By Tom McClimon
July 30, 2007

Twenty-five mayors’ executive assistants from around the country gathered at New York University for their annual meeting July 19-20. The meeting was held at the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Affairs, the first time the gathering has been held at the university.

Moderated by Conference of Mayors Executive Director Tom Cochran, the sessions focused on a number of policy and personal development issues and involved a number of Wagner School faculty. Allen Zerkin, Adjunct Associate Professor of the Wagner School facilitated a discussion on “Developing a Culture of Problem-Solving.” Heather Watson, with the Wagner Research Center for Leadership in Action, led a discussion on “Leadership During a Crisis.” Rogan Kersh, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, gave the group an overview of ways to “Promote Civic Engagement by Young People.” Jeremy Friedman, Project Administrator for New York University’s Sustainability Task Force, gave a presentation on the steps the university was taking to become more green sustainable. Other sessions included ways to make a mayor’s office run more effectively and current issues at the federal and state levels.

Additional information on the mayors’ executive assistants meeting can be found at the mayors executive assistants listserve site at usmayors.org/estaff.