PODCAST · government
In The Arena
by Cathilea Robinett and GOVERNING Magazine
Taken from a famous Theodore Roosevelt speech regarding his own time "In the Arena," this podcast features government officials who are truly making a difference and challenging the status quo. Governing President, Cathilea Robinett, tours you through the halls of cities, counties and states to bring you a slice of what is best in American leadership today.
Episodes
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Book Recommendations from Officials Who've Been "In the Arena"
As 2020 comes to a close, we take a moment to reflect on the numerous books that government officials from across the nation have recommended over the past several years. In the Arena's podcast interviews have included many good book recommendations, often more than one, from government officials...
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Service Before Self: Karen Baker's Career in Public Service
The career public servant has served a president and in the cabinets of three governors, and is not afraid of tackling big, complicated jobs that help the disenfranchised while building better communities. Karen Baker was raised in Ohio with seven siblings where there was not much opportunity to…
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The Many Chapters of Jabari Simama's Life
Humble beginnings and a kind demeanor have made him a great public servant, including work as an elected county official and college president. It also has led him to foster a deep friendship with legendary John Lewis. Jabari Simama's story has many different chapters. He grew up in Columbia…
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How Sheila Oliver Made a Career of Breaking Glass Ceilings
Inspired by trailblazer Shirley Chisholm, New Jersey's Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver has become a powerful and inspirational leader in her own right and has already left a mark that will last for generations. Sheila Oliver has always been inspired by the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first...
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Finding Common Ground in an America That Will Not Agree
In a time of an extremely divided America, Bruce Bond works with his team to develop common ground and inspire others to create positive change. Bruce Bond has always had a love of politics; he studied it in college and has found great value in political engagement. But over the past several…
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From Literature to Water: Heather Repenning on Impacting Change
She didn't grow up dreaming of working in a position of power in a big city like Los Angeles, but her strong desire to help people and make the world a better place rerouted her into a career of public service. Heather Repenning moved to California from small-town Kentucky with the intention of...
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America "In The Arena" — How We Can Overcome
Life is an unpredictable collision of people and events that set our lives' trajectory and shape who we become. In this special episode of "In The Arena," host Cathilea Robinett talks intimately of the collision of people and events that have helped define the woman she is today. Cathilea…
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College's First Black President on Digital Equity, Systemic Change in COVID
Dr. Miles Davis wants to use his platform as first Black president of Linfield college to affect systemic change. Even as COVID-19 drastically changes the face of education, Dr. Davis is determined to create the next generation of leaders. Miles K. Davis' path to becoming the first Black…
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Sharon Greenberger Fights for New York as YMCA President, CEO
As president and CEO of the New York YMCA, Sharon Greenberger is constantly working to make New York a healthier, happier community. Now she uses her decades of experience to transform The Y into a place of hope amid COVID-19. The New York YMCA has been focusing on the trifecta of mind, body and...
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Toni Carter, Minnesota's First Black County Commissioner, Speaks Out
Ramsey County's commissioner has fought for change in the state for the past three decades through vigorous community engagement. She has marked history with her achievements and now watches her son do the same as mayor of St. Paul. Toni Carter has constantly aspired for more. Born in rural...
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Stockton's New City Manager Sees an Opportunity During Troubled Times
A former Baltimore CFO and city manager for Cincinnati, Harry Black just started as Stockton's city manager when the pandemic began, quickly followed by national protests. But with his extensive, unique career, he is ready to help the city succeed. Harry Black grew up in the inner city of...
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Reforming Corrections in Pennsylvania with Data, Creativity
John Wetzel uses decades of experience and an unyielding determination to serve Pennsylvania as the secretary of corrections. But he knows that the true value of leadership comes from data, creativity and good people. John Wetzel has worked in corrections for over 30 years, but he is sure not to...
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Alisha Bell: Wayne County's Unstoppable Force of Leadership
A county and national leader, Alisha Bell has learned how to be a successful public official by following the path her mother laid down. Now she ensures that her actions will help those who will one day follow her. Whether she is Commission Chair for Wayne County, Mich., president of both the...
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County Commissioner Helps Others with Resources, Compassion
Whether it's a small county or a national stage, Mary Ann Borgeson leads Douglas County, Neb., and the National Association of Counties with compassion and the understanding of the impacts her decisions can make. Mary Ann Borgeson did not consider running for elected office in her home state of...
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Betty Yee, State Controller, State of California
Betty Yee uses her role as California's state controller to uplift underserved communities, encourage women participation in politics and public office and remind others that a state is only as strong as its individuals. Betty Yee grew up keeping track of the finances of her family's laundry and...
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Serena DiMaso, Assembly Member, State of New Jersey
Whether it is a devastating hurricane or global pandemic, Serena DiMaso will be there to lend a helping hand. From the front lines and Assembly floor, DiMaso is constantly working to strengthen and uplift her community. Join Serena DiMaso "In the Arena" to hear more about her lifelong career of...
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Clay S. Jenkinson, Editor-at-Large, GOVERNING
Clay Jenkinson, Governing's editor-at-large and humanities scholar on Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt, tells us how literature and history can help inform leaders in this time of global national crisis. community's plans for containment; he describes how current government officials can...
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Bryan Barnett, Mayor of Rochester Hills, MI, President of U.S. Conference of Mayors
His passion for authentic relationships helps Bryan Barnett to excel as Mayor of Rochester Hills and as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Even in a time when the nation is without strategy, he continues to lead with integrity. A simple card game provided community and a career in public...
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Ryan Coonerty, County Supervisor, Santa Cruz
Ryan Coonerty knows Santa Cruz, California. After being raised in the small coastal city and then going across the pond and country for schooling, he returned to his hometown to get connected with public policy in a way that he felt he was missing in Washington D.C. Just because he has a passion…
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Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Development Services Agency, State of Ohio
Lydia Mihalik is a fierce team leader and has a passion for improving the lives of others, two qualities that have suited her perfectly for Ohio's public service as Director of the Development Services Agency. Though a Hoosier transplant, Lydia Mihalik has found a home in the buckeye state. An...
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Chris Cabaldon, Mayor, City of West Sacramento
West Sacramento has been an incorporated city since 1987 but most people living in the area never knew much about the city; Chris Cabaldon was no exception. In fact, he says the only reason why he discovered West Sacramento was because he accidentally got off on the wrong freeway exit. But he…
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Affie Ellis, Wyoming State Senator
A passionate representative for women, Navajo people, and Wyomingites, Affie Ellis is a force to be reckoned with and she hopes to use her curiosity and patience to dig deeply into century-old tensions for years to come. Join Ellis "In the Arena" for a thoughtful discussion about cultural…
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Beth Niblock, CIO, City of Detroit, MI
CIO uses courage, persistence to uplift Detroit through technology. Caring, passionate, and having always pushed back against the status quo, Beth Niblock has used her role as Detroit chief information officer to revitalize the city with technology after a tough period of bankruptcy.
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Eric Garcetti, Mayor, City of Los Angeles
Eric Garcetti says he ended up as the mayor of Los Angeles, California, "kind of by accident." He attributes his mayoral pathway to his parents who taught him the importance of public service and listening, and his humble and inclusive heart have helped him find success in the position. "You…
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TV's Ed O'Keefe: Preserving the Past and Defining the Future
From reporting on congress to building the first mobile streaming news network, small-town, north Dakotan Ed O'Keefe has extensive media experience. And as CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, O'Keefe is creating an experience that preserves and shares Roosevelt's…
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Blair Milo, Secretary of Career and Talent Connection for the State of Indiana
After five years of active duty in the Navy, including stints in Bahrain and at the Pentagon, Blair Milo saw that her hometown of LaPorte, Ind., was running out of money in six months. She thought, "How can this even happen?" This inspired her to run for mayor at the age of 28. She won and became...
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Kirsten Baesler, Superintendent of Public Instruction, North Dakota
Kirsten Baesler has a deep commitment to empowering students and a passion for raising the standards of education. She grew up in a family of seven and was always told, "It's not a question of if you can serve, it's a question how you can best serve." This led her to find her passion in education.
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Phil Bertolini, Co-Director, Center for Digital Government
During Phil Bertolini's 31 years of public service, he built a world-class IT organization in the second-largest county in Michigan. As former CIO and Deputy County Executive for Oakland County, MI., Phil oversaw more than 150 employees serving over 1.2 million residents. Phil's efforts earned…
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Dow Constantine, Executive, King County, Washington
A fourth-generation Washingtonian and life-long resident of King County, Dow Constantine, who lives in the same West Seattle neighborhood where he grew up, has been involved in local politics since joining a preservation effort as a law school student in the 1980s. Throughout his service in the...
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Harry LaRosiliere, Mayor, City of Plano, TX
Harry LaRosiliere knew he would be a mayor 20 years before it happened. Today he is serving his second term as mayor of Plano, Texas. LaRosiliere comes from humble beginnings. Born in Haiti, he moved with his family to New York as a child where his mother cleaned office buildings and his father...
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Rebecca Rhynhart, City Controller, City of Philadelphia
People thought Rebecca Rhynhart was crazy when she decided to run for Philadelphia controller. At the time, the city never had a woman in the position. Rhynhart also did not have a traditional political background, working on Wall Street for seven years before transitioning to city government. In...
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Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University
We live in a time of political division and public fear about the future. But one conversation with Dr. Crow might just make you optimistic. Dr. Crow has been the president of Arizona State since 2002. He previously served as Executive Vice Provost of Columbia University, where he also taught...
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Toi Hutchinson, State Senator, Illinois
Toi Hutchinson knows how to make a comeback. Her first foray into politics came when she challenged an incumbent to run for atownship supervisor seat in Illinois. She lost.The day after the election, an Illinois state senator asked Hutchinson to be her chief of staff. A few years later, when the...
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Young Mayors: Recorded Live at GOV Summit on Government Performance and Innovation
U.S. mayors have a lot on their plates these days. From infrastructure to climate concerns, today's rising class of local politicians are changing the way things are done and seeking out creative solutions to help their residents. Four of these promising leaders had the opportunity to speak on a...
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Chris Castro, Director of Sustainability, City of Orlando
Chris Castro is full of big ideas, and he's ready to shake up how local governments do business. Castro's love for the environment grew on his parent's palm tree farm in Miami. Now, he combines that passion with innovation as Orlando's Director of Sustainability. His project includes the city's...
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Kim Foxx, State's Attorney for Cook County, Illinois
Kimberly Foxx is unapologetic for where she came from and what she believes in. Foxx grew up in the 1970s and '80s in Chicago's infamous Cabrini-Green public housing project, a development known for high crime rates and police neglect. Her family later moved to the more affluent Lincoln Park, but...
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Doug Burgum, Governor, State of North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt doesn't have a presidential library. Yet. A nonprofit foundation in North Dakota, with the help of technologists, historians and Gov. Doug Burgum, is working to correct that oversight. When Burgum talks about public service, he sounds a lot like Roosevelt, who said, "It is not...
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Nan Whaley, Mayor, City of Dayton, Ohio
It is the way things have always been done in Dayton. Neighbors talk to each other over fences and on porches about what they are really thinking about. Tapping into that dynamic helped Nan Whaley become mayor in 2013. Even after she won, she still keeps in touch with the Ohio city's 140,000...
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Steve K. Benjamin, Mayor, City of Columbia, SC
Mayor Steve Benjamin is no stranger to having difficult conversations on a public scale. He got his start in politics as a student activist seeking to bring the Confederate flag down from the South Carolina statehouse. In his new role as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, he speaks with...
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Kristen Cox, Executive Director, OMB, State of Utah
Kristen Cox knows about constraints. After the fiscal crisis, the Executive Director of the Utah Office of Management and Budget applied the same kind of fiscal stress tests the Federal Reserve uses on banks to do a reality check on the State of Utah's books. It surfaced both the state's…
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Acquanetta Warren, Mayor, City of Fontana, CA
Mayor Acquanetta Warren credits her father for her big dreams. "You've been to the moon," he used to say. There was some truth to that. Acquanetta Warren's election in 2010 was historic. She is Fontana, Calif.'s first female and first African-American mayor. Her inspiration for public service is...
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Greg Fischer, Mayor, City of Louisville, KY
On his Inauguration Day in 2011, Greg Fischer turned heads when he announced an experiment to make Louisville "the nation's first compassionate city." "Nobody disagrees with the concept of compassion. But the question is, how do you operationalize it in a city?" In the last seven years, the city...
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Themis Klarides, Minority Leader, Connecticut Legislature
Themis Klarides has made a career of defying expectations. Earlier this year, the Connecticut House minority speaker resisted pressure to run for the open governor's race in her state. Instead, she's making a play to form a Republican majority and become Speaker. Klarides, 52, the first woman...
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Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles
On the heals of the 86th annual meeting of the US Conference of Mayors in Boston over the weekend, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says mayors have what America wants. Garcetti, 47, has been testing the waters for a potential presidential bid in 2020. Even if he doesn't run, he hopes other mayors...
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Clay Jenkinson, Humanities Scholar, Roosevelt Expert
On April 23, 1910, Theodore Roosevelt gave what would become one of the most widely quoted speeches of his career. In it, the nation's 26th president used his hyperbolic oratory to bear on the themes of leadership and loneliness. "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how…
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PREVIEW: ON BEING IN THE ARENA
In a new podcast from Governing magazine, Cathiea Robinett interviews public officials who serve In The Arena today about courage, compassion and creativity in public leadership. The debut season features conversations with: Clay Jenkinson, Author, Educator, Roosevelt Scholar Greg Fischer, Mayor…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Taken from a famous Theodore Roosevelt speech regarding his own time "In the Arena," this podcast features government officials who are truly making a difference and challenging the status quo. Governing President, Cathilea Robinett, tours you through the halls of cities, counties and states to bring you a slice of what is best in American leadership today.
HOSTED BY
Cathilea Robinett and GOVERNING Magazine
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does In The Arena have?
In The Arena currently has 46 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is In The Arena about?
Taken from a famous Theodore Roosevelt speech regarding his own time "In the Arena," this podcast features government officials who are truly making a difference and challenging the status quo. Governing President, Cathilea Robinett, tours you through the halls of cities, counties and states to...
How often does In The Arena release new episodes?
In The Arena has 46 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to In The Arena?
You can listen to In The Arena on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts In The Arena?
In The Arena is created and hosted by Cathilea Robinett and GOVERNING Magazine.
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