Whanau jets off to Harvard for leadership course

Wellington mayor Tory Whanau has flown to the United States for a Harvard leadership course that boasts alumni including the New York mayor and senior White House staff.

Whanau flew to New York on Saturday and returns this coming Saturday with deputy mayor Laurie Foon stepping up as acting mayor in her absence.

Wellington City Council chief executive Barbara McKerrow will attend the same course in August, and Whanau’s incoming chief of staff Nadine Walker also heading to New York for the course.

Whanau could not be contacted yesterday but a statement from her office said the course specialised in leadership, management and solving problems.

The New York sessions will last four days for Whanau, with a later four days for McKerrow and Walker, but the course runs for a year with the remainder online.

The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership initiative launched in 2017 and has hosted 275 mayors and 470 senior city leaders since then.

Alumni include New York mayor Eric Adams, White House public engagement office director Stephen Benjamin and his predecessor Keisha Lance Bottoms and New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell.

Forty mayors from the United States and 13 from around the world are taking part in the programme, with each getting two senior council staff into the programme.

The 2023 sessions, taken by the Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School, will focus on equitable growth, jobs and economic development, poverty reduction, affordable housing and homelessness, transport, infrastructure, climate, resilience and resource management, a statement from Whanau’s office said.

“They expect to grow in their capabilities to lead change and advance equity, innovate to tackle complex problems, build citywide collaboration, and improve community engagement to inspire action and better serve residents.”

All expenses are covered by the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership initiative.