In this episode, The Clear Voice host James Groom and Clear Career Professionals President Michael Boese sit down with Dr. Alex del Carmen, one of the nation’s leading experts on policing practices, racial profiling research, and community trust. For nearly three decades, Dr. del Carmen has trained every police chief in Texas, consulted with agencies across the country, and helped shape modern accountability standards. Dr. del Carmen shares his remarkable personal journey from civil war and communism in Nicaragua to becoming a nationally recognized criminologist, professor, consultant, and...

This week on The Clear Voice, host James Groom and Clear President Michael Boese sit down with Pey Zeigler, a graduate student at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, where she is pursuing her Master of Public Service and Administration (MPSA). Pey shares how faith, family, and hands-on experience shaped her calling to serve, including her internship with the City of College Station, Texas. The conversation explores how thoughtful internship programs, both paid and unpaid, can create opportunities for students from every background while helping cities...

Public trust does not happen by accident. It is built through consistent and intentional communication. In this episode of The Clear Voice, Lara Price, a Communications Manager for a Texas school district, joins host James Groom to explore how local governments and public organizations can strengthen their connection with the community in today's digital landscape. Lara shares practical strategies for managing communications with limited resources, using tools like AI and Canva effectively, and creating policies that balance transparency with compliance. She discusses the importance of...

Cities grow, priorities shift, and what once worked may no longer fit. In this episode of The Clear Voice, host James Groom sits down with Clear Career Professionals President Michael Boese to explore one of the firm’s most impactful services: the organizational review. These in-depth evaluations go beyond checklists and templates to take an honest, relationship-centered look at how cities and departments truly operate. Together, James and Michael discuss how Clear’s subject-matter experts draw on decades of municipal leadership experience to uncover hidden issues, identify strengths, and...

Not every fire is visible. In this episode of The Clear Voice, host James Groom is joined by Associate Vice President and retired Fire Chief Danny Kistner to explore the unseen pressures inside today’s fire departments. Together they examine the growing gap between community expectations and operational realities, from staffing shortages and training limitations to shifting public perceptions about what fire service looks like in modern cities. Chief Kistner shares lessons from his decades of leadership, offering insight into how communication, education, and transparency can help...

Financial wellness is not just about money. It is about leadership. Nick Daugherty, founder of FinancialCop, joins The Clear Voice to discuss how financial stress impacts performance, morale, and decision making across every level of public service. From eliminating debt to building healthy money habits, Nick explains why financial confidence is a leadership skill that benefits individuals, families, and entire organizations. This conversation challenges long-held ideas about pay, benefits, and retirement, showing how a culture of financial wellness can strengthen teams and improve decision...

City Manager Austin Bleess of Jersey Village, Texas has helped secure more than 31 million dollars in grant funding for his community, but his real impact comes from the culture he has built along the way. In this episode of The Clear Voice, Austin joins host James Groom and Clear Career Professionals President Michael Boese to talk about what it takes to win grants, manage them effectively, and use them to strengthen city operations rather than stretch them thin. From practical tips on preparation and data tracking to lessons in leadership and team engagement, Austin shares how purpose...

The latest episode of The Clear Voice spotlights the Finance Director opportunity in Rockdale, Texas, featuring City Manager Tim Kelty and Clear Career Professionals Vice President Kelly Kuenstler. They discuss how the role anchors a growing organization by managing core budgeting, accounting, utility billing, and financial reporting functions while partnering closely with the City Manager and department heads. The Finance Director leads the finance and utility billing team and supports a budget that includes a general fund of about 6.13 million dollars, enterprise funds totaling about 7.5...

On this episode of The Clear Voice Podcast, James Groom is joined by Interim Fire Chief Patty Faulkner, City Manager James Fisher, and Clear President Michael Boese to discuss the leadership opportunity to become Levelland’s next Fire Chief. Listeners will hear how the city’s supportive council, family-like culture, and strong community spirit make Levelland a rare and rewarding place to serve. From stories of resilience during disaster recovery to the city’s forward-looking vision for growth, this conversation shows why Levelland is a special place to lead. If you or someone you know is...

Technology is moving faster than ever and it is reshaping how cities and public safety organizations operate. From cloud solutions and AI to the constant threat of cyberattacks, leaders are being asked to make decisions that impact not just efficiency but also trust, safety, and the future of their communities. In this episode of The Clear Voice, we speak with retired Deputy Chief Ken Myers who recently founded Blue Logic Consulting Group with the goal of providing support to government agencies on the tech side. We dive into the intersection of leadership and technology, exploring how...