chasity wells
Unapologetically Uplifting Women
I work with the barrier breakers of local government leadership—the ones navigating political chaos, team dysfunction, and rising public hostility with no playbook and relentless scrutiny.
Your team's culture is your municipality's reputation.
Aligned teams deliver better service, make smarter decisions, and strengthen public trust.
When leadership works, your whole community wins.
The Municipal Transformation Package™
Most municipal problems aren't policy problems—they're culture problems.
Public hostility is rising. Federal support is disappearing. Frontline staff are absorbing the damage, and when your team isn't aligned, performance fractures and public trust collapses.
The Municipal Transformation Package™ equips municipal teams to rebuild morale, strengthen accountability, navigate public incivility with professionalism, and protect your municipality's reputation.
This isn’t training. It’s transformation.
Does This Sound Like You?
- You feel isolated with no one to talk to about high-stakes decisions.
- You're navigating a hostile board, toxic council, or political retaliation.
- Federal funding cuts are forcing you to do more with less.
- Residents are demanding more services while federal support disappears.
- You're managing crises instead of leading with strategy.
- Politics and conflict are paralyzing progress for staff and the community.
- Staff burnout and morale are at one of the greatest crisis levels.
- Department heads clash instead of collaborate.
- Communication gaps are causing costly mistakes.
- You know the priorities; alignment is what's missing.
Resources
free download
FREE Guide: When They Say
You're Overqualified
A FREE mini-guide for women leading through bias with power and precision.
free Newsletter
THE LEADERSHIP CATALYST
Issue 33
Your Year Has The Receipts. Read Them Before You Dismiss Yourself.
My Signature Methodology
The SCALE™ Framework
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The SCALE™ Framework is my signature methodology for Illinois municipal executives navigating political pressure and isolation, and teams working to rebuild performance and accountability.
It's a results-driven roadmap that cuts through board conflicts, communication breakdowns, and toxic dynamics—helping executives make high-stakes decisions with confidence and teams strengthen culture, align operations, and deliver service excellence under pressure.
SCALE™ is your blueprint for high-stakes leadership designed to strengthen decisions, rebuild culture, and protect public trust.
catalyst for transformation
"A VIP Intensive Experience for Women Leaders"
This exclusive, full-day premium experience is designed for ambitious women who are ready to make bold moves—whether that’s transitioning to public office, elevating in a leadership role, or stepping into entrepreneurship.
You’ve already achieved remarkable success, but now you need a strategy that propels you to new heights, fast. This VIP Intensive is your accelerated path to greater influence, heightened visibility, and unmatched leadership presence.
VIP Intensive: What You Will Gain:
This exclusive experience provides you with a customized action plan, advanced leadership techniques, and the strategic insight needed to increase your impact. You’ll gain a robust community and a renewed sense of purpose, leaving you fully equipped to lead with authority and vision..
Catalyst Coaching Cafe
FREE Webinar Series
Join us each month at the Catalyst Coaching Cafe for engaging webinars that inspire growth and transformation. These interactive sessions cover a range of empowering topics designed to elevate your leadership skills and personal development. Let's connect over meaningful discussions that fuel your journey toward success!
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Wednesday, February 26, 2025
6:00pm CST
Presence in Power
Elevating Your Impact in Municipal Leadership
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Navigating the complexities of municipal leadership requires more than policy knowledge and administrative skills -- it demands a commanding presence. The kind of presence that commands respect, influences decisions, and strengthens your leadership credibility in every room you enter.
Join us for "Presence in Power: Elevating Your Impact in Municipal Leadership," an exclusive webinar designed for municipal leaders, policymakers, and aspiring public officials who are ready to refine their leadership presence, strengthen their influence, and amplify your impact in public service.
In this powerful webinar, you’ll discover how to:
- Cultivate a Leadership Presence – Project confidence and authority while staying true to your values.
- Master Persuasive Communication – Command attention, clearly convey your vision, and inspire action.
- Navigate Political Power Structures – Build strategic influence and advocate for policies that drive meaningful change.
- Expand & Leverage Your Network – Form alliances and deepen relationships that amplify your leadership reach.
- Sustain Your Energy & Resilience – Implement strategies to manage stress, set boundaries, and lead with longevity.
This Session Will…
Arm you with the tools to step into every room with confidence, control conversations with authority, and lead with the kind of presence that makes decisions happen. Whether you’re an elected official, a city administrator, or a public servant with aspirations to lead, this webinar will equip you with strategies to enhance your influence and drive real results in your community.
About Your Host:
Chasity Wells is a powerhouse in government leadership. As a former congressional staffer and the first Black mayor of Kankakee, Illinois, she has built a career rooted in policy innovation, crisis leadership, and community-driven governance.
She has successfully navigated political dynamics, commanded rooms where she was underestimated, and built coalitions that turned bold visions into reality.
Now, she brings that expertise to empower leaders like you to strengthen your presence, own your power, and lead with lasting impact
My Offers
The SCALE to Soar™ Leadership Assessment
Your Investment: $297
Designed for women in public leadership and rising municipal talent navigating real workload demands. Municipal women leaders carry invisible weight managing political dynamics, over-functioning to prove competence, and absorbing organizational dysfunction while maintaining composure. This pressure quietly drains energy, erodes boundaries, and threatens leadership longevity before you even realize it’s happening.
The SCALE™ to Soar Leadership Assessment gives you clarity on where you’re losing energy, which strengths to leverage instead of over-functioning, and concrete priorities to protect your leadership sustainability.
Grounded in the SCALE™ Framework, it’s a self-guided diagnostic that fits your schedule and delivers insight, strategy, and a concrete path forward—not guesswork.
Your Investment Provides:
- A comprehensive, self-guided diagnostic grounded in the SCALE™ Framework
- A personalized leadership report with concrete insights into your core strengths and pressure points
- Targeted priorities to protect and fortify your leadership, boundaries, and longevity
- A 30-minute strategy call to unpack your results and map strategic next steps with support
Signature Offer for teams: The Municipal Transformation Package™
Your Investment:
$10K-$15K | Large-Scale: $18K-$35K
A high-impact intensive that strengthens culture, protects your municipal brand, and improves front-line service delivery.
City and village managers know the stakes. When staff morale drops and communication breaks down, public hostility rises. Service delivery suffers and so does your reputation.
The Municipal Transformation Package™ interrupts that pattern and equips your team for performance, alignment, and trust. Grounded in the SCALE™ Framework, it strengthens staff capacity to manage incivility, honor your municipal values, and build leadership longevity across the organization.
Your Investment Provides:
- SCALE™ Framework team assessment to identify culture, communication, and service gaps
- 4-hour customized onsite facilitation addressing your municipality's real operational challenges
- Curated leadership resource suite for daily application and sustained leadership capacity
- 90-minute post-workshop virtual integration session to measure progress, address barriers, and reinforce strategies
- The Catalyst Leadership Brief for executive review with key findings, performance insights, and actionable recommendations
The Catalyst Power Retainer ™
Your Investment:
$4,500 (90-day engagement | Opens quarterly | Increases to $6,000 April 2026)
Confidential. Strategic. Unapologetic.
Mayors, village managers, clerks, chiefs of staff, and directors face decisions that are politically complex, operationally high-stakes, and emotionally isolating. You cannot bring certain challenges to public meetings, staff briefings, or even trusted colleagues. You need a partner who understands the weight of the gavel, the cost of public scrutiny, and the isolation of leadership—without judgment or agenda.
The Catalyst Power Retainer™ is a private strategic partnership grounded in the SCALE™ Framework. This is where we strengthen your leadership from the inside out: your confidence, your boundaries, your political acumen, and your longevity. You work with someone who has held the gavel, managed teams, navigated council dynamics, and led through pressure without abandoning purpose or power.
Your Investment Provides:
- A SCALE™-grounded leadership assessment with targeted strategies for your role
- Two 60-minute private strategy sessions each month
- Voxer access between sessions for real-time support (48-hour response)
- The SCALE™ Leadership Guidebook + Leadership Response Vault™, including curated scripts, strategy worksheets, journal prompts, and ready-to-use response templates
- EmpowerHer Luxe Box with a welcome gift and self-care essentials
Confidence in Transition:
Your Workbook to Thriving Through a Career Transition
Ready to step into a new leadership role but not yet prepared to invest in a full coaching package?
Purchase this workbook as your ideal companion.
"Confidence in Transition" offers practical guidance and exercises to boost your confidence and help you thrive during your career transition. Invest in yourself today and embark on your journey to successful leadership.
What My Clients Say About Working With Me
"Working with Coach Chasity was a turning point in my leadership journey. After serving as Comptroller under five mayors, I was accomplished but hadn’t envisioned myself in the top role. Through her coaching, I gained clarity and the confidence to lead at a higher level. That shift empowered me, and today I serve proudly as a city manager."
— Elizabeth B., City Manager
“Coach Chasity helped me develop a stronger leadership presence and prioritize the most important tasks and goals in my life. Our work together has helped me work toward what matters to me and greatly influenced my confidence in speaking up for myself at work and in my personal life. I now have the ability to lead with more authenticity in my roles.”
— Shiwanna T., Entrepreneur/Medical Aesthetician
"Chasity helped me launch a successful campaign for Illinois State Representative. She guided me during the creation of strategy and helped me leverage my strengths to broaden my networks. She is focused and tenacious while at the same time exuding encouragement and inspiration to those around her."
— Kate C., Former Illinois State Representative
“Working with Chasity has greatly boosted my confidence and ability to lead. I now communicate more effectively, participate actively in meetings, and handle conflict without shying away. This has enabled me to create better policies, set priorities for my team, and lead with greater confidence.”
— Barbara B., Municipal Department Director
"Chasity instills confidence and determination to pursue goals despite obstacles. Her commitment to an inclusive and supportive environment empowers women, particularly those of color, to excel in leadership. Chasity's leadership and mentorship exemplify the transformative power of diversity."
— Deborah W., Retired Village Administrator
"Before working with Chasity, I was not seeing my true worth and instead was dismissing many of the obstacles and challenges I had already overcome. She helped me to value myself more and challenged me to set boundaries that demonstrated that value. I now lead with more confidence at work and in my personal life."
— Leti H., Launch Manager
formal bio
With 25+ years spanning government, social impact, and executive leadership, Chasity Wells-Armstrong is a nationally respected strategist known for transforming culture and driving results.
With leadership experience at nearly every level of government—Congressional Staffer, City Council Member, School Board Member, Mayor, and Village Manager—Chasity brings a rare 360-degree perspective on the political, cultural, and operational forces shaping municipal leadership.
As the first Black mayor of Kankakee, Illinois, and only the second woman to hold the role, she led through the COVID-19 pandemic, national social unrest, and rising community tensions. She secured record infrastructure investment, advanced a nationally recognized municipal rebrand, and strengthened public trust through operational accountability and strategic innovation.
She is also a co-researcher with the Mayors Innovation Project and University of Wisconsin-Madison on the Under Pressure study, examining gender dynamics,
threats, and harassment facing women mayors in the United States—research with direct implications for women’s representation and democratic stability.
As a Village Manager, she guided directors and staff through complex organizational dynamics with focus, accountability, and measurable results.
Today, she provides strategic counsel to Illinois municipal executives facing complex political dynamics and high-stakes decisions, and partners with municipal teams to address operational dysfunction, strengthen accountability, and rebuild trust.
She is the creator of the SCALE™ Framework, a proven methodology for high-stakes leadership, and serves as a steering committee member and thought leader with the Mayors Innovation Project and Represent Women, advancing innovation and gender equity in public leadership.
Press & Featured Articles
- Country Herald
- DAILY JOURNAL
- CHICAGO TONIGHT
Get In Touch!
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The Leadership Catalyst is where strategy meets reality for Illinois municipal leaders. Each issue delivers unapologetic insights on navigating political pressure, rebuilding team culture, strengthening accountability, and protecting public trust when the stakes are high and the playbook doesn’t exist.
About Chasity
Chasity Wells-Armstrong is a former mayor and village manager who has lived the isolation, political retaliation, and impossible decisions Illinois municipal executives face every day.
With 25+ years spanning congressional staffer, city council member, school board member, mayor, and village manager, she has navigated hostile boards, rebuilt dysfunctional teams, and led through crises with no playbook. As the first Black mayor of Kankakee, Illinois, she led through COVID-19, national unrest, and rising public hostility while securing record infrastructure investment and advancing a nationally recognized rebrand.
Today, she provides strategic counsel to municipal executives and partners with teams to strengthen accountability, rebuild culture, and protect public trust when the stakes are highest.