I spent many years serving Lincoln County as a Public Information Officer before becoming a commissioner. One of the greatest joys of that work was helping people — providing information, solving problems, and helping our community navigate government more effectively.
When we show up from an authentic space – we strengthen trust itself. People sense when someone is really listening and really trying to help.
One of the reasons I decided to run for county commissioner in 2022 was that I believed we could expand trust inside the organization and outward to the community. When I first took office, I spent much of my time listening and observing. What is secret sauce of relationships and ultimately our democratic ideals?
I began to recognize deeper organizational challenges. While many talented people work within county government, we had yet to develop a unified internal vision connecting departments, leadership, and public service goals.
Before my exile our internal teams were beginning to explore how we could improve our level of service to each other. There was hope and I felt optimistic despite the ongoing revelations of just how challenging change culture can be.
Healthy organizations — especially public institutions — need psychological safety. People should be able to ask questions, raise concerns, contribute ideas, and participate meaningfully without fear of exclusion or retaliation. That principle applies everywhere: families, workplaces, community organizations, and government alike.
People often ask me how I continue after 17 months of conflict, exclusion, and uncertainty.
The truth is: it has been difficult.
But this experience has also reinforced something important to me — democracy is tested less when times are good. We are all deeply tested when disagreement becomes uncomfortable. When we lose our resilience to remain open and collaborative things can spiral quickly.
I did not run for office because I believed governing would always feel good or because public service would always be affirming. I ran because I believe collaboration works best when:
- questions can be asked openly,
- processes are transparent,
- people are treated respectfully,
- staff, elected officials and the public can continue to engage
What keeps me going are the people who say, “Please keep asking questions.” At the same time, I really appreciate those who recognize that we are all neighbors, coworkers, and possibly friends. May we let curiosity be stronger than fear, strive to stay calm under pressure and use transparency to build empathy and trust.
[LEARN – Why Emotional Intelligence Is Important in Leadership]