Rob Sand

Rob Sand is the 33rd State Auditor of Iowa, known for his commitment to transparency, accessibility, and accountability in government. Elected in 2018, Sand previously served as Iowa’s Chief Public Corruption Prosecutor, where he led the investigation into the largest lottery rigging scheme in American history.He emphasizes the importance of being accessible to constituents through initiatives like Transparency Tuesdays, a weekly Facebook Live series where he directly engages with the public. Sand’s approach challenges traditional political norms by promoting openness and demystifying government processes.In this conversation, he also reflects on his career journey, discusses his book The Winning Ticket, and underscores the importance of clear communication and public trust in governance. At the core of his philosophy is a belief in working with anyone to do good and upholding integrity in public service.Takeaways:Constituent Influence Challenges: As an elected official, Rob must influence everyday people to create meaningful impact. This is increasingly difficult due to rising partisanship and the weakening of traditional political coalitions.Government Transparency Education: Rob provides an open look into how state government works. He educates the public about his role as state auditor and broader government functions.Statewide In-Person Engagement: Rob connects with Iowans by visiting all 100 county seats. These face-to-face conversations build trust and allow him to hear concerns directly.Direct Social Media Use: Rob actively manages his own social media accounts. This personal touch enhances authenticity and keeps constituents informed and engaged.Weekly Facebook Live Updates: Every Tuesday evening, Rob hosts “Transparency Tuesdays” on Facebook Live. He highlights his recent work and answers questions from viewers.Authentic Public Presence: Unlike many public figures who fear live interactions, Rob embraces them. His unfiltered approach resonates with people who value honesty and accessibility.Breaking Down Barriers: Rob uses social media to bridge the gap between government and citizens. This invites Iowans into meaningful dialogue and helps build community.Sharing Innovative Practices: Rob identifies effective practices from across counties and shares them statewide. He values practical solutions over partisanship, ensuring good ideas reach everyone.Quote of the Show:“It's important for people to have a sense of the ability to reach their government, to reach levers of whatever degree of power and to actually have an interaction there”Links:Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobSandIA  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robsandia/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robsandia/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robsand1/  Website: https://robsand.com/  The Winning Ticket: https://a.co/d/c9xQN6w 

This Chief Influencer is an elected official and a former prosecutor. Rob Sand is the State Auditor of Iowa and the author of The Winning Ticket. Rob is the only elected Democrat in state or federal office in Iowa. He shares his insights on communicating effectively in the twenty-first century, being accessible to his constituents, and amplifying great ideas from both sides of the aisle. Takeaways:As an elected official, Rob needs to influence the everyday people that comprise his constituency in order to begin making any impact. This is becoming more difficult with the growing partisanship of voters and the erosion of long-standing political coalitions.Rob provides people with an open look into how the state government works. He tries to educate people on what he does as the state auditor and what is going on in the government in general.Rob connects with the people of Iowa in two key ways. First, Rob travels to all 100 county seats in the state to talk with people in person. Second, Rob is very active on social media and actually manages the accounts himself.Every Tuesday evening, Rob goes live on Facebook for “Transparency Tuesdays” to tell people the highlights of what he worked on in the prior week and what is going on in the government. He leaves time to address comments and questions at the end.Many public-facing leaders avoid going live with their constituents as they are afraid of making a mistake and tarnishing their image. When Rob live-streams, he focuses on being himself, something that people really connect with. Many elected officials seem very distant from constituents and by utilizing social media Rob is able to overcome traditional barriers and invite people in to look at what really happens. It creates an opening for dialog and community between Rob and Iowans. When Rob comes across a great idea or innovative practice that each county could implement, he compiles those ideas and shares them with officials from every county each year. It doesn’t matter who came up with an idea, if it works, Rob will share it. Quote of the Show:“It's important for people to have a sense of the ability to reach their government, to reach levers of whatever degree of power and to actually have an interaction there” - Rob SandLinks:Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobSandIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robsandia/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robsandia/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robsand1/ Website: https://robsand.com/ The Winning Ticket: https://a.co/d/c9xQN6w Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DjyDgAnBZ1Pgy4Lyojgs1 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-influencer/id1688769403 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/27c24d98-1121-465a-bd8f-d7314a9a4482 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/chief-influencer-podcast-5328948YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chiefinfluencer