The HaltingWinter Podcast

Doreen Jokerst: Modernizing Policing from the Inside Out
A Better Future Begins with the People Behind the Badge
Episode 406 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Sponsored by Tyler Technologies

America Runs on Local Government. Now you can wear the message with pride and help us tell the stories behind it. Shop the limited-edition Founders Collection, available for preorder through November 22: https://shop.haltingwinter.com/
What does it really take to modernize policing? New technology, better equipment, and updated policies are part of the equation, but Overland Park, Kansas, Police Chief Doreen Jokerst believes meaningful transformation begins somewhere else: with the people and culture inside the organization.
In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Doreen joins Seth Winterhalter to explore why the future of policing depends on intentional leadership, employee wellness, organizational trust, and a commitment to taking care of those who serve their communities.
Drawing on her experience in municipal and university policing, Doreen discusses the cumulative toll of public safety work, the importance of creating a culture where employees feel supported, and why leaders must model the very behaviors they expect from their teams.
She also shares her approach to building a strong partnership with the city manager, breaking down departmental silos, engaging community members through listening rather than defensiveness, and helping residents better understand the complexities of local government.
For city managers, police chiefs, department directors, and municipal leaders, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: You can't transform the services you provide without investing in the people who provide them.
About Doreen Jokerst
Doreen Jokerst serves as Chief of Police for the City of Overland Park, Kansas. Her law enforcement career includes nearly two decades with the Parker Police Department in Colorado and service as Chief of Police at the University of Colorado Boulder. A founding board member of The Curve, a nonprofit focused on advancing police leadership and organizational culture, Doreen is passionate about modernizing policing through intentional leadership, employee wellness, and meaningful community relationships.
At the 2026 ICMA Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, Doreen presented "Beneath the Surface: Understanding Policing Culture and What It Takes to Modernize It," a session examining the role of city managers in supporting police leadership, strengthening organizational culture, prioritizing employee wellness, and navigating the challenges of modern policing.
This Episode is Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software and technology solutions built specifically for local government. From artificial intelligence and resident engagement to budgeting, planning, and public service delivery, Tyler helps communities operate more efficiently and serve residents more effectively. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC): Leadership shouldn't be carried alone. The MLDC is evolving in 2027 with practical leadership development and new, role-specific Mastermind cohorts designed to build trusted relationships with municipal leaders who understand your challenges. Join the Waitlist Here: https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker, storyteller, and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week: You're Not Listening
Episode 405 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
We think we're listening as long as we're not interrupting. But most of us are just waiting for our turn to talk, and in local government, that habit costs more than we realize. This week in the MLDC, Seth Winterhalter digs into You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters by journalist Kate Murphy, exploring what her two-year investigation into the science of listening reveals for city managers, county administrators, and department heads navigating council meetings, staff conversations, and public pushback. 
The MLDC
Leadership in local government doesn't get easier as you move up. The decisions get harder. The expectations get higher. And the number of people you can openly process those challenges with gets smaller.
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) gives local government leaders a place to keep growing alongside other professionals who understand the complexity of leading in local government.
Inside the MLDC, you'll sharpen how you think, strengthen how you lead, and turn leadership ideas into practical action through:
• Monthly Mastermind Sessions with municipal leaders from across North America
• Leadership Development built specifically around the realities of local government
• Practical Tools & Resources you can immediately apply with your team and organization
• Ongoing Learning designed to keep you growing throughout the year
You spend every day developing your organization, your employees, and your community.
The MLDC is an investment in developing you.
→ Explore the Municipal Leadership Development Circle: https://haltingwinter.com/mldc/
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Sherilyn Lombos: The Most Important Council Meetings Aren't Public
The Conversations That Build Trust, Defuse Conflict, and Keep Politics from Derailing Progress
Episode 404 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Sponsored by Tyler Technologies

The most important conversations between city managers and elected officials often happen long before anyone takes their seat at the dais.
After 20 years as City Manager of Tualatin, Oregon, Sherilyn Lombos has learned that trust isn't built during a crisis. It's developed through intentional relationships, honest conversations, and a willingness to address difficult issues before they become public confrontations.
In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Sherilyn joins Seth Winterhalter to explore how regular one-on-one meetings with elected officials can strengthen relationships, reduce surprises, protect staff, and create the conditions for effective governance.
But the conversation goes far beyond council relationships. Sherilyn shares lessons from two decades of leadership about building a lasting organizational culture, developing resilience through adversity, and creating a legacy that continues long after you've left the position.
Because the relationships you invest in today often determine how you navigate the challenges of tomorrow.
2026 ICMA Annual Conference: Sherilyn presented How to Make Your One-on-Ones with Your Elected Officials Really Count in Long Beach, California. The session explores why regular individual conversations with elected officials matter and how city managers can use them to build trust, improve communication, and prepare for more productive council meetings. Find the recording on the ICMA members' website.
About Sherilyn Lombos
Sherilyn Lombos has served as City Manager of Tualatin, Oregon, for 20 years, helping shape the city's organizational culture, community engagement, and approach to local governance. Her leadership emphasizes trust, employee well-being, strong relationships with elected officials, and building an organization where people want to work.
This Episode is Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software and technology solutions built specifically for local government. From artificial intelligence and resident engagement to budgeting, planning, and public service delivery, Tyler helps communities operate more efficiently and serve residents more effectively. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC): Leadership shouldn't be carried alone. The MLDC is evolving in 2027 with practical leadership development and new, role-specific Mastermind cohorts designed to build trusted relationships with municipal leaders who understand your challenges. Mastermind applications are open now at https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker, storyteller, and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Alex Mansfield: The Impossible Math of Local Government
Leading When the Responsibilities Outnumber Your Resources
Episode 403 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Sponsored by Tyler Technologies

The expectations of local government never seem to shrink, but the resources available to meet them are another story. How do you lead a community when every decision involves competing priorities, limited budgets, and responsibilities that never stop growing?
In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Alex Mansfield, City Administrator of Amery, Wisconsin, to explore the realities of municipal leadership and the difficult decisions required to turn community priorities into meaningful progress.
Following in the footsteps of his late mother, who also served as a city manager, Alex brings a unique perspective shaped by experiences in municipalities ranging from small communities to large metropolitan organizations. He shares why understanding a community's history is essential to shaping its future, how budgets reveal an organization's true priorities, and why effective leadership requires more than simply doing more with less.
They also discuss the challenges of economic development in smaller communities, the importance of professional relationships, and why leaders must model the personal well-being they want their employees to experience.
ICMA Conference Session: Alex is a panelist for Supporting Small Businesses in Small Places at the 2026 ICMA Annual Conference in Long Beach. The session explores creative, practical approaches to economic development for communities with limited budgets, constrained space, and fewer traditional growth opportunities. If you missed the session, look for the conference recording.
About Alex Mansfield
Alex Mansfield serves as City Administrator for the City of Amery, Wisconsin, a community of approximately 3,000 residents. A second-generation municipal leader, Alex was inspired to pursue public service by his late mother, whose career in city management demonstrated the profound impact local government can have on communities. His approach to leadership emphasizes fiscal responsibility, community understanding, strategic decision-making, and building organizations that serve both residents and employees well.
This Episode is Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software and technology solutions built specifically for local government. From artificial intelligence and resident engagement to budgeting, planning, and public service delivery, Tyler helps communities operate more efficiently and serve residents more effectively. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC): Leadership shouldn't be carried alone. The MLDC is evolving in 2027 with practical leadership development and new, role-specific Mastermind cohorts designed to build trusted relationships with municipal leaders who understand your challenges. Mastermind applications are open now at https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker, storyteller, and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week: The Speed of Trust
Episode 402 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
When was the last time you considered why a simple decision in your organization somehow requires four signatures and six weeks? It might not be a process problem; it might be a trust problem. This week in the MLDC, Seth Winterhalter breaks down The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey and makes the case that trust isn't a soft skill; it's an economic force with a measurable speed and cost.
From the "trust tax" that slows everything down to the five waves that build trust from the inside out, this episode sets up a week of practical, local-government-specific applications inside the MLDC. 
The MLDC
Leadership in local government doesn't get easier as you move up. The decisions get harder. The expectations get higher. And the number of people you can openly process those challenges with gets smaller.
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) gives local government leaders a place to keep growing alongside other professionals who understand the complexity of leading in local government.
Inside the MLDC, you'll sharpen how you think, strengthen how you lead, and turn leadership ideas into practical action through:
• Monthly Mastermind Sessions with municipal leaders from across North America
• Leadership Development built specifically around the realities of local government
• Practical Tools & Resources you can immediately apply with your team and organization
• Ongoing Learning designed to keep you growing throughout the year
You spend every day developing your organization, your employees, and your community.
The MLDC is an investment in developing you.
→ Explore the Municipal Leadership Development Circle: https://haltingwinter.com/mldc/
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com