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Chris Kuhn

Editor, skirt! Tampa Bay

I'm an outspoken thirtysomething who has lived in the Tampa Bay area since 1992, full of useless facts on just about every facet of pop culture. I'm passionate about vegetarianism without passing judgment. I love to laugh. If we can't talk politics, music, movies, sports, TV or current events, you'...

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Guess Who I Met Today?

Chris, Editor for skirt! Tampa Bay

It isn’t every day that we get a chance to meet the mayor of the town we live or work in, let alone speak to them for any great length of time. Today, I had the opportunity to do both.

I haven’t been that hush-hush about our upcoming October issue which will feature Mayor Pam Iorio as one of our “Women to Watch” profiled but today was the official day to formally introduce ourselves.

I’ve made it clear that I’m not technically a resident of the City, that I’m one of those commuting ‘burbs folk from across the county line (though sometimes on late nights, I feel like I should pack a sleeping bag and that the Media General roof might qualify as a second home). But what I’ve always been impressed about is how respected Mayor Iorio is across party lines. I asked her a little bit about that today, her conscious decision to be non-partisan in her work as mayor and she again spoke of her belief that party politics more times than not hinders progress instead of encourages it.

From the first five minutes of our interview, I immediately understood why she is such a well-liked public figure. There’s a sincerity, a comfortable nature about her that brings the other person into the discussion without keeping them at an arm’s length. So rather than a formal, stuffy interview, it simply felt like a casual conversation. i think that is why she has been so effective at getting people from both sides to the table to discuss issues and try to work together, because of this professional yet personable nature.

I can’t wait to share skirt!’s unique look at Mayor Iorio, as a leader with a currently undefined future ripe with possibilities, but also as a woman, a wife, mother and neighbor. One amusing observervation she shared with me...how surprised people are to see her shopping at the grocery store! “I don’t know who they think would be out there shopping for the mayor, but I’m always amused that they think this is so odd,” she says with a laugh.

She’s already proven as a local political figure she’s a woman to watch. What more will she do during the rest of her tenure as mayor and what will the future hold? Only time will tell.