The #CitiesFirst Podcast

by Scott Shepard

New Podcast Series hosted by Scott Shepard, and focused on the intersection of AI, Urbanism, Mobility & Decarbonization. An award-winning urban planner, entrepreneur, author, educator, speaker & thought leader, Scott Shepard has his finger on the pulse of everything related to #CitiesFirst, an interdisciplinary term he coined.

Podcast episodes

  • Season 4

  • Episode 26: Dr. Kristina Gauce

    Episode 26: Dr. Kristina Gauce

    Dr Kristina Gaučė has over 17 years’ experience in mobility/transport analysis and urban transport policy making, starting with the European Commission project STEP by STEP in 2003, following with transport development feasibility studies, participation in European projects (MAX, EPOMM-PLUS, ENDURANCE, EVIDENCE, numerous Interreg and UNDP projects and initiatives), representing these projects in Lithuania and EU conferences, presenting good practise and advising on transport policy to the local authorities, was involved in Guidelines on Developing and Implementing a Sustainable Urban Mobility plan and etc. Currently Dr Kristina Gaučė acts as the social partner/adviser on urban transport policy to Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Vilnius City Municipality and local public transport operators. 🚶♀️🛴🚘 Here's a sneak peek into the episode, which is all about SUMPs in Europe: 👇👇👇 ✅Why is sustainable urban mobility planning important and what are the differences from traditional approaches? ✅Describe the main ingredients for developing and implementing SUMPs ✅Tell us about your leadership in implementing SUMPs in Lithuania and across Europe ✅What is needed to engage stakeholders and citizens? ✅What are some lessons learned from SUMP implementation? Be sure to also register in the UMX Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) Course: 💻 👇 https://lnkd.in/dWQQ3crZ

  • Episode 25: Jamey Tesler

    Episode 25: Jamey Tesler

    Jamey Tesler is currently the executive director of the just launched Mass Mobility Hub, a public benefit corporation with a mission to support the mobility sector and is looking to build community, support companies in their growth and accelerate change in this sector. Jamey is also a Visiting Fellow at the Taubman Center for State & Local Government at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. Previously, Jamey served as Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of MassDOT, where he was responsible for a fully multimodal state transportation department, oversaw the leadership of the MBTA and served on the board of the Massachusetts Port Authority. Jamey had previously served as Registrar of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in June of 2020, after serving in the role on an interim basis since June of 2019. Jamey has previously worked for more than 20 years in senior management roles in the public sector with experience in infrastructure, transit, sustainability, mobility, public finance, and public policy. Jamey has also served as General Counsel to the Office of the Massachusetts State Treasurer and Receiver General, Deputy Legal Counsel in the Office of the Governor, Deputy General Counsel for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Acting Chief of Staff for the Secretary of Transportation, and as Chief Operating Officer at MassDOT. Here's a sneak peek into the episode, which is all about mobility in Boston: 👇👇👇 ✅What are the latest mobility innovations to emerge in Boston? ✅How can cities pilot new mobility tech, at scale? ✅Tell us about Mass Mobility Hub and the emerging ecosystem ✅How can startups sell to the public sector, and what are some best practices? ✅Tell us about your professional journey from attorney to mobility expert

  • Season 3

  • Episode 24: Ross Douglas

    Episode 24: Ross Douglas

    Ross Douglas is a South African entrepreneur who started his career as a nature documentarian and filmmaker. He collaborated with William Kentridge to produce 9 Films for Projection, which was performed in New York’s Central Park, London’s Barbican Centre and Berlin’s Guggenheim New York. After starting an art event company he created the FNB Joburg Art Fair (2008), the world’s first African contemporary art fair and a key gathering for the African art community.Concerned about global warming, Ross turned his attentions to sustainability. As road transport is one of the largest carbon emissions contributors, he decided to create an event to gather emerging new mobility solutions dedicated to lowering emissions and congestion. Autonomy, launched in Paris in 2015, was the result. Ross chose Paris for its central location, strong transport sector and anti-emissions policies. Autonomy, now the largest urban mobility event in the world, hosts 200 exhibitors, 10,000 visitors and 100 cities – all dedicated to change the way we move in cities. Ross also advises major companies such as Nike, AXA and Toyota Motor Corporation on mobility disruption. Here's a sneak peek into the upcoming episode, which will is all about transport decarbonization and sustainable mode shift: 👇👇👇 ✅What are the latest trends in decarbonization of the transport sector ✅How has Paris emerged as a leader in shared and active mobility ✅Tell us about the 2025 Global Decarbonization Expo and program ✅How can cities across the globe implement the 15 Minute City at scale ✅Tell us about your professional journey from filmmaker to decarbonization influencer

  • Episode 23: Nico Larco

    Episode 23: Nico Larco

    Nico Larco is a Professor of Architecture at the University of Oregon, Director of the Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Sustainable Cities Initiative, a nationally and internationally awarded, multidisciplinary organization that focuses on sustainability issues as they relate to the built environment. Professor Larco’s research focus includes sustainable urban design and the impacts of emerging technology on cities. The Urbanism Next Center, which he leads, is focused on how technological advances such as autonomous vehicles, new mobility, e-commerce and the sharing economy are changing city form and development. Professor Larco has received numerous national and international awards for his work, has been a Distinguished Fulbright Association Scholar in Chile and in Spain, and was a visiting researcher at Delft University of Technology and TNO in the Netherlands. He is a licensed architect and has worked professionally in the fields of Architecture, Urban Design, Planning, and Development. Larco is the principal of Larco/Knudson, an urban design consulting practice in Portland which focuses on sustainable urban design and assisting with the resilience of projects in the face of rapidly changing technology. Here's a sneak peek into the episode, which is all about urban mobility innovation: 👇👇👇 ✅How has the urban mobility landscape evolved over the past five years ✅What are the latest mobility innovations transforming our built environments ✅How will autonomous vehicles be deployed at scale, and under which use cases ✅What are the key future-proofing techniques cities can leverage for new mobility ✅Tell us about your latest book, "Sustainable Urban Design Handbook"

  • Episode 22: Women in Shared and Active Mobility (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

    Episode 22: Women in Shared and Active Mobility (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

    The #CitiesFirst Advisors + Podcast is excited to launch our quarterly webinar series, with an all star lineup of guests and speakers. This webinar episode, "Women in Shared and Active Mobility" features mobility experts Sandra Witzel and Alex Carroll. Here's a sneak peek into the episode, which is all about women in shared and active mobility: 👇👇👇 ✅Please share recent shared mobility business models & success stories ✅What are the policy implications of active and shared mobility ✅Tell us about how to improve walkability in urban environments ✅What is most important for safety of women in public transport & shared mobility ✅Please share the latest active mobility infrastructure innovations