On November 19th, Austin Councilmember Natasha Harper-Madison (District 1) spoke via Zoom with interested members of the public, and students, faculty, and staff from Texas State University. Dr. Marc A. Wallace from the public administration program served as the moderator for the 75-minute conversation. Her lively dialogue with the attendees about her journey into public service touched upon several themes, including her passion for public service, the benefits of learning from mistakes, the importance of mentorship, the value of close friendships, the challenges of work-life balance, and the intrinsic rewards she obtains from public service.
A number of the more than 90 participants commented about Ms. Harper-Madison’s relaxed, down-to-earth demeanor. Originally planned as a one hour event, the event was extended to afford her the chance to respond to as many questions as possible from the audience. One Master of Public Administration student stated, “I enjoyed Mrs. Harper-Madison’s presentation as it was a chance for a more personal discussion about her role in city government and her professional journey.”
