In honor of International Women’s History Month, the International City/County Management (ICMA) student chapter at Texas State University (TXST) hosted an event titled, “Women in Government.” The March 10th Zoom panel discussion featured Lauren Middleton-Pratt (Assistant City Manager of Buda), Karen Daly (Mountain Plains Regional director for the ICMA) and Ashley Wayman (Assistant City Administrator for the City of Rollingwood). The event focused on the women’s journey into local government, challenges they faced navigating a male-dominated world, and advice for students considering a career in local government. Breanna Higgins, president of the ICMA TXST student chapter moderated the discussion.
In this male-dominated field, Ms. Daly stated that local government should understand the value of having women within the administrative ranks. Although there is a considerable number of female MPA graduates, their trajectory into city leadership has not materialized. However, Ms. Wayman contends, “generally women have to jump up and down to be heard and taken seriously.” She was fortunate to work for two female city managers which impacted her experiences. Ms. Middleton-Pratt stated that she tries to be relatable, since she is one of the few women in the field.
Against this backdrop, the women offered the best advice they received in their career. Ms. Middleton-Pratt answered this question with a profound quote. “It is not about you. It is about the budget. There is always something else going on.” Ms. Daly provided her own series of thoughtful quotes. “It is not your city. It is the residents’ city.” The motivating factor that propels the women to continue working in local government revolved around their ability to serve a community. Ms. Daly stated humbly, “It is an honor to serve the public and make a difference, because residents may need something.” Ms. Middleton-Pratt observed that “real change happens at the local level.” Since she works with all the developers, her children get to see the results of her work. Not only is she part of the change, but “she has a hand in the change.”
