In this episode, host Janet Michael chats with Kit Redmer, Communications Director for the City of Winchester, and several of her fellow Civic Leadership Academy (CLA) classmates about their experiences in this immersive, nine-month program designed to connect residents with their local government.

What is the Civic Leadership Academy? The CLA is a program run by the City of Winchester that gives civically minded residents an inside look at how their city operates. Participants tour city departments, learn about the budget, meet city staff, and discover ways to get more involved. The program runs September through May, meeting the third Friday of each month from 1–4 PM.

Applications are now open! The next cohort begins in September. Up to 20 Winchester residents will be selected. 🔗 Apply here: https://www.winchesterva.gov/News-Happenings/Get-Engaged/Civic-Leadership-Academy

Guests Featured:

Kit Redmer – Communications Director, City of Winchester
Michael Gildea – CLA classmate; background in urban environmental planning and economic development
Jeff Layman – CLA classmate; 40-year Winchester resident and civil engineer
Kate McLawhorn – CLA classmate; Circulation Supervisor at Handley Public Library
Liv Heggoy – CLA classmate; works at Laurel Ridge Community College, 16-year Winchester resident

Highlights from the Program:

Tours of the water treatment and water reclamation (wastewater) plants
Public safety tour including fire department facilities
Visit to the 911 dispatch center
Introduction to the fire department's CARE program (connecting displaced individuals with resources)
Sessions covering law enforcement, fire & rescue, parks & recreation, social services, and more

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Opening the Hood: Inside Winchester's Civic Leadership Academy