Chris Mann
Chris Mann serves as City Manager of Wildomar, California, and has spent over two and a half decades working in and around local government, public policy, and community leadership. His involvement in public service began early when he was elected to a city council at age 23 and served as mayor at 26. His career has since included service as City Manager of Yucaipa and Canyon Lake, as well as 13 years in public affairs, where he advised public agencies, businesses, and community organizations on complex policy, land use, communications, and civic issues. Mann holds a Master of Public Administration from San Diego State University and bachelor’s degrees in psychology and political science from California Lutheran University. He is also the creator and host of Gov360, a podcast that brings together public-sector leaders from across the country for candid conversations about leadership, governance, public trust, and the increasingly complex environment facing those who serve their communities. He lives in Yucaipa with his wife and children.
Belonging in the Age of Outrage
We are more connected than ever, yet increasingly divided. Social media has amplified outrage, misinformation can travel faster than fact, and disagreement too often becomes personal. Local government offers a unique window into the consequences: residents feel unheard, public servants feel attacked, and people on all sides begin to see one another as adversaries. Drawing on over two and a half decades in public service, Chris Mann explores a simple idea: a healthy community is not one where everyone agrees. It is one where disagreement does not cost us our sense of belonging.