Max Fisher on starting a career in city management
Where will the next City Managers come from? In this episode of The Clear Voice, host James Groom and Clear President Michael Boese talk with Max Fisher, a recent Texas Tech Master of Public Administration graduate who works in the City Manager's Office in Levelland, Texas.
Fisher finished his MPA in December 2025 at age 22 and has enrolled in Texas Tech's Certified Public Manager program. He describes how he found the profession, what surprised him in his first months at City Hall and what cities and universities can do to bring more people into public service.
From pre-law to public administration
Fisher expected to go to law school. An undergraduate internship with a dispute resolution office had him revising policies that dated to 2002, and it changed his direction. Law, he says, has an impact that is deep but narrow, while policy and management reach thousands of people at once.
He also learned that the results take time to see. It was two to three years before he saw his policy recommendations in use.
How he earned the job in Levelland
Fisher met Levelland's City Manager while interviewing managers for a Texas City Management Association (TCMA) Intercollegiate Bowl project on artificial intelligence. When he heard the city might want an intern, he spent several days analyzing its budget, built forecasts and presented the work in his interview. He started as an intern in April and was promoted to a full-time role in the City Manager's Office that fall.
What the classroom does and does not teach
The MPA, Fisher says, teaches a way of thinking more than a set of facts. Working in a smaller city showed him the practical side, including systems that were more dated than he expected. He chose to treat that as work worth doing. Groom agrees that a place with room to improve can be a better start than one where everything already runs well.
Fisher credits practitioners who teach in the program for lessons about pace. A manager who wants to go from one to ten may need to go from one to three, then to five, and stay there for a while so the organization and the community can keep up.
Mentors, peers and West Texas
Fisher says people in local government want to help each other, which surprises friends in the private sector. He counts city managers who post their wins and challenges on LinkedIn as a form of mentorship.
Boese notes that West Texas cities can be harder to recruit for, which opens earlier leadership opportunities for people willing to go. Fisher pushes back on the idea that the region is where careers go to die.
Technology will not replace walking down the hall
Fisher says his generation prefers a text to a phone call, and he still argues for in-person conversation. Five or ten minutes at someone's desk can surface a personal struggle, or a process that has an employee entering the same data into three forms.
"Local government is a missional work. It's a calling really," he says. The task list matters, but it should never get in the way of talking with staff and residents.
Reaching students before college
Fisher did not know what a City Manager was until about two years before the recording. He grew up in an unincorporated area and assumed it was a city. He suggests cities partner with middle and high schools, bring in the City Manager and Public Works Director, and offer apprenticeships for water and wastewater operators and for government accounting.
Boese adds that engineers, utility operators and finance directors are among the hardest roles to fill, and that the pitch to students should be about purpose as much as pay.
Fisher's advice for MPA students and new professionals
Get on LinkedIn and tell your own story, because nobody will tell it for you.
Do the readings. The program shapes how you think even when it does not feel like it.
Meet practitioners in person at TCMA regional meetings and conferences.
Bring real work to an interview, such as an analysis of the city's budget.
Remember that department heads are the experts, and listen before deciding.
Episode chapters
- 00:00Why connection comes before the task list
- 01:19What is new at Clear for 2026
- 02:41Meet Max Fisher
- 04:00From pre-law to public administration
- 06:35Landing an internship with the City of Levelland
- 07:53The MPA and the Certified Public Manager program
- 09:08Mentorship in a profession that helps its own
- 11:39From classroom theory to City Hall
- 13:01The MPA talent pipeline in Texas
- 15:37Early leadership opportunities in West Texas
- 19:30Technology and in-person conversations
- 25:51Introducing local government careers in schools
- 32:32Max's five and ten year goals
- 40:15Advice for MPA students
Questions this episode answers
How do you start a career in city management?
Fisher's path was an MPA, a competition project that put him in front of working city managers, an internship and then a full-time role in a City Manager's Office. He recommends meeting practitioners in person and showing up to an interview with real analysis.
Is an MPA worth it for local government?
Fisher says the degree teaches how to think about public problems, and that the value becomes clear once you are on the job. He is pairing it with the Certified Public Manager program for practical training and a wider network.
How can cities attract younger professionals?
Invite MPA students to regional association meetings and trainings, offer internships and make the profession visible earlier. Fisher and Boese both suggest reaching middle and high school students and creating apprenticeships in utilities and finance.
Should early-career professionals apply for leadership roles?
Boese encourages it. He tells younger candidates not to let age or years of experience keep them from applying when they believe they are ready to serve, especially in regions where the candidate pool is smaller.
Watch the episode
Watch The Next Generation of Public Service with Max Fisher on YouTube
The Clear Voice is also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and every major podcast platform. See all episodes of The Clear Voice.
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About The Clear Voice Podcast
The Clear Voice is a dedicated platform for transparency and expert led dialogue within the professional and public sectors. The show serves as a vital resource for leaders who want to move past surface level discussions and dive into the real world mechanics of governance, management, and organizational growth. James Groom is the host of the program.
About Clear Career Professionals
Clear Career Professionals is a specialized recruitment and strategic consulting firm focused on the public sector. We believe that the strength of any municipality or school district lies in the quality of its leadership and the cohesion of its teams. Our team is comprised of former practitioners and retired executives who understand the nuances of public service. We provide organizations with more than just a list of candidates; we provide the strategic oversight and expertise necessary to navigate transitions, maximize taxpayer funds, and implement long term solutions.
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