Inspiring Leadership Lessons From Five Award-Winning Women Trailblazers in Local Government

by Andrea Bolivar & Angelica Wedell on September 18, 2024

Leadership Lessons from Five Award-Winning Women Trailblazers

The Leadership Trailblazer Awards have become a cornerstone in recognizing and celebrating the outstanding achievements of women in local government who lead with vision and champion others. Their advice empowers women nationwide to advance within the profession.

Established in 2018, the Leadership Trailblazer Award honors outstanding women in local government, highlighting those who inspire change and drive progress toward gender balance in top city management positions. This award was created by the League of Women in Government with support and partnership from Polco.

With only a year's hiatus due to the pandemic, we've had the privilege of acknowledging a diverse group of trailblazers whose leadership has left an indelible mark on their communities and peers. These past winners are not just recipients of prestigious recognition; they embody leadership excellence, setting a standard that continues to influence and inspire.

Women remain underrepresented in senior government positions. Currently, less than 30% of city managers, county managers, and chief administrators in the U.S. are women, according to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) database.

As we prepare to announce the 2024 Leadership Trailblazer Award Winner at the Annual ICMA Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, we want to revisit these past winners' exceptional achievements and encouragement.

Their remarks remind us why these awards are vital: they recognize women who have empowered others to achieve executive roles and inspire us all to move forward together.

Know That You Are Ready for Leadership

"As women, I feel strongly that we do not pursue the Manager role because we want to feel ‘ready.’ It is important to know that we are ready, and we must apply for the position. Oftentimes, when I am talking to women, they tell me that they need to wait until their children are older or that they have never had this experience in one area or another. My response is we can have it all! We can have a successful career with a healthy and happy family. Create and nurture a solid support system at home and the office and know what is important to the family and what has to happen in the office and plan and schedule accordingly." – Opal Mauldin-Jones, City Manager, Lancaster, TX (2018)

Invest in Your Staff, Earn Their Trust

"This work is all about supporting and growing the people in our organizations. Someone said culture trumps strategy every time, and it’s true. When we create trust with our people, and they feel supported, there is no limit to how hard they will work, what they will accomplish for our communities, and what joy they will get from that work. Organizational culture is not the fluffy stuff – it’s the important work of leadership." – Lori Sassoon, Current Chief Talent Officer, Corona, CA (2019)

Stand on the Shoulders of Giants

"However, when I reflect on the values that formed my professional life, I always think of Mary Livermore who was an esteemed suffragette that hailed from my hometown. I know in my heart I was born to carry out a message from one of her lectures in which she described her mission that ‘women should receive so complete a training, that, married or unmarried, they would have firmness and fiber, and be able to stand on their own two feet, self-supporting, happy in themselves, and helpful to the world.’ I cannot think of any more inspiring words to serve as an aphorism for women leading the charge in our communities across America … Find a coach that you respect and, more importantly, enjoy; volunteer on a board, community project, or local non-profit related to your area of interest and, more than anything, choose an area that makes your heart and mind soar.” – Vanessa Donovan Hale, Assistant Town Administrator, Southborough, MA (2020)

Embrace Transparency, Innovation, and Technology

"Technology has also changed how we manage. Data-driven decision-making is very big. And because of technology, everything is much more transparent. You have to be open and appreciate the transparency because, in local government, we serve the public. They want to know how we operate. So we put as much information out there for them to understand how we provide that service delivery." – Anne Marie Gaura, Village Manager, Lincolnwood, IL (2022)

Seek Mentors To Open Doors, Then Pay It Forward

"So we're not in it by ourselves. There are men who truly will open doors, and they don't see a lesser person because we're a woman … I was pretty young when I became a director. It was other women who had been directors for some time who reached out to me and said, let's talk. They started giving me guidance on things that I had not faced but things that I may face. It absolutely changed my trajectory in terms of how I lead … We absolutely should help anyone that we can help, particularly as it relates to women … We have all of our ducks in a row for the most part, and we are usually very deserving. Very much so … You have to be able to motivate, influence, and encourage. In order to empower those who work for you, you have to create an environment where you can do that." – Valmarie Turner, Current Deputy City Manager, Fairfax, VA (2023)