Author | Diane Kalen-Sukra

Scribe of human flourishing.

Diane is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and certified culture transformation consultant, sharing insights from over two decades of civic leadership, including her award-winning tenure as city manager. She is the founder of Kalen Academy, an online civic leadership institute.

Diane’s published works include Save Your City and Civic Resilience, as well as regular columns in Municipal World and Public Sector Digest. She is a political philosophy graduate of University of Toronto’s Trinity College and earned a master’s degree in political science from York University.

Her most popular book, Save Your City: How Toxic Culture Kills Community and What to Do About It calls for a revival of civic values and civic education as key to fostering the type of culture that can sustain us, our democracy and our planet.

She also spearheaded and hosted the inaugural Global Civility Summit 2024: "Tackling Toxicity, Cultivating Civility" which brought together 450 of civic leaders from hundreds of cities to share strategies to bridge divides, enhance civil discourse & renew civic culture. The insights and collective wisdom from this groundbreaking event will be featured in her upcoming book, Lead with Civility: A Practical Guide for Uncivil Times, available for pre-order here.

Join Diane, host of the Cultivating Civility podcast, as she engages in insightful conversations with civic leaders and sages who are spearheading efforts to bridge divides, enhance civil discourse, and renew civic culture. Tune in on your favorite platform.

Save Your City
5th Anniversary Edition

Toxic culture is eroding our sense of belonging, community and well-being. Our capacity to collaborate and innovate together is also being undermined by the rising incivility and divisiveness. We need each other to address the complex challenges facing our cities and communities -- from the infrastructure deficit to climate change, homelessness, mental health and addiction issues. In order to thrive, our local democracies depend on our ability to revive the art of living and working well together.

Literary Titan Gold Book Award _ Save Your City

Civic Resilience
Edition

In the annals of history, we have faced numerous trials and tribulations, but the COVID-19 pandemic emerged as an unparalleled crucible that tested the resilience of our civic institutions. While the challenges it presented were immense, the response and adaptation of local governments revealed a phenomenon of profound significance—a values revolution that catalyzed remarkable cultural change within municipalities. Civic Resilience delves deep into this transformative period in our civic history. This e-book represents extensive research into local governance during one of the most unprecedented global crises of our time. The book's aim is twofold: to comprehend the seismic shifts that COVID-19 initiated within local governments and to harness the invaluable insights for the betterment of our communities. In these pages, you'll explore how local governments navigated the pandemic's challenges, fostering innovation, empathy, and adaptability. These experiences exemplify servant leadership, compassion, and ethics—values that have been the bedrock of civic leadership. The insights gleaned transcend the crisis, offering a roadmap for the future of local government marked by sustained transformation and resilience. This e-book is an exploration of civic resilience, a testament to the unwavering spirit of local governments, and a call to action for civic leaders to shape the future of our municipalities, illuminating the path to a brighter and more resilient civic future.