Government Influencers Join forces to Advance Innovative Solutions
Leading Cities, a global non-profit organization that works with cities to implement smart city solutions, is committed to promoting collaboration between cities and fostering innovation through the use of technology, data, and public-private partnerships. Part of finding solutions to urban challenges is finding a group of leaders to support the growing global community of Leading Cities’ entrepreneurs. Therefore, Leading Cities is pleased to announce the appointment of Lee Feldman and Abhi Nemani to its Board of Directors. Nemani and Feldman, both well-known experts in innovation and local government, will bring their unique perspectives and experiences to help Leading Cities advance its mission of fostering innovation and collaboration among cities around the world.
"Leading Cities is incredibly fortunate to have the power of Lee and Abhi as part of our distinguished Board of Directors," said Michael Lake, President and CEO of Leading Cities. "Their renowned expertise and leadership in innovation and local government will be invaluable as we work to support cities in addressing the complex challenges of our time, from climate change to social and economic equity. We look forward to working with Lee, Abhi, and our entire board to advance our mission of making cities more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive."
Lee Feldman is an accomplished public servant with over three decades of experience in local government. He has served as the City Manager for several cities, including Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and previously held leadership positions at the National Civic League and the ICMA (International City/County Management Association).
Abhi Nemani is a recognized leader in civic technology, having served as the Chief Data Officer for the City of Los Angeles, and as the Co-Executive Director at Code for America. Nemani is also a Founder and Managing Director of EthosLabs, a technology company that provides data-driven solutions for businesses and governments. He is a regular speaker on civic innovation and has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and the Atlantic.
Lee Feldman added, "I am excited to join Leading Cities in its efforts to promote sustainable and equitable urban development around the world. As someone who has dedicated my career to public service, I believe that cities have a unique responsibility to lead by example and to create more livable, inclusive, and resilient communities. I look forward to working with Michael, Abhi, and the entire board to make this vision a reality."
"I am honored to join the Leading Cities Board of Directors and to contribute my experience and insights to this important work," said Abhi Nemani. "I believe that cities have a critical role to play in addressing the most pressing issues of our time, and I look forward to working with Leading Cities and its partners to advance this mission."
Feldman and Nemani, as board members of Leading Cities, lend their expertise to one of the top GovTech accelerator programs in the world, including one of the organization’s highly esteemed signature programs: the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge. This unique initiative taps into Leading Cities' extensive network of innovative thought leaders from diverse sectors - public, private, academic, and non-profit - to drive groundbreaking innovation in local government. By simplifying innovation and sales cycles for Smart City solutions, the program effectively reduces costs and risks for startups, cities, and corporations. QBE AcceliCITY offers a comprehensive three-month curriculum that enables startups to enter the Smart City arena and deploy pilot-ready and scalable solutions that work towards a sustainable future.
Applications for the program are currently open from April 1-30th at AcceliCITY.com.
As a committed advocate of promoting collaboration and leveraging technology, data, and public-private partnerships, Leading Cities enhances its global impact by continuing to expand its leadership team and network of industry experts from around the world. Leveraging this talent drives the mission and results that Leading Cities achieves to increase sustainability, resiliency and equity in government.
