Holding Two Realities at Once

 Chairman Jeffrey McKay

Fairfax County

Holding Two Realities at Once

This week’s Community Catalysts episode runs a little longer than usual—and it’s worth the time.

In my conversation with Chairman Jeffrey McKay of Fairfax County, we explored two realities that many local leaders are holding at the same time.

The first is immediate and pressing. Federal workforce reductions and policy shifts are creating real economic and social consequences across Northern Virginia. Chairman McKay describes how this moment feels different from past crises. During COVID, the country was aligned in response. Now, many local leaders feel they are navigating disruption without the federal government pulling for them.

That means protecting residents in the short term while rethinking long-term economic resilience.

The second reality is institutional and enduring. We talk about One Fairfax, a framework that reshaped how the county evaluates its decisions. Think of it as a values upgrade—an intentional commitment to examine how choices affect opportunity across communities.

The examples are practical and revealing: where a bus stop is placed, where a domestic violence shelter is located. Decisions that may seem small, but quietly shape life trajectories.

What stays with me from this conversation is how leadership operates at multiple altitudes—responding to pressure while strengthening the principles that guide future decisions.

This episode is part of our ongoing series sponsored by RELI, the Regional Elected Leaders Initiative at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government.

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An Invitation to Share Your Leadership Story

Community Catalysts is built on the belief that some of the most valuable leadership insights are earned quietly, through real service in real communities.

If you serve in a civic leadership role—and you’d be open to sharing hard-won lessons from your own experience—I invite you to consider being a guest on a future episode.

You can learn more and volunteer by completing a brief guest questionnaire at:www.CatalystGuest.us 

Every submission is reviewed personally. Your story may help another leader see their own work more clearly, or feel less alone in the responsibilities they carry.

Thank you for the work you do—and for considering this invitation.