure, responsibilities, and functions of such County departments as Internal Audit and Buildings and Grounds Maintenance. He has also been an active participant in the County's annual Executive Planning and Strategic Planning Conferences.
What was your welcome-to-local-government moment?
Part of my role with MWSBE is coordinating the move of program employees from one office building to another. My supervisor's lone suggestion for completing the move was 'do what you think is right.' One of the tasks associated with the move was purchasing office furniture and a demountable wall system for the new office space. After negotiating and securing a bid for purchase and installation of the necessary items, which came to a rather large sum of money by my standards, I went back to my supervisor seeking her approval and signature. She looked at me and said, 'I sign for a lot things around here. I trust you to sign for this.' At that moment, I thought maybe I should have bid for less money because this is going to be traced back to me, considering at that point I didn't know what our budget was. I guess the lessons learned here are always be stingy with the taxpayer's money no matter how little of it is spent and if you're going to put your name on something you better make sure you can justify it.
.jpg) Arlington County, Virginia
David Morrison
ICMA Fellow
MPA, The George Washington University, 2005
David's Work in Arlington:
David currently serves as the ICMA fellow for Arlington County in Virginia. This fellowship has been unique, as most (90%) of the rotation is with the Office of Emergency Management, and often requires wearing a departmental uniform. Assigned mainly to the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Morrison has worked on a number of projects for OEM, which has been an independent department for just over a year. His projects include: working with the Department of Homeland Security and Pentagon on a streamlined First Responder ID system; working and developing a multi-jurisdictional Incident Response Team for Deployment to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina; traveling to Tallahassee, FL under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact to work as a Logistics Planner after Hurricane Wilma; and many other projects.
Why this Fellowship?
Morrison has been an Arlington County resident for the last three years, and loves being part of the Arlington community. He chose this fellowship to focus in and learn the intricacies of a department that also reaches out and works with other departments. Working in the National Capital Region also affords a number of different opportunities to work on intergovernmental projects, not to mention visiting the countless museums in the DC area.
.jpg) City of Winchester, Virginia
Dawn Ashbacher
Assistant to the City Manager
MPA, Iowa State University, 2005
Dawn's Work in Winchester:
Dawn enjoys working with the City of Winchester's dedicated, thoughtful team members. Her projects include coordinating the development of an organization-wide performance management system, converting the budget to a Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) presentation format, hiring 911 dispatchers and others, working with the city council on funding methods for local agencies, negotiating agreements between the city and local nonprofits, and facilitating an emerging leaders group. Dawn appreciates being able to learn about issues from different points of view.
Why Local Government Management?
Local government touches people from all parts of the community-citizens with different interests and needs, business interests, and community organizations. I like the interplay between these groups, elected officials, and city staff. Sometimes there are controversial situations and disagreements. In these circumstances, I like the challenge of creating processes that promote trust and deliberation and that deliver results.
.jpg) City of Winchester, Virginia
David Dillner
Assistant to the City Manager
MPA, University of Kansas, 2005
David's Work in Winchester:
The City of Winchester has provided David many opportunities to expand his knowledge and experience in local government. Projects that he has worked on include coordinating the rehabilitation of an historic train depot and freight house, preparing the City's Transportation Enhancement Grant application, aiding in the development and planning of the Green Circle Trail, an inter-modal trail system throughout the City, and coordinating the City's update of the Comprehensive Plan. David has also been working with the Administration Department with the recruitment process, as well as coordinating the City's participation in the Virginia Institute of Government's online compensation database.
Why this Fellowship?
David applied for an ICMA Fellowship because he knew that the experience would allow him to develop his knowledge and abilities he will need to be a local government manager. Through his fellowship, David has experienced the successes and failures that are inherent in local government. This has provided him with many lessons on what the profession has to offer along with the challenges that lie ahead. An example of this was when a project the City was working on was experiencing issues with collaboration and communication. Being able to participate in the solution to this issue helped David appreciate the importance of these important organizational traits and facilitated his understanding of how to reintroduce them into a challenging situation.
 City of University Place, Washington
City of Federal Way, Washington
Christina Smith
Local Government Management Fellow
MPA, University of Delaware, 2005
Afforded the distinct and unique opportunity of dividing her fellowship time between two diverse and distinguished cities in the state of Washington, Christina works for both the City of University Place, WA and the City of Federal Way, WA. Through this innovative job share agreement, she is able to expand her knowledge, increase her experience, and apply her expertise.
Christina's work in University Place
In the city of University Place, WA the projects Christina has worked on include: the Capital Strategy Advisory Taskforce, Citywide Performance Measurement Analysis, Traffic Impact Fees, Capital Financing/Marketing/Improvements, Support for the Economic Development Program, and Coordination of an International Educational Exchange Visit. In the near future she will be working on: an Economic Development Strategic Action Plan, the Biennial Budget, Standard Operating Procedures for Code Enforcement/Animal Control, Interlocal Crime Prevention Coalition, and Annexation.
Christina's work in Federal Way
While in Federal Way, WA Christina's Projects include: WCMA Next Generation Initiative, Reformulating Secondary Conflict Attorney Contracts, Illegal Fireworks Education/Enforcement, and City Internal Policy Compilation/Coordination. She is also responsible for the Sister City Association, Diversity Commission, and Domestic Violence- Coordinated Community Response Team.
Why I believe this program is so valuable?
Often times after receiving exemplary knowledge and education you are equipped with the right tools for success, however you may not have the experience or expertise of how to best use those tools or how to use them in the most effective and efficient way possible. This fellowship has personally helped me to bridge the gap between theory and practice in a supportive and reinforcing learning environment, while extending the opportunity to apply what I know and expand my scope of the many prospects available and the vast ways to reach/accomplish them. Deciding to participate in this fellowship has honestly been one of the best decisions and career moves I have made in my life to date.
Click here to read about these 2004 Fellows Continuing through the 2005 program:
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jamie Lantinen
MS, Carnegie Mellon University
Charlotte, North Carolina
Jaime Privuzniak
MPA, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
San Jose, California
Kelly Spivey
MPA, University of Toledo, Ohio
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