Kip Harkness

Kip is currently Deputy City Manager for the City of San José guiding the execution of the City’s enterprise priorities of Emergency Management and Preparedness, and Smart Sustainable and Reliable City: 21st Century Infrastructure:

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND PREPAREDNESS

No issue is more important than the lives and safety of our residents. As the City shifts from an extended response to the COVD-19 pandemic to community and economic recovery, we must continue to prioritize the work of ensuring San José is well-prepared for earthquakes and other disasters, particularly for those who are most vulnerable. As a City, we will do more to be prepared for emergencies and commit to this priority with relentless attention and support.

SMART, SUSTAINABLE AND RELIABLE CITY: 21ST CENTURY INFRASTRUCTURE

Competing in the global economy and addressing climate imperatives requires updating our energy, water, waste, transportation, and internet connectivity infrastructure, as well as translating traditional infrastructure such as roads and streetlights into 21st century infrastructure. From the launch of a Clean Energy program, long-term investments in the Regional Wastewater Facility and San José International Airport, and new strategies for Broadband and Digital Inclusion, as well as Automated/Electric Vehicles, we must focus on developing smart, sustainable, and reliable infrastructure to shape America’s next great city.

Kip has an appointment as the City Innovator with the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard (TECH) where he is collaborating on the development of an innovation framework for cities across the globe. He is a graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and International Affairs, and a Master’s in Urban Planning. He has studied seven languages and worked and traveled across the globe.