ICMA’s 14,000-plus members from around the world joined ICMA for various reasons, including networking opportunities, ethics advice, professional development, timely resources and content, state-of-the-art in-person events, and more. ICMA members gain unparalleled value from being a part of this community of local government professionals dedicated to good governance. 

Hear from two ICMA members about why they are ICMA.

Billy Peppers

City Manager, Canton, Georgia, USA

I became a city manager at the age of 33. I knew many local government leaders from working in another city and for the state of Georgia, but I really didn’t know everything about city management. I have always enjoyed continuous learning, and when I went to my first ICMA conference a few months into my career, I immediately felt engaged in a network of like-minded individuals that simply want to make a positive impact on their communities with a heart for local service. 

Like any organization, you get out what you put in. I know that the annual conference, webinars, news, and materials are all vital to a fulfilling membership. I enjoy serving as a welcome ambassador, I’ve served as an elections canvasser, and I worked on training curriculum. A decade in, I am still learning from awesome peers across the world. My elected officials and team know my commitment to education through our credentialed manager program. 

My LinkedIn is filled with colleagues from so many places and while each day can bring challenges, I know that my network is there to support me. There are many professional development groups around, but only one ICMA—supporting our profession for 111 years.

Jennifer Lawson

City Clerk/Assistant Director of Governance and Inclusion, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

I joined ICMA in 2018 after attending the Harvard Kennedy School Senior Executives in State and Local Government program. I wanted to maintain the valuable connections I had built through that experience and to develop new relationships with other professionals working in the local government field. I feel that it is extremely important that we build these person-to-person relationships to keep democracy strong at the local level in times when the world can seem a bit chaotic. I continue to be a member for the same reason I joined.

The annual conference has been an excellent opportunity to share ideas and learn from my peers. I always bring something back from a conference that I can practically apply to what is going on in my community. Additionally, my experience as a member has helped me to understand the issues that other communities are facing so that I can help my community be prepared when we experience something similar. 

I also feel that there are many resources and opportunities through ICMA that I have yet to explore. The experiences I have had as a member have helped me to perform better in my position and enabled me to advance in my organization and provide a better government for the residents I serve.

These ICMA members have found value in an array of different areas and enhanced their careers as a result. It’s members like you that strengthen the fabric of ICMA every day. So, why are you ICMA?