Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how organizations plan, operate, and innovate—and local governments are no exception. This webinar offers a practical and approachable look at how AI can enhance strategic planning efforts in local government settings and will develop the knowledge and mindset to integrate AI into your planning processes responsibly and ethically.

What We Will Cover

This 90-minute webinar demystifies AI's potential for local government strategic planning, offering a roadmap for leaders ready to leverage this cutting-edge technology.

Whether you're a CAO, ACAO, or department head, our expert presenters will guide you through how AI can become an invaluable partner in crafting thoughtful, future-ready strategies for your organization and equip you with the knowledge:

• To discover how AI can enhance strategic planning efforts in local government settings
• Apply practical AI applications that drive smarter, data-driven decision-making
• To integrate AI into your planning processes responsibly and ethically.

Don't just adapt to the future—anticipate and shape it. Join us and learn how AI can revolutionize your approach to strategic planning and propel your local government into a more efficient, insightful, and responsive era.

ICMA-CM: Participation in free coaching webinars qualifies for ICMA-CM (Voluntary Credentialing Program) credit.

Learning Objectives

Explore Practical Applications: Learn how AI tools can analyze complex data, identify trends, and generate insights to inform strategic priorities.

Enhance Community Engagement: Discover how AI can support inclusive planning by analyzing diverse perspectives and identifying gaps in service delivery.

Optimize Resource Allocation: Understand how AI can help allocate resources more effectively and plan for future challenges.

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Meet the Speakers

Peggy Merriss Executive Director, Georgia City-County Management Association

Read Peggy's Bio 

Peggy Merriss has a passion for furthering local government excellence and innovation through service, teaching, and being a mentor and advisor. For 35 years she served the City of Decatur, GA including over 25 years as the City Manager and since retiring she has served as the Interim City Manager for Sandy Springs, GA and the Acting City Administrator for Pine Lake GA. Currently she serves as the Executive Director for the Georgia City-County Management Association and on the faculty of the Athenian Program and the Women in the Civic Arena. 

Peggy completed a MPA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was recognized with the “Distinguished Service Award” in January 2019. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from Converse College, Spartanburg, SC, where she was recognized with the “Career Achievement Award” in April 2012. In 2022, Peggy was elected as a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow. She was inducted into the Georgia Municipal Association Hall of Fame in 2018. She has also completed the SEI program at the UVA and received her ICMA Credential Manager designation in 2003. She previously served as the President of ICMA, having completed a term as President in 2002-03, the first woman, and youngest person, to ever hold the office.

 At the end of 2020, she completed ten-years of service on the ICMA-RC Board of Directors (now MissionSquare), serving as the first woman chair. The Georgia City/County Management Association recognized her with the Pillar of Professional Excellence Award, and she was awarded the “Georgia Excellence in Public Service Award” for a city appointed official. An avid traveler, she recently visited her seventh continent with a trip to Antarctica. She looks forward to completing her goal of visiting all 50 US states and all 10 Canadian provinces.

Robert Hiett Executive Director, Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments, North Carolina

Read Robert's Bio

Robert Hiett is the Executive Director of the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments (UCPCOG). The UCPCOG is a regional organization serving 46 local governments within Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Northampton, and Wilson counties in North Carolina. The UCPCOG’s programs include aging services, community and economic development, planning, and workforce development.   The UCPCOG has an annual budget of approximately $12 million, and it administers $120 million in infrastructure grants for its member governments.

Mr. Hiett is a recognized leader, speaker, and trainer for public sector artificial intelligence (AI). He has earned more than 20 specialized certifications in areas ranging from advanced prompt engineering to machine learning. In addition, Mr. Hiett has professional certifications in AI Engineering and Generative AI Engineering, and he uses his expertise to explore and implement AI solutions for his region. 

Mr. Hiett led efforts to develop the first regional enterprise grade AI platform designed for a council of governments (COG) in North Carolina, and half of the UCPCOG member governments are currently participating in the platform. He led the effort to create the first generative AI (GenAI) virtual assistant for an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) in the United States, and it provides advice and resources to senior citizens and/or their caregivers. In addition, he recently created the UCPCOG AI Academy to train local government leaders on generative AI, and to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to integrate AI into their operations.

Beyond his work in government, Mr. Hiett is an author, speaker, and thought leader in public sector AI. He routinely writes on LinkedIn and Substack, and produces educational content on YouTube.  Mr. Hiett has also written two books, The Public Sector Survival Guide for ChatGPT and Zero to Hero: ChatGPT Prompting in 30 Days, to help public sector workers gain prompt engineering skills.  In addition, Mr. Hiett is often asked to speak or train other public sector professionals on AI topics.

Mr. Hiett has served in several leadership roles over his career.  He is the Immediate Past Chairman of the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments (NCARCOG), Immediate Past Chairman of the Rural Planning Organizations of America, and a North Carolina Representative on the Council of Peers of the Southeastern Regional Directors Institute (SERDI).  Mr. Hiett served six years as the President of the Georgia Transit Association (GTA), and he was the first member inducted into the Georgia Transit Hall of Fame. Mr. Hiett served nine years as a leader in the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA), he served for three years as the Southeastern Regional Director for FTA Region 4, and he served six years as the State Delegate for Georgia. 

Mr. Hiett has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgia College & State University and a master’s degree in public administration from Grand Canyon University. Mr. Hiett served in the U.S. Army Reserve, Corps of Engineers, attained the rank of Captain, and was honorably discharged when his service concluded. 

Peter Pirnejad, ICMA-CM City Manager, Town of Los Altos, California

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Dr. Peter Pirnejad, ICMA-CM, is currently the City Manager for the Town of Los Altos Hills.  Los Altos Hills is a premier Silicon Valley residential community located in Santa Clara County, CA, and recognized for their large estate home, rolling hills, and intricate pathway system. The town has a full range of contract services which include Santa Clara County Sheriff, a local fire district, and two water districts.  

Peter is proud to serve his colleagues across California as the current President of Cal-ICMA.  In addition, he is an award-winning local government expert who has hands-on innovation, technology, and community development experience. With over 26 years’ local government experience in public administration, Peter had previously served as the City Manager in Foster City, Assistant City Manager for the City of Napa and as the Development Services Director for the City of Palo Alto. For two years Peter made a shift in his career and served as a Senior Director at Oracle’s Global Public Sector Industry Strategy focused on State and Local Government. 

He has received awards complimenting his team’s ability to develop policies that advance sustainability, building safety, and collaboration. His passion for advancing government technology earned him a range of innovation awards as well as a seat on the CivStart.org board committed to promoting innovation in government.

Peter has also served on several public sector membership boards and commissions, in addition to the Cal-ICMA Board he also served as President of the CA League of Cities (LCC) Planning Department, mentors next generation City Managers with the International City/Council Management Association (ICMA). He also served on the board for Alliance for Innovation where innovative cities sought social and technology innovation to solve our most challenging urban problems.  He currently sits on the board of CivStart, a nonprofit focused on helping accelerate innovative GovTech startups that desire to solve local government challenges.  You will regularly see Peter speaking on topics like AI, improved council/manager relations, better governance, and other modern local government issues.  He has a BA in Environmental Studies and Geography from the University of California, Santa Barbara, as well as a Masters and Doctorate Degree in Policy, Planning and Development from the University of Southern California.

Brooke Smith, NIGP-CPP, MMC, MIS, UCC City Recorder, City of Murray City, Utah

Read Brooke's Bio

Brooke Smith is a seasoned municipal leader with over 20 years of public service, currently serving as the City Recorder for Murray City, Utah. Known for modernizing government operations, she integrates cutting-edge AI solutions into daily processes and provides comprehensive training on their ethical and responsible use, with the goal of enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and service delivery to citizens and community members.  

Brooke holds a master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, along with multiple professional credentials including the NIGP-CPP (National Institute of Governmental Purchasing), and MMC and CMC designations from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. She currently serves on the Finance Council for NIGP and remains an active member of Utah Women Leading Government. Through her engaging presentations, hands-on training, and unwavering commitment to innovation, Brooke's goal is to inspire public service professionals and drive meaningful impact in local communities.