In the ever-evolving world of local government, staying ahead means taking charge of your own professional growth. Your career is not a destination. It's a journey of continuous growth and intentional choices. Are you steering your professional path or are you letting circumstances guide you?

What We Will Cover

This 90-minute webinar will empower local government professionals to take deliberate steps toward achieving their career aspirations while contributing meaningfully to their organizations and communities.

It is often easy to push professional development to the bottom of the task list. Join this webinar to learn how to:

• Prioritize your professional growth amid demanding workload.
• Conduct meaningful self-assessments.
• Set clear, achievable career goal.
• Navigate the unique challenges of local government careers.
• Chart a fulfilling career path.

Whether you're just starting out, seeking advancement, or looking to refine your leadership skills, this webinar will inspire you to invest in your potential and thrive in your role.

Don't let your career happen to you; make it happen. Join us and learn to take control of your professional journey.

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

Learning Objectives

Assess Current Skills and Aspirations. Gain tools to reflect on strengths, identify areas for growth, and align career goals with personal and organizational values.

Set Clear and Achievable Goals. Explore methods for creating actionable development plans and measuring progress over time.

Leverage Opportunities for Growth. Discover ways to seek mentorship, engage in training, and embrace new challenges to enhance skills and experiences.

Can't attend? Register and watch on-demand.

Visit the ICMA Coaching Program for more coaching and mentoring resources.

Interested in all of the free 2025 ICMA Coaching Webinars? There's still time to register!

Meet the Speakers

Peggy Merriss Executive Director, Georgia City-County Management Association

Chantal Cotton Gaines  Deputy City Manager, Palo Alto, CA

Dr. Gregory Dylan Russell  Executive Director, Lead for North Carolina and Faculty Lead for   Public Service Matters at the UNC School of Government

Taylor Lough  Former Assistant City Manager, Anna, Texas

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 Decatur, Georgia, including over 25 years as the City Manager and since retiring she has served as the Interim City Manager for Sandy Springs, Georgia, and the Acting City Administrator for Pine Lake Georgia. 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 an 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.

Read Chantal's Bio 

Chantal Cotton Gaines is a coach, author, strategist, and executive leader. She has over 15 years’ experience in public service for local governments across the US. Chantal knows the importance of education and lifting as you rise as she has been volunteering and giving back since around age 3 in her hometown, Flint, Michigan. She is currently the Deputy City Manager in Palo Alto, California, where she leads many interdepartmental efforts and the city’s wellness and belonging work; she previously served in Oakland, California, and College Park, Maryland.

Read Gregory's Bio

G. Dylan Russell is a public management scholar and practitioner dedicated to building resilient, future-oriented public institutions.  He serves as Executive Director of Lead for North Carolina and Faculty Lead for Public Service Matters at the UNC School of Government, and is Co-Founder of Lead for America, the nation's largest local government fellowship program.  Through these initiatives, he has helped place more than 200 students in public service roles and secured over $10 million to strengthen public service talent pipelines nationwide.  

His research and teaching focus on workforce development, managerial influence, and how new employees adapt to government roles, and his professional background includes roles as a management consultant, policy analyst, teacher, and White House Intern.   

Russell holds a PhD in Public Administration, an MPA, and a BS in Education, and his leadership has been recognized with awards for public service, teaching, and intergenerational leadership. 

 

Read Taylor's Bio 

Taylor Lough (“Law”) served as the Assistant City Manager for Anna, Texas, a rapidly growing city in northern Collin County within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. 

During her tenure with Anna, Taylor held roles as the Assistant Director of Economic Development and Economic Development Manager. Prior to joining Anna in 2019, Taylor served as Assistant to the City Manager and Management Analyst for Richardson, Texas.

Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Texas, during which she earned the Clarence E. Ridley Scholarship from TCMA. She began her municipal career as a Management Intern with the City of Richardson where she quickly developed a passion for serving Texas cities.

Taylor is a graduate of ICMA's Emerging Leaders Development Program and the Texas Women’s Leadership Institute (TWLI). In addition to her service on the TCMA Membership Committee, she also serves as an ICMA Welcome Ambassador, coach, and member of the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Committee.