Mayor Alyia Gaskins Joins Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative Executive Management Training Program

Page updated on July 17, 2025 at 2:56 PM
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47 mayors and 94 senior city officials in this year’s class will receive training to solve pressing local challenges and improve residents' lives

Two senior officials from the City of Alexandria will begin their participation in the program in August 

Mayor Alyia Gaskins announced her selection for the ninth class of the Bloomberg Harvard Leadership Initiative, joining 47 mayors total from 17 countries to participate in the professional management training program. Established by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Business School as a first-of-its-kind program to help close the gap in executive development for the public sector, the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative equips mayors and senior municipal officials with the tools and expertise to solve pressing local challenges, strengthen their city halls, and improve outcomes for residents. Since its launch in 2017, the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative has provided training to 359 mayors and over 635 senior municipal officials across 41 countries. 

“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.” 

Housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative brings together Harvard faculty, staff, and students, alongside experts from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ global network, to work with the mayors and their senior officials over the course of nine months. Through intensive classroom, virtual, and field-based learnings and offerings, the Initiative helps these leaders bolster their teams’ use of data and evidence, drive collaboration and innovation across sectors, and deliver results for communities. In addition to the core coursework and convenings with peers, after completing the program, each municipality can access additional offerings. This includes education programs for their economic development, civic engagement, human resources, negotiation, and procurement leads; opportunities to host a Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellow for up to two years; and peer-reviewed research and instructional materials to help local governments improve key organizational practices.  

To kick off their participation, Mayor Gaskins joined Harvard faculty and renowned management leaders in New York City for a four-day immersive classroom experience. Two senior leaders from each of the 47 cities, including the City of Alexandria, will begin their participation in the program in August.