March 2021 – WASHINGTON, DC – The Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) is pleased to announce the inaugural participants of MICD Alumni Technical Assistance (ATA), including 12 mayors and 27 design professionals. MICD ATA matches selected mayors with nationally renowned design experts for assistance with a case study project, either a continuation of their original MICD case study project or a new project focused on racial justice in the built environment. This program brings the spirit of MICD – candid, concrete, expert advice in a trusted setting – to a virtual offering while in-person Institute sessions are on hold.
The ATA program matches each alumni mayor with two or three Resource Team members to develop recommendations on their project. Over approximately six weeks, the Resource Team works with the mayor, city staff, and stakeholders to develop concrete solutions to the city’s challenges. MICD Alumni Technical Assistance is offered at no cost to participating cities; MICD compensates participating design professionals directly.
Participating mayors represent 10 states across the country and lead communities with populations ranging from 13,000 to 305,000 residents. Project topics include: visioning for multi-purpose parks in flood-prone, underserved neighborhoods; connecting residents to transit hubs and economic opportunity through urban design; developing vacant city-owned parcels in overlooked neighborhoods; making overdue investments in streetscape improvements; and reviving main streets to bring walkability, economic opportunity, and a shared sense of community to geographically isolated neighborhoods.
Participating Resource Team members hail from across the U.S. and represent the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, transportation planning, creative placemaking, economic development, real estate development, and more.
MICD is honored to connect city design experts with local leaders to advance projects that will bring greater equity, opportunity, safety, and well-being to communities across the country. Stay tuned for updates on these projects as well as future opportunities to participate in MICD Alumni Technical Assistance.
Participating Mayors
Beverly, MA Mayor Michael Cahill
Cayce, SC Mayor Elise Partin
Framingham, MA Mayor Yvonne Spicer
Greenville, MS Mayor Errick Simmons
Lansing, MI Mayor Andy Schor
Lincoln, NE Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird
Lynn, MA Mayor Thomas McGee
Mooresville, NC Mayor Miles Atkins
Mount Vernon, NY Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard
Muskegon, MI Mayor Stephen Gawron
Pittsburgh, PA Mayor Bill Peduto
Union City, GA Mayor Vince Williams
Resource Team members
Rodrigo Abela |  Principal, GGN
Karen Abrams |  Program Officer, Equitable Development, Heinz Endowments
Candace Damon |  Vice Chairman, HR&A
Ifeoma Ebo |  Founding Director, Creative Urban Alchemy, LLC
Sonja Ewing |  Land Acquisition and Park Planning Program Manager; Assistant Division Chief, Park Planning and Development, M-NCPPC
Jeff Fugate |  Acting Associate Dean for Administration + Urban & Environmental Design, University of Kentucky College of Design
Stephen Gray |  Associate Professor of Urban Design, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Toni Griffin  |  Founder, Just City Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Jason Hellendrung |  Vice President, Planning & Design, Tetra Tech
Brie Hensold |  Principal and Urban Planner, Agency Landscape + Planning
Meea Kang |  Senior Vice President, Related California
Shannon Kraus |  Executive Vice President, HKS Architects
Wendy Landman |  Senior Policy Advisor, WalkBoston
Ted Landsmark |  Director, Dukakis Center, Northeastern University
David Lee |  President, Stull and Lee, Incorporated
James Lima |  President, James Lima Planning + Development
Joseph Readdy |  Vice President, Urbsworks, Inc.
Chris Reed  |  Founder and Director, Stoss Landscape Urbanism
Faith Rose |  Principal, O’Neill Rose Architects
Mitchell Silver |  Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Kennedy Smith |  Principal, Community Land Use + Economics Group, LLC
Lily Song |  Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, Research Associate, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Peg Staeheli |  Landscape Architect
James Stockard |  Lecturer in Housing Studies, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Harriett Tregoning |  Director, New Urban Mobility Alliance
Drusilla van Hengel |  Principal, Nelson/Nygaard
Margy Waller |  Founder/Director, Art on the Streets
Barbara Wilks |  Founder, W Architecture and Landscape Architecture
The Mayors’ Institute on City Design, the nation’s preeminent forum for mayors to address city design and development issues, is a leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the United States Conference of Mayors. Since 1986, MICD has helped transform communities through design by preparing mayors to be the chief urban designers of their cities.