ACCELERATOR FOR AMERICA ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The non-profit "Do Tank" Accelerator for America announced its new leadership today: Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix and Mayor Quintin Lucas of Kansas City, MO are Advisory Council Co-Chairs and Mary Ellen Wiederwohl is President & CEO. In addition, Mayor Randall L. Woodfin of Birmingham has joined the Advisory Council.

The Accelerator was founded in 2017 by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti amidst federal inaction and retrenchment from cities. Now, the Accelerator is helping mayors and other leaders best access and invest unprecedented federal funding for our cities. The Accelerator is currently developing and sharing tools that are being used by local governments nationwide to invest funding from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan and the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act/Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to build long lasting community wealth.

To date, the Accelerator's economic development tools have been used by more than 75 cities nationwide and the organization has helped localities generate $40 billion in infrastructure funding independent of federal investment. It also quickly pivoted to help cities respond to COVID-19, including the development of a rapid cash assistance model implemented by cities and state governments nationwide.

Accelerator for America's Advisory Council comprises mayors, labor leaders, corporate CEOs and non-profit executives from across the country. See: https://www.acceleratorforamerica.org/who-we-are.

Mayor Garcetti will leave his city hall later this year. Aaron Thomas, who previously served as the Accelerator's President & CEO will remain active in the organization's work as he embarks on a new role in the private sector.

"Having worked with the Accelerator to protect upwards of $5 billion in federal and regional funding for rail, I know first hand that this organization combines deep thought with swift action, which is what our cities need during this unprecedented time. I am excited to work with my fellow mayors nationwide to find solutions to our toughest challenges and build models to achieve our greatest equity and economic development goals," Mayor Gallego said.

"Accelerator for America was founded to lift mayors' and their cities' voices as we advocated for a once-in-a-generation federal infrastructure investment in front of Congress and two presidential administrations. I am proud to have been part of the chorus of mayors calling for swift and bold action to get an infrastructure package across the finish line. The Accelerator is now positioned to help local governments navigate implementation, as we work to build more inclusive, equitable and climate-conscious communities across America," Mayor Lucas said. "I thank Mayor Garcetti for his vision, for welcoming me and a diverse set of leading American mayors to Accelerator, and for entrusting Mayor Gallego and me with guiding Accelerator into its next chapter.  We will help communities large and small and in every corner of our country secure opportunities made available by the transformative Infrastructure and Investment in Jobs Act."

"I am excited to lead the Accelerator in its mission to create national change by building upon the work we do in cities every day," Wiederwohl said. "To work with Mayors and leaders in business, labor, philanthropy, academia and the non-profit sector from all across America is a true honor and delight. Our nation is at an inflection point, and only by bringing together leaders at all levels and from all walks of life can we ensure opportunity is equally available to all Americans."

"As we work to shape federal policy to help our communities from the top down, America's cities must work together to help each other and create national change from the ground up. That's what the Accelerator is all about," Mayor Garcetti said. "Mayor Gallego is a champion for her constituents and for America's cities. Mayor Gallego will be an incredible leader, convenor and resource as mayors across the country wrestle with how to recover from the pandemic and leverage historic federal investments."

"Mayor Lucas is a tremendous leader who inspires Kansas City and his fellow mayors across the country," continued Mayor Garcetti. "His dynamism will rally leaders and institutions together to take the bold steps our nation needs right now. I am excited to see what he will bring to the Accelerator and to America."

"I've known Mary Ellen since the Accelerator's founding, and I cannot think of a better leader to advance its mission and build true community wealth in cities all across America," Mayor Garcetti said.

Mayor Kate Gallego is the second elected female mayor in Phoenix history and the youngest big city mayor in the United States. Phoenix is the nation's fifth most populous city and is currently the fastest growing big city in the country. Gallego graduated from Harvard University and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Before being elected to the Phoenix City Council, Mayor Gallego worked on economic development for a utility company.

Mayor Gallego has focused on three key policy areas during her time in office: diversifying the economy, strengthening infrastructure investment and working to make Phoenix a leader in sustainability. She has led efforts on criminal justice reform and ensuring equal pay for equal work and is passionate about building cities that work for everyone and increasing the quality of life for all.  See: https://www.phoenix.gov/mayor

Mayor Quinton Lucas ("Mayor Q") is the youngest elected Kansas City mayor in more than a generation. He prioritizes making Kansas City's neighborhoods safer, creating more accessible and affordable housing and public transportation, maintaining efficiency and transparency in governance, and improving basic services.

As a child, Mayor Q's family experienced homelessness. Still, he earned academic scholarships to high school, college and eventually Cornell Law School before returning home to Kansas City.

Mayor Q has been a member of the University of Kansas Law School faculty since 2012. He won a city council seat in 2015. At city hall, Mayor Q led the way to eliminate fares on Kansas City's public transit and enact the city's first-ever Tenants' Bill of Rights. He is focused on public safety, leading with decisiveness during pandemic to save lives and addressing violent crime through long-term, sustainable solutions. See: https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/city-officials/mayor-quinton-lucas

Mary Ellen Wiederwohl came to the Accelerator after serving as Interim President and CEO of the Louisville Housing Opportunities and Micro-Enterprise Community Development Loan Fund, Inc. She previously served as Chief of Louisville Forward, leading economic and community development in Louisville, KY as a senior official in the administration of Mayor Greg Fischer. Prior to that role, she served as Mayor Fischer's Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of Strategic Initiatives. During her city tenure, Louisville experienced more than $17 billion of new capital investment and Wiederwohl led the city's Strategic Plan, the Vision Louisville 25-year advanced plan, the Move Louisville strategic multi-modal transportation plan and the city's first sustainability plan.

Before joining Louisville's City Hall in 2012, Wiederwohl served in public and private sector advocacy roles. She earned an MA in Political Science and a BA in Music and Political Science from the University of Louisville.

Mayor Randall L. Woodfin said: "This is an especially acute moment for the nation's mayors, and I'm honored to join the Accelerator Advisory Council to help cities across the country respond to and recover from COVID-19 and make investments in a way that will create lasting change for families and communities. Working more closely with the Accelerator will also help us go further in our work to 'Put People First' in Birmingham."

"Mayor Woodfin is a tremendous leader for his city, and is a leader among his peers across the country," said Mayor Lucas.. "He will be a tremendous asset to Accelerator for America."

"Our mission is to scale and replicate the best solutions found in communities across the country, and now, in Mayor Woodfin, we have one of America's best mayors to push our work even farther," said Mayor Gallego.

"I am absolutely thrilled to see Mayor Woodfin join the Accelerator's Advisory Council. I know his work, I know his mind and I know his heart, and the combination of his leadership and the Accelerator's coalition will create a powerful agent of change for America's cities," said Mayor Garcetti.

Mayor Woodfin was sworn in as the 30th mayor of Birmingham in 2017. Through his "Putting People First" strategy, Mayor Woodfin is focused on revitalizing the city's 99 neighborhoods, enhancing education and career opportunities for students, and creating an innovative economic climate to grow, attract and retain talent, startups and small businesses.

A native of Birmingham and graduate of Cumberland School of Law, Mayor Woodfin is an attorney and former president of the Birmingham Board of Education.

Contact: Yusef Robb
323-384-1789
[email protected]

SOURCE Accelerator for America