Rochelle Haynes

Next week in Barcelona: two conversations on how stronger data practices help cities make better decisions for residents. November 3, 10:15 a.m. CET — Meet @RVHaynes, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of What Works Cities, at the Impact Tech Stage for her keynote, “The Cities That Learn and Lead, Drive Impact.” November 4, 12:20 p.m. CET — At the Impact Tech Stage, Mayor @TomasVodanovic of @Muni_Maipu, Chile, will join Rochelle for a fireside chat exploring how the city is using data to prepare for emerging challenges, respond to risks, and strengthen resilience. Join the conversation at #SCEWC2026. We'll see you there!

Thank you to @cityofsavannah Mayor @MayorJohnsonSAV and @CityOfBoston Chief Information Officer Shin-pei Tsay for bringing their cities’ perspectives to @wef's Urban Transformation Summit in Geneva. Their sessions addressed challenges city leaders face every day: moving innovation beyond pilots, investing in resilient communities and making technology serve the public. Savannah and Boston are What Works Cities Certified cities, demonstrating a commitment to the people, practices and culture that turn data into better decisions. Their participation brings that practical experience into a global conversation and creates opportunities for cities to learn from one another.

The priorities on mayors' desks keep shifting, but the cities making progress have one thing in common: they lead with data. In her latest guest column for @routefifty, SVP and Managing Director @RVHaynes shares how Certified cities are putting data into practice: - @PhiladelphiaGov cut its zoning appeal process from as long as 78 days to as few as 12. - @FTLCityNews built a $500 million stormwater plan on data from every drain and pipe, plus residents' knowledge of where flooding happens. - @CityofNN used anonymized visitor data to shape its tourism campaigns. "The top issues on mayors' minds will always evolve. The need for data-informed leadership does not." If you are a data-driven city curious about doing what works, take the Data Snapshot and join the WWC community. route-fifty.com/people/2026/…

Three days left to vote for “Can Cities Predict Climate Disaster Before It Happens?” at @sxsw 2027. Climate resilience is being shaped in city halls every day, as local leaders make decisions about how communities prepare for what’s ahead. We want to bring that city-led perspective to the SXSW stage with @FTLCityNews Mayor @DeanTrantalis and WWC SVP and Managing Director @RVHaynes. If you haven't voted yet, we’d appreciate your support! Cast your vote before August 23: bit.ly/3U6QvDZ

Since 2017, we have supported hundreds of local leaders as they strengthen the data practices that underpin every good decision, effective program and smooth service delivered by city hall. In our new video, hear from city leaders and @RVHaynes about how What Works Cities is powering the growing movement of data-driven local government. Thank you for being a part of the What Works Cities Network, • @CityofGreenBay @MayorGenrich • @FTLCityNews Mayor @DeanTrantalis • @Tempegov Mayor @coreywoodstempe • @GlendaleAZ Assistant City Manager Vicki Rios • @CityPortStLucie Deputy City Manager and Chief Innovation Officer Kate Parmelee • @CityofMiami Chief Data Officer Cheriene Floyd • @ottawacity Program Manager, Geospatial Analytics, Technology & Solutions Randal Rodger

📹 In 2020, @Muni_Renca discovered that youth who needed mental health support weren’t receiving it. City hall used data to develop and establish a citywide, school-based mental health initiative called Renca Contigo. SVP and Managing Director @RVHaynes sat down with Nataly Vargas, Head of Local Public Policies, to learn how they use data to implement and design the program. “We wanted to address it with a strategy that was more preventive than reactive,” said Vargas. Listen to the rest of their conversation recorded at Smart City Expo Curitiba.

Data-driven solutions are transforming local government in @Muni_provi. We recently visited Providencia to learn how the City is expanding healthcare, promoting entrepreneurship and supporting older adults. We're grateful to Mayor @jaimebellolio and the Providencia team for an amazing site visit!

A key feature that makes the What Works Cities Network special is the unique expertise city leaders bring to the table, and that was on full display at @TomorrowCityUSA. What Works Cities leaders drove conversations on AI, the public sector workforce, community engagement and more. They shared practical insights and timely examples from their firsthand experiences putting data to work every day. Events like @TomorrowCityUSA reinforce that building more effective, responsive local government is a shared effort that depends on city leaders learning from one another. Thank you for joining us, • @CityofMiami Chief Data Officer Cheriene Floyd • @BaltCityHall Chief Data Officer Dartanion Williams • @CityRochesterNY Senior Data Analyst Na Liu • @cityofsavannah Organizational Excellence & Leadership Officer Dr. Jennifer Blalock

Thank you @BloombergDotOrg for supporting hundreds of cities as they invest in the data practices that lead to stronger communities.

What’s the difference between proactive cities and reactive cities? Data. “If we're going to ever have sustainable cities, we have to be ahead of the game,” Mayor @DeanTrantalis Trantalis said during our panel at @TomorrowCityUSA. Senior Vice President and Managing Director @RVHaynes led the conversation as city leaders shared how data helps local governments go from reactive management to proactively anticipating future needs. Whether it’s emergency response, city planning or climate resilience, data-driven decision-making is propelling priorities in Fort Lauderdale, Glendale, Ottawa and Tempe. Thank you to all of the city staff and leadership who joined us for two days of connection and learning. Special thank you to our panelists: • Mayor Trantalis of @FTLCityNews • Mayor @coreywoodstempe of @Tempegov • Assistant City Manager Vicki Rios of @GlendaleAZ • Randal Rodger, Program Manager, Geospatial Analytics, Technology & Solutions, of @ottawacity

On 2/24, join leaders from Certified @AlcaldiaDeCali, @CityofDetroit and @MunicipioQuito for a conversation on how cities use data to design smarter and more effective public safety programs. Learn more: bit.ly/4kB0hXX

This week, What Works Cities SVP and Managing Director @RVHaynes joined @PhillyMayor Cherelle Parker in @PhiladelphiaGov and Mayor @andresayeghNJ in @CityPatersonNJ to celebrate their Certification milestones. From Philadelphia’s housing supply strategy to Paterson’s launch of DataRise Paterson, both of these cities’ commitment to data-driven management and innovation shows what good government looks like in action. Congratulations to Gold-Certified Philadelphia and Silver-Certified Paterson! Learn how other Certified cities are turning data into results: whatworkscities.bloomberg.or… 📷 Photo 2: Courtesy City of Philadelphia

“If there’s one issue uniting cities across the Americas in 2026, it’s the need to build more housing.” Senior Vice President and Managing Director @RVHaynes outlines how cities can address housing affordability challenges through the strategic use of data and AI in her annual letter. “Leveraging data and increasingly, the use of artificial intelligence, are critical enablers of progress,” she explains. “Certified cities are demonstrating what that means.” From Edmonton’s AI-powered permit reviews to Buenos Aires’ 3D zoning maps and more, city governments prove that strong data and operational excellence can unlock housing supply. At What Works Cities, we’ll be tracking how local governments use data and AI to drive housing innovation in 2026 and helping leaders in our network supercharge their efforts. Learn practical lessons and best practices by reading Rochelle’s letter here: whatworkscities.bloomberg.or…

@CityPatersonNJ's Certification journey is a story of sustained commitment. In 2018, Paterson first took the What Works Cities Assessment to benchmark their data practices and achieved Silver Certification for the first time in 2021. Today that energy and commitment to data is continuing to drive progress in Paterson — after we updated our criteria and increased Certification requirements in 2022, Paterson stepped up once again, re-Certifying at the Silver level. “[Paterson’s] work demonstrates how innovation, data and partnerships can come together to tackle persistent challenges on the ground, but most importantly improve quality of life in your city,” said @RVHaynes, What Works Cities SVP and Managing Director. “This is exactly the type of commitment to data and innovation that What Works Cities recognizes.” Rochelle and Mayor @andresayeghNJ shared more about Paterson’s data journey at a press conference recognizing the City’s 2025 Silver Certification. Watch it here: youtube.com/watch?v=YYQ2D2tb…

Today, What Works Cities SVP and Managing Director @RVHaynes joined @PhillyMayor Cherelle L. Parker to celebrate @PhiladelphiaGov's Gold Certification. Philadelphia was one of the first cities to achieve WWC Certification, and in 2025 the city leveled up from Silver to Gold Certification. From efforts to increase affordable housing to boosting collaboration across departments, the City of Brotherly Love shows what’s possible when cities lead with data. "This recognition underscores our continued commitment to making values-based, data-driven decisions that enhance the quality of life for all of our residents," said Mayor Parker. Learn about Philadelphia’s data success: bit.ly/4ac1ccU

Join What Works Cities Senior Vice President & Managing Director Rochelle Haynes @RVHaynes at the 2026 Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting. Each year @usmayors brings together local leaders to tackle today’s most pressing urban challenges — from housing to infrastructure to community safety and more. Rochelle will participate in this week’s convening in D.C., representing our mission to elevate the role of data and evidence in local government. We’re proud to support cities that are stepping up to lead with transparency, accountability, and impact. If you see Rochelle, come say hi and learn more about What Works Cities, or book an appointment to meet her at [email protected] #WhatWorksCities #USCM2026