Kathleen Gunn
CEO and Founder
Luminance LLC

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or more than 25 years I have been serving the public – leading and managing cities in the states of Florida (Tamarac, Miramar, and Fort Lauderdale) and New York (White Plains).  Until March 2023, I was the City Manager of Tamarac – responsible for the day-to-day operations of a full-service municipality, with more than 72,000 residents and a $250 Million+ budget located in the heart of Broward County.

Public service can be extremely satisfying yet challenging professionally and personally.  Serving people in meeting their basic needs gives you a unique opportunity to use that privileged experience to alchemize and transform who you are, and it gives you opportunities to refine your leadership skills in ways you may never have imagined.  As an executive leader, you need to be honest with yourself and align with your values.  People want authentic leaders and managers leading their organizations and communities.  Leaders who are present to them, are compassionate, consistent, patient, discerning, humble, trustworthy, and honest.  Teams won’t follow people not walking the talk.

As I pursued what I call a vocation – public service; I was seeking and curious to understand my life’s purpose and how my life and service contribute to the larger world.  As I led cities, I also earned a Master’s degree in pastoral ministries, a spiritual director certification, and an Inner MBA – a mindful leader certification.

I learned a long time ago – as a 31-year-old Assistant City Manager in Fort Lauderdale,  Florida – that crises will come and go but what matters most is how you treat people.  I lead with love and compassion and in doing so I get the most out of myself and my teams.

Qualifications

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have a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Pace University.  I also hold a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry and Spiritual Direction Certificate from St. Thomas University (STU).  I have been an instructor in the Spiritual Direction program at STU.  I am an active board member of Morningstar Renewal Center.  I am a past Vice President of the Broward County City Manager’s Association and a member of the International City/County Management Association, the Florida City and County Manager’s Association, and the Broward County City Manager’s Association.