In the heart of southern Indiana, a former academic is redefining what local government can mean to its citizens. Mayor Treva Hodges of Charlestown, Indiana, has transformed her city’s approach to governance through a commitment to radical transparency and community engagement that stems from her unique background.
“I didn’t intend to ever be in politics, that’s for sure,” Mayor Hodges remarked. “I was teaching in colleges and universities for a decade before I started doing this.”
The transition from academia to politics might seem like a dramatic shift, and it was, at first, for Hodges, who had never seen herself in an elected role. After moving to Charlestown in 2013, she got involved at local government meetings and quickly became a beacon of transparency to her neighbors. Much to Hodges’ surprise, these peers began calling on her to run for mayor. The more time passed, Hodges realized this was a natural evolution of her dedication to public service.
Her background in communication studies has now proven invaluable in her role as mayor, particularly in her innovative approach to government transparency. Through her regularly updated blog and active social media presence, she has created an unprecedented level of access to local government operations.
“When you’re leading the community, you need a vision for where you want to go. For me, that vision is an active community. It’s an active citizenry in the process,” she remarked. “When you’re out there with residents, communicating with them, and getting ideas from them, the vision works.”
During Mayor Hodges’ tenure, Charlestown citizens have seen her penchant for building trust fully on display. These grassroots efforts resonated with constituents and have since paid dividends. Charlestown has seen a marked increase in civic engagement, with residents actively participating in town halls and community planning sessions. The mayor’s blog, which Hodges started during her tenure, has become a model for other small cities looking to increase government transparency and citizen involvement.
But Hodges’ impact extends beyond digital innovation. Her emphasis on regional collaboration has positioned Charlestown as a key player in Southern Indiana’s development. The Origin Park project, an ambitious regional initiative in neighboring Clarksville, exemplifies her approach to thinking beyond city limits.
“One of the things I am proud of is that we have a very regional focus,” Hodges explains. “Our corner of Indiana has so many incredible projects that showcase our local talent and creativity. Every new initiative is another reason for people to want to visit southern Indiana – and that’s exactly what we’re aiming for.”
Perhaps nowhere is Hodges’ community-centric approach more evident than in the creation of the Depot Teen Hangout, a project that expanded the city’s Family Activities Park into a vibrant youth center. What makes the project unique is how it was developed – with direct input from the teenagers who would use it.
“If you don’t tell us what you want, you’re going to get what your parents want,” Hodges shared with local teens. “We let them design and put the activities they wanted, where they wanted.” By leading from a community collaboration perspective, credibility was established with local board members on the project and the approval process was easy. The result is a social space that truly serves its intended audience, complete with study areas and gaming stations, designed according to youth input.
This commitment to inclusive design is also reflected in Charlestown’s first accessible playground, a project that emerged from conversations with parents of children with disabilities. The playground has become a symbol of Hodges’ broader vision for an inclusive community where every resident feels valued and considered.
As a female mayor in southern Indiana, Hodges has faced unique challenges — and she’s quick to admit that she hasn’t always been right. “I also admit when I’m wrong. If somebody has a good idea and I did it wrong, I very publicly at times have said, ‘Thank you for that call out.’”
Rather than dwell on the difficulties, she focuses instead on the success she’s found through the empathetic foundation other women in her life helped lay. “I look first for the reason behind the problem, rather than focusing on the problem itself,” she said. “I’m going to pause and ask our community members, ‘What is it that you need from me in this moment?’”
These needs lead to solutions, and the solutions speak for themselves.
Under her leadership, Charlestown has launched the Charlestown Cares activation network, expanded parkland, and integrated social work services into city operations. Each initiative reflects her emphasis on building community connections and ensuring every resident feels valued. “I’m not so much the leader as the intermediary. The community is leading Charlestown, I’m just the negotiator between the different groups.”
Initial skepticism about her leadership has given way to widespread recognition of her effectiveness. Rather than becoming defensive, she chose to let her actions speak louder than words. “Trust isn’t given, it’s earned. By being transparent about our processes, admitting our mistakes, and always putting community needs first, we’ve built that trust day by day.” Community feedback isn’t just welcomed – it has become a cornerstone of the decision-making process. This philosophy has transformed skeptics into supporters.
Looking ahead, Hodges sees Charlestown as a model for how small cities can embrace transparency and community engagement to create meaningful change. “When I say that we practice radical transparency and community involvement and collaboration, I mean it. There’s nothing that we do that didn’t start as feedback from people or that we haven’t asked residents and business owners in our community, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’”
In a time when trust in government institutions is often at a low ebb, Hodges’ approach offers a compelling blueprint for rebuilding that trust through radical transparency and genuine community engagement. Her journey from academic to mayor demonstrates how seemingly disparate experiences can combine to create innovative approaches to public service, innovation that includes a handwritten note to every new resident.
Citizens are at the heart of every decision and initiative the mayor pursues, and it’s clear that Hodges’ vision of transparent, empathetic leadership has already left an indelible mark on this Southern Indiana community. More than just managing a city, she’s helping to build a more connected, inclusive, and engaged Charlestown – one blog post, one town hall, and one project at a time.