Join our game changer speaker sessions for stories from those leading by example #ICMA2026

 Hear their innovative thinking and visions for better communities.

Sunday, October 18 | 10:15-11:15 AM

Brady Wilson

Spotting the Invisible Forces that Fuel Incivility (and How to Neutralize Them)

Incivility doesn’t appear out of nowhere, it’s driven by invisible forces that drain energy, erode trust, and push people into defensiveness. In this engaging keynote, Brady Wilson will help you recognize the human dynamics that fuel tension and polarization—and reveal how to neutralize them with awareness, empathy, and skill. Through compelling stories and practical insights, you’ll discover how to spot the early signs of relational strain, shift from judgment to curiosity, and rebuild the trust that enables collaboration and respect. This powerful session will leave you equipped to create the conditions where civility, connection, and performance can thrive.

Sunday, October 18 11:30 AM-12:30 PM

Leigh-Ann Buchanan

Leading Beyond the Public Good: Innovating Your Way to Public Excellence

Leigh-Ann’s presentation is designed to help you identify your inner innovator, utilize innovation as the antidote to disruption, and leverage your strengths as an engine for change.

 

Monday, October 19 | 1:15-2:15 PM

Eric Zimmer

How a Little Becomes a Lot: Small Changes for a Job That Never Lets Up

The demands on local government managers don’t let up: council meetings, budget cycles, staffing gaps, emergencies, constant public scrutiny. The premise of this session is simple: you don’t have to become a different person to do this job well and keep doing it. Eric shows how to identify what drains your energy and what restores it, how to handle the self-talk that shows up under pressure, and how to choose small changes that fit inside a full schedule. Attendees leave with one specific change and a plan for when to start it.

Tuesday, October 20 | 1:30 – 2:30 PM

Rachel Stern

Thinking Like an Investor When You Buy AI

Rachel Stern, Venture Capitalist and Managing Partner of Govtech Ventures, offers a new playbook for vetting, piloting and procuring AI tools as an investor would approach them to maximize for long term success