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The Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities at the College of Charleston today announced the launch of the Rural Local Government Initiative, a new effort to strengthen the capacity of rural local governments across South Carolina.
The Center also named two leaders for the work: Laurens Mayor Nathan Senn joins as a Riley Center Fellow, and Maren Trochmann, Ph.D., joins as Director of Professional Development.
And although South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, 28 out of our 46 counties are either declining in population or growing by only 5%. Additionally, South Carolina is the only state in the Southeast without a major university-based center dedicated to strengthening local government capacity at scale.
Small towns and counties often run with lean staff and limited budgets while facing the same demands as larger communities. The Initiative is designed to close that gap for three groups: small counties, small municipalities in emerging growth areas, and small towns in areas of declining growth.
The Rural Local Government Initiative will have three components:
- A Rural Resource Hub, open to every rural community, with practical tools, templates and a roster of experienced rural government leaders and resources available.
- A year-long training program for elected and appointed leaders and local government staff. Training is delivered in small, local cohorts, designed around rural travel and scheduling needs, and offered at little to no cost to participants.
- Hands-on technical assistance for communities that complete the training and want deeper support on a specific project, scoped with each community to fit its needs.
“Rural communities are the backbone of South Carolina, and their leaders are asked to do a great deal with very little,” said Kendra Stewart, Director of the Riley Center. “This Initiative puts the resources, training and expertise of the College of Charleston directly to work for them.”
About the Leaders of the Rural Local Government Initiative
As a Riley Center Fellow, Mayor Nathan Senn will help deliver professional development and lead technical assistance for participating communities. Senn brings a background spanning political science, law and local government leadership, and is stepping back from the active practice of law to take on the role. With over 16 years of legal experience and seven years of public service as the mayor of his hometown, Senn brings a wealth of experience and an important perspective to this work. He will continue to serve as Mayor of Laurens, S.C., and extend the geographic imprint of this initiative through his work in the upstate. Senn has held many additional leadership roles including serving on the board of the Municipal Association of South Carolina, and as faculty for the Riley Mayors’ Design Fellowship.
Senn told GoLaurens.com he was drawn to the role by “the rewarding work of bringing people together, solving hard problems and helping others.” He has noted that South Carolina has trailed neighboring North Carolina and Georgia in the resources available to support local government leaders. “As a mayor, I know the value of having someone to call who understands the challenges and can help move a good idea forward,” Senn said. “This initiative will give small-town and rural leaders practical tools, experienced partners and hands-on support. We are excited to help South Carolina’s rural communities shape their own futures and turn local priorities into lasting improvements.”
As Director of Professional Development, Maren Trochmann, Ph.D., will oversee the Initiative from end to end, including the needs assessment, training curriculum, Advisory Board and technical assistance program. She will also expand the Riley Center’s professional development offerings, including the local government supervisory training, the Local Government Leadership Institute (LGLI), Advanced Leadership Academy, and management training tailored to public and nonprofit organizations across the state. Trochmann brings more than 18 years of experience in public policy and administration. She has led the Center’s professional development programming in an interim role since 2025 and developed the implementation framework for the Rural Local Government Initiative. For over a decade in affordable housing work, she provided technical assistance and oversight to public housing agencies, many in rural towns and counties, and most recently oversaw more than $150 million in new housing voucher assistance nationwide. From 2019 to 2022, she was an assistant professor at the College of Charleston, teaching in the Master of Public Administration program and conducting research as a Riley Center fellow. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the University of Colorado Denver and a B.S. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
“We want this program to be shaped by the people who live, work, and lead in rural communities every day,” said Trochmann. “Our first step is to listen and build strong partnerships with people already serving rural communities across the state, so that what we build meets the needs of South Carolina’s small towns and counties.”
Work is now underway on a statewide rural needs assessment, including interviews with experienced rural leaders and partner organizations and associations across the state. The Center is also forming an Advisory Board of mayors, county and city councilmembers, administrators, clerks and statewide partners from rural communities in every region of the state. The Center plans to work closely with the Municipal Association of South Carolina, the South Carolina Association of Counties, regional councils of governments, along with other key state agencies to focus on existing needs and gaps and to avoid duplicating programs. The Advsiory Board will help shape the curriculum, outreach and technical assistance before the first training cohorts launch in the next six months.
Rural local government leaders interested in the Initiative can contact RileyCenter@cofc.edu.
About the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities
The Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities partners with local governments, nonprofit organizations, associations, institutions, and community leaders throughout South Carolina to strengthen organizations, build leadership capacity, and create thriving communities. Drawing on the expertise of the College of Charleston and inspired by the leadership legacy of Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr., we provide planning, facilitation, research, leadership development, and organization support that helps communities turn ideas into action.
Founded in 1770, the College of Charleston’s mission is to provide students with a world-class education in the arts and sciences, business and technology, engineering and health sciences. Students have more than 150 majors and minors from which to choose — and they often choose to combine several—and complement their academic courses with overseas study, undergraduate research and internships for a truly customized education.
Nearly 12,000 students choose the college for its unique urban, mid-sized university feel. The College, home to undergraduates from across the country and around the globe, provides a creative and intellectually stimulating environment where students are challenged and guided by a committed and caring faculty of distinguished teacher-scholars. The city of Charleston serves as a living and learning laboratory for student experiences and opportunities for career development. The university bridges the old with the new in a setting that is truly extraordinary — where historic character and forward-looking innovation come together to shape a distinctive and inspiring environment for learning. A College of Charleston education focuses on discovery and personal growth, as well as preparation for life, work, and service to our society.
Source and Photo Credit: College of Charleston
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