Community engagement has not always been a priority within local governments. But, as inclusivity and empowering residents to speak up becomes more important nationwide, public engagement tactics and strategies have steadily been improving. During a panel hosted by Michelle Stephens, Head of Planning Practice at Bang the Table (now part of Granicus), we will take a deep dive into the community engagement journeys of local Californian government organizations to learn how they decided to invest in robust digital tools, how they implemented those tools, and their individual results after adopting a digital-first community engagement strategy. We will hear from community engagement practitioners to learn how they have been able to reach more residents from historically marginalized groups, bring more stakeholders into the local conversation, and find the balance between in-person and online engagement strategies. They will discuss specific projects, successes, and tactics to shed light on the benefits of revolutionizing the way local leaders connect with residents.