Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins Selected for Prestigious Bloomberg Harvard Leadership Initiative
Gaskins joins 47 global mayors in Harvard-led program focused on innovation, collaboration, and data-driven city leadership.
ALEXANDRIA, VA – Mayor Alyia Gaskins has been selected to join the ninth class of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a distinguished professional development program for mayors around the globe. Gaskins joins a cohort of 47 mayors representing 17 countries, all focused on tackling critical urban challenges and improving outcomes for residents through innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based decision-making.
The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is a joint effort by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Business School. It aims to close the gap in executive leadership training within the public sector by equipping mayors and their senior teams with tools to enhance governance and service delivery.
“I’m honored and excited to join the prestigious Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative,” said Mayor Gaskins. “This program will strengthen our City’s leadership and help us deliver results using the innovation and creativity of both our residents and City staff. Together, we can address our most pressing challenges and create new opportunities for our city.”
The nine-month program, housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, includes a combination of in-person, virtual, and field-based learning. Participants will work closely with Harvard faculty, Bloomberg Philanthropies experts, and global thought leaders to sharpen their skills in data use, cross-sector collaboration, and municipal innovation.
To kick off the initiative, Mayor Gaskins attended a four-day immersive session in New York City alongside faculty and fellow leaders. Two senior City of Alexandria officials, not identified by the City of Alexandria, will also begin their participation in August. [Editor’s Note: Zebra has contacted the City for the names and will update the story when received.]
In addition to its core curriculum, the Initiative offers access to advanced training for municipal departments such as economic development and procurement, as well as opportunities to host Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellows and access peer-reviewed research and tools.
Mayor Gaskins joins a prestigious group of program alumni, including Mayor Tim Keller of Albuquerque, Mayor Femke Halsema of Amsterdam, Mayor Cherelle Parker of Philadelphia, and Mayor Bruce Harrell of Seattle, among others.
Since its launch in 2017, the program has trained 359 mayors and more than 635 senior officials from 41 countries.
