Motiryo D. Keambiroiro is the director of general services for Durham County, North Carolina. 

Why did you choose a career in local government?

I think I accepted a career in local government because I was a government child, and I felt like I needed to give back to my community. My father worked for the federal government in the Department of the Navy, and my mother worked for the Washington, D.C., library system. My family have always been servants of the public. I have both an undergraduate and master's degree in architecture, and I believe that we need to protect the built environment for the future of our communities.

A career in local government management can often mean moving to new jurisdictions and different states to advance in your career. What has your experience been like when you’ve moved, and what would you suggest to managers looking to move between states for the first time? What things have you done to adjust to new locations and cultures?

I’ve been in Illinois, Seattle (Washington), North Carolina, and Indiana. Each time, I’ve developed a relationship with local government recruiters to familiarize myself with the community, the aspects of the job, and other local jurisdictions. Recruiters helped me to understand the dynamics of the local community and the cultural differences between regions. My background in architecture and the discipline of studying public spaces has also helped me to understand these differences.

Your college career focused on architecture. Are there any projects that you are particularly proud to have been a part of that have improved public spaces in the cities you’ve been a part of?

The sludge waste-water treatment plant in Gary, Indiana. The new human services building and the courthouse in Durham County, both of which are LEED-Silver certified buildings constructed during my tenure. Those were a real feather in the cap of my career.

Is there any experience that stands out in your career of public service? Any heartwarming stories that have validated your decision to go into public service?

Being the first African-American woman in Richton Park, in the Seattle police department, and in the Snohomish public utilities department. And I was the first women director of general services in Durham County. I have been the first everywhere I have been.

I see myself as a servant to the community. My education gave me the criteria to serve. As an architect, you are always looking for a way for the community to live in an environment where people can thrive.

What excites you about local government right now?

I'm really excited about how the government processes are changing; they are adapting to what the communities need and want, now that communication has really opened up. Five years ago, I never would have thought I would be sitting here telling you I had a Facebook account, because I really wasn't interested in that. But social media venues are now helping us to open up government to the community and let the citizens know what we're doing.

What challenges do you see for the profession in the years ahead? What measures should be taken to overcome those challenges?

The maintenance of the management system will be our greatest challenge. The security of the community as a whole is also a challenge. Oftentimes residents might look for a scapegoat when things are not functioning properly. Or if the community is feeling insecure, they look to their leaders for that security. We need to ensure that the council-manager form of government remains in place.

National security has been a major issue. The shootings in Florida, Canada, and other places have rattled the communities. The security of our community and gun control are things that we need to take a look at, and we need to try to reduce the violence.

Another challenge is incorporating more women into the profession. I think that there is a glass ceiling, and the start of breaking that glass ceiling is potentially the next president of the United States. Whether counties or villages, we need that diversity if we expect to grow.

What tips would you have for women aspiring to get into local government right now?

Increasing the number of women CAOs, county managers, or city managers, has always been a challenge. My advice to young women who are interested in being a city manager is get a broad education. Make sure that your pursuits and goals are consistent with the kind of communities that you want to lead. Education is important for the community to understand that you have the set of skills to be able to lead them into the future. In today’s world, legal, computer, technological, and engineering skills are huge in our industry to demonstrate performance and understand how cities operate. We, as women, have to adapt to constant change in our family environment, and we bring that adaptability into the workplace and our communities.

Join ICMA, get into the fellowship program, and learn what the communities are about so that you can find out if local government management is a fit for you. It’s definitely a fit issue. Public service is not the easiest venue to work in. With the leadership that we have in ICMA, we have an opportunity to change the numbers, and all of the women in this organization are going to help make that happen.

Do you have any thoughts on how we can increase diversity among senior levels in local government?

There are all kinds of diversity. The only way that we're going to be successful at increasing diversity is through accepting that we all have biases, and that sometimes we have to put those biases aside. We need to recognize, one, that we have a bias, and two, be willing to work through it. We also need to be accepting of other people’s perspectives that are different from our own, learn from them, and embrace them.

What do you feel are the most important qualities for a local government manager?

A local government manager has to be truthful, ethically correct, and open to other people’s opinions. A manager needs to be able to manage a very diverse council, both in perspectives as well as political acumen. A manager needs to have a strong will, a strong spine, and be willing to get to yes.

At this stage of your career what are your highest priorities and who inspires you?

My highest priorities are trying to figure out what is most beneficial to my community in Durham, North Carolina. To help my community grow, prosper, and ensure safety. That it has the resources needed, the community is moving forward in a positive direction, and to provide stability for my community.

President Obama and the way he handles himself, even among diverse positions and diverse individuals, really inspires me. I hope that I am able to emulate some of his passions.

How has North Carolina’s HB 2, the legislation that overrode local control on the issues of which bathroom transgender persons should use, and minimum wage, impacted your community?

It has not impacted Durham County in the same way it has some of the other communities in North Carolina. A number of events in other jurisdictions have been canceled because of these rulings, and they have lost a lot of revenue from that. Our Board of Commissioners did not agree with the legislature on these issues and unanimously voted on a resolution condemning the bill.

What prompted you to join ICMA and what do you feel are the benefits of membership?

Earlier in my career, I managed two communities in Illinois--Maywood, and Richton Park. When I became the city manager of Maywood, I was introduced to ICMA and joined. The benefits are fabulous. I’ve had transition assistance through ICMA, and also been given opportunities to do broadcasting. I enjoy the newsletters that give you valuable information to help you move your organization forward, and new job opportunities. I'm really excited about Insights because we're doing performance management with our organization. The Insights program provides valuable data that is helping our community in Durham branch into managing for results.