“Public service is challenging. We navigate board, commission, and elected official priorities; solve complex problems; and manage high expectations from our communities,” says Marcus Steele, president of the Local Government Hispanic Network (LGHN). “Having a strong network of fellow public servants—people who understand those challenges firsthand—is essential to navigating a career in public service. It’s one of the reasons I am proud to serve as president of LGHN.”

We spent the month of July talking with our members about why they joined LGHN and what value they gain through their membership. We learned a lot and several themes emerged. Our members say they feel a greater connection to peers and the profession; that they are more prepared in their roles through best practices, adaptive leadership strategies, and mentorship programs that we offer; and that they feel seen, valued, and more confident in their skills. But before we share more about those conversations, I would like to remind ICMA members about who we are.

Who Are We?

LGHN’s mission is to promote excellence in government. Our membership today consists of more than 2,500 professionals from all backgrounds across the country, in all levels and all functions of government. A common question I hear from nonmembers is “Do I need to be Hispanic to be a member of LGHN?” The definitive answer to that question is no! We value Hispanic heritage and celebrate it. We also offer programs and services that grow our members’ cultural competency and public service talents.

What Do Our Members Value About LGHN?

LGHN Builds Connection

One of our seasoned members, Jorge Gonzalez, village manager of Bal Harbour, Florida, and ICMA Executive Board member (2023–2025), told us that after learning about LGHN, he realized, “I found my people. LGHN opens doors to the nonexecutive to have a seat at the table, and it’s very organic, but harder to do in large associations.”

Jorge went on to share, “I have found it tough to break in with other professional associations. LGHN is different. The relationships I built through LGHN helped me navigate the profession. I was welcomed by seasoned city managers from large communities like San Antonio and Austin, Texas, even though at that time I served in a midlevel position and I was not a city manager. When I joined the LGHN board of directors those city managers became my mentors and friends. LGHN accelerated my career—it was a force multiplier!”

Similarly, Zuyva Ruiz, acting finance director of San Bernadino, California, told us, “I am first generation so no one has taught me how to get involved in my profession. But LGHN has been a blessing. I am a member and now also serve on the board of the Unidos SoCal chapter. I have come across other professionals from time to time that are reluctant to share their knowledge and network. LGHN pushes you to learn from best practices and really focuses on leadership skill development. Being able to impact the people around me is important to me and LGHN supports that.”

Amanda Moreno, administrative services manager with Rosemead, California, and part of the Unidos SoCal board, said that her fellow LGHN members helped to remind her of the value that she brings as a person to the profession and the board. “Connecting with other members has provided me a space to have authentic dialogue, becoming a pillar in establishing connection with other Hispanics. It’s a priceless feeling to develop relationships with other professionals who genuinely want to help each other.”

LGHN Grows Talent 

Paola Garibay, neighborhood partnership administrator with Oak Park, Illinois; Katie Friedman with the Center for Equity, Efficiency and Effectiveness in Chicago, Illinois; and Rebecca Martinez, information technology engineer with Mesa, Arizona, shared that they value the virtual learning opportunities but also the ability to participate in peer association conferences at the state and national levels.

Maria Montano with Mesa, Arizona, shared similar observations. “I joined the city team in 2019. I came from the private sector, and Mesa was my first local government position.” Maria said she sought out employee groups at the city to make her transition smooth. “I found LGHN and started attending the chapter’s lunch-and-learns. The chapter culture makes me feel safe. It was open to me, and I didn’t have to be an executive to participate.”

Maria now serves as a management analyst II and attributes her recent graduation from college and her bachelor’s degree to LGHN. “I attended one of those lunch-and-learns and the topic was procrastination. In that hour, hearing from other local government leaders that had tackled challenges and stopped avoiding decisions inspired me to reenroll in school. I have taken classes on and off for years but had not focused on completing my degree.” She said that the lunch and learn session changed the direction of her life.

LGHN Builds Cultural Awareness

“LGHN helps members identify and incorporate key factors when serving Hispanic populations. Cultural norms, aside from just language access, can significantly impact policy implementation in areas ranging from health outcomes to development and land-use interests. Non-Hispanic members of LGHN gain a deeper cultural knowledge that informs decision making and can prevent blind spots,” according to Alex Lopez, assistant city manager with San Antonio, Texas, LGHN board member, and incoming ICMA executive board member (2026–2028).

For More Information About Membership

Several elements of our membership framework are unique to LGHN. Membership is available by individual or jurisdiction. When members join the national association, they are automatically given chapter membership. Jurisdictional members can register all their employees as members. LGHN members have free access to virtual learning offerings and events, including the mentorship program. And jurisdictional members receive unlimited free job postings on the LGHN job board. Visit lghn.org or contact us at info@lghn.org to explore more.

“Our members reminded us in these interviews how important our role is in building a place to belong,” says Steele. “LGHN offers this vibe whether you are Hispanic or not. We are committed to doing so by creating safe places for public servants to develop themselves and thrive!”

CHRISTINE BUTTERFIELD is executive director of LGHN (cbutterfield@lghn.org).

Author’s note: I would like to personally thank our members that agreed to be interviewed for this article. Thank you to Paola Garibay, Jorge Gonzalez, Katie Friedman, Alejandra Lopez, Rebecca Martinez, Maria Montano, Amanda Moreno, and Zuyva Ruiz.