The 2016 ICMA Regional Summit series included a dynamic new element this year. A special session coordinated in collaboration with Women Leading Government was conducted in four of the five U.S. ICMA regions. “You Have What It Takes to Be A Resilient Leader,” was moderated by ICMA President Pat Martel, city manager, Daly City, California. Each of the sessions was engaging, inspiring and unique to the region. Pat reminded the regional audiences that this session was important so that people “can see what they can be.”  We need role models – and there are many women executives who have had challenges, have become better for them, and are making a tremendous difference. These women are committed to sharing themselves with other aspiring managers. At the Summits, each of the speakers shared their journeys and provided tips for successfully navigating challenges and dedicating themselves to local government with passion.

Some key tips offered were:

• Define yourself. Don’t let others do that.
• Give yourself one affirmation a day.
• Keep your ears open. Listen to yourself, your family and those around you at work.  
• Declare what it is you want to do. Say it proudly.  Believe it.
• Find out what you are passionate about.  If you love what you’re doing, it will show.
• Visualize where you want to go, write it down and then achieve it. Affirm yourself. If you can see yourself in the future, you can get there.
• Passion for your profession will carry you through the roughest times.
• Prepare for advancement, but don’t think you need to know it all before you apply for the next step up.
• Have confidence in yourself and your ability as a leader.
• Be bold.  Learn. Grow.  Lead.

The panelists at the four sessions were:

Southeast Region:  Savannah, Georgia / March 31-April 1

• Jill Silverboard, Assistant City Manager, Clearwater, Florida
• Fire Chief Toni Washington, Decatur, Georgia
• Ashley Jacobs, Exec. Dir, Greater Lake City Community Development Office, Lake City, South Carolina

Mountain Plains Region:  Scottsdale, Arizona / April 14-15

• Nicole Lance, Deputy City Manager, Surprise, Arizona
• Opal Mauldin-Robertson, City Manager, Lancaster, Texas
• Ginger Spencer, Deputy Public Works Director, Phoenix, Arizona

Northeast Region: Annapolis, Maryland / April 21-22 

• Laura Allen, Town Administrator, Berlin, Maryland
• Catherine Tuck-Parrish, Executive Search Practice Leader, The Novak Consulting Group
• Police Chief Teresa Walter, Havre de Grace, Maryland

West Coast Region:  Newport Beach, California / May 5-6

• Veronica Ferguson, County Administrator, Sonoma County, California
• Betsy Fretwell, City Manager, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Valerie Gaeta Phillips, President, Bob Murray & Associates, Roseville, California
• Police Chief Jeri Williams, Oxnard, California

This collaboration for the Resilient Leader panel at the 2016 Regional Summits is part of ICMA’s ongoing commitment to fulfill recommendations from the Task Force on Women in the Profession. In the Midwest region this year, the summit was designed to blend with the Wisconsin City/County Management Association’s winter conference. At this event, President Martel had the opportunity to co-lead an educational session on Diversity and Recruitment together with Stan Davis of the Davis Group in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Given the enthusiastic response to this enhanced content for the 2016 ICMA Regional Summits, strong consideration will be given to including a similar feature in 2017.