Mayors Innovation Project
A peer learning network for mayors and city leaders.

Supporting New Mayors

After being elected, new mayors must immediately tackle unique challenges that very few people will understand. Today, new mayors face the intersecting crises of the pandemic and addressing racial injustice, on top of the work of running their cities. In these unprecedented times, there is urgent demand for peer connection and executive leadership development. 

We believe that investments in the leadership of new mayors of color and new women mayors are especially critical, as they face institutional racism and sexism as additional challenges in achieving their agendas. The New Mayors Cohort offers leaders the opportunity to join a small peer cohort, informed by the wisdom from current and former mayors.

Group of Mayors in front of Wisconsin State Capital in Madison.

View Past New Mayors Cohorts

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2019

Our 2019 cohort of New Mayors included:

  • Mayor Jamael Brown, Youngstown, OH
  • Mayor Kelly Girtz, Athens-Clarke County, GA
  • Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith, Blacksburg, VA
  • Mayor Keith James, West Palm Beach, FL
  • Mayor Tim Keller, Albuquerque, NM
  • Mayor Jason Lary, Stonecrest, GA
  • Mayor Nickole Nesby, Duquesne, PA
  • Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Madison, WI
  • Mayor Chasity Wells-Armstrong, Kankakee, IL

2020

Our 2020 cohort of New Mayors included:

  • Mayor Thurman Bartie, Port Arthur, TX
  • Mayor Breea Clark, Norman, OK
  • Mayor Paige Cognetti, Scranton, PA
  • Mayor Mike Elliott, Brooklyn Center, MN
  • Mayor Chris Frye Jr., New Castle, PA
  • Mayor Reed Gusciora, Trenton, NJ
  • Mayor Indya Kincannon, Knoxville, TN
  • Mayor Kristine Lott, Winooski, VT
  • Mayor Bruno Lozano, Del Rio, TX
  • Mayor Kim Norton, Rochester, MN
  • Mayor Steven Reed, Montgomery, AL
  • Mayor Maria Regan Gonzalez, Richfield, MN
  • Mayor Derek Slaughter, Williamsport, PA
  • Mayor Laura Weinberg, Golden, CO

2021

Our 2021 cohort of New Mayors included:

  • Mayor Rita Ali, Peoria, IL
  • Mayor Lacey Beaty, Beaverton, OR
  • Mayor Nathaniel Booker, Maywood, IL
  • Mayor Felicia Brunson, West Park, FL
  • Mayor Kate Colin, San Rafael, CA
  • Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr., Hempstead, NY
  • Mayor Stellartean Jones, Gray Court, SC
  • Mayor Tishaura Jones, St. Louis, MO
  • Mayor Nikylan Knapper, Maplewood, MO
  • Mayor Michelle Nelson, Flossmoor, IL
  • Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati, Moline, IL
  • Mayor Katie Rosenberg, Wausau, WI
  • Mayor Vicki Scaman, Oak Park, IL
  • Mayor Emma Sharif, Compton, CA
  • Mayor Eddie Sundquist, Jamestown, NY

2023

Our 2023 cohort of New Mayors included:

  • Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta, Fitchburg, WI
  • Mayor Nicole Brown, Ypsilanti, MI
  • Mayor April Graves, Brooklyn Center, MN
  • Mayor Burney Jenkins, Georgetown, KY
  • Mayor Jaime Kinder, Meadville, PA
  • Mayor Heidi Lueb, Tigard, OR
  • Mayor Charles Maughan, Corvallis, OR
  • Mayor Carmen Montano, Milpitas, CA
  • Mayor Hollie Rogin, Lyons, CO
  • Mayor Donya Sartor, PhD, Jonesboro, GA
  • Mayor Jaylen Smith, Earl, AR
  • Mayor Russell Stroud, Goshen, AR
  • Mayor Hollies J. Winston, Brooklyn Park, MN

For more information on the 2023 New Mayors cohort, check out this blog post!

"The workshop provides a safe and supportive space to allow mayors to genuinely express their thoughts and feelings around the challenges of governing." - Mayor Chasity Wells-Armstrong Kankakee, IL 2019 New Mayors Cohort Member
"The training has helped set me up to be more successful in serving my community and advancing my agenda. [It was] extremely helpful to get a set of tools to use going forward and connecting to other mayors." - Mayor Heidi Lueb Tigard, OR 2023 New Mayors Cohort Member
"What an amazing opportunity. The team building exercises were excellent. This allows new mayors to gain skills/tools to use in their new roles and to have interactions with other mayors experiencing similar challenges." - Mayor Russell Stroud Goshen, AR 2023 New Mayors Cohort Member
"As a mayor I often felt alone and unable to relate to others in the region. Knowing that I share similar scenarios and situations with other mayors from across the country helped tremendously in managing local issues." - Mayor Bruno Lozano Del Rio, TX 2020 New Mayors Cohort Member

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