Why did you become a mentor?

I am very fortunate that I have had great mentors throughout my career. I was always encouraged to pay-it-forward when given the opportunity.

Why is mentoring important to the profession?

There is only so much you can learn from a textbook. Taking advantage of advice from someone who has been through it is an invaluable learning tool. Mentoring is as critical to professional development as graduate education and other types of formal training.

WHAT IMPACT HAS BEING A MENTOR HAD ON YOUR LIFE?

What impact has being a mentor had on your life? I have learned from my mentees as much as I have taught them. People who are emerging in the profession bring fresh perspectives to old issues. My mentees challenge me to think about problems in new ways, and that keeps me growing and innovating. 

ARE YOU MENTORING ANYONE CURRENTLY OR IS THERE A MENTORING RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY IMPACTFUL FOR YOU?

I am mentoring two of my direct reports who aspire to be city managers. Or is there a mentoring relationship that has been particularly impactful for you? How, why, who? As I think back over my career, so many people invested in my development. Many of them believed in me before I believed in myself, and they encouraged me to step up to a chief administrative role. The best mentors challenge mentees to take calculated career risks. When I was debating whether or not I was ready to take my first assistant city manager job, a mentor told me, “a ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” That has always stuck with me. I have tried to encourage others to make career leaps when I could tell they were ready but needed moral support.

HAVE YOU HAD A MENTOR/MENTORS WHO IMPACTED YOUR LIFE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO THANK?

Orville Powell, Mike Matthes, Rick Clark, Steve Arbo, Ron Fehr, Mark Levin – just a few in the profession who gave much time, advice, and encouragement to me over the years.