County Leadership Curriculum
About
The County Leadership Curriculum is a program dedicated to enhancing the professional development and leadership skills of Counties officials and staff. Recognizing the evolving landscape of Counties governance, NACo’s curriculum is designed to reflect the continuous growth essential for effective leadership.
Structure and Tracks
The CLC offers a structured learning experience through three specialized tracks with training spanning over two years. Workshops are held at NACo’s Legislative Conference, Western Interstate Region conference and the Annual Conference. In order to successfully complete the program, attendees must attend a minimum of 16 workshops within a two-year period and must successfully complete Robert’s Rules 101 and 102, Financial Management 101 and 102 and 12 other workshops of their choice. Participants can satisfy the required number of workshops through in-person sessions or online sessions.
Track One
Governance and Operations
Dive into the nuts and bolts of county government through this track. These sessions provide officials with comprehensive insights into county government and its inner workings. This track equips participants with the knowledge needed to navigate the intricacies of county operations. This track will explore the intricate parts of county government such as county budgets, parliamentary procedures, disaster preparedness and more.
Track Two
Personal Development
Explore the art of leadership with Track Two. Designed to elevate individual leadership capabilities through tailored topics to strengthen professional and leadership traits. Workshop topics include building consensus, mastering change management, facultative leadership and more to help strengthen create effective county leaders.
Track Three
Communication and Delivery
Acquire tools for effective public communication, a critical skill in modern governance. This track enhances participants' communication proficiency, allowing them to engage effectively with the public and navigate the challenges of communication in today's digital age. Session topics range from media relations, message development, social media usage and more.
In-Person Sessions
Annual Conference
Track One
- Robert's Rules 102 | Advancing Your Meeting Mastery for Effective Governance
- 111-113, 1st floor | 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | July 14
- Financial Management 101 | Unveiling the Essentials of County Budgeting and Financial Management for Elected Officials
- 122-123, 1st floor | 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | July 14
- Navigating Personal Safety: Keeping You and Your Sphere Safe
- 122-123, 1st floor | 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | July 13
Track Two
- Fostering Civility in Public Discourse Navigating Personal Safety: Keeping You and Your Sphere Safe
- 122-123, 1st floor | 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | July 14
Track Three
- Media Relations Mastery: Navigating Press Interactions
- 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m | July 15
Upcoming Workshops
Webinar Sessions
Track One
- Robert's Rules 101 | Rule the Room: Mastering Robert’s Rules for Effective Governance
- June 6, 2024, at 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET | Click here to register
- Financial Management 102 | Beyond the Balance Sheet: Advanced Strategies for County Budgeting and Financial Mastery
- County Chronicles | Unlocking the Roles that Shape County Government: County Planners
Track Three
- Mastering Crisis Communication: Strategies and Tactics for Effective Response
Deploying EV Charging Infrastructure Without an RFP – A Procurement-Safe Path for Public Agencies
California public agencies are under increasing pressure to deploy EV charging infrastructure
quickly—without compromising procurement compliance. We invite you to join a focused,
45-minute webinar hosted by Frank Huerta of LilyPad EV on either of these available dates:
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
11:00 AM (PST)
2:00 PM (EST)
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
11:00 AM (PST)
2:00 PM (EST)
Tuesday, November 10, 2026
11:00 AM (PST)
2:00 PM (EST)
2026 NACo Annual Conference & Exposition
Register today for the 2026 NACo Annual Conference & Exposition, the premier annual gathering of elected and appointed officials from the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs.
Supreme Court Review for Local Governments: 2025-2026
Hosted by the Local Government Legal Center (LGLC), join legal experts in a discussion of the Supreme Court’s important decisions of the term impacting local governments.
Strategic Cloud Adoption in the Public Sector: Insights from Fulton County
Fulton County’s journey to the cloud is reshaping how government delivers services at scale. In this webinar, the county’s CIO will share how Fulton County is leveraging cloud platforms and modern technologies to improve operational efficiency, break down silos, and better connect services across departments. Attendees will gain insight into the strategy, challenges, and lessons learned from driving digital transformation in one of the nation’s largest county governments—and how technology is enabling more responsive, resilient, and resident-centered services.
Leading Without Blame: How Psychological Safety Strengthens County Cyber Resilience
The most damaging breaches in county government rarely begin with a sophisticated exploit. They begin with a person — someone who is stressed, overloaded, or afraid to raise a hand. For counties defending elections, courts, emergency services, and water systems, with lean teams and tight budgets, the way leaders build culture and trust is one of the highest-leverage security controls they own.
This panel brings county leaders together to explore how psychological safety, authentic leadership, and a culture of belief — not box-checking — drive real cyber resilience. Panelists will share candid, on-the-ground perspectives on moving from performative compliance to operational commitment, treating people as the strongest control rather than the weakest link, and using AI to sharpen human judgment rather than replace it.
NACo Policy Insider Webinar Series: Understanding the Federal Landscape for Counties, August 13
Join NACo for a bi-weekly webinar offering an overview of the full federal policy landscape impacting counties.
Questions?
For any questions or concerns about the program, please reach out to arathi@naco.org.