Penn IUR Honors Visionary Leadership in Cities at 21st Annual Urban Leadership Forum

Left to Right: Penn IUR Co-Director and Wharton Professor Susan Wachter; Stefan Hatch, C'26; Kate Gallego, W'12, Mayor of Phoenix, AZ; Penn President J. Larry Jameson; Josué Tanaka, Principal Finance Advisor at C40 Cities; Layla Sayed, C’26; Yeeun Yoo, C’26; Penn IUR Co-Director and Weitzman Professor Eugénie Birch. (Photo: Alexa Halim/Penn IUR)

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) hosted its 21st Annual Urban Leadership Forum and Presentation of the Lawrence C. Nussdorf Urban Leadership Prize on April 7, 2026, bringing together global leaders and scholars to examine the theme “Guiding Urban Futures in Uncertain Times.”

The annual forum recognizes exceptional urban leaders whose work is shaping more resilient, sustainable, and equitable cities worldwide. The 2026 Nussdorf Prize honors two distinguished leaders whose achievements span municipal innovation and climate finance:

Mayor Kate Gallego (W’12), City of Phoenix

Dr. Josué Tanaka, Visiting Professor in Practice at the LSE Grantham Research Institute and Principal Finance Advisor at C40 Cities

Mayor Gallego has positioned Phoenix as a global hub for bioscience, advanced manufacturing, and climate resilience, including securing $165 billion in foreign investment from TSMC, the largest such investment in U.S. history. Under her leadership, Phoenix established the nation’s first Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, advanced smart water use strategies, and strengthened critical infrastructure—making it one of the most sustainable desert cities in the United States.

Dr. Tanaka brings more than four decades of leadership in development finance, environmental policy, and urban infrastructure. As the founding leader of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s climate finance initiative, he oversaw more than $42 billion in green investments across nearly 2,000 projects. He also launched the flagship €3 billion Green Cities program, now active in 46 cities across three continents, advancing large-scale climate mitigation and adaptation efforts.

In addition to the global prize recipients, Penn IUR Co-Directors Dr. Eugénie Birch and Dr. Susan Wachter and Penn IUR Advisory Board Member Melanie Nussdorf presented the 2026 Lawrence C. Nussdorf Student Awards to three outstanding University of Pennsylvania undergraduates whose work reflects a deep commitment to understanding cities:

• Stefan Hatch (C’26) – Urban Studies and Psychology major whose research examines housing policy through qualitative interviews with participants in Philadelphia’s Housing+ and Housing Choice Voucher programs.
• Layla Sayed (C’26) – Urban Studies major and incoming Master’s student in Social Policy, focused on housing, criminal justice reform, and education policy, with experience at the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania and ACLU-NJ.
• Yeeun Yoo (C’26) – Urban Studies and Sociology major and Civic Scholar whose work centers on community organizing, food sovereignty, restorative justice, and mutual aid.

The student awards honor the legacy of Lawrence C. Nussdorf, a founding Penn IUR board member who championed undergraduate engagement in urban research and leadership.

The event featured remarks by Penn President J. Larry Jameson and Vice Provost for Research David Meaney, a panel discussion with the awardees and Vice Provost of Climate Science, Policy, and Action and Mark Alan Hughes Faculty Director of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy Sanya Carley and closing remarks from Senior Vice Provost for Faculty and GSE Centennial Presidential Professor of Education at the Penn Graduate School of Education Laura Perna.

The Urban Leadership Forum convenes policymakers, practitioners, scholars, and students to engage in critical dialogue about the future of cities. This year’s theme highlights the urgency of adaptive leadership and cross-sector collaboration in addressing challenges ranging from climate change, workforce development and infrastructure to housing and governance.

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