Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Joins Municipal Leaders from Around the World in Fifth Class of Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative

This week, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones joins 37 other mayors chosen for an intensive education program to explore the latest in leadership and management practices with the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative.

As a member of the Initiative’s Class of 2021-22, Mayor Jones is part of a class of mayors participating in a program delivered by faculty from Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School as well as world-class experts from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ global network. Her predecessor, Mayor Lyda Krewson, participated in the initiative in 2018.

The yearlong program launches with a three-day convening for mayors in New York City beginning Sunday, September 26, 2021, which Mayor Jones is attending at no cost to the city. Each day of the convening, mayors will attend classroom sessions focused on the latest management and leadership practices, using case studies and workshops developed at Harvard.

“It’s an honor to join the Bloomberg Harvard Cities Initiative this year,” said Mayor Jones. “This is an opportunity to put St. Louis back on the map by leveraging the success stories of other cities as we work to reimagine public safety, protect families from COVID-19, and make St. Louis a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

Collectively, Harvard University and Bloomberg Philanthropies aim to help mayors and their leadership teams manage the complexities of running a city, and to give these leaders opportunities to learn from one another. The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative will connect Mayor Jones to some of the university’s top educators, coaching from experts, a network of peers, and technical assistance. The program provides an opportunity to share practices and learn from fellow mayors about the promising ideas that are helping to enhance the quality of life in cities around the world. 

Mayor Jones’s participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative – including tuition, accommodation, meals, and airfare – is fully funded by the program. Michael R. Bloomberg, founder Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term mayor of New York City, collaborated with Harvard University leadership to create the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative in 2017.