Spotlight on Leadership – The NACo Leadership Academy

The NACo High Performance Leadership Academy empowers frontline county government professionals with fundamental, practical leadership skills to deliver results for counties and residents. 

Graduates of the NACo Leadership Academy join a distinguished network of alumni, united by their shared commitment to excellence in leadership. As alumni, they continue to grow, collaborate, and lead with the knowledge and skills gained from the academy, making an impact across industries. This article showcases a recent graduate of the NACo Leadership Academy, showcasing their county and key takeaways from the program.

Brent Casey – Deputy Director for the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health – Riverside County California 

NACo High Performance Leadership Academy Graduate

• Number of years in your role: 28 years.
• Don’t miss this in my county: the Desert Region of Greater Palm Springs, the Temecula Wine Country.
• My biggest challenge: Several, but in terms of work, we are facing post-pandemic challenges of recruitment and retention of employees.
• My motivation for signing up for the NACo Leadership Academy: to be a more effective leader.
• My favorite part of the NACo Leadership Academy: My favorite part was connecting with colleagues across the country who experienced some of the same challenges our county faces.
• My favorite leadership rule of the NACo Leadership Academy: Communicate, communicate, communicate
• My leadership oath: I will maintain honesty and transparency with my team, and will make myself available to listen, evaluate and act based on integrity and the needs of my employees and the department.
• In my spare time I: hike, take in nature, listen to music, watch movies.
• I’m most looking forward to: continued growth within my current deputy director role.

Enrollment is now open for the new year in our January 2025 cohorts – NACo.org/skills

Learn more at NACo.org/skills or email Luke Afeman at lukea@pdaleadership.com.