CitiesSpeak With Clarence Anthony

Send us Fan MailNLC Immediate Past President, Mayor Steve Patterson from Athens, Ohio, joins CitiesSpeak to discuss his city’s community choice aggregation green power program. The electric program helps residents use clean energy and save money on their monthly electric bills.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAt Congressional City Conference 2026 in Washington, D.C., Clarence Anthony, CEO and Executive Director of the National League of Cities, made the case for all the ways local governments deliver every day. During his address to conference attendees, he shared the essential work of local leaders bringing their communities together to transform residents' hopes and dreams into action.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAyesha Rascoe, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday, sat down for a fireside chat at the NBC-LEO membership meeting with Vincent Evans, Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus, engaged in conversation at the 2026 Congressional City Conference in Washington, D.C. Together, they discussed Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, leadership and advancing equitable practices and corporate accountability.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailThe American Rescue Plan’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds became law five years ago. It's a program that provided funding directly to communities of all sizes across the country. At the time, pandemic-driven revenue shortfalls were threatening widespread municipal layoffs, service cuts, and there were serious concerns that we were headed into another 2008-style recession. Guest host, Irma Esparza Diggs, discusses the historic impacts of ARPA with Mike Fina, Oklahoma Municipal League Director; Dan Gilmartin, Michigan Municipal League Director; and Todd Glover, Municipal Association of South Carolina Director.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailRecently, the NLC Board of Directors unanimously adopted a civility resolution encouraging local governments to promote dignity, respect and constructive dialogue in public meetings and community engagement. As a continuation of the work to overcome our collective civility crisis, we are sharing a conversation from the 2026 Congressional City Conference, which brings together NLC partner The Dignity Index, the sponsors of the Building Civic Bridges Act, and local leaders from across the nation for a solutions-driven conversation about what communities need to bridge divides.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailEvery year, April 1st is recognized as National Census Day, a great opportunity to review your census plans. The next census is fast approaching and will be used to redraw electoral districts and to allocate federal funding for affordable housing, emergency services, schools, and infrastructure. In honor of Census Day, we are bringing you this bonus episode of our census conversation from this year’s Congressional City Conference.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailNational League of Cities President Kevin Kramer addressed attendees at the 2026 Congressional City Conference in Washington, D.C., with his message, ‘We The Cities’ deliver real results for communities every day. As the most trusted level of government in America, President Kramer outlined why local leaders are best positioned to lead us through our civility crisis as we celebrate 250 years of America.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailClarence Anthony, NLC CEO & Executive Director, sat down for a conversation with Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker at Congressional City Conference. Together, they discuss affordability, housing, transportation, and more. For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailDignity Index co-creators Tim Shriver and Tami Pyfer, talk about their hopeful and practical path to improving public discourse and strengthening our relationships and our country. Tim and Tami discuss the importance of dignity, the role of local leaders in fighting against what they call the “contempt industrial complex,” and where they see change happening every day – at school board meetings, city council chambers, and other community gatherings.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailNLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony and Boston Fox 25 reporter Crystal Haynes as part of a fireside chat recorded in Boston, with our friends and partners, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, at their annual Connect 351 conference. Clarence covers a range of topics facing local leaders, including fiscal challenges, incivility in public life, the growing influence of artificial intelligence, the housing crisis, and explains why he is optimistic about the future of local government. For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailNicole Handy, Executive Director of America 250 Utah, joins CitiesSpeak to talk about America’s Potluck and how local leaders can bring the celebration to their community. On July 5, 2026, neighbors will sit down for America’s Potluck to share a fun, communal meal, creating a sense of connection and belonging and fostering interactions among people from all walks of life.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailJohn McArdle, was the mayor of Independence, Oregon, a city of 10,000 in Western Oregon, for 26 years before retiring in 2024. During his time as mayor, he was known as a leader who tackled tough issues and set ambitious goals. He was also a convener who brought together local leaders from across Oregon as president of both the Oregon Mayors Association and the Oregon League of Cities. He has another title: U.S. track & field Olympian for the hammer throw.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailMelissa Scott, the Chief Information Officer for the City of Philadelphia, joins CitiesSpeak to discuss implementation in local government. As the CIO for Philadelphia, she plays a critical role in the city’s information technology strategy, infrastructure and operations. She is also responsible for ensuring that all technology initiatives align with Mayor Cherelle Parker’s goals.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAt City Summit 2025 in Salt Lake City, Clarence Anthony, CEO and Executive Director of the National League of Cities, sat down with Republican Governor Spencer Cox of Utah and Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico. The three former local leaders engaged in a conversation about polarization and strategies they personally used to bring their communities together after tragedies.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAt City Summit 2025 in Salt Lake City, Louisville Councilmember Kevin Kramer addressed local leaders as the incoming NLC president. Councilmember Kramer shared his experience as a teacher, Councilmember, and growing up in Louisville – as well as where we’re headed in 2026. He also outlines his platform for NLC in the coming year.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailClarence Anthony, NLC CEO & Executive Director, joined his friend, Adam Chapdelaine, CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, on The 351 Podcast, for an engaging conversation about the commitment that local leaders must have in the face of a changing federal partnership, how to stay motivated and inspired in this important work, and the biggest challenges facing cities that we're focusing on today. The 351 Podcast is the official podcast of the Massachusetts Municipal Association and is hosted by John Ouellette.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAt City Summit 2025 in Salt Lake City, Clarence Anthony, CEO and Executive Director of the National League of Cities, addressed local leaders on creating opportunities in uncertain times. During his remarks, Clarence highlighted the close relationship of local leaders to their residents as their true superpower in developing innovative solutions.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAt City Summit 2025 in Salt Lake City, Mayor Steve Patterson, from Athens, Ohio, shared remarks and reflections from his year as NLC president. His speech from the mainstage focuses on his platform of building ready and resilient cities, towns and villages for the future.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn a special episode recorded from City Hall in Salt Lake City, Clarence speaks with Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall in the days leading up to City Summit 2025. Hear from Mayor Mendenhall on how the city first received a global view during the 2002 Olympics and has only continued to strengthen in the following years. From enhanced transit to a bustling sports scene to a diverse city council, Mayor Mendenhall shares many of her favorite things about SLC and even clears up many of the misconceptions people may have about the city.

Send us Fan MailAs a bonus episode, we are sharing a timely conversation for local leaders about the month-long federal government shutdown. NLC's Mike Wallace, Legislative Director for Community and Economic Development, joined Todd Glover and Erica Wright from the Municipal Association of South Carolina on their podcast, SCDC. Together, they discuss how we got to this point, the impacts of delaying a funding bill and what local elected officials can expect as they continue leading their communities.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAngela Williams joins CitiesSpeak to discuss leadership in a fast-changing world that can feel out of control, finding common ground, and staying grounded to your values and what is important. She is the CEO of United Way Worldwide, a role in which she seems to be everywhere, all at once. Angela Williams is continuing the United Way tradition of acting as an invaluable partner and team member to cities during crises and helping local leaders build for the future. Her career stretches across philanthropy, government service, faith, and justice. She is also the author of a new book perfect for this moment: “Navigating the Age of Chaos.”For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAs a bonus episode, we are sharing a timely conversation between Irma Esparza Diggs, NLC’s Senior Executive for Federal Advocacy, and the Municipal Association of South Carolina, on their podcast SCDC. Irma reflects on the importance of creating partnerships, including how NLC’s federal advocacy team works with Congress and the administration to meet the needs of local governments as a potential federal government shutdown looms.

Send us Fan MailCrystal Washington is known for her work helping organizations get the information they need to become “future-proof.” She is an indispensable guide to our digital future, an author, and a hall-of-fame speaker. Last November in Tampa, Crystal enchanted attendees at NLC’s City Summit conference as she engaged members in conversation about how to prepare for the future.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailBaltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's experience growing up in the Park Heights neighborhood informs his approach to crime prevention, youth services, and other city programs. Clarence and Mayor Scott sit down to discuss Baltimore's focus on disrupting cycles of violence, as well as the lessons he learned about intergovernmental response and resilience leading his city through the 2023 Key Bridge collapse.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAs a bonus episode this month, we are sharing an episode of the Chief Influencer podcast, which features an interview with NLC CEO and Executive Director, Clarence Anthony. The Chief Influencer podcast spotlights leaders who have figured out how to break through in today’s fragmented and noisy world. Clarence discusses the importance of inclusive leadership, the lessons from his early mayoral career, and his strategies in navigating complex political landscapes.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailPromoting economic mobility and ensuring this generation is better off than the last starts at the local level, because local leaders are closest to the issues and the solutions. Allan Golston from the Gates Foundation joins Clarence Anthony to discuss why economic mobility is so critical to our future and the foundation's goals for the next twenty years as they wind down their operations.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailSocial isolation and loneliness were issues that really came to the forefront during the pandemic. When everything shut down five years ago, Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi took it upon himself to look for creative ways to grow connections between residents and build a sense of community, which is how the One Thousand Gatherings initiative was created.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailWhen Mayor Muriel Bowser began her second term in 2019, she set an ambitious goal of creating 36,000 new housing units in Washington, DC by 2025. Six years later, the city has exceeded that goal, and today, Mayor Bowser co-chairs NLC's America's Housing Comeback Advisory Group: a leadership table for housing policy leaders and innovators in the public and private sectors to meet the moment for housing together. In this episode, Mayor Bowser explains why the moment to address housing in America is now and how her hometown is leading the charge.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailRep. Greg Stanton represents Arizona's 4th District in Congress, and as a former Phoenix councilmember and mayor, he co-chairs the Former Local Elected Leaders Caucus in the House of Representatives. Rep. Stanton joined the main stage at the 2025 Congressional City Conference for a conversation with Clarence Anthony about infrastructure, federal funding and why local leaders bring an especially important voice to Congress.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAs the National League of Cities begins its second century of service to America's cities, towns and villages, in this episode, we share a conversation with three former NLC leaders about their unique perspectives on municipal leadership and NLC's impact over the years. This conversation was recorded at NLC's Centennial City Summit in Tampa, Florida in November 2024.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailNLC President Mayor Steve Patterson of Athens, Ohio, joins Clarence Anthony live in the studio to talk about his vision as NLC president for the year ahead. They discuss how his background as a Major in the Air Force and a former college professor has influenced his leadership as mayor, and how he thinks cities can better collaborate across borders.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailFormer Mayor Sharon Weston Broome of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, reflects on her dedicated career in public service, what her time in multiple elected offices has meant to her and advice for newly elected leaders.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailThe future of transportation is shifting toward electric vehicles, which is changing how communities approach municipal fleets. The City of South Pasadena, California partnered with Enterprise Mobility to electrify the police department's entire vehicle fleet. In this episode, Clarence Anthony talks with Councilmember Michael Cacciotti and Enterprise Mobility's Vice President of Business Development Dain Giesie about how they partnered to clean the air, electrify the police department, and save money in the city's budget.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailArtificial intelligence and new technology are changing the way we live and work. In this episode, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Jon Berroya, Google's Government Affairs and Public Policy Director, discuss potential areas for integrating AI into municipal services and ensuring it is used ethically and equitably.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailNLC's convening power brings people from across the country together who otherwise would not connect. In this episode, Fairfax, Virginia, city council member Jon Stehle and Central Point, Oregon, city council member Taneea Browning share how they connected at NLC events and exchanged knowledge to transform their communities' futures.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of CitiesSpeak we are joined by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Roby Schapira, Wells Fargo Senior Vice President and Diverse Segments Leaders for Small Business. It is an exciting conversation with two influential leaders who are deeply invested in the economic success of American cities and American small businesses.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailThe Supreme Court wrapped up a memorable term in July with several decisions that will impact America’s cities, towns and villages. Amanda Karras, the Executive Director and General Counsel of the International Municipal Lawyers Association, joins CitiesSpeak to explain what the court's decisions mean for local governments and leaders.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailAs a bonus episode this month, we're sharing a timely conversation about how to supercharge our nation's efforts to close the housing supply gap. The episode focuses on the Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook, which NLC developed in partnership with the American Planning Association. The conversation originally aired as an episode of the APA podcast, with APA's Director of Public Affairs, Emily Pasi, interviewing NLC's CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailLake Charles, Louisiana, experienced the most federally declared disasters in a one-year period than any other city after a series of hurricanes and historic rain events over a few months in 2020. Mayor Nic Hunter shares his experience rebuilding the community, hardening infrastructure against future storms, and how to prepare for after the storm.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailRecorded live at NLC's Congressional City Conference, Clarence Anthony sits down with Henry Cisneros, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, NLC President and Mayor of San Antonio, Texas. Leaders like Secretary Cisneros have shaped NLC, and he provides insights into the history and future of NLC.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, recorded live at NLC's Congressional City Conference, U.S. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE) and U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA), both members of the Problem-Solvers Caucus, discuss the benefits of listening and working with members from across the political aisle to address our nation's most pressing challenges. The conversation was moderated by Irma Esparza Diggs, NLC's Senior Executive Director for Federal Advocacy.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Clarence sits down for a conversation with Bill Braniff, Director of the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, about growing hate and extremism in America’s cities. They discuss how local leaders can partner with the federal government to put an end to this trend – using innovative strategies to both respond to violent and hate-fueled incidents and to prevent them from ever happening in the first place.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Clarence sits down with Mayor Abdullah Hammoud from Dearborn, Michigan to talk about the city’s approach to revamping and reimagining its network of roads and streets using the nearly $25 million it recently received in federal infrastructure funds. They discuss the infrastructure challenges that Dearborn has been facing for decades, and how NLC’s Local Infrastructure Hub helped the city put together a successful federal grant application that will transform its community.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Clarence sits down with David Sander, Mayor of Rancho Cordova, California and our new National League of Cities President. They discuss his experience building the City of Rancho Cordova from the ground up over the last two decades, why it’s so important for local leaders to take big risks, and why he views cities as “laboratories of democracy.” For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this live episode recorded at NLC’s City Summit 2023 in Atlanta, Clarence sits down with a panel of four experts who are focused on examining public safety in our cities and creating innovative community violence interventions that make our systems more just, fair, and effective. This month’s guests include:Erica Atwood, Deputy Managing Director, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaAnne Marks, Consultant & Former Executive Director of Youth ALIVE!Ganesha Martin, Founder of Let’s Meet in the Middle & Former Director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, Baltimore Police DepartmentWilford Pinkney, Director of the Office of Violence Prevention, St. Louis, MisFor more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Clarence sits down with Arkansas Municipal League Executive Director Mark Hayes and his wife Alison Hayes for an important conversation about the opioid crisis. In 2020, Mark and Alison lost their 23-year-old son Wells to an overdose and since then, have devoted themselves to fighting the opioid epidemic and helping anyone impacted by addiction and overdoses. They share what their own experience supporting Wells through addiction was like and the actions we can all take to stop this crisis.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Clarence sits down for a conversation with an old friend – Dr. Arthur Evans, CEO of the American Psychological Association – the leading scientific and professional psychology organization in the United States. They discuss what goes into building strong mental health strategies for city governments, as well as Dr. Evans’ personal journey to public service.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Clarence sits down with Mayor Angela Birney from Redmond, Washington and Mayor Mark Shepherd from Clearfield City, Utah to talk about the affordable housing crisis in America’s communities, and the innovative approaches they’re taking to address the challenge in their cities. Both leaders are involved in NLC’s Housing Supply Accelerator – an initiative focused on bringing partners from across the housing sector together, to increase and improve the supply of affordable housing stock for residents.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailToday, CitiesSpeak is bringing you a bonus episode from our friends at the Good Government Show podcast – a conversation from earlier this year with Former New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio. Make sure to check out the Good Government Show – including a recent episode featuring our very own Clarence Anthony! – at goodgovernmentshow.com.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Clarence has conversations with Mayor Nancy Rotering from Highland Park, Illinois and Councilmember Henry Lo from Monterey Park, California – local elected officials who have both led their communities through the aftermath of gun violence in their cities. They discuss what it was like for each of them to first respond to the tragedies in their communities, how each city had to quickly mobilize to get information and resources to residents, and how their respective communities have banded together to heal over the last several months.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.