Hillsboro City Councilor and Mayor-elect Beach Pace is one of only 24 newly elected mayors to be selected for the prestigious Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University’s Program for New Mayors: First 100 Days.

Designed to empower mayors during their critical transitions and first 100 days in office, the Program for New Mayors equips participants with strategic insights to sharpen their leadership and management skills.

Delivered in collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, the free program invites 24 mayors from across America — including four from Oregon in 2024 — to participate in a year-long cohort that includes virtual sessions into April.

“I’m honored to be chosen to be part of this group training at Harvard University’s Kennedy School,” said Mayor-elect Pace, after taking part in a two-day immersive classroom experience. “Hearing from mayors from all over the country — seasoned mayors, who have handled challenges in their communities — was very valuable for all of us newly elected mayors. Our training, provided by Harvard professors and members of Bloomberg Philanthropies, was excellent.”

The Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard’s Program for New Mayors is designed to maximize mayors’ potential for innovation and problem-solving, equipping newly elected leaders with the skills to make the most of their roles and improve residents’ quality of life by:

• leading their communities through unexpected crises
• establishing working coalitions with diverse stakeholders
• settting ambitious goals to meet complex challenges

“Communities benefit from having a mayor who is fully prepared, professionally trained, and part of a cohort that allows for an exchange of ideas and best practices,” Mayor-elect Pace said.

All costs for training, travel, and lodging are funded by Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard.

The full list of 24 participating cities in 2024-25 are:

• Alexandria, Virginia
• Antioch, California
• Berkeley, California
• Burlington, Vermont
• Clearwater, Florida
• Eugene, Oregon
• Fremont, California
• Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Hampton, Virginia
• Hillsboro, Oregon
• Huntington, West Virginia
• Medford, Oregon
• Mesa, Arizona
• Raleigh, North Carolina
• Richmond, Virginia
• Sacramento, California
• Salem, Oregon
• San Francisco, California
• Scottsdale, Arizona
• St. Cloud, Minnesota
• St. George, Louisiana
• Stockton, California
• Surprise, Arizona
• Vallejo, California

About the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University:

Founded in 2021 with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University serves a global community committed to improving public management, leadership, and governance. The center’s cross-Harvard collaboration unites expertise focused on cities across disciplines and schools to produce research, train leaders, and develop resources for global use. The center is designed to have widespread impact on the future of cities, where more than half of the world’s people now live, by informing and inspiring local government leaders, scholars, students, and others who work to improve the lives of residents around the world.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2023, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3 billion.

About The Institute of Politics:

The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School was established in 1966 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The Institute’s mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a non-partisan basis to inspire them to pursue pathways in politics and public service. The Institute blends the academic with practical politics and offers students the opportunity to engage in current events and to acquire skills and perspectives that will assist in their postgraduate pathways.

About the U.S. Conference of Mayors:

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor.