Amber Clifton, host of the podcast Let’s Talk Kenmore, interviewed Kenmore’s new city manager, Terri Kilgore, in an episode that focused on Kilgore’s career path and her early priorities for the city.

Kilgore described a circuitous career that began in the private sector at Deloitte Consulting — where she said she spent "7, 8 years" and traveled "100,000 miles a year" — before moving into public-sector roles in permitting, development services and economic development. "I wanna see things come out of the ground. I want to see the ideas that we've envisioned really come into reality," Kilgore said, framing her move into municipal management as driven by a desire to turn plans into built projects.

Why Kenmore? Kilgore told listeners she was drawn to the city because of its scale, recent strategic leadership and what she called her own "superpower": the ability to see how pieces of the built environment can fit together. She said her experience in downtown redevelopment and funding alignment could be "really impactful" in Kenmore.

Kilgore listed several geographic priorities for the city’s economic work, saying, "I see 4 nodes for us from an economic development perspective. Actually, 5." She pointed to downtown and the area north of 522, Brewery Row, St. Edward’s Park and The Lodge, Lake Point (which she described as a long-term legacy project), and the city’s industrial areas, including waterfront employers and Kenmore Air. On Lake Point, she described short-term objectives such as negotiating trail and park space with the property owner to set the stage for private investment.

On municipal budgeting, Kilgore emphasized process and priorities rather than dollars alone, calling budget the conversation that helps a community decide "what we're trying to accomplish." She said the city manager role allows her to help "build out work plans that reflect the goals" and create organizational structures to implement them.

Kilgore also highlighted local ecology and community identity, noting that she learned about a nearby heron rookery and that "Hank the heron" reflects Kenmore’s role in supporting the bird population. She spoke about workforce development, urging more attention to trades and industry as career paths for local youth.

On community discourse and contested local topics — affordable housing and stream buffers among them — Kilgore urged respectful, open-minded conversations and warned against allowing debate to become personal. "Try to come to conversations with an open mind," she said, encouraging grace as the city works through trade-offs in the years ahead; she specifically referenced ongoing conversations expected in 2026.

Kilgore closed the interview with a personal note on family and arts interests, saying she spends free time hiking, painting, sewing and staying connected with family across the country.

The podcast episode presents Kilgore’s early public priorities and offers residents a preview of planning and community engagement priorities heading into 2026. The city manager said she looks forward to working with staff, council and the community to align funding and partnerships to advance those projects.