What they're saying

The public servants who show up every day to make government simpler, faster, and better finally have the playbook they deserve. Clear, practical, and immediately usable, Proudly Serving gives you exactly what you need — whatever you're working on. Open any chapter and get to work!

Hillary Hartley
Proud Former Public Servant

I think about how different our public institutions could feel if these practices were the norm, not the exception. Proudly Serving gives public servants at every level the framing and the tools to make that real. Built on trust, its methods are practical and accessible whether you’re finding your footing or leading through complexity.

Brian Whittaker
Founder
Humans of Public Service

Local government innovation is strongest when practitioners share what works. Proudly Serving captures that spirit - showcasing how public servants across the country are modernizing government and improving the way we serve our communities.

John Matelski
CIO
National Association of Counties (NACo)

I’ve proudly taken the Proudly Serving pledge, and this book reflects those values with clarity and purpose. Each chapter is a quick, plain-English read, allowing you to turn to whichever chapter you need most at any given moment. Written by some of the most thoughtful and inspiring voices in local government today, it’s both a useful resource and a meaningful reminder of why this work matters.

Jim Schutz
Former city manager and author
The Mayor Has a Hammer: Poems About Life in Local Government

Proudly Serving is a powerful reminder that none of us is doing this work alone. By surfacing the lessons and perspectives of practitioners across the field, these essays offer reassurance and direction to those stepping into uncharted territory. It allows us to learn from one another and move forward together with a stronger sense of purpose and possibility.

Lauren Lockwood
CEO & Cofounder (former Chief Digital Officer, City of Boston)
Bloom Works Public Benefit

Proudly Serving is a timely reminder that public service is strongest when it's shared. From nonprofits and businesses to newsrooms and classrooms, we all have a role to play in building the communities we want to live in. This is the civic call to action our moment demands.

Reilly Martin
Executive Director
Technologists for the Public Good