Summer Meeting 2026: Madison, WI!

• Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, City of Madison, WI
• Matt Wachter, Director of Planning, Community, and Economic Development, City of Madison, WI

Housing, Density, Political Will Full Briefing Book

Unabbreviated sources:

1. Housing Forward Plan, City of Madison, 2021
2. Housing Forward 2025 Progress Report, City of Madison, 2025
3. Housing Tracker, City of Madison, website
4. Fall 2025 Housing Forward Proposals, City of Madison, Sept. 2025
5. Winter 2025 Housing Forward Proposals, City of Madison, Oct. 2025
6. 2025 Housing Snapshot Report, City of Madison

• Satya Rhodes-Conway is the 58th Mayor of Madison, first elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023. She focuses on delivering high‑quality public services, expanding affordable housing, advancing rapid transit, strengthening equitable economic growth, and accelerating climate action. Before serving as mayor, she spent over a decade working with mayors nationwide through the Mayors Innovation Project and served three terms on the Madison Common Council. Mayor Rhodes-Conway is Madison’s second female mayor and the first out LGBTQ person to hold the office. Her key initiatives include launching CARES, Madison’s mobile crisis response team; expanding rental and utility assistance; and leading construction of the city’s first purpose‑built homeless shelter.
• Matt Wachter has led Madison’s Department of Planning, Community, and Economic Development since 2020, overseeing Building Inspection, the Community Development Authority, Community Development, Economic Development, and Planning. His leadership spans affordable housing, job creation, real estate development, and community services. Previously, Mr. Wachter directed the City’s Office of Real Estate Services, managing property transactions, Tax Incremental Financing, regional housing analysis, and the Community Development Authority’s development portfolio. Before joining the City, he worked as a consultant and served in Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin’s office, partnering with local governments and businesses on housing, transportation, and economic development.

Coming soon

• Moderator: Mayor Lacey Beaty, City of Beaverton, OR
• Matt Leighninger, Vice President, National Civic League
• Mayor Jaime Kinder, City of Meadville, PA
• Dr. Jabraan Pasha, Chief Health Officer, City of Tulsa, OK
• Nicole Storey, Engagement Practice Manager, City of Charlotte, NC
• Kristy Kumar, Equity and Social Justice Manager, City of Madison, WI

Civic Muscle Full Briefing Book

Unabbreviated sources:

1. Ten steps toward a better democracy, Matt Leighninger, The Fulcrum, Nov. 2024

2. Disconnected but Hopeful, Anna Corning, National Civic League_Sept 2025

3. Jaime Kinder and the grassroots revolution in Meadville, PA Humanities, Aug. 2025

4. Pa. city council recognizes ambulance service for efficiency, service, Meadville Tribune, Oct. 2023

5. City of Tulsa Launches Office of Health and Well-being, City of Tulsa, Aug. 2025

6. Mayor’s Office of Children, Youth, Families Celebrates Measurable Progress, City of Tulsa, Feb. 2026

7. Meaningful public participation, City of Charlotte

8. Standard Operating Procedure for Engagement, City of Charlotte, June 2026

9. The Madison city workers helping Spanish, Chinese, Hmong speakers, Cap Times, July 2026

• Mayor Lacey Beaty is a dynamic civic leader and the first female mayor of Beaverton, elected in 2020. A U.S. Army veteran who served in the Iraq War, she brings a deep commitment to service, equity, and community well‑being. Her administration has advanced major initiatives in housing affordability, sustainability, and mobility, helping make Beaverton more accessible and welcoming for families of all backgrounds. Mayor Beaty is a strong advocate for veterans, playing a key role in Oregon’s HB 2295 to support veteran‑owned businesses and driving federal changes to HUD voucher rules. Her leadership extends nationally through her service on the Advisory Board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where she contributes to shaping policy discussions that strengthen cities.
• Matt Leighninger serves as Vice President of the National Civic League and directs its Center for Democracy Innovation. He oversees national initiatives to strengthen civic infrastructure, modernize public engagement, and assess the quality of democratic participation. His current work includes “Better Public Meetings,” which supports communities in redesigning outdated public‑meeting formats, and the “Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map,” a comprehensive dataset and visualization of organizations working to improve democracy across the United States. The National Civic League also maintains the Model City Charter, administers the All‑America City Awards, and assists municipalities in improving local democratic practices. Over a 30‑year career, Mr. Leighninger has supported democracy‑building efforts in more than 100 communities in 41 states.
• Mayor Jaime Kinder is the first woman and first person of color to serve as Meadville’s mayor. Born and raised in Meadville by a single mother who taught her to lead with love, she was shaped by a community that believed in her, and she has used that trust to deliver on major commitments. They include  launching a rental inspection program to ensure safe, dignified housing; establishing a public ambulance service; restoring traditional pensions for fire and police; passing Pennsylvania’s strongest anti‑retaliation ordinance; creating a climate action plan and Environmental Advisory Committee; and investing more than $1.3 million into shared public spaces. Mayor Kinder believes communities thrive when leaders act with love, hope, and relentless hard work.

• Dr. Jabraan Pasha is Tulsa’s Chief Health Officer and Senior Advisor for Community Health, leading the city’s new Office of Health and Well‑Being. A physician and educator, he trained at the University of Kansas and Mayo Clinic Arizona, and has held key roles at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine and Juno Medical in Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District. Nationally recognized for his leadership in health equity, Dr. Pasha received the American College of Physicians’ W. Lester Henry Award in 2022. He brings a clear, community‑centered vision for how cities can strengthen health outcomes by meeting residents where they are.
• Nicole Storey is the City of Charlotte’s first Engagement Practice Manager, leading the development of a citywide, resident‑centered approach to public engagement. She works at the intersection of organizational change and public participation, building systems and practices that reduce barriers, strengthen trust, and ensure community perspectives shape government decisions. Her focus is on making engagement an everyday organizational practice rather than a one‑off project step, improving outcomes for residents and the city alike. With more than 25 years of experience across the Southeast, Nicole has served in public, private, and nonprofit roles as a planner, advisor, consultant, facilitator, and advocate—consistently championing equitable growth, resident voice, and stronger, more connected communities.
• Kristy Kumar is the City of Madison’s inaugural Equity and Social Justice Manager, leading citywide work on racial equity, social justice, language access, disability rights, and Neighborhood Resource Teams. She developed Madison’s innovative Community Connectors model, which employs bilingual staff with deep community relationships to serve as trusted bridges between residents and local government. Through in‑language communication, culturally responsive engagement, and ongoing two‑way dialogue, Connectors help residents navigate city systems while ensuring community priorities inform decision‑making. The model strengthens civic participation, builds trust, and provides departments with scalable infrastructure for meaningful engagement, supporting efforts ranging from budget outreach and transit planning to voter engagement and emergency communications.

• Jenny McDonald, Director, Cities Work
• Ava Mouton-Johnson, City Policy Coordinator, Cities Work
• Mayor Kim Norton, City of Rochester, MN 
• Kima Russell, Economic Development Real Property Manager, City of San Bernardino, CA

Regulatory Justice Full Briefing Book

Unabbreviated sources:

1. From Barriers to Breakthroughs: A Practical Playbook for Reforming Local Regulations to Empower Entrepreneurs, Cities Work at the Institute for Justice, 2024

• Jennifer McDonald is IJ’s Director of Activism. Jenny engages with policymakers, regulators, and activists to achieve needed reforms at all levels of government. Through research, legislative advocacy, coalition building, and working with the media, she defends every entrepreneur’s right to earn an honest living. She also speaks at national conferences on topics such as the power of entrepreneurship, reducing red tape for small businesses, and organizing coalitions of activists to advocate for themselves. She also leads IJ’s Cities Work initiative, which partners with cities across the country to make it cheaper, faster, and simpler to start a small business by identifying and rectifying regulatory barriers facing small business owners.
• Ava Mouton-Johnston is a City Policy Coordinator with the Institute for Justice’s Cities Work initiative, a nonpartisan regulatory consulting program that partners with local governments across the country to make it cheaper, faster, and simpler to start a small business. At Cities Work, Ava leads in-depth regulatory business process mapping, entrepreneur and community engagement, legislative drafting, and reform implementation. Her work focuses on translating the lived experiences of small business owners into actionable policy changes that reduce unnecessary red tape while maintaining public health and safety. 
• Kima Russell is the Economic Development Real Property Manager for the City of San Bernardino, where she oversees strategic real estate initiatives that promote economic development, housing, and community revitalization. With more than 20 years of experience in real estate, project management, and business operations, she is passionate about public-private partnerships, property disposition, and facilitating development opportunities that attract investment and strengthen local communities. Kima is dedicated to improving government processes, removing barriers to development, and creating innovative solutions that foster economic growth. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Science in Psychology from Grand Canyon University. Through collaborative partnerships and strategic leadership, Kima is committed to advancing equitable, sustainable, and business-friendly economic development that creates lasting opportunities for the communities she serves.
• Mayor Kim Norton became the first woman Mayor of Rochester, Minnesota, when she was elected in November of 2018 and took office on January 1, 2019.  She was recently re-elected as Mayor for another four-year term. Mayor Kim Norton earned a Bush Fellowship, which allowed her to complete a master’s degree at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, focused on leadership and energy policy. This work allowed her to investigate communities recognized for their sustainability and livability. Prior to her fellowship, Mayor Norton served in the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 25B, which encompassed the northern portion of Rochester in Olmsted County, in the southeastern part of the state. Before serving in the state legislature, Mayor Norton served 8 years, including 1 year as board chair of the Rochester Public Schools Board. In addition to the Mayor’s solid and long history of public service and leadership, she has a record of asking tough questions, seeking out and listening to people with differing opinions, and working with the community to build bridges toward finding smart, fair solutions. Kim is married to Randy Stone, is the mother of four grown children and a stepson, and grandmother of four fun grandchildren.

• Moderator: Mayor Derek Slaughter, City of Williamsport, PA
• Heidi Simon, Director of Thriving Communities, Smart Growth America
• Mayor Dominick Pangallo, City of Salem, MA
• Cody Gentry, Vision Zero Coordinator, City of Knoxville, TN
• Christof Spieler, Director of Transportation, City of Madison, WI

Streets for People Full Briefing Book

Unabbreviated sources:

• Complete Streets Policy Action Guide, City Health, Feb. 2024.
• Best Complete Streets Policies 2025, Smart Growth America, 2026.
• Traffic Calming Priority Tool Process, City of Salem, MA, 2026.
• Knoxville officials work to improve pedestrian safety, curb dangerous habits with plans to update infrastructure, Olivia Dague, 10 News, Apr. 30, 2026.
• Madison Vision Zero Progress Report 2023-2024, City of Madison, WI, 2026.
• City of Madison Complete Green Streets Guide, City of Madison, WI, Mar. 5, 2025.

• Born and raised in Williamsport, Mayor Derek Slaughter moved back after completing his education to work and raise his family here. Derek is committed to building strong communities, and although there are challenges facing Williamsport, he believes that if we meet them head-on we can find lasting solutions. As a City Councilman and now as Mayor, Slaughter has always been a fiscally responsible guardian of taxpayer dollars. “Our City government must be accountable for how we spend tax dollars to ensure our spending priorities make sense and align with our City’s strategic plan as a whole.”
• Heidi Simon joined Smart Growth America in February 2023 as the Director of Thriving Communities. Heidi brings over ten years of experience working in advocacy, communications and programming related to mobility, with an emphasis in active transportation. She began this work with the pedestrian advocacy organization, America Walks, and has focused her career on addressing mobility independence through the creation of safe, active and accessible places to move and travel. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, Heidi holds degrees from Loyola University-Chicago and George Washington University. She currently lives in Washington, DC with her husband, son, and dog.
• A lifelong Salem resident, Mayor Dominick Pangallo is now raising his family in the North Salem neighborhood where he grew up. The son of two educators, he graduated from Salem public schools before earning a bachelor’s degree from Bates College and two master’s degrees from Suffolk University in political science and public administration. Mayor Pangallo began his public service career working for State Representative John Keenan. In 2013, he returned to Salem to serve as Chief of Staff for the next decade under Mayor Kim Driscoll, overseeing city operations and helping lead major initiatives for a decade, including Salem’s COVID-19 response. In 2023, Dominick was elected Salem’s 52nd Mayor after winning the citywide special election. This past year, he was elected to his first full four-year term after running unopposed. As Mayor, Dominick has focused on housing affordability, transportation, climate action, equity, responsive public services, and transparent, inclusive government. Mayor Pangallo currently chairs the Salem School Committee and serves on numerous local, regional, and statewide boards and organizations. His goal is to ensure Salem remains a city that works for and welcomes everyone.
• Cody Gentry is the Vision Zero Manager for the City of Knoxville, where he leads efforts to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Selected as Knoxville’s first Vision Zero Coordinator in 2024, he has since grown the program from a single position into a dedicated team focused on safer streets for all users. With nearly two decades of experience in transportation safety, Cody emphasizes data-driven decision-making, speed management, and community engagement, along with the implementation of low-cost, quick-build improvements that deliver near-term safety results. He works closely with city staff, community partners, and residents to advance Knoxville’s goal of eliminating traffic deaths on City-controlled roadways by 2040. Cody is passionate about creating safer, more accessible streets for everyone, regardless of how they travel.
• Christof Spieler has served as the Director of Transportation at the City of Madison, WI since 2025 where he leads a team that includes traffic engineering, parking, transit, and transportation planning. Prior to this role, Christof was a board member at Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority, a Senior Lecturer at Rice Lake University, and a consultant, advising cities across the United States on land use and transportation plans, including bus network redesigns and transit oriented development plans.

• Moderator: Mayor Talisha Searcy, City of Takoma Park, MD
• Amy Turner, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School
• Mayor Kerry Thomson, City of Bloomington, IN 
• Jessica Price, Sustainability and Resource Manager, City of Madison, WI

Building Decarbonization Full Briefing Book

Unabbreviated sources:

1. Building a Cleaner Future A Guide for Local Government Action on Building Decarbonization, Climate Mayors, 2025

2. Takoma Park Green Homes & Businesses, City of Takoma Park, MD, 2026

3. Takoma Park Multifamily Building Improvement Grant, City of Takoma Park, MD, 2025

4. Bloomington Green Home Improvement Program, City of Bloomington, IN, 2026

5. Bloomington SEEL program, City of Bloomington, IN, 2026

6. Madison Pushes Forward on Climate Policies Amid State and Federal Hurdles, Cap Times, 2026

• Talisha Searcy is the Mayor of the City of Takoma Park, Maryland. Elected in 2022, Mayor Searcy has been an active member of the community since 2013 and is the first African American elected mayor in Takoma Park. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Searcy has used her passion for civic engagement to serve the city and its residents for over a decade. From 2017 to 2022, she served on the Takoma Park City Council representing Ward 6. During her tenure, she helped establish the city’s COVID-19 pandemic response, led the redevelopment of critical infrastructure in Ward 6, and supported local businesses impacted by Purple Line construction to secure grant funding. Additionally, Searcy works for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy. She earned her undergraduate degree in Economics from Georgia State University and her master’s degrees in economics and public administration from Syracuse University. When not advocating for the residents of Takoma Park, Mayor Searcy enjoys taking long walks with her dog Duke, and spending time with her eight nieces and nephews.

• Mayor Kerry Thomson was elected as Bloomington, Indiana’s 33rd Mayor in 2023. Prior to being Mayor, Thomson was the CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County and in 2018 became the Executive Director of Indiana University’s Center for Rural Engagement. Her priorities as mayor include addressing the lack of affordable housing, tackling the drug and mental health crisis, and creating a more inclusive, accessible, and responsive government.
• Dr. Jessica Price is the Sustainability and Resilience Manager at the City of Madison, Wisconsin. In her role, she works to develop and implement policies, programs and strategies that advance climate resilience, sustainability and environmental justice. Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, Jessica served as Renewable Energy Strategy Lead for the Nature Conservancy in New York, where she led efforts to catalyze the transition to renewable energy and improve climate resilience.
• Amy Turner is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, where she formerly served as the Director of the Cities Climate Law Initiative. Amy is an expert on local climate law and policy across the buildings, transportation, waste and energy sectors, as well as on local climate funding and financing and on the interplay of state and federal climate policy and local units of government. She currently works to mobilize technical assistance and other supports to advance local climate policy. Amy is a co-author of the book Urban Climate Law from Columbia University Press and is widely cited in press stories on local climate law. Prior to joining the Sabin Center, Amy was the executive director and a co-founder of the NYC Climate Action Alliance, and practiced environmental and transactional law for ten years in New York City. She formerly served as co-chair for the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on Environmental Law, as board vice chair for the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, and on New York City’s Sustainability Advisory Board. She currently sits on the board of Forward Together Wisconsin and on the Milwaukee City-County Lakefront Development Advisory Commission.