MEET THE 2024 LEADERSHIP TRAILBLAZER FINALIST Michelle Kivela

Today’s Trailblazer: Michelle Kivela

The League caught up with Trailblazer Finalist, Michelle Kivela, Town Manager, Parker, Colorado to talk about being named a Leadership Trailblazer and having a career in public service:

Q: Congratulations on being named a finalist for the Leadership Trailblazer Award. What does it mean to you to be nominated? 

I’ve seen the women who have been nominated for the Trailblazer award in the past and I have been so impressed with the caliber and quality of the women we have in this profession. To be nominated is so exciting (and a little intimidating)! It’s an honor and a privilege to be recognized for doing what I feel is an obligation of my position as a female leader. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to reciprocate the support and mentoring I’ve received throughout the years and connect with future generations of female leaders.

Q: What led you to a career in public service?

I lived overseas when I was a child in a country with few privileges, not only for women, but also for the average person who wanted to be engaged and participate in their government. I believe that, in part, shaped my desire and determination to be a part of making an impact on communities. While working on my Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, I remember my parents asking me what I was going to do once I graduated. My response at age 19 was that I didn’t really know, but the inner workings of government – all of it – was what I loved. Fortunately, I had a wonderful college counselor who asked me why and guided me to a Master of Public Administration where I could get involved at the local government level. At the local level I could be involved in it all – parks and recreation, public works, public safety, elected officials, communications, and more!

Q: Who were your mentor(s) or advocate(s) in your career?

Early on, I benefitted from coaching and mentoring while at University of North Texas through the Texas City Management Association (TCMA), which included a program that paired up students with mentors. It was invaluable and provided me with resources that I could use throughout my career. When I was straight out of college and working in my first full time position with the City of Sugar Land, I was eager to be engaged and learn from others. I began reaching out to as many City Managers and Deputy/Assistant City Managers as I could asking them to meet with me or have lunch to just learn from them. What was so impressive was that no one turned me down – they all wanted to promote and support the next generation. Additionally, through those interactions and advice, a group of us created the Urban Management Professionals of Southeast Texas (UMPSET) to provide a forum for professional development, networking and promote leadership roles within local government and public service. Those individuals early in my career, and so many others along the way, have continued to be a part of my life throughout my career. I am so appreciative of all of them.

Q: What is the most important lesson you learned while coming up in your career?

For me that lesson was to truly have that work life balance and not just talk about it, but live it. With work/life balance, it’s not just the time spent between work and home. It’s not just making sure you take vacations, or you go see your child’s play or sporting event. It’s releasing yourself from that emotional piece that can occur with work. As women, we have additional challenges and expectations of being care takers whether it’s children, parents or other family members. It’s coming home and not bringing that stress or frustration that you sometimes can have with this chosen career. Our jobs are not easy, and I feel like it’s getting harder as partisan politics become more prevalent at the local level. It took me a long time to be able to “let it go” and understand I’m doing the best I can. My goal is to be able to sleep at night knowing I did what I could that day with my morals and ethics intact. A big part of that, is knowing that I am taking care of my team members and the organization to the absolute best of my abilities, and I can’t change things that aren’t in my control.

Q: What advice do you have for women just beginning their careers who would like to be an executive in local government some day?

It’s important to have other women in the profession that you can talk to, whether it’s sharing successes or venting about hard times, which we all go through! I’ve always relied on others in our profession and haven’t been afraid to show the uncertainty, self-doubt, and insecurity we all experience at times. Over the years when I’ve talked and coached other women coming into the profession, I want them to know they’re not alone and others have experienced what they may be facing. We’re not alone and in tough times and good times, remember to reach out to others in the profession. We’ve all been there, and this is your lifeline!

During COVID, a group of female managers in the Denver area needed that support and to know we weren’t alone in what we were dealing with in our communities. We decided every Friday from 4-5pm was “our time” and started a Zoom happy hour (you didn’t have to drink; Happy Hour could just be your happy time with friends and colleagues). We called the group “Cool Women in Government” and were committed to maintaining that time for us. Once the pandemic was over and things went back to business as usual, we’ve stayed committed and have grown our group to include other women in the Denver metro area. We still meet every month on a Friday afternoon, but in person now (and even did a short girls trip last year!).

 Q: What do you hope to leave as your legacy in local government when your career comes to an end?

I hope to leave a legacy that demonstrates the importance and value of people. Supporting and lifting people up, whether it be other women in the local government profession or employees in the organizations I have served, has been my aspiration throughout my career. It’s about placing value on all individuals in the organization and creating a culture for everyone that embodies communication, respect, value and really enjoying the time spent together doing work that matters. Culture in an organization is so important to me – we spend so much time at work. I want my experience at work to be an open, supportive and a fun experience – I try to laugh everyday (mostly!) and have strived to create a culture that provides the same for every employee.

I recently had a staff member tell me that being able to leave work at work and compartmentalize different aspects of life has got to be one of the most important (and most difficult) lessons for a successful manager. Many never learn how to do this well but that I’ve been able to exemplify this skill and model it for all employees. He continued that the most impactful thing he’s noticed since joining the Parker team is the positive culture and the emphasis placed on honoring employees. The type of culture we’ve created is one that cities and towns strive for but rarely achieve. The professionalism here is something that he mentions to everyone who asks how he likes working at the Town of Parker and that professionalism stems from the value employees feel is placed on them and the work they do. That culture equals a great experience for staff and ultimately – more importantly – for residents and that is a legacy to be proud of.