American Progress from the Front Lines: Examining Local-Level Action, Innovation, and Solutions to Cities Challenges in Chaotic Times

Richard J. Berry served as Mayor of Albuquerque from 2009 to 2017. Prior to his time as mayor, he was a two-term State Representative in the New Mexico Legislature and owned a successful construction company serving the Southwest. During his tenure, Albuquerque was ranked the second Best Run City in the U.S. and among the most technologically advanced. He was nationally recognized for launching “There’s a Better Way,” a program connecting the homeless with work opportunities and services.

Greg Fischer was elected Louisville’s 50th mayor in 2010 and completed his third and final term in office on January 1, 2023. Mayor Fischer was elected by the mayors of America to be president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2020. Governing Magazine named Mayor Fischer Public Official of the Year in 2013. A 2016 Politico survey named him as the most innovative mayor in America. Louisville was named an International Model City of Compassion five times and a Top 15 city for attracting millennials. Mayor Fischer is a national award-winning entrepreneur who started and invested in dozens of businesses, including SerVend International and Iceberg Ventures, a private investment firm. With the head of a businessman and heart of a social worker, Mayor Fischer set a path for Louisville’s economic renaissance including an unprecedented $24 billion+ in capital investments, the recentering of the local economy around next stage technologies, and the launches of the Evolve502 promise scholarship that ensures every public high school graduate has an opportunity for higher learning, and a new hospitality/tourism movement known as “bourbonism”. 

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When historic challenges struck Louisville and America in 2020, he further accelerated his administration’s focus on public safety and police-community relations; addressed systemic racism and police reform; and marshalled all resources to hasten Louisville’s recovery from COVID-19. Mayor Fischer is a graduate of Trinity High School and Vanderbilt University. He is married to Dr. Alexandra Gerassimides, the daughter of Greek immigrants who were uprooted during the Greek Civil War. The couple have four adult children and two grandchildren. 

William Peduto, the former Mayor of Pittsburgh, is recognized for his transformative leadership and dedication to revitalizing the city through innovation, sustainability, and social equity. Serving as mayor from 2014 to 2022, Peduto spearheaded efforts to modernize Pittsburgh’s infrastructure, attract tech, medical and green industries, and address the city's historical environmental challenges. His administration focused on creating a more inclusive and resilient economy, championing policies aimed at combating climate change and fostering community-based development. Peduto's vision helped position Pittsburgh as a national leader in sustainability and urban renewal, while prioritizing equity and progressive governance. In 2020, Pittsburgh's leadership was recognized with first place recognition for the U.S. Conference of Mayors 14th annual Climate Protection Awards. 

His legacy is one of forward-thinking leadership that has redefined Pittsburgh’s role in the 21st century. From 2018-2022, Mayor Peduto served as North America's representative on the Board of the. Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. He presently serves as a Distinguished Executive in Residency at the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University.