National League of Cities 2026 City Summit

Name: National League of Cities 2026 City Summit
Start: 2026-11-18
End: 2026-11-21
Location: Music City Center

National League of Cities 2026 City Summit takes place on 18–21 November 2026 at Music City Center, Nashville. It is organised by National League of Cities (NLC), and B2DB lists 152 speakers and 107 sessions announced so far.

City Summit is the National League of Cities' annual conference, bringing together more than 3,000 local elected officials, municipal staff and local government advocates in Nashville, Tennessee, to connect, learn and engage. The 2026 programme includes workshops, executive education, mobile workshops and an expo at the Music City Center, with pre-conference activities on November 18 and regular conference programming from November 19 to 21.

Key facts

Dates	18–21 November 2026 (upcoming)
Venue	Music City Center, Nashville, United States of America
Organiser	National League of Cities (NLC)
Series	National League of Cities City Summit
Speakers	152
Sessions	107
Stages	Executive Education / NLCU, Youth Delegate, Affiliated / In-Conjunction Event, Advocacy / Policy, Constituency Group, AI / Cybersecurity, Workforce & Economic Development Track, Housing & Homelessness Track, Disaster Mitigation & Resilience Track, Public Health & Safety Track, Civility Track, Health & Wellbeing Track
Sponsors	24
Official site	citysummit.nlc.org/agenda

Speakers (152)

Compiled from the published agenda; speakers can claim and verify their own entry.

David Goldwater Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Stantec
Kevin Kramer
Doreen Garlid
Clarence Anthony
Van R. Johnson II
Brandon Scott City of Baltimore, Maryland
Cassie Franklin Mayor, Everett, Wash.
Friday Ellis Mayor, City of Monroe, La.
Michael Nutter
Sonja Brown
Tami Pyfer The Dignity Index
Adam Judelson
Aleksandr Yeremeyev City of SeaTac, WA
Alexis Morgan Dignity.US
Alyssa Fisher Americans for the Arts
Alyssa Kitlas Wake County Government
Amelia Bohan
Amy McBeth
Amy Weinfurter WaterNow
Andrea Blackman Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson
Andrew Fung Progressive Policy Institute
Anita Chandramohan City of Seattle
Anita Smith-Dixon Community Housing Services Agency, Inc.
Anna Albi
Anna Brawley
Ashley Greenspan Google
Bianca Motley Broom
Blaine Griffin Council President, Cleveland City Council
Brad Bornac Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
Brandon del Pozo Flock Safety
Carlos Clanton
Carole Saab Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Carolyn Berndt National League of Cities
Catherine Lovett
Chandler England Chick-fil-A Manchester
Christine Baker-Smith
Colleen Hilton AlliConnect
Connor Torossian Federal Transit Administration
Corey Woods
Dan Kealey
Daniel Gilmartin Michigan Municipal League
Danielle Trumble Morgantown, WV
David Eichenthal America Is All In
David Sander
David Sperry
Denise Roth
Doug Linkhart National Civic League
Doug Shipman South Arts
Eddie Compton
Elise Partin
Eric Enriquez
Eric Gehringer Union Pacific Railroad
Erika Mazza Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
Farhad Omeyr
Frank Santiago
Isak Nti Asare
Jackie Corletto Norfolk Southern Corporation
Jacob Johnson
Jamekia Bies Nashville/Metropolitan Action Commission
James Clements CPKC
Janifer Kulmann
Janine Stange JanineStange.com
Jay Kiew Innovation Strategist and Author
Jeff Conyers President and Vice Chair, Dollywood Foundation
Jennifer McGriff City of Southside, Alabama
Jess Quazi FiftyFoward
Jess Roberts Shoreview
John Fernandez Amplify Bloomington
John Wilkerson Arkansas Municipal League
Jon Meacham Presidential Historian and Pulitzer-prize winning Author
Jordyn Bernard Philadelphia VIP
Josh Kirkland Attentive, LLC
Julie Pignataro
Justin Crosby City of Clarksville, TN
Kara Elliott-Ortega Detroit
Kari Bates
Kathi Thomas Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority.
Kelley Hughes Little Rock
Keosha Bell
Kevin Conwell
Kevin DuBose City of Knoxville
Kevin Knowles Martinsburg, Wv
Krista Nightengale Better Block
Kristine Brock
LaDawn Stoddard
Larry Hanson
Larry Lloyd Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Railway
Laura Weinberg Mayor, City of Golden, Co.
Lori Jhons
Lynn Su
Mandi Mills City of North Charleston
Marcus Young Stanford University
Marcy Nichols
Margot Kushel San Francisco
Maria Langbauer City of SeaTac, WA
Mario Castillo
Mark Freeman City of Mesa, AZ
Marlee Stark
Mary Quinn Ramer Lexington
Matt Leighninger National Civic League
Matt Orlando
Matthew Popkin
Matthew Starr Mount Vernon
Meg Hillock
Megan Greig
Meghan Wills American Institutes for Research
Melissa Cirone
Melissa Williams
Mia McNeil AARP Tennessee
Michael Conduff
Michael Crain
Michael Gritton KentuckianaWorks
Michael O'Connor Frederick, MD
Michele Harradence Executive Vice President and President, Gas Distribution & Storage, Enbridge Gas
Mike Bartlett National League of Cities
Monroe Nichols Mayor, City of Tulsa, Ok.
Nate First Knoxville / University of Tennessee SWORPS
Nick Vlahos National Civic League
Parrish Spisz City of Tempe
Patrick Hamilton Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell
Peter Donovan City of Mount Vernon (WA)
Phillip Pierce
Rachael McAfee Indiana University Bloomington
Randall Hemann Oak Ridge
Randall Woodfin City of Birmingham, AL
Rick Bannister neighborhood bridges
Robin Kurpjuweit Cypress County, Alberta, Canada
Robin Olsen Flock
Samuel Crabtree PREP Mentor, Inc.
Sarah Bainton Kahn Wells Fargo
Sarah Handler
Scot Spencer
Scott Gillingham City of Winnipeg
Scott Hutchings
Scott Potter Nashville Metro Water Services
Senthil Sankaran
Shannen Maxwell America Is All in
Sharon Cumbie Mayor, City of Laramie, WY
Stephen Goldsmith
Tiffany Thomas City of Houston
Tim Tierney City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Toccarra Thomas Independent Consultant
Todd Glover
Todd Rynaski Union Pacific Railroad
Todd Sheeran Cottonwood Heights
Traci Sampson Consilience Group LLC
Vonnette Harris
Xouhoa Bowen San Leandro CA
Yuruo Li
Zac Doyle Pryor Creek, OK
Zach Washler City of New Haven
Tim Byington Board Member, Native American Indian Association of Tennessee

Most represented companies

National Civic League — 3 speakers
America Is All In — 2 speakers
City of SeaTac, WA — 2 speakers
National League of Cities — 2 speakers
Union Pacific Railroad — 2 speakers

Agenda (107 sessions)

Day 1 — Wednesday 18 November 2026

“Wide Open Spaces”: Adaptive Reuse in One of Nashville’s Most Desirable Neighborhoods 09:00–12:00
Nashville’s Next Big Hit: Becoming America’s Next Innovation Hub 09:00–12:00
Pathways to Connection: Nashville’s Greenways System 09:00–12:00
Strategic Planning for Municipalities 09:00–12:00 · Executive Education / NLCU — Aleksandr Yeremeyev, Maria Langbauer
“Go Your Own Way”: Features of Nashville’s Transit Plan 09:00–12:00
Budgeting and Financial Acumen for Elected Officials 09:00–12:00 · Executive Education / NLCU — Kari Bates
Youth Delegate Opening Session 09:30–10:30 · Youth Delegate
Youth Delegate Workshop #1 10:45–12:15 · Youth Delegate
Soundtrack of the City: A Music City Walking Tour 13:00–16:00
Digital Cities Survey Awards Workshop 2026 13:00–16:30 · Affiliated / In-Conjunction Event
Leading Through Crisis 13:00–16:00 · Executive Education / NLCU
Making Music City Sing: Lessons for Building Your City’s Brand 13:00–16:00
From Strategy to Action: A Hands-On Workshop for Investing Opioid Settlement Funds 13:00–16:00
Harmonizing for Hope: An Inside Look at How Nashville Supports Survivors 13:00–16:00
Communications Skills for Elected Officials 13:00–16:00 · Executive Education / NLCU — Lori Jhons, Megan Greig, Melissa Williams
Youth Delegate Workshop #2 13:30–15:00 · Youth Delegate
The City Health Dashboard: Helping Local Leaders Turn Data into Action 14:15–15:00 — Amelia Bohan, Yuruo Li
Beyond Recycling: Building the Circular City 14:15–15:00 — Frank Santiago, Scott Hutchings
Safe Rails, Secure Hometowns: Uniting Cities, Labor, Agriculture, and Shippers for Resilient Corridors 14:15–15:00 — Amy McBeth, James Clements
Earning Community Trust for Last-Mile Drone Delivery 14:15–15:00 — Catherine Lovett
Energy, Environment and Natural Resources (EENR) Federal Advocacy Committee Meeting 14:30–16:30 · Advocacy / Policy — David Goldwater, Carolyn Berndt, David Eichenthal, Elise Partin +2 more
Finance, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations (FAIR) Federal Advocacy Committee Meeting 14:30–16:30 · Advocacy / Policy
Public Safety and Crime Prevention (PSCP) Federal Advocacy Committee Meeting 14:30–16:30 · Advocacy / Policy
Transportation and Infrastructure Services (TIS) Federal Advocacy Committee Meeting 14:30–16:30 · Advocacy / Policy
Information Technology and Communications (ITC) Federal Advocacy Committee Meeting 14:30–16:30 · Advocacy / Policy
Human Development (HD) Federal Advocacy Committee Meeting 14:30–16:30 · Advocacy / Policy — Doreen Garlid, Danielle Trumble, Jamekia Bies, Michael O'Connor
Community and Economic Development (CED) Federal Advocacy Committee Meeting 14:30–16:30 · Advocacy / Policy
Using AI to Turn Public Input into Actionable Policy Insights 15:15–16:00
The Great Connection: Understanding Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s Proposed Merger 15:15–16:00 — Jackie Corletto, Todd Rynaski
How Cities and Local Businesses Can Collaborate to Rescue Food 15:15–16:00 — Brad Bornac, Chandler England
Digital Cities Survey Awards Dinner 18:00–20:00 · Affiliated / In-Conjunction Event

Day 2 — Thursday 19 November 2026

Aligning Public Safety Technology with Local Values 08:15–09:00 — Brandon del Pozo, Robin Olsen
Beyond the Visit: Turning Tourism into Community Value 08:15–09:00 — Mary Quinn Ramer
Powering Growth: Aligning Energy & Development Plans 08:15–09:00
Addressing the Rising Cost of Health Care and Employee Recruitment and Retention in Cities 08:15–09:00 — Colleen Hilton, Josh Kirkland, Michael Conduff
A New Rhythm in Music City: Revitalizing Centennial Park 09:00–12:00
Block by Block: Strategies for Addressing Affordable Housing in Nashville 09:00–12:00
“Go Your Own Way”: Features of Nashville’s Transit Plan 09:00–12:00
Under the Big Tent: Nashville’s Model for Legacy Site Reinvention 09:00–12:00
“We Built This City:” Planning a New Neighborhood on Nashville’s Waterfront 09:00–12:00
Building Integrated Agriculture (BIA) Academy 09:00–12:00
Youth Delegate Workshop #3 09:00–10:30 · Youth Delegate
Modernizing Metro Water Services for a Sustainable Future 09:00–12:00
Safer Cities: Scaling Drones for Emergency Response & City Operations 09:15–10:00 — Denise Roth
Municipal Strategies for Housing Stability and Infrastructure Resiliency 09:15–10:00 — Michael Nutter, Meg Hillock, Stephen Goldsmith
AI at Work: Exploring Adoption in Local Government 09:15–10:00 — Marcy Nichols
Service in Action: Using Community Councils to Unite & Engage Residents 09:15–10:00 — Jacob Johnson, LaDawn Stoddard
Council on Youth, Education, and Families Meeting 10:00–11:30 — Sonja Brown, Jennifer McGriff, Rick Bannister
Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO) General Membership Meeting 10:00–11:30 · Constituency Group — Xouhoa Bowen
University Communities Council Membership Meeting 10:00–11:30 — Isak Nti Asare, John Fernandez, Rachael McAfee
Military Communities Council Meeting 10:00–11:30 — David Sperry, Samuel Crabtree
Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) Membership Meeting 10:30–12:00 · Constituency Group — Mia McNeil
Youth Delegate Closing 10:45–11:45 · Youth Delegate
A Call to Action: Preventing Elder Financial Fraud 11:00–11:45 — Keosha Bell
Building Autonomous Mobility as a Community Asset 11:00–11:45 — Phillip Pierce
Connectivity Matters: T-Mobile Disaster Recovery & Emergency Response Program 11:00–11:45
Exploring and Understanding Data Center Development 11:00–11:45 — Andrew Fung, Ashley Greenspan, Bianca Motley Broom, Michael Crain +1 more
Community Advisor Member Tool Launch 12:00–12:45 — Christine Baker-Smith
Press Conference 13:00–13:15 — Kevin Kramer, Doreen Garlid, Clarence Anthony, Van R. Johnson II
Opening General Session 13:15–15:00 — Kevin Kramer, Clarence Anthony, Van R. Johnson II, David Sander +2 more
Building Workforce Capacity for an AI-Enabled Future 15:30–17:00 · AI / Cybersecurity
How to Build Off Transit Hubs to Catalyze Economic Development 15:30–17:00 · Workforce & Economic Development Track — Connor Torossian, Erika Mazza, Peter Donovan, Sharon Cumbie
NLC Aviation Advisory Forum 15:30–17:00
Heirs Properties, Housing Supply & Stability 15:30–17:00 · Housing & Homelessness Track — Anita Smith-Dixon, Jordyn Bernard, Sarah Bainton Kahn, Tiffany Thomas
Lessons from the Front Lines of Disaster Recovery 15:30–17:00 · Disaster Mitigation & Resilience Track
Using Opioid Settlement Funds for Safer, Healthier Communities 15:30–17:00 · Public Health & Safety Track — Alyssa Kitlas, Eric Enriquez, Kevin Knowles, Traci Sampson
The Art of Managing Public Comment 15:30–17:00 · Civility Track — Julie Pignataro, Todd Sheeran
Mayors' Education Task Force - MAYORS ONLY 15:30–16:30 — Mark Freeman, Mike Bartlett, Randall Woodfin
City Lights: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Nashville Nightlife 19:30–21:00

Day 3 — Friday 20 November 2026

Rail Roundtable 08:00–09:00
Soundtrack of the City: A Music City Walking Tour 09:00–12:00
Music City Roots: The Legacy of Nashville’s HBCUs 09:00–12:00
Small Cities Council Meeting 09:00–10:15 — Friday Ellis, Sonja Brown
CyberSim and Take9 for Civic Digital Resilience 09:00–12:00 · Affiliated / In-Conjunction Event
Block by Block: Strategies for Addressing Affordable Housing in Nashville 09:00–12:00
Ask the NLC Experts 09:00–10:00
Suburban Municipalities Council Meeting 10:30–12:00 — Dan Kealey, Krista Nightengale, Randall Hemann, Sarah Handler
Governing Well: De-escalation Skills for Local Leaders 10:30–12:00 · Health & Wellbeing Track — Zach Washler
Smart Growth: Strategies for Housing Development & Infrastructure 10:30–12:00 · Housing & Homelessness Track — Anna Brawley, Justin Crosby, Kevin DuBose, Toccarra Thomas
Attracting, Retaining & Supporting Public Safety Talent 10:30–12:00 · Public Health & Safety Track
Local Solutions to Meet Growing Economic Pressures 10:30–12:00 · Workforce & Economic Development Track — Doreen Garlid, Anna Albi, Marlee Stark, Scot Spencer
State of the Cities - For Funders Only 11:00–12:00 — Brandon Scott, Corey Woods
NLC's Global Plenary 12:00–13:30
Expanding Access to High-Quality Afterschool Programs Luncheon 12:00–13:15
Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) Denim and Diamonds Luncheon 12:15–13:30 · Constituency Group — Janine Stange, Jess Quazi
City Fiscal Conditions 2026 Release Event 12:30–13:30 — Kevin Kramer, Farhad Omeyr, Kristine Brock, Matt Orlando
Governing Well: Creative Problem-Solving Through the Arts 13:30–15:00 · Health & Wellbeing Track — Doug Shipman, Kara Elliott-Ortega, Kevin Conwell, Marcus Young +1 more
Addressing Your Community’s Concerns about Emerging Technologies 13:30–15:00 · AI / Cybersecurity
Coalition Building & Advocacy to Address Housing Supply 13:30–15:00 · Housing & Homelessness Track — Daniel Gilmartin, John Wilkerson, Larry Hanson
Building a Culture of Civic Discourse 13:30–15:00 · Civility Track — Kevin Kramer, Carlos Clanton, Todd Glover
Prevention in Practice: Innovative Strategies to Reduce Youth Violence 13:30–15:00 · Public Health & Safety Track — Brandon Scott, Cassie Franklin, Michael Gritton
Rethinking Climate Preparedness & Resilience 13:30–15:00 · Disaster Mitigation & Resilience Track
Afternoon General Session 15:15–16:45 — Kevin Kramer, Friday Ellis, Michael Nutter, Alyssa Fisher +5 more
City Lights: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Nashville Nightlife 19:30–21:00

Day 4 — Saturday 21 November 2026

The New City Imperative: Building Agile, People-Centered Cities That Create Community Value 09:00–10:30 · Workforce & Economic Development Track — Adam Judelson, Parrish Spisz
Understanding the New Municipal Workforce Landscape 09:00–10:30 · Workforce & Economic Development Track — Anita Chandramohan, Kelley Hughes, Matthew Starr, Meghan Wills
Improving Civic Conversations 09:00–10:30 · Civility Track — Tami Pyfer, Matt Leighninger
Data Center Development: Questions, Strategies & Community Benefits 09:00–10:30 · AI / Cybersecurity
Reading the Signals: Preparing for Demographic Shifts in Your Community 10:45–12:15 · Workforce & Economic Development Track — Vonnette Harris
Take a Fresh Look at Your Cyber Threat Response Plan 10:45–12:15 · AI / Cybersecurity
We Still Have Work to Do: Leading with Dignity Through Division 10:45–12:15 · Civility Track — Tami Pyfer, Alexis Morgan
Weathering Change: Building Resilient Water Systems 10:45–12:15 · Disaster Mitigation & Resilience Track — Amy Weinfurter, Lynn Su, Matthew Popkin, Scott Potter
Housing and Growth: Local Solutions for Economic Prosperity in the United States and Canada 10:45–12:15 · Workforce & Economic Development Track — Carole Saab, Robin Kurpjuweit, Scott Gillingham, Tim Tierney
Partnering for Solutions: Building a Coordinated Homelessness Response 10:45–12:15 · Housing & Homelessness Track — Eddie Compton, Margot Kushel, Nate First
Governing Well: Building Trust Through Community Engagement 10:45–12:15 · Health & Wellbeing Track — Andrea Blackman, Jess Roberts, Kathi Thomas, Mandi Mills +1 more
Closing Luncheon & General Session 12:30–14:15 — Doreen Garlid, Clarence Anthony, Van R. Johnson II, Cassie Franklin +6 more
Annual Business Meeting 14:30–16:30

Organisers, sponsors and partners