The HaltingWinter Podcast

Paz Gomez: The Mission Behind Public Works
From Navy Engineering to Building Thriving Communities
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "7f0aa905-d803-4481-9e44-c1a088a011df" data-testid= "conversation-turn-12" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode 335 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
During National Public Works Week, we're highlighting the people and stories behind the infrastructure that keeps our communities moving forward every single day.
In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager overseeing Public Works for the City of Carlsbad, California, and one of the American Public Works Association's Top 10 Public Works Leaders of 2025.
From growing up in a Filipino Navy family to serving as a commanding officer in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps, Paz shares a remarkable journey of leadership, engineering, service, and community impact. The conversation explores the hidden realities of public works leadership, the similarities between military bases and city operations, the importance of breaking down silos across departments, and why the future of local government depends on developing the next generation of leaders.
This episode is a powerful reminder that public works is about far more than roads, pipes, and projects. It's about building communities where people can thrive.
Whether you serve in public works, utilities, engineering, administration, or community leadership, this conversation will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the people quietly building and sustaining the places we call home.
 
Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Julie Underwood: Building More Than Infrastructure
Why Public Works Must Build People, Not Just Projects
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "7f0aa905-d803-4481-9e44-c1a088a011df" data-testid= "conversation-turn-12" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode 334 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
Julie Underwood's journey into local government leadership is anything but ordinary.
Born in Vietnam and raised in the American South, Julie shares how identity, belonging, and resilience shaped both her life and leadership philosophy. From serving as city manager in multiple communities to now leading Public Works for the City of Kirkland, Washington, Julie offers a powerful perspective on the human side of municipal leadership and the often-overlooked work that keeps communities thriving.
In this National Public Works Week episode, Seth and Julie explore the leadership pipeline crisis facing local government, why technical expertise alone does not prepare someone to lead people, and the urgent need to intentionally develop the next generation of municipal leaders.
The conversation also highlights the incredible impact of public works professionals—from transportation and utilities to infrastructure, redevelopment, and community experience—and why this work is about far more than potholes and pavement.
Julie also shares the story behind the Northwest Women's Leadership Academy, a program she helped launch to support and accelerate women into leadership roles across local government.
This episode is a conversation about service, leadership, growth, belonging, and the people building communities every single day.
Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – Belonging
Episode 333 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
_*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> What if the biggest thing holding your team back has nothing to do with skills, systems, or strategy? In this episode, Seth Winterhalter digs into Belonging by Owen Eastwood, the performance coach behind the England Football team, NATO's Command Group, and the British Olympic team, and why his central argument should be strongly considered by every local government leader: belonging isn't a soft concept. It is the foundational condition for human performance.
Seth unpacks three ideas from the book that hit differently in a local government context: the Us Story and your responsibility as the storyteller-in-chief for your organization, the silent dance and the invisible signals you're sending every single day, and why belonging has to come before performance, not after it.
If you lead a city, county, or public agency and you've ever wondered why talented people disengage, why new employees take so long to find their footing, or why your teams don't quite move like a connected whole, this episode and book are for you.


Join the MLDC for the Complete 5-Part Series
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a network of local government leaders from across North America, including city/county managers, administrators, and department heads, giving you access to: 

     ✔ A weekly podcast series breaking down one book for municipal applications
     ✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation tools
     ✔ Our live, weekly, virtual mastermind session
     ✔ Monthly webinars with relevant training from local gov leaders
➡ Learn more at www.HaltingWinter.com/MLDC
Resources Mentioned
Book: Belonging by Owen Eastwood
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Kathy Hodgson: When You're Not Ready, But You Lead Anyway
The Reality of Growing Into the Role of City Manager
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "7f0aa905-d803-4481-9e44-c1a088a011df" data-testid= "conversation-turn-12" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode 332 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
What happens when you step into the biggest leadership role of your career…and realize you're not ready?
In this episode, Kathy Hodgson—longtime City Manager of Lakewood, Colorado—shares the honest story of growing into leadership in real time. From starting as a teenage lifeguard to leading one of the largest cities in the state, her journey isn't built on a perfect plan; it's built on saying yes, learning fast, and leading through uncertainty.
Kathy opens up about the overwhelming early days of city management, the imposter syndrome that comes with the role, and how she leaned on her team to find her footing. She reflects on the values that shaped her leadership—fairness, forgiveness, and treating people with dignity—and why those matter more than ever in today's environment.
The conversation also explores how the job has changed. Issues like homelessness, incivility, and political polarization have reshaped what it means to lead at the local level, placing city managers at the center of some of the most complex challenges facing communities today.
This episode is a reminder that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about being willing to step in, stay steady, and grow into the responsibility.
Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead with clarity and conviction. Learn more at https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Christopher Wren: Similar Roles, Different Realities
The Shift from Service Delivery to System-Level Leadership
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "7f0aa905-d803-4481-9e44-c1a088a011df" data-testid= "conversation-turn-12" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode 331 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies
Most people assume that city and county leadership are essentially the same role, just at different scales.
They're not.
In this episode, Christopher Wren, County Administrator of Newaygo County, Michigan, shares the critical distinction that changed how he leads: cities are built on service delivery, while counties operate through systems.
Christopher walks through his journey from city management to the private sector and back into public service at the county level, offering a rare perspective on how leadership changes when the work becomes less about direct control and more about coordination, influence, and trust.
We explore the realities most people never see:
Why local government remains one of the least understood professions and what that's costing us
The pressure, responsibility, and unpredictability behind everyday decisions
How early crises shaped his leadership approach and decision-making
The challenge of leading across elected officials, departments, and jurisdictions
Why presence, not position, is what builds trust inside an organization
How he navigated burnout and what it took to come back differently
This conversation is a clear reminder: leadership in local government isn't about having all the answers. It's about building the systems and the people that make the work possible.
Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software solutions designed specifically for the public sector and local government. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a global community for local government leaders who want ongoing support, practical insights, and a trusted peer network to help them lead without burning out. Learn more at https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect with Seth Winterhalter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com