MAYOR WALSH APPOINTS DIRECTOR OF IMAGINE BOSTON 2030

MAYOR WALSH APPOINTS DIRECTOR OF IMAGINE BOSTON 2030

BOSTON  - Thursday, August 13, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced Sara Myerson as the City of Boston's Executive Director of Imagine Boston 2030, Boston's first citywide plan in fifty years. As Director of Imagine Boston 2030, Myerson will report to Mayor Walsh and will oversee the two-year public engagement process to create a roadmap for success leading up to Boston's 400th birthday. "Now is our chance to set the course for the next generation by creating a comprehensive plan for Boston, and Sara has shown that she will efficiently lead this multi-year effort," said Mayor Walsh. "Sara is committed to our core values of affordable housing and creating a Boston that is thriving, healthy and innovated and we're thrilled she has stepped up to lead Imagine Boston." "I am excited to have the opportunity to engage in this innovative citywide conversation about holistically envisioning the future of Boston," said Myerson. "Over the next two years, we will look to integrate the range of ambitious planning efforts in existence or underway and engage the community in developing a cohesive strategic vision for preserving, enhancing and growing our neighborhoods in a way that promotes a more equitable, livable, sustainable and resilient Boston."   Myerson most recently served as Executive Director of the Office of Olympic Planning, where she helped develop the City of Boston's plans and policy as the potential hosts for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games. She previously served as the Chief of Staff and Director of Policy at Preservation of Affordable Housing in Boston, which owns and operates nearly 8,500 affordable housing rental homes throughout the country. Prior, she was a Senior Analyst at HR&A Advisors, Inc. where she advised clients on the economics of complex public-private development initiatives. In addition, Myerson served as an Associate in the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs and also spent time as an analyst in their Merchant Banking Division and Investment Banking Division. Myerson holds a Master in Urban Planning from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College. The City has begun reaching out to residents to hear how they would like to participate in Imagine Boston 2030. Residents are asked to fill out a short survey, which will help the City and its consultant craft strategies for engagement throughout this process.   Mayor Walsh launched Imagine Boston 2030 in May at a speech delivered at Faneuil Hall as part of the Innovative Design Alternatives Summit. Starting with an evaluation of baseline conditions, the City expects to begin a robust public visioning process this fall where community members will be able to contribute ideas to shape Boston's future. A final citywide plan is expected to be adopted in Summer 2017. About Imagine Boston 2030 Imagine Boston seeks to knit those efforts together with other key themes to guide our city into 2030. A citywide plan will serve to implement the ideas set forth in those other plans and to offer additional ideas for the physical and economic development of Boston. Just as importantly, Imagine Boston will help Boston's citizens articulate a shared vision for prosperity, innovation, education, health, equity, and arts and culture.