Drop perfect life idea, says Mayor Kate Gallego about her success path
When Kate Gallego was making her first run for mayor in Phoenix, she was newly divorced, had recently given birth, and her mother had just been diagnosed with cancer. There were no female mayors in any of the largest cities in the United States, and she had a hard time thinking people would take a “short young woman” seriously. But he was wrong.
“It turns out that people don’t want elected officials with perfect lives,” said Mayor Gallego (D-AZ), now in his third term leading America’s fifth-largest city. “They want elected officials who will help make their lives better,” Gallego told CNBC’s Julia Boorstin on the latest episode of the “CNBC Changemakers and Power Players” podcast.
The pivotal moment in her decision to run for mayor for the first time came when a group of her girlfriends took her out and assured her that if she wanted to, they would provide the support she needed to be a great mother and candidate. They also gave him a frank speech: “If you don’t do this, you’ll hate yourself forever,” Gallego recalled.
The doubts did not disappear during his first mayoral campaign. While she worked the phones to raise money, she worried that no one would take her seriously about running the city if she couldn’t stop her newborn baby from crying in the background. “But it turns out there are a lot of parents who can’t shush a baby every second they want,” Gallego said. he said. “People were willing to judge me by my record on City Council and look a little beyond my current circumstances.”
Phoenix, Ariz. Mayor Kate Gallego at the 91st Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors at the Capital Hilton on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023, in Washington, DC.
Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
Today, the vision to transform Phoenix into a future-oriented technology and bioscience hub is well underway. During his tenure, Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) announced plans to invest $165 billion in its advanced semiconductor manufacturing operations and businesses in Phoenix; Arizona State University with HonorHealthHe has committed to building a new medical school, expected to open in fall 2026; Sky Harbor Airport became the first airport to offer autonomous robotaxi service by partnering with Waymo.
“We were definitely nervous,” Gallego said. “It’s always easiest to be the mayor who comes third because someone else solves all the problems, but if you want to build the city of the future, you have to start first.”
Gallego was named to CNBC’s second annual Changemakers list in 2025.
Today the city has Largest autonomous vehicle region in the US. Travelers can take a robotaxi directly to downtown Phoenix from the airport. Still, not everyone takes driverless taxis. “This is an issue that even divides my household,” Gallego said. “My dad is not a Waymo fan.”
Gallego says he enjoys feedback from the community and often gets great ideas as well as requests for help from Phoenix residents when he’s out and about. Still, as someone who identifies as an introvert, there are times when she craves anonymity. “Sometimes I go grocery shopping in a baseball cap and sunglasses,” he joked. “Especially if you’re sick, ‘please don’t notice me!’ “I say.”
Gallego learned to over-prepare for important meetings to combat the anxiety that comes with meeting new people; This, he says, is beneficial in the long run and provides him with in-depth knowledge of current issues. He doesn’t need to be at the forefront of making deals and is happy to be part of a team; He says this feature came in handy in the agreement with TSMC, which required all levels of government to come together.
“We often talk about, if you want to go far, you go with a group, and that was definitely a benefit of being an introvert,” Gallego said.
Gallego says he wants to restore people’s trust in government and show that communities can come together and achieve great things by collaborating with universities, nonprofits and the private sector. In this fraught political climate, Gallego says he is focusing on issues that have broad support in party circles, such as attracting more high-paying jobs to Phoenix and improving cancer diagnosis and care. He also makes it a point to have dinner once a month with someone who has very different political perspectives. “I’m always learning something,” he said.
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CNBC accepts nominations for third CNBC Changemakers: Women Transforming Businesslist. The unranked list will recognize a select group of women whose achievements have left their mark on the business world and paved the way forward.
