Turning Challenges into Change in Local Government (with Dayna Williams-Hunter) | Ep. 15
Turning Challenges into Change in Local Government (with Dayna Williams-Hunter) | Ep. 15  
Podcast: Ground Floor Government
Published On: Thu Nov 06 2025
Description: City clerks are often seen as formal and distant, yet behind those desks are leaders transforming their communities. Hugh Plappert sits down with Dayna Williams-Hunter to explore her unexpected path from entrepreneurship and drone photography to public service.ㅤDayna shares how one conversation led her to run for city clerk and discover her calling in local government. She talks about bringing technology and heart together — from digitizing a century of city records to running large-scale food drives. With humor, honesty, and determination, Dayna reflects on serving with neutrality, handling criticism, and leading change with compassion. Her story shows how curiosity, community, and technology can come together to shape better local government.ㅤ👤 Guest BioDayna Williams-Hunter is an elected city clerk whose career began through entrepreneurship and community partnerships. A certified drone pilot and longtime advocate for public service, she combines technology and social responsibility to enhance communication, transparency, and service in her city.ㅤ📌 What We CoverHow a marketing and drone project led to running for city clerkBalancing technology adoption with public service and community impactThe influence of African American innovators in everyday life and infrastructureNavigating communication, neutrality, and public trust as a city clerkLessons from leading food drives and nonprofit initiatives for community supportOvercoming pushback when modernizing processes and replacing paper bindersManaging major technology projects, including agenda software migrationDigitizing more than 100 years of city records for a new, efficient futureMentorship, learning from peers, and advice for new clerks entering the professionEncouragement for residents to get involved and understand their local governmentㅤ🔗 Resources MentionedCalifornia Municipal Clerk Association (CMCA)The Brown ActCalifornia Public Records Act (CPRA)“Black People Invented Everything” (book referenced by Dayna)ㅤGround Floor Government is hosted by Hugh Plappert and produced by PhoneLive.io.