Describe your organization
What follows are Seattle City Light's Vision, Mission, and Values Statements:

• Our Vision: To set the standard and to deliver the best customer service experience of any utility in the nation.
• Our Mission: Seattle City Light is dedicated to exceeding our customers' expectations in producing and delivering environmentally responsible, safe, low-cost, and reliable power.
• Our Values: Excellence, Accountability, Trust, and Stewardship.

How have Fellows impacted your organization?
Seattle City Light has participated as a mentor organization for the last three years. Each year the Fellows have provided an infusion of new thoughts and ideas to the Utility. In their mentorships the Fellows have demonstrated their analytic skills and professionalism which support our desire to create a learning organization where skills and knowledge are shared.

Why is mentorship important to leadership development?
The best teacher is experience. Mentor/mentee relationships are a hands-on way to translate and transmit experience and to see it in practice. The process of asking the question “why” not only provides a context for the Fellow in a mentorship, but it also allows the mentor to perhaps look at processes in a new way and with fresh eyes. It's a mutually beneficial learning and doing method in real-world and real-time situations.

Why do you support National Urban Fellows?
The National Urban Fellows is a unique opportunity for an organization such as Seattle City Light to benefit from the talent, creativity, and vision of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Our own community comprises individuals who speak as many as 149 different languages! The children in our schools are bringing a new face—and often new experiences—to the fabric of our city. Seeing our community through the eyes of a National Urban Fellow opens our organization to new approaches, new ideas, and a new way to deliver services. Not only are their life experiences vital to our business operations, but their previous work and educational experiences provide an exciting opportunity to a utility that has more than a 100-year history.

How important is diversity to leadership in today's country?
Leadership must reflect the composition of today's workforce. In Seattle, as well as most areas of the country, communities are becoming more and more culturally and ethnically diverse. Preparing talent today for the leadership challenges of tomorrow is critical. Our changing demographics demonstrate that leadership in business, government, non-profits and all sectors of the economy should reflect the community profile. Empowerment comes from common values and vision that ensure equity.

See Jorge Carrasco's Bio... click here.

Jorge Carrasco is the Superintendent of Seattle City Light, one of America's leading public electric utilities. Since his appointment by Mayor Greg Nickels in 2004, he has strengthened the utility's financial, risk management, and planning performance and has streamlined its leadership structure.

Carrasco came to the utility as a result of a national search and has extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. For more than 30 years he has helped organizations enhance financial performance, achieve growth and diversification, and manage economic change. Before City Light, he served as president of New Jersey-based American Water Services, a company with $424 million in annual revenue from water, wastewater, and related services to government and industry in the United States and Canada.

Carrasco was also general manager of East Bay Municipal Utility District, a water and wastewater utility serving more than one million customers in Oakland, Berkeley, and the eastern San Francisco Bay. He also served as City Manager of Scottsdale, Arizona and Austin, Texas where he had the responsibility for another large, progressive public utility, Austin Energy.

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Describe the mission of your organization
The mission of Maricopa County is to provide regional leadership and fiscally responsible, necessary public services so that residents can enjoy living in a healthy and safe community.

Services provided by Maricopa County are targeted to achieve strategic priorities in one of seven strategic areas. Each priority has several goals and specific measures to evaluate performance. These goals and measures are long-term in nature, targeting the year 2010 to achieve the Board of Supervisors' vision for our community.

Strategic Priorities

• Ensure safe communities and a streamlined, integrated justice system
• Promote and protect the public health of the community
• Provide regional leadership in critical public policy areas
• Carefully plan and manage land use in Maricopa County to promote sustainable development and to preserve and strengthen our environment
• Continue to exercise sound financial management and build the County's fiscal strength while minimizing the property tax burden
• Maintain a quality workforce and equip County employees with the tools, skills, workspace, and resources they need to do their jobs safely and well
• Continue to improve the County's public image by increasing citizen satisfaction with the quality and cost-effectiveness of services provided by the County

How have Fellows impacted your organization?
National Urban Fellows have all been well received and have performed superbly at Maricopa County. Their professional services are very much in demand at the department and senior staff levels. They assimilate quickly to become contributors to major county projects throughout their internships. Fellows are involved with the various intricacies of our government, giving them hands-on experience.

Why is mentorship important to leadership development?
Mentoring at the senior management level is a "quick study" method of familiarizing mentees on how high-level decisions are made and how high-level work gets done. It is extremely helpful for Fellows to visualize themselves in these roles one day.

Why do you support National Urban Fellows?
All of our Fellows have been high-energy, highly talented individuals who have made positive changes at Maricopa County. They are eager to learn and even more eager to produce real results during their internships. National Urban Fellows is simply a program that works better than advertised. The experience gained on both sides of the mentorship model is certainly rewarding.

How important is diversity to leadership in today's country?
Having a high emotional intelligence is critical to tomorrow's successful leaders. That can only come through a comfortable working relationship with all racial, ethnic, and generation groups, and both genders. Aligning everyone's talents with the organization's goals means leadership has deployed a diversity strategy. Employing a diverse workforce means that a public agency can provide services to their citizens to highest citizen satisfaction levels.

See David Smith's Bio... click here.

David Smith has been Maricopa County Manager since December 1, 1994.

Smith was born on March 15, 1946, in Highland Park, IL. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, in 1968; a Master's degree in Public Administration from New York University, New York, NY, in 1976; and a Juris Doctorate degree from Pace University Law School, White Plains, NY, in 1983.

After three years with the US Marine Corps Reserve, which included service in Vietnam as a lieutenant, Smith began his public service career in November 1971, as an administrative officer with Orange County, Goshen, NY. In March 1977, he became director of Intergovernmental Relations for Westchester County, White Plains, NY, then served three years as counsel to the New York Lieutenant Governor in Albany, NY. From August 1985 to December 1987, he served as assistant city manager for Yonkers, NY. From January 1988 until November 1994, he was deputy county executive, the chief appointed administrative officer, for Erie County in Buffalo, NY.

Smith's professional associations include the American Society for Public Administration and National Association of County Administrators. He is a member of the New York State Bar. In 2001, Smith was chosen by Governing Magazine as a public official of the year. He has been a state or local official for 35 years. He has served on the Valley of the Sun United Way Board of Directors since 1996.

Click here to return to an interview with David R. Smith...

Description/Mission of your organization:
“The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation seeks to improve the health and health care of all Americans. Our efforts focus on improving both the health of everyone in America and their health care—how it's delivered, how it's paid for, and how well it does for patients and their families.” We are guided by a fundamental premise: we are stewards of private funds that must be used in the public's interest. Our greatest asset isn't our endowment; it's the way we help create leverage for change.

How have Fellows impacted your organization?
I think that the Fellows have had a tremendous impact both programmatically and in terms of organizational culture. Programmatically, the Fellows have exponentially improved the projects they work on and have ensured the programs effectiveness and success. Organizationally, they have demonstrated the value of diversity. The Foundation has always had a commitment to improving the diversity of our grantmaking. We have done so not just in terms of who we give our grants to but who we work with in order to make decisions about those grants including the group of experts we convene to help us select grantees called National Advisory Committee, the consultants we use to support our work and the staff who work here at RWJF. What is exciting is that the Fellows have signaled to the rest of staff that there are highly competent individuals in the nation from diverse backgrounds who can make a substantial contribution to philanthropy. Not just as the voice of the community but as content experts and program developers.

Why is mentorship important to leadership development?
True leadership requires more than great tactical and managerial skills. It takes understanding the personal and group dynamics of the organization. It is about the politics behind the process. This is not a course you can take. I think mentors have a particular responsibility in sharing that level of insight. Mentorship is important for leadership because one cannot reach a high-level position unless one understands the political and cultural subtleties of how decisions are made.

Why do you support National Urban Fellows?
I was a National Urban Fellow so I know the value of the program. I am really committed to diversity in philanthropy. One of the important ways to do address the issue of diversity is to have programs like NUF that can expose the organizations like the Foundation to excellent professionally trained competent folks who would not normally be at the decision-making table. I support the program not only because I have a personal commitment to the program but also because I think it produces high quality professionals. I think it is important to support programs like NUF if you care about community development, social justice, and a progressive movement.

How important is diversity to leadership in today's country?
For me personally and for the nation, diversity is about excellence. I am a researcher by training and among the research community there is very little diversity. Good research requires folks from diverse backgrounds who have a connection with the study population. Minority researchers simply know how to ask the right people the right questions. They are doing the kind of research that needs to be done. The United States is in an educational crisis. Just to give you one example specific to the target audience of one of our core research projects -the New Connections program- while 11,848 (89%) White US citizens earned a science and engineering doctorate, only 640 (4.8%) Blacks, 722 (5.4%) Hispanics, and 66 (0.5%) American Indians/ Alaska Natives earned this degree. The changing demographic of this country will mean that by 2050 half of the population will be people of color. How will we prepare for this change when 30% of the population is being completely undervalued, undereducated and underutilized? The nation is not ready and will suffer the economic consequences if it does not make leadership capacity among the new majority a priority. I am very worried about the country’s future leadership. I don’t think we will be able to maintain our status as a world leader without empowering communities of color. What National Urban Fellows does is provide us with a vehicle to help us support the new leadership.

See Dr. Debra Joy Pérez's Bio... click here.

Dr. Debra Joy Pérez, Ph.D., M.P.A., M.A., is a senior program officer in Research and Evaluation at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation where she is responsible for the Foundation’s work on improving quality, reducing racial/ethnic disparities in health care, and building the field of public health services and systems research.

As senior program officer for the Quality/Equality Team, she leads major initiatives including Finding Answers: Disparities Research for Change at University of Chicago and the Speaking Together: National Language Services Network in Washington, D.C. Finding Answers is a national program designed to find interventions that work to reduce racial/ethnic disparities. Speaking Together establishes a learning network of providers implementing strategies to serve the limited English proficient patient populations.

On the Public Health Team, Pérez focuses on building the field of public health systems research — a field of inquiry examining the organization, financing, performance and impact of health systems. Since joining the Foundation in October 2004, she has been responsible for developing many programs in research and evaluation. In addition to her responsibilities on program management teams, she directs and manages an RWJF internally run program New Connections Initiatives: Bringing Diversity to RWJF Grantmaking and Increasing Secondary Data Analyses that links new investigators and new talent to the Foundation’s areas of interest.

Pérez received an M.A. in women’s studies from the University of Kent in Canterbury, England. She received the National Urban and Rural Fellows award leading to an M.P.A. from Baruch College, where she graduated with honors. She earned a B.A. in communications from Douglass College.

Click here to return to an interview with Dr. Debra Joy Pérez...

Description/Mission of your organization:
The New York Foundling is one of New York City’s oldest and largest child welfare agencies. With a budget of $90 million and 1300 employees, we offer a full continuum of child welfare services in the metropolitan area as well as serving 1200 families in our Head Start Program in Puerto Rico. We also provide residential care for developmentally disabled adults. We are the only agency that I know of that has an advocacy and research center dedicated exclusively to the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect.

How have Fellows impacted your organization?
To begin with, they bring very fresh and informed ideas. I have been most impressed with their analytical ability and capacity to simultaneously manage a number of projects. They are both very critical thinkers. There is no job too big or too small – they just want to help. And, we really lucked out - our two Fellows are just very nice, sincere people. They fit right in and all our staff fully embraced them.

Why are mentors/mentorship important to leadership development?
I would like to think that mentors can play a big role in helping to shape and focus the manner in which Fellows approach the opportunities and challenges they will encounter. The mentorship experience should permit the testing and application of competing ideas and strategies in an environment that encourages personal and professional growth. Mentors must demonstrate how to learn equally from both good and bad decisions and experiences.

Why do you support National Urban Fellows?
Given the type of work we are in, where 98% of those we serve are from various racial and ethnic minority groups, it is critical that we develop and cultivate leaders that perhaps may understand or appreciate, on a different level, the implications of cultural differences and racial and ethnic identification. It is also important because they are able to serve as more appropriate and critical role models for the population we serve.

How important is diversity to leadership in today's country?
When you consider how diverse we are as a nation, I don’t think that any of us can be satisfied with how little diversity there is among either our elected or corporate leaders. That is why the presidential election this year makes me more hopeful about our future in this regard. I am cautiously optimistic that this year might be the beginning of the shattering of many barriers that have persisted for so long. It will be a great day when one’s race or gender or ethnic background is not seen as their most distinguishing characteristic.

See Bill Baccaglini's Bio... click here.

Bill is the Executive Director of The New York Foundling a $90 million social service organization with approximately 1,300 employees serving over 13,000 people in all five boroughs, Rockland and Westchester Counties and Puerto Rico. As Executive Director, Bill has overseen the expansion of The New York Foundling, reduced the agency’s operating deficit by $7.5 million, implemented policies and procedures that have resulted in the agency securing national accreditation and expanded the agency’s foster boarding and prevention programs.

Prior to coming to The Foundling, Bill spent more than twenty years in New York State government, developing programs and policies directly impacting children, youth and families. He was instrumental in the creation of the NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OFCS) in Albany, where later he served as Director of the Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Development. In this role, he oversaw the agency development of a new model for funding foster care services in New York State and led the agency’s initiative to expand mental health services in child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

Bill has completed coursework and comprehensive exams for the doctoral program in sociology at the State University of New York at Albany, has a Master of Science in Sociology from the State University of New York at Albany, a Master of Science in Recreation Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a Bachelor of Professional Studies, magna cum laude, in Recreation Administration with minors in sociology and psychology from the State University of New York at Brockport.

Click here to return to an interview with Bill Baccaglini, Jr....

Description/Mission of your organization:
The Port of Seattle plays a key role in bringing international trade, transportation and travel to the Pacific Northwest supporting industries as diverse as tourism and commercial fishing, generating nearly 200,000 jobs for Washington State. In 2007, I set the course for the Port to become an environmental as well as an economic leader, adopting sustainable business practices in each of our divisions.

How have Fellows impacted your organization?
Our Fellow Antoinette Dalton quickly became a valued member of the Port team, tackling some difficult issues for long-standing tenants and customers. We are fortunate to have her.

Why are mentors/mentorship important to leadership development?
I was fortunate that early in my professional life, several people took an interest in my career. They invested time and energy into helping me hone the skills I now use as a CEO. Some things can’t be learned by reading or watching; you have to learn them by trial and error. A mentor is there to help you learn from your successes and mistakes, putting your experiences into context by offering a more experienced perspective.

Why do you support National Urban Fellows?
I believe the National Urban Fellows program provides excellent training for the participants while promoting the diversity still lacking in many industries.

How important is diversity to leadership in today's country?
The global marketplace changes constantly, and an effective leader must be able to see the challenges and opportunities of that change from as many perspectives as possible. Diversity of race, gender, thought, and experience is essential for US businesses to adapt to the many changes coming our way.

See Tay Yoshitani's Bio... click here.

Tay Yoshitani joined the Port of Seattle as its CEO in March 2007. He carries out policies set by the Port Commission and leads the Port’s operating divisions, including the 8th largest container port in the nation, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which welcomes more than 31 million passengers a year.

In his first year he rebranded the Port to create a competitive edge, and created the tagline: Where a Sustainable World is Headed. He challenged the staff to become the cleanest, greenest and most energy efficient port in the nation. He also established new policies and procedures and realigned the staffing structure to increase accountability and provide more focus on core businesses. He created an office of Social Responsibility to serve as a beacon for the region to provide equal opportunities for disadvantaged businesses.

From 2004 to 2007, Yoshitani served as Senior Advisor to the National Association of Waterfront Employers, providing industry expertise on port security and environmental issues. As Executive Director of the Port of Oakland from 2001 to 2004, he led a significant expansion of both the seaport and airport, overseeing environmental permitting and planning that enabled the airport expansion to use “green building” technology. He was Oakland’s Deputy Executive Director from 1998 to 2001.

He is credited with creating the first master plan at the Maryland Port Administration, where he served as Executive Director from 1995 to 1998. As Deputy Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, 1989 to 1995, he oversaw the creation of the West Coast’s largest dry bulk export terminal.

A U.S. Army veteran, Yoshitani has a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and earned his MBA at Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He serves on the National Urban Fellows, Inc. Board of Directors.

Click here to return to an interview with Tay Yoshitani....

Description/Mission of your organization:
The business of Broward County Government is to deliver cost-effective and collaborative services to enhance and promote the quality of life for our residents, businesses and visitors. Our vision is that Broward County be a diverse, vibrant, urban community with parks, beaches, and green spaces. Broward has something for everyone. Positioned in the center of Southeast Florida, Broward County is environmentally and economically sustainable and a gateway to the international marketplace. The County is a regional body working together with government partners and stakeholders to achieve common goals. We are home to innovation and a great place to live, work, play, and visit.

How have Fellows impacted your organization?
Broward County has been fortunate to have hosted several Fellows, all of whom have left their mark on the organization. Aside from working on various issues as part of a team, each has assisted in major projects during their tenure, examples include, implementing a county SharePoint site - a major tool for monitoring and tracking major projects and directives from the Board; establishing a paper reduction policy and enhancing our electronic filing systems; developing customer service improvement programs across the County; developing an extensive “super” resolution which led to a massive reorganization and streamlining of county agencies; assisting in the development of an electronic internal control procedures manual.

Why are mentors/mentorship important to leadership development?
I believe that each of us is a born leader but the skills that make us effective leaders need to be nurtured and developed. It is just as important for a Fellow to be a participant observer as it is for a mentor to provide guidance, feedback, and even criticism. By having this hands-on experience and participating in executive-level forums, our Fellows have learned about the kinds of challenges that organizations face but, more importantly, they have learned about the complexities involved in decision-making. I have seen our Fellows attain greater confidence and self-assurance in the short time that they are with us, and I attribute that, amongst other things, to their exposure and involvement in assigned projects.

Why do you support National Urban Fellows?
The National Urban Fellows’ commitment to diversifying leadership in government and non-profit organizations is commendable. Its academic program which provides its Fellows with first-hand mentorship and leadership experience provides the basis for their personal and career development. How can one not be an advocate of such a remarkable program?

How important is diversity to leadership in today's country?
I think it is important for the diversity of the nation to be reflected in its workforce, and for this diversity to also be mirrored in top-level positions within organizations. As the country strives to eliminate the lines of distinction between the races and the minorities, so too should the lines of inequity in leadership roles be removed.

See Bertha Henry's Bio... click here.

Broward County’s county administrator, Bertha Henry, has been serving as Broward County’s chief administrative officer since her appointment by the Broward County Commission in October of 2008. She previously served as the Deputy County Administrator and as Interim County Administrator from September 2005 to July 2006, and also from November 2007 until her recent appointment.

As chief administrative officer for a county of 1.8 million residents, she is responsible for a budget of approximately $3.5 billion. She directs the operations of approximately 70 agencies, including Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Port Everglades, Public Works, Planning, Environmental Protection, Economic Development, Emergency Services, Tourism and the Budget.

She is responsible for a workforce of nearly 6,000 employees. Ms. Henry is a native Floridian and a graduate of Florida State University, where she also earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.

Click here to return to an interview with Bertha Henry....

Description/Mission of your organization:
The Institute for Youth, Education, and Families is a special entity within the National League of Cities that seeks to strengthen the capacity of municipal leaders to address the needs of children, youth, and families in their own communities. The Institute provides practical help and advice to mayors and other city officials in five core program areas: early childhood development, education/after school youth development, the safety of children and youth, and family economic success.

How have Fellows impacted your organization?
NLC’s 2008-09 National Urban Fellow has significantly enhanced the ability of the Institute to identify and document innovative after school initiatives developed by cities across the nation, with particular emphasis on programs serving older youth. Our Fellow has brought an important “real world” perspective to these efforts, drawing upon his prior work experience in local youth-serving agencies. In addition, NLC’s Fellow has played a lead role in new research examining city hiring practices as they pertain to persons with criminal records, a key issue as communities seek to expand employment opportunities for individuals returning home from jail or prison.

Why are mentors/mentorship important to leadership development?
Many key leadership skills cannot be learned in the classroom. While they can sometimes be learned “the hard way” – through painful trial and error while on the job – successful leaders often acquire much of their knowledge about effective leadership by observing others and having the benefit of advice and guidance from mentors in the workplace. Mentorships provide a more focused and formal structure for this form of leadership development.

Why do you support National Urban Fellows?
The National Urban Fellows program plays a critical role for persons of color who are less likely to have access to informal learning opportunities in the workplace that will help them develop key leadership skills and promote or support career advancement. I support National Urban Fellows because it offers a vitally important way for promising young professionals of color to acquire a valuable academic credential (a master’s degree in public administration) and a rich work-based experience that together can inspire, shape, and accelerate the growth of a next generation of leaders in public policy.

How important is diversity to leadership in today's country?
The diverse backgrounds and experiences of the American people are an invaluable resource for the nation. However, this potential source of strength can only be tapped fully if the diversity that pervades our communities is reflected in the leaders that make key decisions at neighborhood, city, state, and national levels. Diversity in leadership not only makes it possible for all residents to feel that they have a voice and a stake in these decisions, but also helps ensure that divergent and minority views will be heard in the quest for effective governance and societal progress.

See Clifford Johnson's Bio... click here.

Cliff Johnson is the executive director of the Institute for Youth, Education, and Families at the National League of Cities in Washington, D.C. In this role, Cliff is leading NLC’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of municipal leaders to meet the needs of children, youth, and families in their communities. The Institute is working in five core program areas: education, youth development, early childhood development, the safety of children and youth, and family economic security.

Prior to his appointment as executive director of the Institute in 2000, Cliff spent three years as a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities working on the development of transitional jobs and other innovative approaches to job creation and welfare to work strategies. For more than a decade from the mid-1980’s to the mid-1990’s, he served in senior staff positions at the Children's Defense Fund, including three years as director of CDF's Programs and Policy Division. For many years, Cliff led CDF’s work on issues related to youth employment and family economic security, and he played a major role in organizational initiatives focused on adolescent pregnancy prevention. Cliff began his career as a legislative aide in the U.S. House of Representatives. He also co-authored two books on labor and social policy while serving as a research associate with the late Sar Levitan at George Washington University's Center for Social Policy Studies.

Click here to return to an interview with Clifford Johnson....