24 begin Bloomberg Center for Cities Program for New Mayors

As new mayors prepare to take the reins in city halls across the country, 24 newly elected U.S. mayors have been selected for the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University’s Program for New Mayors: First 100 Days, delivered in collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School.

Cities increasingly confront complex global challenges at the community level. The Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard’s Program for New Mayors is designed to maximize mayors’ potential for innovation and problem-solving, equipping newly elected leaders with the skills to make the most of their roles and improve residents’ quality of life. Through the program, mayors will receive training from Harvard faculty, urban innovation and management experts, and other mayors on how to set strategic citywide priorities, build effective city hall organizations, foster collaboration across departments and sectors, and deliver for residents—establishing a strong foundation for their administrations during their critical early days in office.

To kick off participation, the newly elected U.S. mayors—collectively representing 11 states and more than 5 million residents—will convene for a two-day immersive classroom experience at Harvard University. In addition to the core coursework and connection with peers, the Program for New Mayors provides opportunities for new mayors to share strategies with other mayors through the Bloomberg Center for Cities’ vast mayoral leadership network, and learn about interventions that are already working effectively to better resident lives in other cities.

Notable Program for New Mayors alumni include Beaumont, Texas, Mayor Roy West; Columbia, Missouri, Mayor Barbara Buffaloe; Des Moines, Iowa Mayor Connie Boesen; Durham, North Carolina Mayor Leonardo Williams; Lafayette, Louisiana Mayor Monique Blanco Boulet; Long Beach, California, Mayor Rex Richardson; Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Craig Greenberg; Missoula, Montana, Mayor Andrea Davis; Ogden, Utah, Mayor Ben Nadolski; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mayor Cherelle Parker; and Providence, Rhode Island, Mayor Brett Smiley. Alumni have deployed the program’s learnings to lead their communities through unexpected crises, establish working coalitions with diverse stakeholders, and set ambitious goals to meet complex challenges — from tackling homelessness to improving housing access, critical water infrastructure, or government performance — in order to better serve residents’ needs.

Participating cities include Alexandria, Virginia; Antioch, California; Berkeley, California; Burlington, Vermont; Clearwater, Florida; Eugene, Oregon; Fremont, California; Grand Rapids, Michigan, Hampton, Virginia; Hillsboro, Oregon; Huntington, West Virginia; Medford, Oregon; Mesa, Arizona; Raleigh, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; Sacramento, California; Salem, Oregon; San Francisco, California; Scottsdale, Arizona; St. Cloud, Minnesota; St. George, Louisiana; Stockton, California; Surprise, Arizona; and Vallejo, California.