Weatherhead Research Cluster on Business and Government Seminar

Collage of headshots of three women and one man speaking at an event about Mayors and infrastructure partnerships.

Date and Time

April 14, 2026
12:00PM - 01:15PM EDT

Location

CGIS Knafel, Bowie-Vernon Room (K262)

1737 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States
In person attendance is limited to HUID holders and lunch will be provided. Virtual attendance is open to all. Registration is required.
Register to attend

Building the City: Mayors on Public-Private Partnership & Infrastructure

Cities worldwide are turning to public-private partnerships to finance and deliver critical infrastructure — but these arrangements raise fundamental questions about accountability, equity, and who governs public goods. When do private firms complement local governments, and when do they substitute for them? Can mayors claim credit for projects jointly produced? And who takes the blame if things go awry?

Join a conversation with the Mayor of Raleigh (North Carolina), the Mayor of Halifax (Canada), and the Mayor of Lafayette (Louisiana) as they navigate these tradeoffs firsthand. Moderated by Alisha Holland, this discussion draws on the experiences of mayors working across different political and fiscal environments to explore how partnerships shape project design, delivery, distributional outcomes, and democratic governance. Attendees will also have the chance to engage directly with the mayors and ask questions about their approaches, challenges, and lessons learned.

Speakers

  • Monique B. Boulet, Mayor-President, Lafayette, Louisiana.
  • Janet Cowell, Mayor, Raleigh, North Carolina.
  • Andy Fillmore, Mayor, Halifax, Canada.

Moderator

  • Alisha Holland, Faculty Associate; Chair, Weatherhead Research Cluster on Business and Government. Gates Professor of Developing Societies, Department of Government, Harvard University.

Contact

Diana Ocampo Belloso
dianaocampobelloso@wcfia.harvard.edu

This event is cohosted by the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and the Bloomberg Center for Cities, Harvard University.

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Valuing Accessibility

The Weatherhead Center for International Affairs welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the access provided, please get in touch with the person listed as the contact on the individual event listing in advance of your participation or visit. Requests for Sign Language interpreters and/or CART providers should be made at least two weeks in advance, if possible. Please note that the Weatherhead Center will make every effort to secure services, but that services are subject to availability.