The Urban and Regional Policy Program selects 6 U.S. and European Policymakers as 2014-2015 travel fellows

WASHINGTON (September 11, 2014) – The Urban and Regional Policy Program of the German Marshall Fund of the United States is pleased to announce the selection of Wayne Feiden, Julieanne Herskowitz, Lykke Leonardsen, Karin Morris, Matteo Robiglio, and Leah Shahum as 2014 Urban and Regional Policy Fellows. The six fellows will continue the program’s commitment to transatlantic research and practitioner-driven learning. Each fellow was selected for the strength of their research methodology and research question, originality, and potential to make a significant policy impact in their city.

Wayne Feiden, director of planning and sustainability for the city of Northampton (MA), will study the ways that small post-industrial legacy cities in Europe have transformed themselves into economically vibrant places. He will travel to Vejle, Denmark; York, United Kingdom; and to Londonderry, United Kingdom.

Julieanne Herskowitz, vice president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, will study the London Community Infrastructure Levy and how it has been utilized to fund transportation infrastructure. Herskowitz will assess how this model could apply to New York City, which faces significant challenges and fiscal constraints for infrastructure maintenance and investment.

Lykke Leonardsen, head of the climate unit for the Technical and Environmental Administration for the city of Copenhagen, will study the implementation of climate adaptation strategies in U.S. cities, including New York (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Seattle (WA), and Portland (OR). She will use these policy lessons to inform an ongoing process to create a long-term climate adaptation strategy for Copenhagen.

Karin Morris, manager of the Office of Smart Growth for the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, will study how selected European cities, including Copenhagen and London, have integrated the concept of healthy design and public health concerns within their planning frameworks. Given the rapid aging of populations in both U.S. and European cities, she will also research how planners in these cities are making changes in their environments to promote “healthy aging.”

Matteo Robiglio, CEO and senior advisor for TRA architecture condivisa in Torino, Italy, will study the adaptive reuse of industrial infrastructure as a driver of sustainable urban regeneration and as a catalyst of mixed-use development, community development, and affordable housing. His research cities will include Los Angeles (CA), Detroit (MI), Pittsburgh (PA), and Chicago (IL).

Leah Shahum, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, will study the vision zero movement in European cities, specifically how these cities aim to eliminate traffic fatalities through a mix of engineering, education, and enforcement and improvement of non-automobile travel modes. Her research cities will include Stockholm, Sweden; Rotterdam, Netherlands; and Berlin, Germany.

The Urban and Regional Fellowship Program, ongoing since 2007, has given research grants to more than 35 North American and European policy practitioners. The grants provide opportunities for practitioners and policymakers working on economic, environmental, and social challenges to meet with their counterparts across the Atlantic, and introduce practitioners to innovative strategies and the information, tools, and connections necessary to implement them. To view a list of past fellows and their research projects, please visit the Urban and Regional Policy Fellowship page.

Major funding for the fellowship program is provided by Bank of America and the Compagnia di San Paolo.