City Thread Is Growing in 2026: Building the Team That Cities Need

In 2022, City Thread began when three people came together with the same question: Why does it take so long to make changes to city streets and spaces? 

In four short years, City Thread has helped cities work with residents to complete meaningful projects, like complete mobility networks, public spaces, affordable housing, and land-use initiatives. City Thread is guiding cities to make change happen five times faster than traditional approaches, with more than 500 miles of protected bike lanes, sidewalks, greenways, and intersections built across the U.S. since 2023. Our Accelerated Mobility Playbook turns big ideas into tangible, transformative results.

The work isn’t finished, and the need is only growing.

Facing urgent challenges around safety, affordability, climate change, trust in government, and access to public gathering places, more communities are asking for change. They need support from trusted partners to find practical solutions when challenges arise, faster and more equitably.

To meet this moment of growing need and shared commitment, City Thread is investing in organizational capacity and doubling our team.

New leadership roles in project delivery, development, and marketing expand our ability to raise the resources that power the work, tell the stories that make the work visible, and deliver the programs that make positive change in communities. The ultimate goal is for City Thread to deliver on its promise to help cities complete projects in years, not decades.

This isn’t administrative growth; it’s mission momentum.

Fundraising powers projects, rapid project delivery makes change, and marketing amplifies the impact.. Each piece reinforces the other to ensure community needs are met, elected leaders keep their promises,  and our team remains committed to equity and progress.

This investment in City Thread’s capacity aligns with our 10-year goal to help local governments work for people, not against them.  At a time when communities need real solutions to challenges, City Thread helps cities organize around common goals and get things done. We focus on making government better so local leaders can build trust, take action, and create positive change for everyone.

Say hello to our three new team members.

Bridging vision with real, on-the-ground change: As City Thread’s vice president of projects, Morgan Lommele bridges vision and day-to-day delivery. Our portfolio is growing, and her role will ensure that City Thread delivers high-quality projects, fosters equitable community listening and engagement, and helps communities realize their ambitions.  She will ensure that City Thread’s Accelerated Mobility Playbook approach is tailored to each community’s context, priorities, and capacity. 

"As a mediator and facilitator with 20 years’ experience, Morgan’s an expert in bringing together people with different perspectives to solve public policy challenges. She’s led successful community projects in all 50 states and will add value and expertise to our work with communities and cities." –Zoe, City Thread partner

Connecting donor values to community results: Our Vice President of Development, Grace Yung Foster, builds long-term partnerships with investors who share our belief that government can work well for people. One of Grace’s primary objectives is securing transformative, sustainable funding, enabling City Thread to realize its vision to expand technical assistance, launch new programs, and move quickly when communities are ready to act, especially when funding at the state and federal levels is uncertain. 

"Drawing on 16 years of experience, Grace has had great success in fund development, raising tens of millions of dollars across multiple nonprofit sectors. Her understanding of the role of joint ventures among public, private, and government sectors to drive lasting sustainability and social change is critical as we grow." –Kyle, City Thread partner 

Helping residents and leaders see what’s possible in their city: Our new director of marketing, Estevan Fernandez, has been driving strategic campaigns that transform local progress into scalable change for a decade. He brings residents’ experiences, audience insights, and proven marketing strategies to life, building trust and sparking connections across communities. His aim? Inspire residents and leaders to reimagine what’s possible in their cities and ensure City Thread’s messaging reaches the people who need to hear it most.

"Estevan brings a depth of experience to our team, guiding brand strategy, audience growth, and data-driven engagement in support of community-driven missions. His personal commitment to expanding awareness, access, and opportunity for communities that face the greatest barriers embodies City Thread’s values." –Sara, City Thread partner

What’s ahead?

We believe in building a national network of cities, elected officials, community leaders, and funders who are committed to making local government work for people and are turning that belief into action that transforms communities.

Investing in our capacity and building this team of thought leaders allows City Thread to partner with more cities to use the Accelerated Mobility Playbook and to work with more communities to tackle a broader scope of projects in public space, housing, water, conservation, and beyond. 

Be part of the change in your community

Are you trying to solve big problems in your community? Looking to fund a meaningful project that makes a local difference? Regardless of your starting point, we want to learn more about what is happening in the place you call home.

Don’t wait. Join us. 

Contact Kyle to discuss your city’s needs and how we can help, or get started today by applying for an AMP technical assistance grant.