Penn IUR and The Volcker Alliance to Host a Panel Discussion on Leadership Challenges in the Age of COVID-19

PHILADELPHIA, PA  – Good leadership from our elected state and local officials has never been more important than in responding to the unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Join Penn IUR and The Volcker Alliance on March 11 from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. ET for a virtual panel with state and local leaders to discuss strategies for effective governance amid the rollout of vaccines and pending economic recovery measures. The keynote address will be presented by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Admission is free but attendees must register here.

“Understanding how elected officials can effectively lead is an imperative in these uncertain and difficult times,” said Penn IUR Co-Director Susan Wachter, Albert Sussman Professor of Real Estate, and Professor of Finance at The Wharton School. “We’re thrilled to have these speakers who will provide their unique and important perspectives on leadership challenges.”

Following Governor Murphy’s keynote address, a panel discussion will feature:

• Wendell Pritchett, Provost and James S. Riepe Presidential Professor of Law and Education;
• Richard Ravitch, former Lieutenant Governor, New York State, and Volcker Alliance Director;
• Tom Davis, Former Member, United States House of Representatives;
• Elizabeth Kellar, Director of Public Policy, International City/County Management Association;
• Michael Nutter, Former Mayor, City of Philadelphia; and
• Michael Useem, William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

William Glasgall, Penn IUR Fellow and Volcker Alliance Senior Vice President and Director of State and Local Initiatives, will moderate the panel with Wachter. “The pandemic is testing our institutions in unprecedented ways,” said Glasgall. “Governing during a pandemic requires special skills and qualities—this incredible group of leaders can speak from experience about what these skills and qualities are.”

This event is presented by Penn IUR's Initiative for State and Local Fiscal Stability, which aims to inform policy and improve the fiscal relationship between the U.S. government and states and municipalities by engaging experts from academia, labor, the financial world, and all levels of governance through public convenings and publications.

The Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) is a university-wide body that informs urban decision-making and public policy on issues of sustainable and inclusive urban growth and development based on multi-disciplinary research, instruction, and outreach. Affiliated with all 12 schools of the University of Pennsylvania and with the world of practice, Penn IUR fosters collaboration among scholars and policymakers across disciplines to address the needs of an increasingly urbanized society. Visit penniur.upenn.edu to learn more.

The Volcker Alliance empowers the public sector workforce to solve the challenges facing our nation. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization is inspired by the legendary public service of our founder, Paul A. Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, and his vision of a public sector workforce with the experience, preparation, and commitment to ensure government is accountable and delivers with excellence. Visit volckeralliance.org to learn more. Follow us on social media @VolckerAlliance and subscribe to the Volcker Alliance newsletter for the latest news and developments. The Volcker Alliance is a 501(c)(3) organization.

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