About Us

ABOUT US

One talented, passionate, well-trained individual
working in the right place can change an agency.
Many working together can change a city.

Our Mission

We are a professional network that attracts, grows, and retains a new generation and workforce that believes that local government is the most rewarding place to grow your career and positively impact communities.

Attract

Recruit top talent from leading universities to promote local government administration as a meaningful and impactful career path.

Grow

Empower and connect cities and tomorrow’s leaders to share knowledge and best practices to create resilient and innovative cities.

Retain

Cultivate national network to connect emerging talent with new leadership opportunities within local government.

OUR HISTORY

In its prior function, City Hall Fellows hosted eleven cohorts of recent college graduates in local government agencies across Baton Rouge, Houston, and San Francisco. These young professionals devoted over 150,000 hours to public service and saved taxpayers millions of dollars by implementing innovative solutions to their cities' most pressing challenges. Over 100 of these aspiring urban changemakers went through our year-long program of growth and development, each receiving over 450 hours of training in civic leadership.

This cohort model has taken permanent root within the government of San Francisco, and the next chapter of City Hall Fellows re-imagines our scope and impact by building and growing a professional network of local government leaders to bring our commitment to cities across the country. City Hall Fellows aims to invest in the professional development and mentorship of those just beginning their careers in local government, those desiring to grow their careers in local government, and those who have yet to discover what a career in local government could be.

City Hall Fellows continues to carry the same essence as its inaugural mission created by our founder in 2008. By changing our cities, we will change our future.
Recognizing the silent crisis of attracting talent to city government, Bethany Rubin Henderson founded City Hall Fellows in 2008 to support the best and brightest in working in local government to tackle our country’s greatest social challenges. Her theory of change - that one talented, passionate, well-trained individual working in the right place inside government can change an agency. Many working together can change a city.
From 2009 to 2016, City Hall Fellows organized one-year, immersive cohort experiences in city government. Find out more about our fellows cohorts here

OUR BOARD MEMBERS

The City Hall Fellows Board of Directors is made up of entirely volunteers who believe in investing in the next generation of local government leaders.

Jamie Querubin

Board Member

San Francisco, CA

Office of the Controller

Matthew Spring

Board Member

New York, NY

Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund

Lin Rui Li

Board President

Austin, Texas

Public Works Department, City of Austin

Jessie Cassella

Board Vice President

San Francisco, CA

National Housing Law Project

 

Jennifer Lee

Board Secretary

San Francisco, CA

Environmental Regulatory Compliance Coordinator, City of Burlingame

Ariel Espiritu Santo

Board Treasurer

San Francisco, CA

Capital Planning, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

Nico DeAnda-Scaia

Board Member

Hermosa, CA

Assistant to the City Manager, City of Hermosa

Thomas Gonzales

Board Member

Oakland, CA

Analyst, Carmel Partners

Vijay Kumar

Board Member

San Francisco, CA

Vice President, CH2M

By changing our cities, we will change our future

Help us attract, grow, and retain future city leaders

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