Ryan has over 15 years of experience in both private practice and local government. His experience includes designing large structures, roads, and custom homes as a licensed professional engineer. He’s also managed his own small business, preparing plans for projects throughout Northern California. Ryan started with the City of Sacramento in 2004 as an Associate […]
Fiscal Literacy for Everyone on the Government Ladder
Imagine a small child tugging on his mother’s arm in a department store. The child is asking if he can buy the toy clutched in his hand. When the mother denies the child’s request, the child questions why. If the mother chooses to provide a response, she will likely say the toy is priced too […]
Beyond Raising the Rainbow Flag: Opportunities for Municipalities to Build Capacity Around Diversity and Inclusion
Rainbow flags flew high in front of city halls across California for the month of June in honor of pride month. This act of acknowledgment and solidarity is comforting to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ) community and particularly welcoming for LGBTQ municipal employees. However, year-round acceptance and support for employees within the […]
Team Leadership Workshop in Santa Rosa a Success
On Thursday, July 16 MMANC Region 2 hosted 54 enthusiastic local government professionals for a professional development workshop entitled “Team Leadership: Competencies and Communication.” The workshop was presented by Lisa Johnson of BalancePoint Group with Harris & Associates and focused on helping individuals determine their personal style. The event was hosted by Liz Licursi, Administrative […]
Navigating Through the Fog: A Naval Officer’s Lessons on Leading Teams
A viscous fog engulfed us as the ship slowly settled on its course into San Diego Harbor. As the Navigator, it was my duty to ensure the safe navigation of our ship by giving the Officer of the Deck (OOD) course and speed recommendations. The visual landmarks on which we usually depended were completely […]
Sometimes “The Happiest Place on Earth” Can Get “Grumpy”: A Reflection on Customer Service
ORIGINAL CONTENT Last month my family and I spent a few days at “The Happiest Place on Earth.” By nearly every account, Disneyland was just that. Our time was filled with cheerful celebration, wild imagination, and endless entertainment. My parents traveled with my husband and me, along with our two daughters. My eldest daughter, […]
Career Compass No. 38: Your Staff Meetings Don’t Have To Be Dreary
CAREER COMPASS I supervise an operations group in a community services special district. Our district has a lot of responsibilities and is always trying to address the demands of our service recipients. Because we try to move fast, I hold a weekly staff meeting to keep the 15 operations staff people informed and, hopefully, engaged. […]
Western City: How Leaders Use Storytelling
IN THE NEWS This month’s issue of Western City features an article by League of California Cities Executive Director Chris McKenzie on how leaders use storytelling to inspire others and illustrate key points. McKenzie writes, “City leaders often must inspire people to accept and even support changes in their lives that they might otherwise oppose. […]
Communicating with Credibility is the Theme for 2015 Women’s Leadership Summit
The Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) is excited to present a new format for the 2015 Women’s Leadership Summit. The theme this year is “Communicating with Credibility: Establish, Maintain and Advance Your Career”. The April 30th event will be held at Parkside Hall in San Jose. MMANC will kick off the day with […]