Stacy Fox Promoted to Executive Director of the Initiative on Cities

We are delighted to announce the promotion of Associate Director Stacy Fox to the position of Executive Director at the Initiative on Cities (IOC). In the past 5 years as the Associate Director of the IOC, Stacy has been a driving force behind the Initiative’s operations and strategy, managing the finances, and being the innovator behind events and outreach for the Initiative. In particular, Stacy has been pivotal to the success of the IOC as a leader and research manager for the Menino Survey of Mayors, the only nationally representative survey of American mayors. As Executive Director, Stacy will be at the forefront of charting new initiatives for the IOC.

On taking on her new role, Stacy expresses joy and optimism for future initiatives the IOC will undertake: “I’m honored and thrilled to take on this role and continue to work alongside our exceptional team of staff, faculty, and students. It has been so rewarding to watch the IOC grow, and I look forward to building on that success by continuing to create new opportunities for urbanists at BU to engage with each other and with municipal governments and community partners in our region and beyond. I’m especially excited for our team to advance new initiatives like the Urban-H index, which will seek new solutions to key challenges that pose growing threats to urban livability and vitality.”

Before returning to BU as Associate Director of the IOC, Stacy was an urban affairs practitioner. She was a Planner with the Cambridge Housing Authority, managing the rehabilitation and capital improvement plans for several multifamily developments in Cambridge Housing’s portfolio. Stacy also served as an Associate with the Technical Assistance Collaborative, a national nonprofit organization that advances proven solutions to the housing and community support services needs of low-income people with disabilities and people experiencing homelessness.

Director Loretta Lees praises Stacy’s talents and acumen during her time as Associate Director: “I am beyond thrilled that Stacy has agreed to be our new Executive Director at the IOC. Stacy is a top shelf manager and organizer, proactive, resourceful and creative, and simply an amazing colleague and mentor of students and staff,” said Director Lees. “I have no doubt that in this new leadership role, she will help set the vision high for the IoC going forwards.”   

A double terrier with a BA in Anthropology and a Master’s Degree in City Planning, Stacy is a proud Bostonian–born and raised in East Boston–and has been a champion of first-generation students on campus as a Terrier First Advocate and a Tri-Alpha National Honor Society member. She is a huge sports fan, always rooting hard for the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots!