#  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.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_5_4__480x385/public/2026-04/FAS._LIpng.png?h=e107c096&itok=Or2lHq1J) 

 



 

####  calendar\_today Date and Time 

 **April 14, 2026** 

 12:00PM - 01:15PM EDT 

####  pin\_drop Location 

 **CGIS Knafel, Bowie-Vernon Room (K262)**  

 [1737 Cambridge Street  
Cambridge, MA 02138  
United States



 ](<https://www.google.com/maps?q=US MA Cambridge 02138 1737 Cambridge Street>) 

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 arrow\_circle\_right ](https://hksexeced.tfaforms.net/f/registration?e=a4oPp000001W24XIAS) 

 



 

## Building the City: Mayors on Public-Private Partnership &amp; 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.



 

 



 

 See also:- [ 2025–2026 ](/academic-year/2025-2026)
- [ Cosponsored ](/event-categories/cosponsored)
 
 

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