Presidential Spotlight: County Storytellers
During his inaugural remarks at the 2025 NACo Annual Conference, President J.D. Clark outlined his presidential spotlight, “County Storytellers.” The spotlight, inspired by the importance of county leadership, will explore the art and science of powerful, purposeful stories.
“We are the storytellers. And our story is still being written.”
– NACo President J.D. Clark
The County Storytellers Toolkit
County Storytellers will explore the art and science of powerful, purposeful stories. Watch this space as new content is added throughout the year, related to themes like:
Crafting impactful narratives
Distill complex county challenges and solutions into compelling, concise messages fueled by rich examples and meaningful data
Leveraging technology
From video reels to automated transcription tools, scale content and amplify stories by harnessing the modern power of digital platforms
Turning data into stories
With a treasure trove of county data at our fingertips, maximize the balance of qualitative and quantitative elements to illustrate why our work matters, who it serves, and the impact of county investments
Building connection and trust
Tap into the power of stories to humanize government, reminding our constituents that behind every decision is a neighbor, a leader, a person who cares and an issue that matters
A Year of Storytelling
Throughout the year, we’ll spotlight counties telling stories with purpose and pride. We’ll share techniques, hear from local officials using storytelling to drive progress and explore how stories can break through the noise.
Key Moments
July 2025: Launch of storytelling campaign, “Voices of NACo at 90”
December 4-6, 2025: County Storytellers Symposium, Wise County, Texas
February 2026: Release of County Storytellers toolkit and workbook
February-July 2026: Conference workshops & webinars on storytelling
April 2026: County News Hot Topic on County Storytellers
County News
J.D. Clark takes office as NACo president
J.D. Clark stressed the importance of telling the county story as he took office as NACo president.
Conference
2025 Fall Board of Directors Meeting and County Storytellers Symposium
Under the leadership of National Association of Counties (NACo) President JD Clark, the 2025 NACo Storytellers Symposium and Fall Board of Directors Meeting will convene county leaders in Wise County, Texas December 4–6, 2025.
Professional Development Academy and National Association of Counties launch expanded partnership to support local government leaders
Professional Development Academy and NACo expand their partnership to train 10,000 more county leaders, equipping officials with critical leadership and tech skills.
J.D. Clark is up to a Texas-sized challenge
NACo's new president got his start in county government covering meetings for his local newspaper as a high school student.
NFL veteran harnesses magic and forgiveness to overcome adversity
No matter what the world throws at you, it’s up to you to chart your own path, NFL veteran and magician Jon Dorenbos told the NACo Annual Conference attendees.
Leading with purpose: Lessons from a four-star general
What do a county leader and a four-star general have in common? More than you might think.
County government attracts a new generation
Despite their generation’s online predilections, this pair of Gen Z county elected officials took a traditional approach to their campaigns.
Leading Your County's Digital Transformation
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
The digital era is upon us, and it has many leaders challenged by the digital transformation in front of them. NACo CIO Rita Reynolds and Dr. Tim Rahschulte, the chief architects of NACo’s AI Leadership Academy training program, are hosting this webinar to share insights and ideas on how some leaders are harnessing the power of digital products, services and processes to do more with less.
Rita and Tim will demystify the digital era by looking to the past and providing insights into the future – that is, in many ways, predictable. Join this webinar to explore the key elements of digital transformation and learn practical strategies to prepare for the digital future. To be sure, this digital future is not all about technology. The digital era is also about meeting customer expectations, employee accommodations and leveraging models to operate the business of government. We will explore together the importance of building a digital-ready organization and the need for skilling employees to meet new demands of new work.
This webinar is brought to you by NACo EDGE, establishing people, purchasing, and performance cost-saving solutions that can be applied to counties nationwide. EDGE is owned by NACo, advised by county leaders and 100% focused on solutions for U.S. Counties. Learn more about NACo EDGE here.
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