The halls of Mansfield, Texas City Hall are filled with stories of personal and professional transformation. This is the story of Nicolette Ricciuti, who started as a young intern searching for her path and progressed to a director's office where innovative programs are dreamed up and developed.
Her journey is not simply about climbing the career ladder; it is about being open to discovering purpose through public service and building programs that touch thousands of lives in a community she loves.
From Nursing to Public Administration: A Winding Road to Purpose
It began with a series of academic detours as she explored various fields during her undergraduate studies, including Nursing, Kinesiology, and Literature. It was not until she moved into the social sciences that she found her true calling while earning a Bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology.
Though she was still unsure about her future career path, she was clear about what it had to include:
“What made me so passionate about all those disciplines is that they were really about people. I knew that at the end of the day, I wanted to help people.”
This realization led her to pursue a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA), one she believed would allow her to make a meaningful impact. While completing her master's program, she stumbled upon an internship opportunity with the Mansfield Parks and Recreation Department. Although she was initially unsure if she met the requirements, she reached out to the department, and her persistence paid off.
This simple decision opened her eyes to the mechanics of local government. “I did everything from sitting with planners to shadowing the director, marketing and communications, nature education, and special events,” she recalls. It was during this internship that her passion for working with people flourished, but it wasn’t just the work that appealed to her; it was Mansfield itself.
“I had been living in Arlington, Texas for 10 years and never really visited Mansfield until I had this internship, and I fell in love with the city.”
After completing her internship, she kept a close eye on internal job openings and after getting her foot in the door as a receptionist, started to move up the ranks. Although her hands-on approach of rolling up her sleeves to solve problems quickly earned her the respect of her peers, her rise through the ranks was not without challenges. She has also had to learn the importance of seizing opportunities and advocating for personal and professional growth:
“If you don’t speak up for what you want or need in your career, no one else will.”
From Mansfield Intern to Director: Nicolette's Ascent
After starting as an intern, she gradually took on additional responsibilities and moved up the ranks from Receptionist to Executive Administrative Assistant, Assistant to the City Manager, followed by Strategic Initiatives Officer. Her willingness to take on new challenges and ability to navigate the complexities of local government caught the attention of the City Manager, who recognized her potential and entrusted her with the responsibility of leading the newly formed Department of Regulatory Compliance & Animal Care and Control.
This unexpected turn entailed launching two critical programs: a health inspection program and a rental registration and inspection program. She remembers the City Manager telling her,
“You are our strategic initiative person, so start the health and rental programs, and we'll bundle it all together under one department umbrella."
After being handed a recently passed ordinance and budget, she spent a few weeks looking at the ordinance through the lens of, ‘How do you physically do these things and operate these new programs?’ Choosing to take a holistic view of this newly created department gave her the insights required to recommend ordinance and budget revisions to address some of the missing pieces.
Undertaking these new initiatives was no easy feat, as she and her team had to build the programs from the ground up, with no existing infrastructure or processes in place.
"We didn't have an application for people to apply for a permit, an inspection checklist, software, staff, or SOP’s - we had nothing."
Hiring key team members with substantial experience and established relationships with other cities helped play pivotal roles in establishing processes and routines.
While acknowledging that the process was chaotic, she also finds fulfillment in creating things that will provide lasting value for her community. The program is particularly meaningful to her because it addresses critical safety and health standards; directly impacting the quality of life for residents. She feels honored to have a hand in creating a program that now inspects over 800 health permits and 8,000 housing units, further supporting the city’s growth, and protecting its residents.
Launching a Citywide Internship Program
Inspired by her own positive internship experience, early on she made it her mission to establish a formal internship program for the City of Mansfield. She recognized the value of providing opportunities for both high school and college students to gain hands-on experience in the public sector.
"Whenever I started working in the transition to Assistant to the City Manager, they asked me, ‘If you could do anything program-wise, what would you want?’ And the first thing I asked for was to launch a formal internship program for the city."
Under her leadership and with strong support from city officials, she developed and launched a successful municipal internship program. From 2021 to 2024, the program brought on more than twenty college students as part-time interns, creating valuable opportunities for young talent to enter public service. Her proudest achievement is that five former interns have since been hired into full-time positions with the city - two during her time running the program and three more after she moved to her current role.
The program continues to serve as an effective pathway for bringing fresh talent into city government.
Lessons in Community Engagement and Public Service
Since joining the city’s leadership team, Nicolette has learned valuable lessons about the importance of community engagement and effective communication in local government. She stresses the ongoing need to educate and empower residents, recognizing that many people may not fully understand the inner workings of local government.
"I think it’s important that when city staff interact with the community, we do not assume that everyone knows all the moving pieces it takes to provide services and programs. We must remember that when we started in our positions, we did not know how things worked either. The key is in finding innovative ways to educate more people about local government."
One of her favorite programs is the city’s Citizens Academy because it allows neighbors a behind-the-scenes look at the important work municipal staff is doing.
She has also learned to navigate the challenges of dealing with frustrated citizens, recognizing the importance of active listening, and offering practical solutions, even during times when her authority may be limited. Her approach is rooted in empathy, patience, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact on the lives of the community she serves.
Putting yourself in others' shoes is important. "It’s okay to say - I completely agree with you. I understand why you are frustrated. Although I have no authority in my role to personally fix this issue for you, here is what my suggestion would be," she shares.
Her Advice for Aspiring Public Servants
Nicolette's experience and insights offer valuable guidance for those interested in pursuing a career in local government. Here are a few of her most candid recommendations for anyone interested in working in local government:
1. Stay Open to Change
Nicolette switched her major several times before finding her calling. Her advice? “Don’t be afraid to explore different paths until you find what excites you.” Sometimes, the detours are where you discover your true passion.
2. Internships Matter
She credits her internship with the City of Mansfield as instrumental. She emphasizes the importance of internships for gaining firsthand experience and understanding how local government functions. “Internships are important... You get hooked at that point,” she says.
4. Be Ready to Wear Multiple Hats
In local government, resources can be limited. She highlights the requirement to adapt, take on new roles, and solve unexpected problems. “You will thrive when you figure out how to do a lot with a little,” she explains.
5. Build Relationships and Engage People
She sees community engagement as an essential part of her role. “Community engagement is really about making our services and education more accessible,” she says, emphasizing the importance of listening to and collaborating with residents.
Why Local Government?
Nicolette believes that local government provides opportunities where committed professionals can bring about real change. Throughout her journey from intern to director, she has witnessed how city halls can foster innovation and transformation, creating programs that positively impact thousands of lives.
Her work in creating Mansfield's health inspection program, rental registration system, and citywide internship initiative shows the significant role local government plays in enhancing community well-being. While state and federal policies often make headlines, it’s at the city level where the government most directly influences daily life—whether it’s ensuring food safety, maintaining housing standards, or providing career opportunities for young people.
Nicolette’s experience highlights how local government merges public service with community development. She takes pride in building programs from the ground up and seeing their effects on residents, even when faced with difficult challenges. Under her leadership, Mansfield has demonstrated that cities can innovate while remaining responsive to the needs of their communities.
For anyone considering a career in local government, Nicolette’s journey illustrates the potential for impactful public service. It’s a path where dedicated individuals can shape their community’s future while creating programs that offer lasting benefits to those they serve.
More Resources
For those inspired by her story and interested in further exploring the world of local government, Nicolette recommends the following resources:
City of Mansfield: With a population of over 80,000 residents, this city is part of a rapidly growing region in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, featuring a diverse workforce of over five hundred employees.
The City of Mansfield Internship Program: Provides students with hands-on experience in local government operations. Interns gain valuable skills and insights into public service, working alongside city staff on various projects that enhance community services and initiatives.
The City of Mansfield Muni-Versity Citizens Academy: An educational program where residents get to know the city even better. Participants have the opportunity to meet the faces behind the programs and hear first-hand from department staff about the services and programs their local government provides.
The City of Mansfield Citizens Police Academy: An educational program designed to foster understanding between the community and local law enforcement. Participants engage in a comprehensive curriculum that covers police operations, crime prevention, and community safety, empowering citizens to contribute positively to their neighborhoods.
The City of Mansfield Citizens Fire Academy: An educational program designed to open the lines of communication between the local fire department and the community. Participants engage in a program dedicated to increasing public awareness of fire operations and creating a safer environment at home and the workplace.
The Next American City by Mick Cornett: A case study on the revitalization of Oklahoma City, highlighting the power of community-driven initiatives.
International City/County Management Association (ICMA): A professional organization dedicated to advancing the practice of local government management.
Texas City Management Association (TCMA): A state-level organization that provides resources and networking opportunities for local government professionals in Texas.