Moderator
Mayors of Major Municipalities
Mayor Justin Elicker CITY OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT Weeks into his first year on the job, Mayor Elicker was confronted with the greatest public health challenge of our lifetime—COVID-19— and he and his team have prioritized keeping residents safe throughout the pandemic, paying particular attention to the needs of historically marginalized populations. Mayor Elicker has been a passionate advocate for affordable housing, fighting decades of opposition to zoning reforms that would allow for marginalized populations to live in the city. The mayor graduated with a BA from Middlebury College in Vermont, and earned both a Master’s in Business Administration from the Yale School of Management and a Master’s in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Environment. He served for four years on the New Haven Board of Alders. He worked in the U.S. Foreign Services, has been an elementary and high school teacher, served for three years as an adjunct professor of education policy at Southern Connecticut State University, and led a local non-profit.
Mayor Francis X. Suarez CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA Mayor Suarez has championed the integration of climate adaptive technologies, building practices, and economic policies across all facets of government as part of his Miami Forever Plan. Under his leadership, Miami has cut crime and cut taxes to one of their lowest points in over fifty years, spurring an economic resurgence and expansion across Miami. The mayor has also pursued a package of affordable housing reforms that leverage federal opportunity zones with the activation of underutilized land to increase access to affordable housing and homeownership for working people and communities of color. Mayor Suarez earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida International University, graduating in the top ten percent of his class, and then received his law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he graduated cum laude. Mayor Suarez was recently named as a Time Future 100 Leader.
Laura DeMaria, MPA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COUNTY COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Laura DeMaria is the Executive Director of the National Association for County Community and Economic Development (NACCED), which represents local government agencies’ community development and affordable housing programs across the nation. In her first year as ED, by prioritizing communication and focusi ng on relationships, NACCED’s membership grew by 25%. Laura also launched and hosts NACCED’s podcast, The Holistic Housing Podcast, which has received mention by CNN and in The Washington Post . In addition to her work in nonprofit and association management, she is a speaker and workshop leader on topics including developing self-awareness, knowing and living one’s values, centering through prayer, the art of conversation, and leadership at all levels. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the American University School of Public Affairs, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a focus in Nonprofit Management.
Mayor Sylvester Turner CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS Mayor Turner has expertly managed significant challenges facing the nation’s fourth-largest city, including budget deficits, homelessness, and natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey. He is currently leading Houston’s response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Amid national unrest and calls for improving the community and police relations, the mayor signed an executive order restricting the use of force and created a Task Force on Policing Reforms. Operating within the city’s fiscal constraints, Mayor Turner has passed five balanced budgets, overseen Houston’s remarkable rebound from Hurricane Harvey, and championed Complete Communities, an initiative designed to revitalize and improve Houston’s most under-served neighborhoods by partnering with local stakeholders to leverage resources to create a more equitable and prosperous city for all Houstonians. Mayor Turner served for 27 years as the Representative for Texas House District 139. He is a graduate of the University of Houston and earned a law degree from Harvard University.
6 • THE NHP FOUNDATION 2021 SYMPOSIUM
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