I was asked to host a workshop at the International City and County Management Association Local Government Reimagined Workshop in Burlington Vermont in April 2023 on podcasts and public engagement.
Blog
Looking for recent writing?
This page contains an archive of articles, reflections, and updates spanning more than a decade. While I still occasionally post here, most new writing, podcast notes, project updates, and ideas are now published through:
Alex Torpey on Substack — essays, observations, and longer-form writing
Rethink Local — local government, community leadership, civic engagement, and consulting work
LinkedIn — where most "social media" updates are going these days
Rethinking Podcast — where I post interesting and somewhat long winded deep dives and conversations
If you're visiting for current projects and ideas, those are generally the best places to start!
Alex speaking at Dartmouth's Rockefeller Center
I was invited to speak at Dartmouth College's Rockefeller Center about local government innovation, community leadership, and some of the lessons I've learned working in and around municipal government. One of the things I enjoy most about these conversations is connecting local government practice with broader questions about civic life, trust, participation, and institutional effectiveness. Local government is often where people experience government most directly, and it remains one of the most important places to experiment with new ideas and approaches. But the conceptual and philosophical layer is an important foundation to understanding why things do or don't happen locally. I'm grateful to the Rockefeller Center for the invitation and for supporting conversations about public service and community leadership.
Presentation to the NJ Municipal Management Association on Public Engagement Trust
On Wednesday, March 9th, I hosted a workshop and discussion with the New Jersey Municipal Management Association entitled "How to use the internet to build public engagement and trust."
Alex interviewed on Sunday Civics podcast about civics, polarization, and cross-community building
Alex was interviewed by L. Joy Williams on her SiriusXM and podcast series "SundayCivics." The two discuss one of Alex's earlier "civic actions," which was getting interested in emergency medicine and joining the South Orange Rescue Squad as a volunteer EMT. They discuss online media and discourse, polarization, local government, and the importance of looking beyond divisiveness and finding areas where collaboration can occur. You can find the interview on the SundayCivics website here: https://www.sundaycivics.org/episodes/episode174.
Alex speaks to South Orange Public Library about polarization and civics
Alex joined Laura Sims from the South Orange Public Library as part of their "Special Conversations" series to discuss online media, polarization, new civics he and others are bringing out at Seton Hall, working with children at a YMCA, the value of science-fiction and a whole lot more. You can watch the video below!
Alex contributes to WalletHub's "Most Fun Cities"
What are ways that local governments can make their downtowns more inviting for businesses and visitors? Visiting Professor of Governance and Technology in Seton Hall University's Department of Political Science and Public Affairs provides a few clues on WalletHub's Most Fun Cities to visit index, including by streamlining zoning and permitting processes, providing more outdoor and pedestrian spaces, and more.
Alex joins panel at Seton Hall to discuss polarization, media, and politics
Alex joins several other panelists as they discuss social media, polarization, and politics in this panel hosted by the Digital Citizenery Project at Seton Hall University.