Board of Directors

Michael is the founding President and CEO of Leading Cities. As President and CEO, Michael establishes and develops relationships with municipal governments, private sector businesses and universities around the world, creating a global network of partner cities dedicated to creating business development and government cooperation opportunities and implementing public policy that effectively addresses the shared challenges facing 21st century cities. Michael has served as Special Assistant for White House Operations to two Presidents, policy research analyst to the former Prime Minister of Ireland, and Director of Development for United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley.

Joe Albanese is founder and CEO of Commodore Builders, a $300 million Construction Management/ General Contracting Firm located in Newton, Massachusetts. He is a Registered Professional Engineer, with a degree in Civil Engineering from UMass Lowell and MBA from Boston University. His life-long career in construction has included management and executive positions with A. J. Martini, Inc., George B. H. Macomber Company, and Shawmut Design and Construction, before founding Commodore in 2002. As a U.S. Navy Officer, in 2007 Joe mobilized to the Middle East for 10 months of active military service, serving as Commander of the 22nd Naval Construction Regiment. He retired as a Captain, U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps in September 2009, after 28 years military service. His numerous military awards include the Legion of Merit and Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards).

Danielle D. Duplin, President of FreeWind Productions, is a public speaking coach, event curator, and innovation catalyst. She works with clients to translate ideas into talks and vibrant programs that convene communities, and educate, captivate and call audiences to action. Danielle combines her unique background — strategic design, executive leadership, event production, software engineering, and theater — to synthesize her client’s content and communication goals and help them own the moment. She brings over 25 years’ experience as a Producer for HUBweek, cofounder of TEDxBoston, and Vice President for Fidelity Investments, where she founded the Global Seminars practice as the Executive Producer and pioneered new products as a Director of Software Engineering. Danielle has hosted, designed and delivered over 500 events on emerging trends in business and technology, and coached over 1,200 speakers, that have informed and inspired attendees worldwide.

Robert Buckley is a partner at the firm of Riemer & Braunstein. Land use planning, commercial real estate law, and environmental law are the focus of Bob’s practice. He is recognized for his experience in developing comprehensive zoning initiatives for mixed-use development projects and his expertise in environmental issues, including wetlands and Brownfield sites. His work on several projects has been cited by Massachusetts officials as examples of creative and responsive zoning. Bob’s projects have been featured in local and national publications, including The Boston Globe, Boston Business Journal, and The Wall Street Journal. He also has written articles for several publications and has spoken at forums on land use and zoning issues associated with commercial real estate development.

Stephen Baker is an architect, designer, planner and imaginative thinker who brings human-centered design to every project he embraces. Founder and president of Baker Design Group, Inc. (BDG), Stephen has worked with some of the world’s foremost thinkers and award-winning firms, leading projects and collaborative teams of architects and engineers to create museums, aquariums, educational centers, global corporate headquarters, hotels, and master plan developments across the United States, Italy, Japan and Germany. Throughout his career, Stephen’s passion for research and design has fostered a unique design approach, combining the disciplines of architecture, interior design, technology design, industrial design, exhibit design and planning to deliver uniquely branded programs and solutions. Each project leverages practical innovation, storytelling and intuitively engaged technology to embrace the ambitions of clients, while creating meaning and purpose for the project that extends far beyond architecture. Since its founding, BDG has embraced unique and challenging projects of all types and scales: from top-secret space exploration research facilities to university master planning, historic building restoration in London and Paris to a large scale mixed-use high-rise complex in the Middle East. The firm currently has projects located in 12 countries outside of the United States.

Kathryn is an environmentally-focused business leader and innovation enthusiast whose impact-oriented work supports a healthier, more sustainable environment and economy. She has extensive experience in clean energy and agriculture. She is SVP of Strategy and Chief of Staff at Energetic Insurance, a Massachusetts-based company that offers an innovative financial insurance product which targets regulatory-driven commercial lender limitations in order to enable more deployment of renewables. Previously she worked at Indigo Ag, where she collaborated with industry, eNGOs, multilateral initiatives, and subject matter experts to build partnerships and advocate for programs and policies that encourage agricultural systems that minimizes agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and delivers additional environmental, social, and economic co-benefits. Prior to Indigo, Kathryn served as Investment Principal at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, where she invested in, supported, and managed a portfolio of enterprise and consumer-facing companies in the environmental and clean energy industries. Areas of focus included software and hardware companies focused on utility and grid resilience, grid edge, next generation renewables, efficient mobility, industrial efficiency, sustainable buildings, and the water-energy nexus. She holds a PhD and MA in Geography from Clark University, and a MSc in International Development: Environment and Development from the University of Manchester, UK.

More than 36 years of experience in public sector administration, distinguished by providing progressive vision and decisive leadership to local government organizations in Florida. A toposcrat dedicated to building vibrant communities and enhancing neighborhoods; to establishing a sense of place; to promoting strong civic engagement; and to restoring trust in local government. Proven expertise in developing strategies to solve highly complex problems and resolving organizational issues while navigating diverse agendas. Possesses a strong business acumen and core management competencies in all aspects of municipal governance and leadership.

Jennifer is a technology business leader with 25 years’ experience accelerating digital transformation in municipal, utility and industrial markets to improve economic, environmental and social outcomes. She is currently VP of Market Development for digital twin platform provider, nDimensional, where she leads marketing, business development and strategic growth initiatives. Jennifer previously worked as Global Readiness Program Director for the Smart Cities Council, where she helped community stakeholders improve livability, workability and sustainability through technology and process innovation. Before that, she worked with global engineering firm, Black & Veatch, first as Market Director for their Smart Integrated Infrastructure business, and later as Director of Smart City Solutions. She was previously the VP of Marketing at an energy optimization software start-up now owned by GE. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a Masters of Environmental and Sustainability Management from the Harvard University Extension School.

Formerly the managing director of Kevin P. Martin & Associates, Kevin has over 25 years of experience in public accounting. Actively involved in the not-for-profit and affordable housing industries, he works to advance the missions of his clients. Considered an expert in community development, business strategy and negotiation, and performance measurement, he is a frequent and dynamic lecturer and speaker in both industry and best practices subjects.‍

Abhi Nemani is the managing director of EthosLabs.us, a government technology investment and consulting firm. Abhi has spent his career in government technology — building, running, and growing some of the most influential GovTech institutions, including Code for America, the Mayor’s of Los Angeles' Office of Data & Analytics, and Sacramento’s Entrepreneurship Office. EthosLabs’ portfolio of clients focuses on scaling innovation internationally and across levels of government and features Granicus/GovDelivery, SPIDRTech, and ZenCity, as well the Arnold Foundation and ONEX Partners.