FUSE Executive Fellows and Alumni

In collaboration with FUSE, the City of Los Angeles is undertaking a transformative initiative, SmartLA 2028, to bridge digital disparities and ensure equitable access to technology and opportunities. Starting in April 2024, FUSE Executive Fellow Kristen Abraham will engage stakeholders, conduct research, and develop a comprehensive Digital Inclusion Strategic Plan by April 2025. This strategic plan aims to guide the City’s digital equity efforts, utilizing community input through a recurring survey and extensive engagement to address the unique needs of residents at risk of digital exclusion.

Los Angeles County seeks to reduce reliance on incarceration and increase care for those who encounter the justice system. A new department has been created to oversee projects related to this vision. The department needs a system to ensure high value projects are prioritized and resources allocated for maximum impact. The Executive Fellow will lead an effort to create a project portfolio management system to help the department be successful.

The Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office (CEO) first partnered with FUSE to support the building out a strategic plan for the County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Equity Initiative, guiding, governing, and driving the County’s commitment to fighting systemic racism, working proactively to change policies and practices over which the County has control. LA County will now partner with FUSE to lead a training and education initiative across the County, supporting the adoption of and capacity building for this work.

As Covid-19 exacerbates the socioeconomic challenges faced by the most vulnerable Los Angeles (LA) residents, the responsibilities of the LA County Public Defender’s Office (PDO) have only expanded. As this office works to support equitable judicial policies, it requires a data management specialist with a deep understanding of systemic inequalities in the legal system. FUSE Executive Fellow Mario Bonifacio will lead the build-out of a PDO Data Analytics Unit to spearhead various reform-oriented research projects.

The City of Los Angeles aims to promote digital equity for its residents. As part of that effort, the Los Angeles Public Library is equipping City employees and Angelenos with the knowledge and assets necessary to bridge the digital divide. FUSE Executive Fellow Alia Brown will support this effort by documenting the City’s digital assets, designing a digital knowledge management system, and planning strategic communications campaigns to connect with unconnected residents.

The City of Jacksonville, FL, is partnering with FUSE to address the escalating impacts of climate change by developing comprehensive Climate Resilient Design Guidelines. FUSE Executive Fellow Michael Buonvino will conduct a thorough analysis, engaging stakeholders and researching national best practices to create a standardized approach to resilient, sustainable, and innovative infrastructure design. By September 2024, the aim is to deliver a comprehensive document that equips Jacksonville with the tools to adapt to climate change, safeguard vulnerable communities, and enhance overall community resilience.

Los Angeles County is enhancing service coordination across departments through the Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative and the Prevention and Promotion Coordination and Implementation Team (PPCIT) to address housing, child welfare, and behavioral health challenges. FUSE Executive Fellow Gary Campanella will lead efforts to align resources, streamline services, and develop sustainable processes, ensuring equitable access for all residents, especially BIPOC and underserved communities. This initiative will create long-term, user-friendly coordination frameworks that empower the County to deliver inclusive, effective services for its diverse population.

Salt Lake City, UT, is working to bolster workforce development opportunities under its new Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) to address the negative impacts of climate change while also benefiting the economic security of all its residents, especially for historically disinvested and low-income communities that lack resources to respond to the climate crisis. FUSE Executive Fellow Nathan Chai will partner with Salt Lake City to guide workforce planning and analysis under the new CCAP that will ultimately help increase equitable green job opportunities for residents.

In response to the immediate climate change risks in New York City, the Department of Environmental Protection(DEP) is collaborating with FUSE to establish a Project Management Office (PMO) aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and responsiveness. Starting in April 2024, FUSE Executive Fellow Martin Challinor will engage with DEP leaders, conduct a comprehensive review of best practices, and identify opportunities for efficiency improvement in key areas such as IT, human resources, and procurement. By April 2025, Challinor aims to operationalize the PMO, implement high-priority efficiency improvements, and foster a culture of positive change, positioning DEP to address climate change challenges in the city effectively.

The Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department (JCOD), established by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2022, pioneers a groundbreaking initiative in the United States by prioritizing alternatives to incarceration for justice-impacted individuals. Already making a substantial impact with over $55 million in grants, JCOD partners with FUSE to develop a strategic visual and multimedia storytelling approach. Overseeing stakeholder engagement, creating culturally relevant communications products, and implementing a methodology for assessing outreach effectiveness, FUSE Executive Fellow Joshua Clark aims to empower JCOD in effectively communicating its innovative mission and achievements across diverse communities in Los Angeles County by April 2025.

The City of Hayward, CA, is working to mitigate the impacts of climate change and equitably reduce its environmental footprint through a new Climate Action Plan (CAP). FUSE Executive Fellow Fred A. Clay will help execute transportation-related CAP strategies to increase the use of alternative, active transportation methods for residents. Ultimately, this will help the city reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions while centering racial equity on achieving its climate goals for carbon neutrality by 2045.

DeKalb County, part of the Atlanta metro area in Georgia, is committed to reducing its climate impact and addressing environmental justice issues. Through a partnership with FUSE, the County aims to develop and implement policies to reduce its carbon footprint, improve waste management, and enhance community resilience.

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) collaborates with FUSE to address racism as a public health crisis through its Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Antiracism (EDIA) Initiative. FUSE Executive Fellow Alvaro D. Cubides will lead a comprehensive system-wide EDIA capacity-building program for all 30,000 DHS workforce members to eliminate healthcare disparities based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. By April 2025, Cubides will conduct a landscape analysis, design and implement a strategic training curriculum, engage stakeholders, and establish an evaluation process, contributing to the DHS’s goal of embedding EDIA principles for more equitable health outcomes across Los Angeles County.

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in New York City is undertaking ambitious initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and divert all waste from landfills by 2030. DEP is exploring renewable energy and resource recovery projects to realize these goals, focusing on the co-digestion of wastewater and food waste and harnessing thermal energy from its wastewater collection system. Partnering with FUSE, the city aims to leverage the expertise of FUSE Executive Fellow Mario De la Ossa to establish relationships, analyze the business case, and design implementation plans, ensuring the success of these innovative projects by April 2025.

The Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting (BSL), a longtime leader in innovation, is spearheading a project to bridge the digital divide in underserved areas, mainly focusing on Crenshaw Boulevard. With funding from the American Rescue Plan, BSL aims to install shared-access, fiber-optic-capable infrastructure on 200,000 street light poles, providing free public Wi-Fi and enhancing smart-city services. Collaborating with FUSE, the BSL is enlisting FUSE Executive Fellow Lawrence Ebo to conduct research, engage stakeholders, and develop a strategic plan, ensuring equitable connectivity and affordability throughout Los Angeles by April 2025.

The City of Jacksonville, FL, is working to address the growing threat and disparate impacts of climate change that inequitably threaten residents’ health and well-being by using nature-based solutions like trees to help lessen Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects. FUSE Executive Fellow Valerie Feinberg will partner with the City to design and implement ordinances, policies, and strategic plans that will increase urban forestry solutions that decrease UHI effects, thereby creating a more livable, sustainable, and resilient city, especially for historically disinvested communities and vulnerable residents.

The community in Northern Cleveland is addressing the lack of equitable access to green space, particularly for BIPOC residents, by developing the North Shore Master Plan. A key component of this plan is the North Coast Connector. This land bridge will provide safe and convenient access to the shore from Downtown Cleveland, promoting equity, climate resilience, and economic inclusion. FUSE Executive Fellow Linda Frazier will manage the North Coast Connector project, build relationships with stakeholders, oversee its development, and establish a team and processes for its continuation beyond the Fellowship year.

In collaboration with FUSE, the City of Los Angeles is undertaking a project to update the fee schedule of the Urban Forestry Division (UFD) to accurately reflect the value of its services and the impact of trees on residents’ well-being. Managing the largest municipal urban forest in the nation, the UFD faces an outdated fee structure that fails to consider the actual costs of services and the environmental impact of tree removal. FUSE Executive Fellow Sara Hammes will lead the effort to assess costs, engage stakeholders, and propose a new fee schedule by April 2025, aligning it with the City’s priorities, including affordable housing and a thriving urban forest.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is partnering with FUSE to enhance customer communications by developing and implementing a sophisticated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. This project, led by FUSE Executive Fellow Mary Austin Harrelson, aims to streamline communication processes for the Bureau of Customer Services, managing over 835,000 accounts and generating $4 billion in annual revenue. The fellow will navigate DEP’s complexities, collaborate with stakeholders, and oversee the CRM’s integration, training, and implementation, ultimately strengthening trust in local government and improving operational efficiency.

Los Angeles County is empowering adolescents to take greater control over their healthcare by collaborating with its Youth Advisory Council to address service gaps and barriers that disproportionately affect marginalized youth. FUSE Executive Fellow Sheronda Helton will support a comprehensive needs assessment and help develop a five-year plan focused on expanding equitable access to youth-friendly healthcare, including mental health resources. This initiative will provide a sustainable framework to meet the evolving health needs of the County’s diverse youth population, ensuring all young people can navigate the healthcare system effectively.

Recent gains in broadband adoption have narrowed the “digital divide” in Los Angeles. Still, public investment will be critical to ensure that these gains are sustained and that underserved communities are “future-proofed” for the evolution of connectivity. As numerous public, private, and non-profit entities are poised to bring new “last mile” connectivity opportunities to underserved communities in the coming years, the City is working to construct permanent, publicly-owned “middle and last-middle” broadband infrastructure to support these new investments. FUSE Executive Fellow Angelica Hernandez will work with the City to build its organizational capacity to carry out a cross-agency business plan to responsibly and sustainably develop and manage this public infrastructure for the benefit of these communities and the City.

The City of Los Angeles’ Bureau of Street Services (StreetsLA) is collaborating with FUSE to significantly increase the maintenance, safety and sustainability of its over 23,000 lane miles of streets and 800 miles of alleys, the largest street system in the nation. The project requires close coordination with StreetsLA Investigation and Enforcement Division (IED), Executive Board, City Council and numerous external stakeholders to increase general user fees and identify new revenue sources to ensure public safety, code enforcement and right of way clearance for all neighborhoods. The current imbalance of resources disproportionately affects underserved communities, contributing to issues like illegal dumping, right of way obstructions and un-permitted construction.

Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta aims to address deep-seated issues of racial segregation and economic disparity by making the city the best place in the country to raise a child. Partnering with FUSE, the City has established the Office of the Chief Policy Officer to tackle longstanding equity challenges. Starting in April 2024, FUSE Executive Fellow Shannon Jolly will lead a project to cultivate stakeholder relationships, develop an urban resilience framework, and establish values-driven partnerships to create a more equitable, systematic, and impactful approach to urban resilience by April 2025.

Columbus is enhancing public safety by integrating advanced sensor technologies, such as real-time cameras and noise detectors while prioritizing transparency and community trust. FUSE Executive Fellow Stephen Kelch will develop a data-driven framework for selecting and siting these technologies, benchmark best practices from other cities, and establish a public safety advisory committee to guide decision-making. This initiative will equip Columbus with sustainable tools to improve neighborhood safety through innovative technology, aligned with public input and trust-building efforts.

In collaboration with FUSE, the City of Los Angeles is tackling the escalating urban heat crisis through the ExtremeHeat Toolkit. Led by StreetsLA, the project prioritizes marginalized neighborhoods, employing a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of cooling strategies like trees and shade structures to rectify historical infrastructure imbalances. With an overarching goal of environmental justice,FUSE Executive Fellow Trace Lane will deliver a detailed economic study and tailored recommendations by April 2025, aiming to optimize cooling interventions and mitigate the impacts of urban heat islands in diverse urban settings.

Columbus is tackling rising housing instability by developing a data-driven early warning system to identify and address factors like rising rents, displacement, and predatory investor activity, which disproportionately affect marginalized communities. FUSE Executive Fellow Nicole Jackson will collaborate with stakeholders, collect neighborhood-level data, and create a dynamic dashboard to guide targeted interventions, such as tenant protections and affordable housing preservation. This initiative will equip the city with sustainable tools and strategies to prevent displacement, increase housing stability, and protect its most vulnerable residents.

Los Angeles County is advancing coastal resilience and inclusive development through initiatives to combat erosion and sea level rise and promote equitable access to Marina del Rey and its beaches. These efforts prioritize welcoming the coastline to all residents, especially historically underserved communities while leveraging real estate development to generate revenue and foster inclusivity. The County seeks to build long-term community support through strategic engagement and transparent communications, ensuring its coastal assets remain accessible and sustainable for future generations.

The City of Los Angeles recognizes the urgency of the climate crisis and collaborates with FUSE to lead transformative change by prioritizing climate resilience and environmental justice. Under mayoral guidance, FUSE Executive Fellow Patty Menjivar will conduct a comprehensive landscape analysis, engage stakeholders, and formulate an interdepartmental vision to ensure equitable energy resilience. By April 2025, Menjivar aims to establish a scalable model for energy adaptation, create department-specific directives, foster cross-departmental partnerships, and set the stage for global leadership in climate resilience.

In collaboration with FUSE, the City of Los Angeles spearheads the 100-acre partnership to revitalize the Taylor Yard rail site along the Los Angeles River. Concerns over “green gentrification” have led to the initiation of the Community Taylor Yard Equity Strategy (Community TYES) project, with Dr. Edidiong Mendie tasked with conducting a thorough landscape analysis and engaging in a listening tour with historically marginalized communities. By April 2025, Mendie aims to deliver a comprehensive ‘TYES Action Plan,’ ensuring the Taylor Yard project’s equitable development while addressing community needs and concerns through strategic recommendations on policy, social, and programmatic levels.

The Durham Housing Authority, in collaboration with FUSE, is undertaking a project to incorporate climate resilience and sustainable design principles into affordable housing. The project aims to assess funding opportunities, improve the health and energy efficiency of existing and new affordable housing, and develop a city-wide strategy for promoting environmental justice in historically disinvested communities. By transforming existing units and adding mixed-income housing, the project seeks to create environmentally friendly affordable housing that reduces negative climate impact and enhances the long-term well-being of residents.

Los Angeles County is advancing racial equity in its homelessness response by implementing the Ad Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness (BPEH) recommendations in collaboration with the County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative. FUSE Executive Fellow Ni Kal S. Price will develop an accountability framework, track progress across County departments, and foster collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure equitable, culturally responsive services. This work will build sustainable infrastructure to close resource gaps, improve service delivery, and create a more inclusive system of care for Black residents and all individuals experiencing homelessness.

Los Angeles County’s Internal Services Department (ISD) is enhancing operational efficiency and financial transparency to better serve County departments and advance key initiatives like diversity, equity, and inclusion. FUSE Executive Fellow Game Quan will streamline ISD’s rate-setting and billing processes, automate financial systems, and develop tools and training to support staff in adopting improved practices. These efforts will ensure equitable service pricing, empower frontline workers, and strengthen ISD’s ability to support County-wide programs and sustainable economic growth.

Los Angeles County is tackling the alarming 26% rise among Latino residents experiencing homelessness by addressing barriers like language access, immigration status, and overcrowded housing. Partnering with FUSE Executive Fellow Susana Santana, the County will implement task force recommendations and develop culturally responsive services to support Latino communities better. This effort, aligned with other equity-driven homelessness initiatives, will create sustainable systems to reduce disparities and improve long-term housing outcomes for Latino residents.

The City of Cleveland, in collaboration with FUSE Executive Fellow Jennifer Scheel, is launching a transformative initiative to revitalize blighted properties, utilizing 30% of public land to create accessible jobs and capitalize on the city’s industrial heritage. Commencing in April 2024, Scheel will lead the development of an operational playbook grounded in equity, fostering responsible redevelopment through data-driven analyses. By April 2025, the project aims to repurpose 1000 urban acres, attract business expansion, and enhance economic competitiveness, contributing to environmental resilience and improved quality of life for residents.

Washoe County, NV, strives for an equitable and climate-resilient community to address the impacts of climate change on residents’ ecosystems, health, livelihoods, and security. FUSE Executive Fellow Emily Stapleton will create a community-focused strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, aiding Washoe County in reaching its climate goals, improving community resilience, promoting economic recovery, and advancing equity for residents.

The community of Cincinnati aims to accelerate its transition to renewable energy and electrification through the provisions of the IRA and IIJA, addressing energy inequities and leveraging federal funding. The partnership with FUSE Executive Fellow Nikki Vandivort will focus on maximizing federal resources, developing policies, and facilitating grants to increase accessibility to renewable energy and electrification infrastructure. She will conduct a listening tour, gather best practices, collaborate with partners, and ultimately activate a comprehensive clean energy strategy by coordinating procurement processes and establishing a sustainable fundraising vision.

The Cincinnati/Hamilton County community is prioritizing the transition to a green economy, emphasizing the development of quality green jobs to aid low-income communities. In fostering a green workforce, they aim to combine environmental sustainability with social equity by creating training programs and career pathways. Over a year, FUSE Executive Fellow Thanapat Vichitchot will lead the formation of a Quality Green Jobs Agenda, culminating in an inclusive green workforce action plan, which will empower the regional workforce ecosystem to continue agenda implementation, thereby fortifying Cincinnati/Hamilton County’s workforce readiness as the economy pivots to sustainability.

The City of New Orleans is actively addressing greenhouse gas emissions by targeting building energy efficiency, with a successful 23% reduction in energy use in its facilities from 2018-2021. Partnering with FUSE, the City aims to extend these efforts to private buildings through a comprehensive ordinance focusing on benchmarking, disclosure, and reducing energy use in commercial and multi-family structures. Starting in April 2024, FUSE Executive Fellow Jackson Wright will conduct a listening tour, engage stakeholders, and draft the ordinance, aligning with the City’s 2022 Climate Action Plan and fostering a sustainable, economically beneficial, healthier future for New Orleans.

Travis County, TX, is in—sometimes literally—the eye of a storm regarding climate change. Extreme weather is increasing in frequency and severity, putting the county’s population at greater risk. The County seeks to develop a strategic framework to become a more climate-resilient community. It wants to strengthen residents’ resiliency and enable government agencies and community partners to respond to extreme weather challenges more effectively.

Los Angeles County is working to place 50,000 formerly incarcerated residents into jobs that will help them reintegrate into the community. FUSE Executive Fellow Alex-Handrah helped L.A. County ensure that those who have been convicted of crimes that are now considered misdemeanors have a chance to improve their lives and contribute to their community. Read more

To ensure the fair administration of criminal justice, St. Louis and the 22nd Judicial Circuit are working to improve communication, collaboration, and planning. To this end, FUSE Executive Fellow Debbie Allen helped operationalize and institutionalize a Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), for which she then served as interim executive director. Debbie helped the CJCC establish the foundation for an information sharing ecosystem, improving the operation of criminal justice systems in St. Louis through effective data collection, sharing, and analysis. Read more

California operates the second-largest prison system in the United States. Los Angeles County is the largest contributor to this system, and while incarceration has declined, men and women of color continued to be incarcerated at higher rates than white men and women. Working with the Alternate Public Defender’s Office, a FUSE Executive Fellow will build out recommendations and implement a global, collaborative approach to resentencing indigent defense clients, to assist in remedying the decades-long over-incarceration in the state.

Oakland leadership seeks to ensure that all departments have the tools and resources needed to track and report on equity-centered targets aligned to key health, climate, and economic indicators. FUSE will build and pilot a strategic performance management system across all city departments, enabling local leaders to drive equitable community outcomes and set public targets that ensure transparency and accountability.

L.A. County is working to ensure that those emerging from the criminal justice system are successfully reintegrated into society. FUSE Executive Fellow Jessica Aronoff worked with the county to strengthen wraparound services and ensure that people under post-release community supervision are able to swiftly and successfully rejoin their communities. Read more

As Covid-19’s impact on transportation in the County continues to evolve, King County recognizes that public transit is at the heart of a successful recovery from the crisis and is focused on creating a better system for the riders who have needed transit the most during the crisis. Given this, the Metro Transit Department will partner with a FUSE Executive Fellow for one year to build strategic partnerships with businesses to expand employee access to subsidized transit passes, particularly for low-wage and low-income workers.

Philadelphia is developing strategies to help lift people out of poverty and into a more economically stable future. FUSE Executive Fellow Natalie Barndt helped analyze poverty data and convened stakeholders to discuss existing and potential new initiatives. Read more

East Palo Alto is working to curb the negative effects of traffic, congestion, and parking on its residents’ health, safety, and quality of life through innovative policies and programs. To do this, FUSE Executive Fellow Susan L. Barnes is working with staff on a Transportation Demand Management Ordinance, helping develop recommendations and identify a third-party consultant to implement and manage the program. Read more

San Jose is working to provide a reliable internet connection to all of its residents, ensuring access to people in underserved communities so they can tap such online resources as continuing education, career development, job openings, and healthcare options. FUSE Executive Fellow Tauqeer Bashir helped create a strategy for wireless solutions and a plan for implementation.

The Birmingham Department of Community Development is working to institute a multi-pronged approach to diversify Birmingham’s housing stock and preserve and create new affordable housing options for residents. To support this work, Birmingham will partner with a FUSE Executive Fellow for one year to operationalize public-private partnerships to increase opportunities for first-time homebuyers and form a vision for an affordable housing land trust.

With a range of programs and a large client base, the Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services is working to improve how it connects residents with services. To do this, WDACS is partnering with FUSE Executive Fellow Nathaniel Sanga Bencivenga to assess its existing client touch points, better communicate information about its suite of services, and make recommendations to ensure that residents are being connected to all the services they need.

The City of San Leandro is focused on building residents’ resilience to climate change through inclusive, community-driven pathways. This strategy aims to plant 5,000 trees on both public and private property and engage local community organizations to become resilience hubs. The FUSE Executive Fellow will support this effort by managing a grant to plant trees and coordinating the network of community organizations involved in resilience planning and implementation.

The Oakland Mayor’s Office is working to help more of the city’s high school students complete a postsecondary education. FUSE Executive Fellow Patrice Berry assisted with these efforts, instituting innovations and technology that empower young adults and give them access to the resources they need to prepare for life after high school. Read more

The Los Angeles Department of Probation is working to leverage technology to enhance services, become more cost effective, and increase efficiencies. FUSE Executive Fellow Alok Bhatia is helping execute core IT improvements, while assisting with changes to office operations due to the COVID-19 crisis and increasing the team’s resiliency.

Birmingham recognizes that social determinants of health are major factors in health inequities across the city. These factors include the ways in which neighborhoods are designed, the materials used in their buildings, access to green spaces, and other aspects of the “built environment.” In the Community Health Assessment of Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods, North Birmingham ranked as the lowest quality of life in the City – a neighborhood that is 97% Black. To address this injustice, the city created ShapeBham, a tool to integrate equity measures into the planning process at the neighborhood level. FUSE will operationalize ShapeBham and target the root causes of health inequities in the city, showing measurable progress against concrete health indicators.

St. Louis is working to recruit and retain police officers who are representative of all the communities they serve. FUSE Executive Fellow Michelle Martin Bonner developed strategies to increase the number of highly qualified diverse candidates, resulting in a broadened applicant pool.

The Los Angeles County Department of Probation is working to reduce recidivism by using evidence-based practices and community-based services to help justice-involved youths succeed. To assist with these efforts, FUSE Executive Fellow Kim Bowman Jr. brought community voice and leadership into governmental processes, while strengthening the strategic visioning and management practices of the largest probation department in the country. Read more

Los Angeles is working to strengthen its support for small businesses, particularly those in underserved communities. FUSE Executive Fellow Rafael Bracero helped streamline the administrative process for small businesses and improved how the city communicates its available services to business owners. Read more

The Unified Government of Kansas City and Wyandotte County is currently working to increase affordable housing options to address the rising housing shortage crisis and increase the city’s workforce and economic development potential as well as the well-being of its citizens. FUSE Executive Fellow DeWayne Bright, Sr. will help research and design a cohesive housing development strategy that will help increase housing affordability and availability, encourage housing retention in vulnerable neighborhoods, and maximize local economic impacts on building owners, residents, and businesses.

The New Orleans Police Department is employing technology to improve a range of operational processes. FUSE Executive Fellow E. Aminata Brown led these efforts, working with strategic teams to guide the outcomes of this work. By functioning more efficiently, the NOPD is empowering its officers to better serve the community. Read more

Los Angeles County operates the largest jail system and de-facto mental health care facility in the United States, holding more than 17,000 people daily, nearly 30% of whom have a serious mental health disorder. The County has taken several steps to reduce its reliance on incarceration and expand diversion and treatment programs, including conducting a successful pre-plea mental health diversion pilot. FUSE will partner with L.A. County to scale the pilot into the new Rapid Diversion Program under the County’s “Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative.” FUSE will work to implement a cohesive and effective program for eight courthouses in the next year, supporting a sustained and significant reduction in the County jail population.

Durham is a leader in analyzing how to respond to 911 calls without involving law enforcement. Estimates suggest that at least 1 in 3 emergency calls would be better directed to trained health professionals rather than police officers. FUSE will work alongside Durham’s Community Safety and Wellness Task Force to ensure that community members inform the design of such alternative responses to these calls. FUSE will pilot new response strategies in Durham that can be scaled nationwide to drastically reduce the use of law enforcement in responding to emergency calls. 

The City of Baltimore is launching CleanCorps, a new initiative designed to beautify neighborhoods, increase resident employment, and tackle health inequities in underserved communities. To support this work, Baltimore will partner with FUSE Corps to maximize the impact of the initiative, building close partnerships with community-based and city-wide nonprofit organizations and implementing strategies for ways in which Baltimore can reduce the long-term need for supplemental cleaning efforts.

King County Public Health–Seattle & King County (PHSKC) and its Environmental Health Services Division (EHS) are
dedicated to building innovative and intersectional climate solutions that support community resilience and limit the climate-related health burdens on frontline communities. PHSKC will partner with a FUSE Executive Fellow for one year to establish a climate health equity program, focusing specifically on programs and projects relevant to EHS.

The pandemic has caused job losses by the thousands in the Bay Area, with Oakland’s unemployment rate nearing 10%. This has only exacerbated existing racial disparities in joblessness and poverty experienced by Oakland’s Black and Hispanic residents. The City seeks to curb this gulf and is taking immediate action to support equitable workforce development programs and job pipelines. FUSE will partner with Oakland to create a holistic workforce development system that utilizes data to align investments and expand access to high-quality jobs and careers. A key priority will be ensuring that opportunities are inclusive of all Oaklanders.

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) plays a leading role in the national conversations on social justice and racial equity, and it serves as a hub for training and education in Birmingham. Among its many services, BCRI provides education and diversity training to law enforcement officers, a role it hopes to scale and deepen. FUSE will work with the Birmingham Office of Social Justice and Racial Equity and BCRI to create sustainable programming and infrastructure that will help the BCRI thrive for generations to come.

The Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services is working to ensure its resources are maximized and broadly accessible to further protect the well-being of residents in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. FUSE Executive Fellow Swati Chandra is assisting in WDACS response and recovery efforts for COVID-19, while also helping WDACS improve operations and extend its outreach by developing data-driven goals and further enhancing its brand and websites. Read more

East Palo Alto is working to better engage with residents, including improved access to services and elected officials, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. To assist in these efforts, FUSE Executive Fellow Jerry Chang is developing enhanced community engagement strategies and facilitating participation in the civic process using new digital platforms.

Nationwide, most people with substance abuse disorders do not receive treatment for their addiction. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Division of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) is working to enhance access to substance use disorder (SUD) care to address the treatment gap. Maria Elena Chavez will map the spectrum of screening, intake, and admissions policies and procedures for the County’s SUD provider network, identify practical approaches SAPC can take to reduce barriers and increase the accessibility of care provided by the provider network and develop an implementation plan to equip providers across the network.

The City of Austin, TX is building a Resilience Hub Network of physical facilities, community networks, and empowerment tools that provide hyper-localized, contextually, and culturally relevant solutions to address ongoing stressors in communities and bolster distributed disaster response and recovery efforts. The FUSE Executive Fellow will work with city, community, and private stakeholders to research, plan, and implement a strategy to activate community-owned, community-operated sites for Austin’s Resilience Hub Network.

The City of Oakland is dedicated to becoming a leader in responding to the climate crisis through ambitious policy and racially equitable implementation plans. The FUSE Executive Fellow will partner with FUSE to identify and assess the feasibility of establishing Resilience Hubs in Oakland’s frontline communities, helping residents mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis in ways that improve racial equity across the city.

Los Angeles is working to integrate new technologies into its infrastructure, but many of the projects need attention. FUSE Executive Fellow Dawn Comer helped the city create a smart city roadmap, launched projects, and created public-private partnerships that will allow for a sustainable future. Read more

Getting help through community-based social services can reduce the likelihood of people on probation going back to jail. Aiming to provide that help, the Los Angeles County Probation Department worked with FUSE Executive Fellow Amy Cross to identify and implement strategies that help those on probation successfully reintegrate into communities. Read more

To create high-quality jobs for residents, the Economic Development Agency (EDA) in Riverside County, California, partnered with the Center for Social Innovation at the University of California, Riverside to promote Opportunity Zones, economically distressed communities that can potentially benefit from federal tax incentives. FUSE Executive Fellow Stacy Cumberbatch developed an Opportunity Zone strategy for the county and laid the foundation for an ecosystem that will enable investments aimed at serving the residents of these struggling communities.

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas (UG) is partnering with FUSE to address climate risks and develop a resilience plan for Kansas City, Kansas (KCK). They aim to increase climate resilience, promote environmental justice, and protect citizens and the built environment. FUSE Executive Fellow Caroline de Filippis will personalize climate risk assessments, research successful program models, and assist in finalizing a climate resilience action plan while acting as a liaison during program implementation.

The Los Angeles County Development Authority is working to pivot its programs to address urgent and emerging needs for vulnerable populations, many of whom are experiencing greater challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FUSE executive fellow Kishani De Silva is helping LACDA transition, scale, and sustain ongoing projects and initiatives in a COVID-19 context, while addressing additional needs that arise due to the pandemic. Read more

In King County, the pandemic introduced new disparities into an already fragmented homelessness response system. Many people experiencing homelessness in King County have split into two camps: one where resources and services are now relatively rich and one which pulls residents into more extreme circumstances. To support operating a synchronized, regional, and culturally competent continuum of care, King County will partner with FUSE Corps for one year to support revamping the county’s services system into one that is responsive to the needs of all residents experiencing homelessness.

The San José residential displacement crisis is disproportionately affecting low-income Black, Asian, and Latino residents from historically marginalized neighborhoods. The City is committed to producing policies and funding priorities to help alleviate the problem in both the short and long term. The FUSE Executive Fellow will advocate for, develop, and implement anti-displacement and displaced tenant preferences to ensure fair and equitable affordable housing opportunities for all San José residents.

New Orleans is working to reduce its carbon footprint by finding efficient and cost-effective ways to reduce its energy load, starting with its Sewerage and Water Board, which is one of the largest consumers of energy in the region. FUSE Executive Fellow Priya Dey-Sarkar helped the city identify opportunities for improvement and develop business plans for new strategic initiatives. Read more

The Mile High City is growing quickly, creating an urgent need for enhanced transportation plans. FUSE Executive Fellow Chris Dishno implemented a cohesive strategy that accounted for the different modes of transit for 300,000 commuters every day. Read more

Long Beach is working to ensure that its elderly residents, especially those who live below the poverty line, will have access to the services they need. FUSE Executive Fellow Karen Doolittle helped improve the quality of life for senior residents of Long Beach by designing a coordinated system of health and social services. Read more

The Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department (HCID) develops and preserves affordable housing, neighborhood investments, and social services for low- and moderate-income families. FUSE Executive Fellow Sean Doss is helping HCID improve its assets management and operations to better serve the community. Read more

In San Francisco, one of America’s most expensive cities to live, there is an urgent need to make affordable housing more available to city residents. FUSE Executive Fellow Kimberly helped amplify awareness of the city’s efforts to increase affordable housing, and helped connect more residents to available resources. Read more

The Minneapolis Department of Public Works is preparing for advances in mobility and working to ensure that all residents, especially those in traditionally underserved communities, will benefit. Through education, representation, and the development of five pilot projects, FUSE Executive Fellow Danielle Elkins helped establish the city as a leader in new mobility technology, laying the foundation for a modern transportation system in Minneapolis that better serves the mobility needs of all residents. Read more

Austin is launching a bold new public transit investment called “Project Connect” that will reduce traffic, accelerate travel, and decrease the cost of transportation throughout the city and its surrounding communities. Such efforts often increase the cost of real estate along transit corridors, which can have the unintended consequence of displacing residents and businesses that have been long standing fixtures within communities. FUSE will work with the Housing and Planning Department on dispersing $300M for anti-displacement efforts, with a focus on preventing Black and Hispanic residents from being priced out of their neighborhoods.

To increase access to affordable housing, San Jose is seeking to evaluate the success of its Rent Stabilization Program and its impact on residents. FUSE Executive Fellow Lorie Fiber is partnering with the city to develop a forward-looking, data-driven strategic plan that includes an evaluation framework and measurable outcomes.

Communities of color in Atlanta are experiencing a dual health pandemic, including both Covid-19 and HIV/AIDS. In Atlanta, 1 in 50 residents is HIV positive, and 65% of whom are Black. FUSE will develop, implement, and expand partnerships with public health stakeholders to prevent these two viruses from spreading further and to support the healthcare needs of those who have been infected. FUSE will work with the Dekalb and Fulton County Boards of Health, and the public hospital systems across metro-Atlanta to examine systemic inequities and expand access to PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), a highly effective, preventative treatment for non-infected, high-risk populations to halt the further spread of HIV.

LA County is taking critical steps to create an effective and scalable model for resentencing indigent defense clients, assisting in remedying the over-incarceration that has gone on in the State for decades. The Los Angeles County Bar Association (IDP) will partner with a FUSE Executive Fellow Erin K Flood to implement the Public Defense Pilot Program, a specialized resentencing unit within the agency, designing a collaborative approach to resentencing case management.

The Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting is adding new technologies — wifi, USB charging stations, security cameras, and solar panels — to street lights to increase services for residents, further improve street safety, and potentially raise revenue. Supporting this work, FUSE Executive Fellow Angelica Frias formulated a five-year strategic plan for these technologies, establishing BSL as a leader in the development of Smart City L.A., and is working to set the strategies in motion.

Although Washington D.C.’s rent control laws are in place to preserve affordable housing in the district, existing systems do not allow for full transparency regarding compliance with those laws. As a result, the system fails to protect the city’s economically vulnerable residents. The pandemic and economic crisis caused by Covid-19 has exasperated the critical need to monitor rental costs for residents hit hard by the economic downturn. FUSE will increase the transparency and accessibility of its rental property information and connect more low-income  residents to affordable housing options.

To improve residents’ access to healthcare services, Long Beach is working to streamline systems by creating an integrated data-management platform that works across departments. FUSE Executive Fellow Kia Gaines helped develop the system, analyzing best practices and recommending new strategies and technologies. Read more

To revitalize its Far Eastside neighborhood, Indianapolis plans to galvanize action among civic, community, and philanthropic partners to redevelop community buildings. FUSE Executive Fellow Lisa Maria Gala helped create a redevelopment strategy and guide its implementation. Read more

Brooklyn Center leaders are focused on building trust and partnerships with residents across all spectrums of diversity, ensuring they are viewed as decision-makers in co-designing city processes and policies. To support this work, the City Manager’s Office will partner with a FUSE Corps Executive Fellow for one year to design and implement a community engagement action plan focused on advancing racial equity.

Indianapolis is working to create a park system that brings improved health and wellness to its residents. FUSE Executive Fellow Demetrius Glover helped the city identify funding models that benefit its public parks and those who use them. Read more

To help justice-involved people get the social services they need while on probation, the L.A. County Probation Department is working to improve coordination and access to a complex system of re-entry resources. FUSE executive fellow Barry Goldberg helped streamline programs, processes, and communications to ensure that those on probation receive coordinated and effective care when re-entering the community. Read more

Oakland wants its Information Technology Department to become less Oakland’s Information Technology Department is developing enterprise-wide solutions to streamline operations and help the city better serve residents. FUSE executive fellow Jana Good developed a strategic technology plan for ITD that advances the priorities of the city, while leveraging common technology platforms to ensure holistic, integrated, and extensible solutions. 

Kansas City is committed to expanding the economic prosperity enjoyed by its downtown to neighborhoods that have yet to experience this revival. To meet this goal, the Office of the Mayor is partnering with FUSE Executive Fellow LaDonna Gooden to collaboratively create a new strategic plan for the city that supports innovation and entrepreneurship, broadens economic prosperity, and strengthens all of its communities.

In Los Angeles County, more than 500,000 people will be looking to re-enter the workforce thanks to a recent law that reduced certain drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. Casswell developed a coordinated strategy and process for delivery of services specifically to the re-entry population to reduce the likelihood of recidivism, and helped those with high barriers to employment gain and sustain employment. Read more

As climate change progresses, the City of Atlanta has developed multiple plans to mitigate climate change, build resilience, promote energy sustainability and efficiency, and prioritize equity. The FUSE Executive Fellow will synthesize these efforts into a comprehensive strategy, advance the Clean Energy Advisory Board’s decisions, and ensure Atlanta’s residents most vulnerable to climate change can access support to improve their energy security.

The City of Albuquerque, NM, has identified city-wide composting as one strategic plan component to increase its climate resilience and benefit historically marginalized communities. FUSE Executive Fellow Matt Gretton will design a public-private composting program that reduces the City’s carbon footprint while providing economic and environmental benefits to those communities most vulnerable to climate change.

The City of San Jose, committed to be a Smart City, has set forth a mission to be a global leader in civic innovation. Keshav took the leadership role in the execution efforts of the citywide Internet of Things (IoT) strategy that delivered innovative IoT capabilities to agencies within San Jose, including the Department of Transportation, Public Works, Emergency Services and various law enforcement agencies. Read more

Los Angeles is working to embed equity into government operations and policies, including setting up a Civil and Human Rights Department, which is charged with addressing the long-standing discrimination that impacts historically underserved and minority communities in Los Angeles. 

Hate crimes are disproportionately focused on LGBTQ+ individuals and residents of color. FUSE will work with the Civil and Human Rights Department, the Police Department, and other departments across the city to enact programs that directly reduce hate crimes and increase public safety for potentially vulnerable populations.

Long Beach devised a 10-year strategic plan to advance economic equity among its diverse communities. Daniel Han built on the city’s work by helping provide access to inclusive capital to minority- and women-owned small businesses in low-income communities. Read more

The San Jose Public Library has been working to facilitate learning beyond the classroom for children of low-income families. FUSE executive fellow Lauren Hancock helped further these endeavors by overseeing relevant programs, expanding the network of outside educational providers, and establishing quality standards. Read more

Cleveland is working on a business development program to help small business owners on its east side thrive. FUSE executive fellow Ája Hardy helped create the program and identify new economic opportunities in these communities. Read more

Atlanta seeks to create a network of support programs for small businesses owned by Black and Brown entrepreneurs, enabling them to thrive and narrowing racial wealth inequality in the city. These businesses and communities have been particularly hard-hit by the effects of the Covid pandemic. FUSE will design and implement targeted support initiatives for minority-owned small businesses and help advance the city’s overall economic recovery plans.

Nashville is prioritizing strategies like afterschool programs, summer enrichment, and extended learning initiatives to combat the challenge of learning loss that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. To support this work, the Mayor’s Office will partner witha FUSE Executive Fellow for one year to build internal capacity and leverage public-private partnerships and resources to implement, scale, and pilot high-quality afterschool educational opportunities and early childhood education options for youth from every neighborhood in the city.

As of summer 2021, Harris County has managed over 381,000 cases and nearly 6,000 deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic and it remains at its highest threat level. Despite these challenges, the County, in partnership with the City of Houston, is administering up to 42,000 vaccines a week, prioritizing equity in distribution and outreach. Now, it is looking to sustain and enhance its COVID-19 response operations over the long term to reach herd immunity and commence reopening. The County will partner with FUSE to implement a dynamic strategy to improve its pandemic response efforts, including advancing personal preventive measures and implementing effective vaccine distribution and community outreach strategies, including raising awareness of COVID-19 initiatives in critical communities. FUSE will liaise between departments, coordinating technical operations and community outreach and utilizing data to drive decision-making and policy.

The Juvenile Services Division (JSD) of the Los Angeles County Probation Department is working to support the well-being, safety, and development of justice-involved youths, whether they are in probation facilities or the community. FUSE executive fellow Jessica Herbert helped develop JSD’s mission statement and guiding principles. She then led project teams through strategic planning to ensure that youth engagement aligns with JSD’s mission to support youths and their families. Read more

The COVID-19 pandemic threw everyday life into a state of upheaval, with lockdowns, social distancing guidelines, travel bans, and digital work becoming a new norm. The City of Oakland responded swiftly to meet the most urgent needs of residents and businesses, launching several innovative programs to maintain public health while also enabling public spaces to be used for business and safe gatherings. Nearly a year after their initial launch, FUSE will partner with Oakland to reimagine these right-of-way initiatives, moving them from emergency response measures to platforms that spur equitable recovery and support community cohesion post-pandemic. FUSE will manage and streamline these initiatives through a community-focused program that not only increases the number of residents, businesses, and schools participating, but also encourages NGOs, nonprofits, and community-based organizations to utilize the programs for service delivery.

Los Angeles County recently created an Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative that outlined 26 new recommendations for scaling diversion and care programs that will minimize the number of individuals who enter the jail system. Incarceration should only be a last report, particularly given the enormous racial disparities endemic throughout the criminal justice system. FUSE will work with community members and County agencies to implement these recommendations and create regional pilot programs that can be replicated in other communities nationwide.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) is working to slow the spread of the COVID-19 infection, while also preparing to prevent future pandemic-related health crises in the area. To support this work, DPH is partnering with FUSE Executive Fellow Jennifer Hobart to work with its Division of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention in order to develop a comprehensive strategic plan that transitions current surveillance programs into a unified Reportable Disease Surveillance system.

Pittsburgh is working to enhance its city-owned facilities. Chris designed and launched a strategic plan to improve the 300-plus city-owned buildings that was cost-efficient, safe, and focused on service delivery. Read more

The City of Durham only has eleven years left in its current waste management contract. In prioritizing investment in green infrastructure, the city can reimagine its approach to this issue and transform it into a more equitable, sustainable system. FUSE Executive Fellow Kathleen Hunt will help the City Manager’s Office explore a potential model for the future of waste reduction and the circular economy (and the creation of an Ecopark), centering racial equity and community input in its design and implementation.

The Travis County Jail is one of the largest mental health providers in the county, with around 34% of the jail’s roughly 1,434 inmates having a mental health designation. The County has delivered and unveiled public safety reforms that emphasize making their communities safer by investing in support services outside of the carceral system, including expanding diversion eligibility. FUSE will partner with Travis County to launch the Travis Center, a fully functioning mental health diversion center that provides community-based preventive services to help people avoid interaction with the criminal legal system. FUSE will primarily work to implement a sustainability plan for the proposed center, connecting directly with community members to ensure their needs are prioritized in service delivery and forming a roadmap to establish fiscal longevity. FUSE will play an integral role in ensuring the Center supports those experiencing homelessness and addresses residents’ unmet mental health and substance-use disorders before they ever interact with law enforcement.

San Francisco’s economy is booming, but there are opportunity disparities among gender identity, race, ethnicity, immigration status, and other socio-economic indicators. Sami helped the city identify barriers to advancing equity and the resources needed to overcome those barriers. Read more

To spark and sustain economic opportunity in low-income and underdeveloped neighborhoods, including designated Opportunity Zones, Wichita saw a need to work with a variety of stakeholders and community groups. FUSE executive fellow Angeline Johnson helped the city forge deeper partnerships with communities, improving their collective efforts to increase the vitality and quality of life for businesses and residents.

Youth interactions with the justice system cause life-long negative outcomes. The Los Angeles County government, steered by the Youth Justice Advisory Group (YJAG) and Alternatives to Incarceration Office (ATI), is working to transform from a punitive system to a youth development system that prioritizes trauma-responsive and community-based approaches to youth in crisis through the creation of a new Department of Youth Development (DYD). FUSE Executive Fellow Jody S. Johnson, Esq. will assist DYD in developing a legislative framework and action plan to radically reform the County’s approach to youth justice.

In spring 2021, city leaders facilitated the first Summit to Address Unsheltered Homelessness in Austin determined that a financial investment of $515M, from both the private and public sectors, would be required to rehouse 3000 people experiencing homelessness and add 200 staff to culturally-reflective providers. To support this work, Austin will partner with FUSE Corps to develop a sustainable funding and investment plan for addressing unsheltered homelessness in the city.

New Orleans’ long-term future depends on the City’s ability to invest in water and flood management systems. To expand this critical infrastructure, the Sewerage and Water Board must be able to collect revenue for its services. FUSE Executive Fellow Carolyn P. Jones will build the Board’s ability to sustainably and equitably collect revenue by analyzing the complex dynamics surrounding the issue and developing and implementing a strategic revenue plan.

Milwaukee’s overall homeownership rate has dropped by nearly 14% over the last decade, with the local gap between Black and white homeownership being higher than almost all of the other 100 largest cities in the country. The connection between housing stability and health outcomes has never been more evident than during the Covid-19 crisis. FUSE will work with the Department of Development to create or improve 10,000 units of affordable housing throughout the city, focusing on increasing Black homeownership, to maintain housing resilience in the face of future economic downturns.

Like other prosperous American counties, greater King County currently finds itself in the position of possessing both enormous amounts of wealth and staggering levels of homelessness. And while King County has progressed in addressing homelessness, to solve the county’s immense challenge, it needs a clear and rational approach to understanding the issue. To support this work, King County will partner with FUSE Corps for one year to review how stakeholders throughout the region are managing housing growth and allocating resources, building data-driven regional solutions for addressing the county’s housing crisis.

In spring 2021, city leaders facilitated the first Summit to Address Unsheltered Homelessness in Austin. The Summit determined that improving homelessness service provider capacity and responsiveness needs to be a top priority in order to effectively and significantly reduce unsheltered homelessness in the city. Austin will partner with FUSE Corps to lead meaningful organizational capacity building within a portfolio of homelessness service providers, ensuring the outreach efforts of providers are culturally responsive and informed by those with actual lived experience of homelessness.

To create high-quality jobs for residents, San Bernardino County is working to promote its Opportunity Zones, economically distressed communities that can potentially benefit from federal tax incentives aimed at encouraging investment and economic development. FUSE executive fellow Gil Keinan helped create a county-wide strategy and local toolkit to promote sustainable, equitable, and inclusive investments in Opportunity Zone communities.

Since the start of the pandemic, Los Angeles has reported the highest number of business closures in the nation, with over 7,500 of those closures expected to be permanent. To enable small businesses’ survival, the City is working to adapt programs and resources provided through its BusinessSource Centers. FUSE will partner with the City to build the BusinessSource Centers’ capacity to supply high-value technical and programmatic resources to small business owners, with a focus on women and people of color. FUSE will work directly with the small business community to capture critical needs and implement process improvements in the centers through an equity lens.

To reduce recidivism, Washington D.C.’s Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is working to provide a stronger continuum of services for justice-involved individuals, from pre-arrest through post-incarceration. FUSE executive fellow C. Brent Kiser helped develop, improve, and standardize operations throughout the organization and with other agencies, ultimately improving services for justice-involved individuals. Read more

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power recognizes that the health and economic crises spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted low-income and minority Angelenos disproportionately, increasing the number of residents who cannot afford their utilities. To support an equitable recovery from the pandemic, LADWP is partnering with FUSE Executive Fellow Joseph Koh to assess current services and support the expansion of low-income utility assistance programs.

The Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services is working to connect its most vulnerable populations with high-quality jobs and careers. FUSE Executive Fellow Patrick Koppula is assisting with these efforts, helping people stranded from the labor market find middle-wage jobs, while also helping businesses develop jobs for these workers. Read more

The City of San José, CA, is working towards a “Climate Smart San José” to help mitigate the effects of climate change that affect the ecosystems, health, livelihoods, and security of its residents. FUSE Executive Fellow Laksmi Lagares will help create an inter-agency strategy to identify and apply for various financial and technical resources from government entities, local revenue, and private philanthropy sources to advance local climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.

With impending retirement for a significant number of its more than 1,500 employees, the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) sought to create a development plan that would foster creative, forward-looking leaders. FUSE Executive Fellow Julie Lamba launched a novel all-staff leadership program and is continuing to help LAPL with its plans for leadership and talent, establishing sustainable programs that will prepare leaders for the challenges of today and tomorrow. Read more

Demand is growing for services from the Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering. At the same time, a quarter of its employees are nearing retirement. To ensure an effective knowledge transfer of ongoing projects, the bureau is looking to update its infrastructure for storing and accessing data. To help create a shared library of digital content, FUSE Executive Fellow Nancy Lambert is evaluating and recommending solutions, helping the city maximize its resources and better serve residents.

The City of Kansas City, Missouri has received and distributed roughly half of the $195M in local federal relief from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The Mayor’s Office will partner with a FUSE Executive Fellow for one year to steward the distribution of KC’s second tranche of ARPA funds, launching and scaling programs that will accelerate recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and reduce disparities in outcomes for the Black KC residents hit hardest by the pandemic.

The L.A. County Department of Health Services is working to improve access to the safety net of services it offers to county residents, many of whom are low-income. Using strategic marketing and branding, FUSE executive fellow Michelle LeBlanc helped the department communicate more effectively with current and prospective patients about the scope and quality of its offerings. Read more

The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted how digital deserts throughout Birmingham prevented many residents from reaching telehealth options, students from completing the school year, others from joining the workforce after layoffs, and some from accessing critical city and social services. To combat this digital divide, FUSE will partner with Birmingham to launch a comprehensive strategy for city-wide broadband expansion and digital inclusion.

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed difficulties that patients in the Los Angeles County – Department of Health Services system face in accessing specialty medical care, with wait times to see a specialist averaging around 89 days. To address these delays and decompress backlogs for potentially lifesaving radiology tests, FUSE will work to initiate an enterprise-wide system of care for radiology in the County.

Los Angeles has enacted a $15 per hour minimum wage by 2020 to help 600,000 Angelenos rise out of poverty. Mark helped the city avoid wage theft by employers or denial of wages owed to employees, and he devised a plan to make sure businesses stuck to the new law. Read more

Nearly 70 percent of Birmingham residents live in neighborhoods that lack adequate access to quality, affordable fresh foods. The City of Birmingham is committed to changing this status quo, and seeks to build a food economy that is powered by the community. To support this work, FUSE will partner with Birmingham to facilitate community-driven hyper-local programs and policies that encourage food resilience across all neighborhoods in the city, addressing issues of accessibility and affordability in all parts of the food supply chain.

Kansas City, MO, is working to support human rights due diligence for the upcoming 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup tournament by conducting stakeholder engagement as the city protects civil, political, social, economic, and cultural rights during the tournament. FUSE Executive Fellow Adam Lewis will help support the new Human Rights Advisory Council to assess the human rights challenges and opportunities that may arise from hosting the tournament and develop measures to prevent these issues from occurring.

The LA County Public Defender’s Office proposed the Public Defense Pilot Program to develop a global, collaborative approach to resentencing indigent defense clients, supporting the successful reentry of resentenced and released LA County individuals back into their communities. The LA County Public Defender’s Office will partner with FUSE Executive Fellow Lysa Liggins to implement a collaborative approach to resentencing, explicitly improving the resentencing referral and reentry relief services systems in the Public Defender’s purview.

Los Angeles is preparing for the day when autonomous vehicle technology redefines the world of automobiles and mobility at large. FUSE Executive Fellow Michael Lim developed a comprehensive business plan for the city that addresses the increasingly important need for investment in autonomous vehicles and the infrastructure to support them.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation is in the midst of a major workforce change. Andrea created a robust leadership training academy that prepared the department’s managers to embrace new evolutions in transportation technologies. Read more

There are currently 725,000 people who experience food insecurity in Houston, with 500,000 of those individuals living in federally-designated “food deserts,” where the closest supermarket is over a mile away. FUSE will help the city invest in its food ecosystem, not only to combat hunger and food insecurity in historically underserved communities of color, but also to provide new pathways to employment in these neighborhoods. FUSE will implement a comprehensive food access plan that bolsters food-related businesses and employment opportunities.

The Austin Public Health Department recently created a Homeless Services Division, which is working to strengthen response activities for individuals who are experiencing homelessness as a result of, or concurrent with, behavioral and mental health crises. Homelessness  disproportionately affects communities of color and, as a result, Black and Hispanic individuals are often not able to access the care needed for their behavioral and mental health issues. Combined with Covid-19, this population has been particularly challenging to support and prevent from contracting the virus and receiving adequate medical care. FUSE will work across all city departments that interact with the homeless population to build a systematic response to behavioral and mental health crises, ensuring that staff are equipped to provide these services, particularly during the current health crisis.  

The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) aims to reduce energy consumption and enhance operational efficiency. FUSE Executive Fellow Lana Lovick will analyze energy usage, identify energy reduction opportunities, and lead energy efficiency projects, ultimately transforming SWBNO into a more sustainable and cost-effective agency that better serves the community.

The City of Durham, North Carolina, is dedicated to reducing climate change impacts through ambitious policy and equitable strategic planning. FUSE Executive Fellow Michael MacHarg will partner with FUSE to help create and implement a strategic plan to equitably electrify the fleet and residents’ vehicles, drastically reducing carbon emissions and improving environmental justice for historically disinvested communities.

To help address a growing economic divide between Black and white residents, Milwaukee is working to provide better access to workforce development opportunities and job prospects. FUSE will work with the local workforce development board, Employ Milwaukee, to launch new digital and virtual reality-based training programs that complement the existing services that are delivered in-person, but which are now limited due to public health restrictions. 

Washington D.C. is working to uplift its small businesses by connecting them to opportunities to help them thrive and grow. Flavian developed a plan to deploy the most successful programs and make the best use of resources. Read more

Los Angeles County is working to redesign the way patients access healthcare within the system and transform the process into one that is efficient, compassionate, and patient-centered. Eric developed a plan to elevate the patient experience. Read more

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (Board) has taken several steps to reduce its reliance on incarceration and to expand diversion and treatment, including very recently calling for the creation of a new Justice, Care & Opportunities Department (JCOD). The JCOD implementation team (led by the Alternative to Incarceration Office) will partner with FUSE Executive Fellow Roxanne Ferand Mayfield to plan and oversee the launch of the new department.

Kansas City is focused on reaching the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral, equity-focused, and resilient city by 2040. Buildings are one of the largest and fastest-growing sources of Kansas City’s climate emissions. To address these buildings and ensure they are powered with clean energy, Kansas City will partner with FUSE Corps to engage with community stakeholders to co-create an equity-centered Building Performance Standards Ordinance.

Washington D.C. is creating a system to inventory and manage its portfolio of real-estate assets. FUSE executive fellow Edwin McClendon helped implement the system and use it to better monetize those assets, which in turn can increase available funds for improving community services. Read more

Travis County has administered more than 861,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and data shows that nearly 30% of residents age 16 and older are partially vaccinated. Yet, health leaders warn that there are at least half a million people in the county who are still particularly vulnerable to contracting and dying from the virus. FUSE will partner with Travis County to institute a cohesive, countywide approach across providers for vaccine administration and operations long-term. FUSE will merge the current strategies of public and private providers, align resources, and amplify best practices, preparing the county for the rollout of an eventual booster vaccine campaign and, ultimately, supporting the smooth and equitable administration of this potentially life-saving vaccine.

As part of an effort to become one of the most sustainable cities in the country, San Jose established San Jose Clean Energy, its clean energy initiative that offers services at competitive prices to residents and businesses. Working with SJCE, FUSE Executive Fellow Kevin Meehan developed a roadmap of clean energy programs that benefit residents and implemented an electric vehicle charging infrastructure program, while leading the implementation of other SJCE initiatives and services.

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Los Angeles County is using publicly generated information and other data sources to identify potential sources of food-related problems in the service industry. Mohammad helped the county use data analysis to monitor public health trends across the county to benefit the health of its residents. Read more

San Jose is working to prioritize the integration of racial equity objectives across all city operations. FUSE Executive Fellow Hymavathy Menath is helping establish and build capacity for an Office of Racial Equity.

Stockton is working to alleviate housing insecurity among its residents, including increasing and preserving affordable housing, creating protections for tenants, and addressing discrimination in voucher programs. The city is partnering with FUSE Executive Fellow Anjali Menon to work with the mayor and relevant partners and lead these efforts, helping reduce homelessness and strengthen communities.

The City of New Orleans, LA is dedicated to reducing climate change impacts through ambitious policy and equitable strategic planning. FUSE Executive Fellow Durban Mitchiner will partner with FUSE to help develop and implement a strategic plan to equitably electrify both the city’s fleet and residents’ personal vehicles, thereby drastically reducing carbon emissions and improving environmental justice for historically disinvested communities.

The New Orleans Health Department aims to improve the economic and social determinants of health in order to address root causes of health inequities faced by Black residents. These health inequities have been greatly exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the health crisis facing Black communities is increasingly urgent. FUSE will work with the Health Department to design and implement a program to address these health inequities and connect increased health to economic opportunities and prosperity for Black communities.

Los Angeles County believes the best way to have a strong government is to give residents tools to engage daily. Aparna developed a strategy for increased civic engagement among city departments to create a city where residents have a stronger voice in their government. Read more

In light of the impact of COVID-19, the Oakland Department of Economic and Workforce Development is striving to help small businesses, especially those in vulnerable neighborhoods, survive and rebuild during and after the pandemic. To assist with this effort, FUSE Executive Fellow Marsha Murrington is developing multiple small-business support initiatives and leading the implementation of grant-related development projects in East Oakland. Read more

Widespread community hardship, endemic poor health outcomes, and other social determinants of health, such as housing and food insecurity, are strongly linked to financial harm caused by healthcare systems. In partnership with the Los Angeles County (LAC) Department of Public Health, the FUSE Executive Fellow will guide the development and direction of a consortium to understand the local environment of healthcare financial harms and collect information necessary to make effective, equitable interventions.

Atlanta’s rapid population growth in combination with the redevelopment of the City’s Beltline has caused nearly half of all of its census tracts to experience gentrification. Many low-income and predominantly Black communities have been squeezed out of their neighborhoods, which have already faced continuous waves of displacement. To build on the city’s ambitious commitments to these legacy residents, FUSE will partner with the mayor’s office to shape and implement critical initiatives aimed at mitigating displacement. FUSE will initiate neighborhood-specific interventions that will prevent predominantly low-income and Black Atlantans from being pushed farther away from opportunity and driven from their unique communities.

The Travis County District Attorney (DA) is at the forefront of efforts to dismantle our nation’s endemic over-reliance on incarceration, having designing a robust restorative justice pilot program for juveniles, allowing youth to resolve their offenses outside of the formal carceral system. The DA will partner with a FUSE Executive Fellow for one year to first implement this pilot, and then sustain and scale the program.

To address the affordable housing crisis that’s been severely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services (BHCS) is working to establish the Alameda County Supportive Housing Community Alliance (CLA), which will provide stable and supportive housing for individuals living with a severe mental illness, especially those who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. To support this work, BHCS is partnering with FUSE Executive Fellow Karen Nemsick to build the CLA into a fully operational, self-sustaining nonprofit institution.

As Kansas City officials plan to welcome athletes, fans, and media from all over the world for the 2026 World Cup, they are prioritizing sustainable, equitable infrastructure improvements that will serve residents long after the games cease and their guests return home. The FUSE Executive Fellow will create wayfinding infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians to travel between World Cup points of interest and will develop additional insights for sustainable, equitable multi-modal transportation.

The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs is striving to promote the success of immigrant residents and their families during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Assisting with this effort, FUSE Executive Fellow Michael Nobleza helped create programs that improve the social safety net for immigrant Angelenos, including a new L.A. Immigrant Essential Workers Initiative, which Michael is now working to implement.

The Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office (CEO) leads the County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Equity Initiative, which works to eliminate racial disparities in housing and homelessness. To support this work, LA County will partner with FUSE to coordinate and implement recommendations put forward by the County’s Ad-Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness.

The Farish Street Historic District in Jackson, Mississippi, is facing economic decline and the impact of climate change, including a recent water crisis. FUSE Executive Fellow Yolanda R. Owens will collaborate with the Jackson Redevelopment Authority and partners to revitalize the district by analyzing existing plans, securing resources, building operational capacity, and developing effective marketing strategies. She aims to establish relationships, address gaps, secure funding, enhance capacity, and attract investment to promote long-term economic and climate resilience in the district and surrounding neighborhoods.

Birmingham recently launched the Birmingham Promise program, which has a goal of enabling every graduate of local public schools to advance to post-secondary institutions. The city is working to provide tuition assistance as well as apprenticeship opportunities with local employers. FUSE will build the operational and financial systems needed to quickly scale the availability of tuition resources and ensure the sustainability of the organization.

Atlanta is working diligently to increase the pace of its vaccine inoculations and rollout One Atlanta’s strategic initiatives to begin recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Covid-19 Vaccine Equity Campaign and broader One Atlanta vision are designed to increase health equity post-pandemic, particularly for the Black and Brown communities hit hardest by Covid-19. To effectively deploy both initiatives, FUSE will work with the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to design, implement, and evaluate high-touch branding and messaging tactics, improving and maximizing communications across all platforms.

The City of Oakland partnered with residents in East Oakland, the Black Cultural Zone, and other community organizations to design a series of projects that have been outlined in the “Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors” community plan, which was just recently funded with a $28 million grant from the State of California (which FUSE helped to secure in a previous project). To follow on its prior work, FUSE will engage neighborhood residents in the implementation of this plan and its projects, helping to strengthen the capacity of the Black Cultural Zone to ensure the long-term sustainability of this vital community organization.

The city and county of Durham launched a Recovery and Renewal Task Force (RRTF) in May 2020 to advise local elected leaders and serve as a vehicle for meaningfully engaging the community in mitigating the spread of Covid-19 and charting a course toward an equitable path to recovery. Working in partnership with groups like the Chamber of Commerce, Discover Durham, North Carolina Central University, and El Centro Hispano, FUSE will help Durham put recommendations into action and implement new initiatives centered on talent development and back-to-work programs, small business resiliency, small business promotion, and support for workers in low-wage industries.

Pittsburgh’s Mayor’s Office is piloting a number of educational initiatives to train and prepare students for local jobs that are in high demand and that offer sustainable, living wages. In partnership with the chief equity officer, FUSE will serve as the liaison for regional career and technical education (CTE) initiatives. This will enable more effective coordination between local employers, job training programs, city departments, and the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

To reduce the number of people awaiting trial while in jail, and the correlated inequities that result from the current system, St. Louis is reforming its pretrial detention process. FUSE executive fellow Wilford Pinkney, Jr. helped design a comprehensive plan for reform, including realistic alternatives to bail and bonds. Read more

The growing demand for homes in Washington D.C. has made it difficult for low- and moderate-income households to afford to live in the district. To address the inequities in affordable housing, Mayor Bowser ordered a review of how existing affordable housing is concentrated in some parts of the city, threatened in others, and extremely limited in still others due to a legacy of exclusionary and discriminatory land use decisions. FUSE will partner with the district to expand the availability of affordable housing options in two target communities and identify ways to leverage the First Right Purchase Assistance Program to preserve existing affordable housing.

To aid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oakland Department of Planning and Building seeks to prioritize safety and affordable housing simultaneously by improving technology for building inspections and code enforcement. To support this work, FUSE Executive Fellow Alicia Polak Brennan is assessing how the department’s land-use management system can be modified to improve code enforcement workflows, case management, and data record keeping.

New Orleans faces immense challenges in the wake of hurricanes and their aftermath that have been exacerbated by power outages and electric grid failures – most recently highlighted in August/September of 2021 when Hurricane Ida knocked out all eight transmission lines into the city. To enhance the resilience of its power grid infrastructure and improve the overall resilience of its community, New Orleans will partner with FUSE for one year to support the implementation of a pilot of microgrids, community resilience nodes, in areas of the city with a large number of infrastructure services.

Confronted with the global climate crisis and persistent economic disparities, Milwaukee recognizes an opportunity to simultaneously address both of these pressing issues. FUSE Corps will partner with the City of Milwaukee to finalize a comprehensive Climate and Equity Plan for the region, conducting deep community engagement and supporting the plans adoption through the City’s Common Council and County Board.

Fort Worth loses 50 acres of open space every week to development, raising concerns about increased flood risks due to impervious surfaces. To address these challenges, the City aims to establish data-driven regulations and policies for riparian corridor preservation, partnering with FUSE to conduct research and develop recommendations to promote responsible long-term growth.

Oakland is building a rental registry to give policymakers better data so they can address the city’s urgent housing crisis and protect renters from illegal rent increases and evictions. FUSE Executive Fellow Sonia Punjabi is leading the planning and implementation of the new registry and developing strategies to ensure compliance by local property owners.

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services has been working to better address the health needs of its inmate population, including improving the patient flow for its Inmate Reception Center (IRC). FUSE executive fellow Tom Pyun helped the IRC redesign its health services, launching pilot programs that reduce IRC traffic and patient wait times while improving access to quality care. Read more

Our nation’s capital is working to be more citizen-centered in the way it connects its services to residents and businesses. Jon helped improve the process and technology of the department’s operations in order to improve the citizen service experience. Read more

In New Orleans, there are six times as many Black families living in poverty as white families, with median income among Black households just $26,000. Such economic disparities stem from an enduring legacy of racial injustice, as well as unequal recovery from Hurricane Katrina, the BP oil spill, and now Covid’s disproportionate impacts. FUSE will work with the Office of Economic Development to develop and implement an Intergenerational Economic Development Plan designed to advance career opportunities, increase income, and build wealth in Black families.

The Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services is collaborating with county, city, and community stakeholders to understand and meet the needs of a fast-growing older adult population. FUSE Executive Fellow Minoli Ratnatunga is helping ensure that an increasing demand for senior services will be met by supporting the work of this coalition and helping recruit more cities in L.A. County to join the initiative.

Covid-19 disrupted the healthcare system and put healthcare workers across the country on the frontlines of a global pandemic, increasing the trauma and burnout that already existed among the Los Angeles Department of Health Services (DHS) staff. To address this, FUSE will design a comprehensive wellness plan to address the holistic health and wellbeing of DHS’s healthcare workers at all levels across the enterprise.

To accelerate new housing development and address the growing challenge of housing affordability, San José plans to permit and build 25,000 units, with over half dedicated to affordable housing, by 2022. To support this ambitious plan, the City will partner with FUSE Corps to transform its permitting and code enforcement processes, increasing both the ease and accessibility of these services, especially to those from traditionally underserved and underinvested neighborhoods. FUSE will work with the Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement to implement innovative solutions to address inequities in access, so that all residents can benefit from quality, easily available services both during and after the pandemic.

King County is dedicated to building innovative and intersectional climate solutions that support community resilience and limit the climate burden on low-income households and communities of color. The FUSE Executive Fellow will explore opportunities to create a strategic framework that works to support the integration of climate and health equity priorities between PHSCK and local healthcare systems. This framework will help King County actualize its goal of reducing public health risks associated with climate change.

The Los Angeles County Department of Business and Consumer Affairs is working to expand the reach of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, an effective yet often underutilized tool to reduce poverty. FUSE Executive Fellow Nicole Richardson developed a strategy that integrates outreach, provision, and opportunities for do-it-yourself filing into county services across departments, making it easier for clients to claim refundable tax credits and benefits.

Promoting green job growth by expanding existing jobs and improving access to green career pathways is a key component of the King County Strategic Climate Action Plan. FUSE Executive Fellow Marquise Roberson will support county officials in setting and advancing the regional green jobs agenda and facilitating public-private partnerships and regional collective action to achieve green employment goals.