AuthentiCity FM, Episode 35: Visibility, Values, and the Next Generation with Dr. Shannon Portillo
AuthentiCity FM, Episode 35: Visibility, Values, and the Next Generation with Dr. Shannon Portillo  
Podcast: AuthentiCity FM | Real Stories. Bold Ideas. Better Communities.
Published On: Tue May 12 2026
Description: A generation that wants to make a difference is coming of age without a clear map for how to do it. Most of them have never heard of city management as a career. Fewer still understand that local government is where the most direct, tangible impact on people's daily lives actually happens. Dr. Shannon Portillo, Director of ASU's School of Public Affairs, NAPA fellow, and recently recognized Local Gov 250 champion, is dedicated to closing that gap.The episode traces how the pipeline is actually built: fellowship programs, shadowships, and gen ed courses that reach students across disciplines who never planned to think about local government. It explores what's genuinely different about this generation arriving at the profession's doorstep, the eagerness to make change, the instinct to ask why rather than comply, and the friction that surfaces when that energy meets organizations built on institutional knowledge and decades-old rules that mostly still work until suddenly they don't.Dr. Portillo introduces a reframe worth sitting with, the case for moving from a nonpartisan framework to a partisan-inclusive one, and why that distinction matters for the long-term trust and viability of the profession. It's not a comfortable argument, but it’s absolutely worth thinking about.The closing challenge is the one that lingers. When professional management is done really well, no one notices it's there. That invisibility has long been a point of professional pride, and it is quietly costing the profession its next generation. Speaking up about what this work actually is, and why it matters, isn't bragging. It's recruiting.#AuthentiCityFM #LocalGovernment #Leadership #PublicService #ASU00:00 Introduction to Dr. Shannon Portillo01:03 Dr. Portillo's Origin Story04:05 The Transformation of ASU under Dr. Crow09:04 Bridging Academia and Local Government Practice11:39 The Evolving Role of Students in Public Service14:37 Curriculum Changes and Community Partnerships19:53 Building Strong Connections with Local Governments23:40 The Importance of Shadowing in Career Development29:31 Personal Insights and Hobbies of Dr. Portillo38:13 Celebrating Public Service Champions39:09 Understanding the National Academy of Public Administration43:16 The Role of Local Government in Democracy44:11 Why Choose ASU for Local Government Education46:36 The Importance of Partisan Inclusivity in Public Service49:50 Innovation in Local Government Education51:48 Insights from New Professionals in Local Government58:29 Navigating Change in Local Government01:01:32 Preparing Future Public Servants for Diverse Challenges01:12:00 The Need for Transparency in Local Government Work