Trisha Brush: The Leader Who Turned a Group into a Family

When Trisha Brush first stepped into her leadership role at Planning and Development Services of Kenton County, Kentucky, she wasn’t handed a playbook or a list of technical tasks. Instead, she was given one clear mission: “Make those people a team.”

That simple yet powerful directive set Trisha on a path not just to manage, but to lead—with heart. “So many people in my life hated their managers,” she recalled.

“I said to my team, my job is to make it so you don’t go home and complain about what happened at work today. And if you do, that’s okay—but hopefully, you go home and talk about the great things.”

It’s an ethos that has shaped the culture of her department for more than two decades.

Trisha’s story didn’t start with a lifelong dream of working in GIS. She only declared her major—geography—after her parents urged her to finish college. But something clicked.

“Once I declared geography, I was on the dean’s list every year,” she said. Then came a professor’s advice: if you want to make money in geography, learn GIS. So she did. And she fell in love with it.

But it wasn’t long before she discovered her true calling wasn’t just mapping roads or utilities—it was mapping human potential.

“I realized I really like the people side of GIS—that human piece that GIS brings so well,” she shared.

That insight transformed her leadership style. Rather than clinging to her technical roots, Trisha made a conscious decision to let others shine. “You have to humble yourself and let them shine where they shine. In the end, it pays dividends.”

As the pandemic tested workplaces everywhere, Trisha’s team thrived. The secret? Resilience built slowly and intentionally. Weekly one-on-ones, clear project meetings, GIS lunches, and dedicated space to talk about life, not just work. “We were building a resilient team the entire time—I just didn’t realize it until COVID hit.”

Of course, not every day is easy. “Everyone on my team will say they’ve had that talk with Trisha,” she said, smiling. But her approach is grounded in empathy.

“More often than not, when someone’s struggling, there’s something personal going on. You just have to dig a little deeper.”

Her humility is also rooted in something bigger than herself: the joy of watching others grow. “The most humbling part? Seeing someone else’s success. Watching an intern move on and land a killer job. That’s when you realize—we’re all replaceable. And that’s okay.”

Today, her team is still going strong. Her newest hires have been there for seven years. And her former interns? Every single one of them has gone on to work in GIS.

If you ask Trisha what sustained her through it all, she’ll say one word: practice.

“It’s showing up. Listening. Mentoring. Getting certified when you feel stale. Practicing leadership every single day.”

She’s living proof that investing in people—really seeing them—is the most powerful form of leadership there is.