The Strong Towns Podcast How Strong Towns Is Scaling From Content to Action
Nov 11, 2025
Carlee Alm-LaBar, Chief of Staff at Strong Towns, guides the organization's shift from content to action. She shares insights on managing a dynamic team and the challenges faced in evolving the movement. Notably, they discuss transforming members from passive consumers to active change-makers in their communities. Carlee emphasizes the importance of local conversations and cohort programs, fostering collaboration among leaders. With strong relationships and thoughtful prioritization, Strong Towns is poised to make a significant impact.
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Air-Traffic-Control Leadership
- Carlee Alm-LaBar describes her chief-of-staff role as constant triage and team coordination like air traffic control.
- She makes many rapid micro-decisions and routes issues to the right people to keep the organization moving.
From Opponent To Partner
- Strong Towns now has easier pathways to influence institutions that once ignored them, like ASCE.
- Carlee urges using those relationships to bring Strong Towns ideas into mainstream practice.
Turn Applicants Into Members
- When hundreds apply and you must reject many, convert applicants into movement supporters rather than just sending a cold rejection.
- Invite them to join as members and plug into local conversations so they stay engaged.