Community Catalysts

Many local leaders have given up on the idea that meaningful civic dialogue can happen on social media, a space many experience as deeply toxic. Sam Toles says the problem isn't social media as a whole, but the ways local governments often choose to show up there—approaches that can unintentionally fuel outrage rather than connection.
A former media executive, city council member, and founder of CiviSocial, Sam explains how the architecture of different platforms shapes online behavior—and what local leaders can do differently. Drawing on his work with local governments across the country, he outlines a practical playbook built on authenticity, human storytelling, and choosing the right platforms so communities can see government for what it truly is: neighbors serving neighbors.
LINKS
Sam Toles:  CiviSocial
Sam's demographic slide
 
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Produced by Social Prosperity Partners

When elections work well, most people never think about them. When something goes wrong, the entire system is suddenly under a microscope.
Dana Lewis, Recorder and Officer in Charge of Elections for Pinal County, speaks candidly about what it means to carry that responsibility. From chaotic election-day failures to rebuilding systems designed to prevent a single point of breakdown, Dana describes the pressure, precision, and teamwork required to run elections in today's climate. 
Her story offers a vivid look inside the invisible infrastructure of public life—and the people whose steady work keeps it functioning when the stakes are highest.
 
LINKS
Ask a Question or Leave a Comment:  602-688-2724
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Produced by Social Prosperity Partners

Optimism is not the first quality many people associate with public office. It is, however, the quality that defines Trustee Maiaika Velazquez.
Elected in lieu of opposition just minutes before the filing deadline, Maiaika stepped into school board service carrying lived experience shaped by poverty, special needs advocacy, and firsthand encounters with bureaucracy. She knows what it feels like to sit across the table and say, "We're not just a file."
This conversation explores governance shaped by lived experience—the discipline of representing an entire district while remembering families who often feel unseen. Maiaika reflects on imposter syndrome, growing fluency in board leadership, and the responsibility of decisions that affect real lives.
Her leadership is grounded, resilient, and forward moving. It is a reminder that public service can still be hopeful, even in complex times.
 
LINKS
MPUSD Prom Drive
 
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Produced by Social Prosperity Partners

What does it look like to shift from hands-on service to public stewardship? In Fallbrook, California—a rural community shaped by agriculture, military families, and economic challenge—that question takes on real meaning. Tauna Rodarte reflects on moving from decades of volunteer nonprofit leadership into the disciplined role of school board governance, where impact is measured less by direct action and more by steady oversight and long-term direction.
Our conversation explores the difference between service and governance, the importance of civility and consensus in public leadership, and the clarity that comes from understanding the proper role of an elected board. Along the way, Tauna shares hard-earned insights about building trust, exercising restraint, and strengthening the systems that allow students and communities to thrive.
LINKS
Ask a Question or Leave a Comment:  602-688-2724
Send Matt a Note:  [email protected] 
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Produced by Social Prosperity Partners

Policy choices shape communities—but values shape policy.
Chairman Jeffrey McKay reflects on leading Fairfax County through economic disruption while also advancing One Fairfax, a countywide framework that requires leaders to examine how decisions affect opportunity, access, and long-term outcomes across communities.
He discusses what it takes to hold together short-term crisis response and long-term institutional change—and why leadership at the local level must operate at multiple altitudes at once.
This episode is part of a monthly series sponsored by RELI – the Regional Elected Leaders Initiative at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government.
LINKS
One Fairfax:  https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/one-fairfax 
 
Ask a Question or Leave a Comment:  602-688-2724
Send Matt a Note:  [email protected] 
Apply to Be a Podcast Guest:  Click Here  
 
Connect on Substack and LinkedIn
Produced by Social Prosperity Partners