Building Better Government from Within: HR Excellence and Resident Satisfaction with Government
Includes a Live Web Event on 07/16/2026 at 1:00 PM (EDT)
Governments across the country are being asked to do more with less, even as the public increasingly expects government to match the speed, accessibility, and responsiveness they experience elsewhere.
Groundbreaking new research has revealed that effective HR practices are the key to meeting this challenge. Specifically, highly effective HR practices are statistically linked to resident satisfaction with municipal government services and – more important – residents’ satisfaction with the quality of life in their community.
These findings provide unprecedented evidence that the local government workforce delivers outcomes important to government leaders. This is critical not just for HR but for all government leaders.
Join us on Thursday, July 16th at 1 PM ET as our presenters describe the research, including the specific HR practices that drive resident satisfaction with municipal government and quality of life – and recommendations for how other local governments can adapt and adopt these practices.
They will also present a case study on how one HR department, in Sachse, TX, has created a high-performing HR department that has driven high levels of resident satisfaction with Sachse government and quality of life in the community.
And they will make available to attendees the white paper, “Building Better Government from Within: Workforce Excellence and Resident Satisfaction with Government.”
Presenters:
- Bob Lavigna, Former PSHRA President and Advocate for the Public Sector and Public Servants; Author and Speaker
- Jana Ventura, Director of Human Resources, City of Sachse, TX
PSHRA® Webinars are a member benefit. Available to non-members for a nominal fee.
Making public sector work better®.
Robert Lavigna
Former PSHRA President and Advocate for the Public Sector and Public Servants; Author and Speaker
Bob Lavigna is an award-winning leader with 40 years of experience leading public sector human resources organizations and programs. He recently retired from UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group), where he advocated for, promoted and advised on effective practices that enable government to attract and retain talent.
He previously was founding Director of the Institute for Public Sector Employee Engagement, which worked with governments across the nation to measure and improve employee engagement.
Bob is the author of Engaging Government Employees: Motivate and Inspire Your People to Achieve Superior Performance (Harper Collins), the only book to focus exclusively on improving engagement in the unique environment of the public sector.
He also served as Assistant Vice Chancellor and Director of HR for the University of Wisconsin, Vice President of the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, and Director of the state of Wisconsin merit system. He began his career with the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Bob is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, was selected as a “Public Official of the Year” by Governing magazine, received the PSHRA “Stockberger Award,” and is in the National Association of State Personnel Executives “Hall of Fame.” He is also a past president of PSHRA.
The first member of his family to graduate from college, Bob has a B.A. in Public Affairs from George Washington University and an M.S. in Human Resources Management from Cornell University.
Jana Ventura
Director of Human Resources
City of Sachse, Texas
Jana currently serves as the Director of Human Resources for the City of Sachse, Texas, located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. With nearly 20 years of experience in Human Resources, she has held leadership roles in both county and municipal governments and has also worked in the private sector in benefits consulting. Her diverse background has refined her ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders at all levels, driving strategic conversations and organizational change.
Jana is passionate about supporting fellow municipal HR professionals, helping them navigate the complexities of the public sector with insight and confidence. She has a particular passion for employee benefits and enjoys designing and communicating programs that meaningfully support and engage the workforce.
She holds a master’s degree in Human Resources Development from Villanova University and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Washburn University. Jana also holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.
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