Accelerator for America welcomes nine Mayors to its Advisory Council

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Accelerator for America, a nonprofit “Do Tank” focused on accelerating economic opportunity, has added nine mayors from across the U.S. to its Advisory Council. The mayors are: Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta, GA; Mayor Lauren McLean of Boise, ID; Mayor Justin M. Bibb of Cleveland, OH; Mayor Daniel Rickenmann of Columbia, S.C.; Mayor Steven Reed of Montgomery, AL; Mayor Freddie O’Connell of Nashville, TN; Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson of Riverside, CA; Mayor Bryan Barnett of Rochester Hills, MI; and Mayor Corey Woods of Tempe, AZ.

A collage of all the new Mayors' headshots.

“This passionate and action-focused group of local leaders will offer fresh perspectives and expertise on the most pressing challenges our communities are facing, from housing, infrastructure, and transportation to economic and workforce development. Their leadership will be instrumental as Accelerator for America (AFA) continues to identify, implement, and scale solutions that deliver real impact to communities nationwide,” said Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, AFA President and CEO.

AFA’s Advisory Council is co-chaired by Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix, AZ, and Mayor Quinton Lucas of Kansas City, MO. The Council also includes mayors from Birmingham, AL; Chattanooga, TN; Fort Worth, TX; Lansing, MI; Oklahoma City, OK; San Diego, CA; Scranton, PA; Tacoma, WA: Tampa, FL; and Waterloo, IA, in addition to other elected officials and business, labor, philanthropy, nonprofit and public policy leaders. A full listing is here.

“Accelerator for America Action has been a vital partner in Phoenix’s efforts to expand and protect our transportation investments — from defending our local tax in 2019 to securing nearly 60 percent voter support for its extension in 2024. Their strategic guidance helped us build a broad coalition and deliver results for our residents. As Co-Chair of the Advisory Council, I’m thrilled to welcome nine new mayors to this dynamic network. Together, we’ll share lessons learned and scale solutions that bring resources and opportunity to more people and more places across the country,” said Mayor Gallego.

“In Kansas City, we have harnessed Accelerator for America’s platform to convene local, national and philanthropic partners. Through our collaborative efforts, we unlocked millions in funding and advanced transformative policies in affordable housing, economic development and transit access. By welcoming nine new mayors to the Advisory Council, we’re strengthening this network’s expertise and scaling the coalition-building model we developed here to cities across the country,” said Mayor Lucas.

AFA is built around the idea that America’s local communities – from one-stoplight towns to our biggest cities – have the power to create national change from the ground up, making all people’s lives better. Since its founding, AFA has supported 200 localities, building connections between Mayors and other local leaders, providing hands-on technical assistance and capacity building to under-resourced local governments, and serving as a bridge between the doers and the thinkers to help solve some of our country’s greatest challenges with local solutions.

A headshot of Atlanta GA Mayor Andre Dickens with his name, city and the following quote on a dark blue background: “Accelerator for America understands that the most effective solutions start at the local level. As Co-Chair of the National Housing Crisis Task Force, we have elevated innovative local approaches to housing financing, construction, and land use reform that other cities can adopt to expand affordable housing. I’m proud to join the Advisory Council and continue building upon this great work to increase opportunity in every community.”
A headshot of Boise ID Mayor Lauren McLean with her name, city and the following quote on a white background with a dark blue border: “I’m proud to join this group of mayors and leaders at Accelerator for America focused on driving real, local-level solutions for housing, infrastructure, and economic mobility across the country.”
A headshot of Cleveland OH Mayor Justin M. Bibb with his name, city and the following quote on a dark blue background: "As Co-Chair of the National Housing Crisis Task Force, I’ve seen firsthand Accelerator for America's unique ability to convene and empower local leaders. Whether tackling the housing crisis, advancing infrastructure investment, or strengthening workforce development, AFA helps cities access resources and implement scalable solutions to national challenges. I’m honored to join my peer-Mayors on AFA's Advisory Council as we continue the important work of the Task Force and advance policies that increase economic mobility for all."
A headshot of Columbia, SC Mayor Daniel Rickenmann with his name, city and the following quote on a white background with a dark blue border: “I’m honored to join Accelerator for America’s Advisory Council and collaborate with other leaders across the country to elevate solutions that strengthen infrastructure, expand economic opportunity, and build a better future for all communities, but especially Columbia, South Carolina.”
A headshot of Montgomery AL Mayor Steven Reed with his name, city and the following quote on a dark blue background: “I’m honored to join Accelerator for America’s Advisory Council. Montgomery’s work with AFA — from Insights Into Action to the Data for Housing Solutions cohort — has opened new pathways to prosperity for our small business owners and residents. I look forward to building on this partnership and sharing proven models and fresh ideas that can expand equitable economic opportunity in cities across the nation.”
A headshot of Nashville, TN Mayor Freddie O'Connell with his name, city and the following quote on a white background with a dark blue border: "Joining Accelerator for America’s Advisory Council is an opportunity to amplify local innovation. Their strategic support was instrumental to earning overwhelming approval from Nashville voters for our Choose How You Move transit improvement program, ensuring we can accelerate investments in sidewalks, modernized signals, expanded transit service, safer streets, and a more connected city. Now they've added housing affordability to their toolkit for city success. I’m excited to work alongside leaders who understand the challenges of cities and work together to bring real-world solutions to the table.”
A headshot of Riverside CA Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson with her name, city and the following quote on a dark blue background: “In Riverside, we’ve made it a priority to ensure every resident has access to opportunity, whether through affordable housing, inclusive transit, or workforce pathways. Through our partnership with Accelerator for America, we have developed an Inclusive Development Action Plan that aligns our economic growth with equity. Joining the Accelerator for America Advisory Council provides me the opportunity to continue to collaborate with leaders who are committed to increasing economic mobility in their communities.”
A headshot of Rochester Hills, MI Mayor Bryan Barnett with his name, city and the following quote on a white background with a dark blue border: "Accelerator for America has a proven track record of creating meaningful connections and providing resources to help cities succeed. I am honored to be joining such a high-performing organization and looking forward to working alongside mayors and other well-respected leaders as a member of the Advisory Council.”
A headshot of Tempe AZ Mayor Corey Woods with his name, city and the following quote on a dark blue background: “Accelerator for America doesn’t just talk about change; they build the cross-sector networks we need to scale local wins into national momentum. I experienced that collaboration firsthand when I shared the story of Tempe’s "Hometown for All" initiative with a diverse group of leaders from across the country as part of AFA’s Economic Opportunity Accelerators’ network. I’m excited to join the Advisory Council and continue advancing scalable solutions that connect people to opportunity.”

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