AUSTIN, TEXAS — The LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin will host the inaugural Metropolitan Leadership Initiative, a two-day executive seminar designed to equip Texas city and civic leaders with the strategic tools needed to navigate rapid metropolitan growth. The in-person program will take place April 8–9, 2026, at the Thompson Center on the UT Austin campus.
As Texas experiences historic population growth and accelerating metropolitan expansion, cities face mounting pressures across housing, infrastructure, workforce development, land use, and public finance. The Metropolitan Leadership Initiative responds to this moment by offering a systems-focused, research-driven curriculum that helps leaders understand tradeoffs, align investments, and make durable decisions in complex urban environments.
“Texas cities are being asked to make high-stakes decisions faster and at a much larger scale than ever before,” said Steven Pedigo, Director of the LBJ Urban Lab and founder of the Metropolitan Leadership Initiative. “This program is designed to give public leaders a practical, grounded framework for managing growth—connecting economic development, housing, infrastructure, and finance in ways that actually work on the ground.”
Developed by the LBJ Urban Lab and the LBJ Center for Municipal Capital Markets, in collaboration with the Texas Real Estate Center and the IC² Institute, the program is structured as a strategy lab for senior public leaders. The curriculum blends applied research with real-world case studies, guiding participants through core metropolitan challenges including workforce alignment, the impacts of AI and automation, public- and private-sector financing tools for major capital projects, zoning and land use modernization, and incentive strategies that support long-term public value.
“The Metropolitan Leadership Initiative reflects the LBJ School’s commitment to helping public leaders confront the real challenges shaping Texas’s future,” said JR DeShazo, Dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs. “By bringing together research, practice, and peer learning, this program strengthens the capacity of leaders who are responsible for guiding growth in some of the fastest-changing communities in the country.”
The two-day seminar will feature sessions led by LBJ School faculty, public officials, senior practitioners, and civic leaders with direct experience managing high-stakes urban initiatives across Texas and the nation. Case-based learning, applied frameworks, and facilitated peer exchanges will anchor the experience, providing participants with both conceptual tools and actionable insights.
The Metropolitan Leadership Initiative is designed for city managers and assistant city managers; economic development and workforce leaders; state agency and legislative staff; county officials; real estate and finance professionals; and nonprofit and institutional partners working at the intersection of growth, infrastructure, and public outcomes. The seminar is conducted fully in person. Tuition is $1,195, which includes instructional materials, assessment instruments, most breakfasts and lunches, and select networking events.
Learn more about the program: https://lbj.utexas.edu/metropolitan-leadership-initiative
ABOUT THE LBJ URBAN LAB
The LBJ Urban Lab at The University of Texas at Austin is a leading hub for urban policy innovation, focused on advancing practical, research‑driven solutions to the challenges facing metropolitan communities. The Lab brings together policymakers, civic and business leaders, faculty, and students to address issues such as economic competitiveness, inclusive prosperity, housing affordability, workforce upskilling, infrastructure, and climate resilience. Using Texas cities and communities across the country as real‑world laboratories, the Urban Lab develops applied research, collaborative programming, and professional development initiatives that strengthen the capacity of public leaders and support more resilient, equitable, and opportunity‑rich cities.
ABOUT THE LYNDON B. JOHNSON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin is one of the nation's premier public policy schools, uniquely positioned within a top-tier research university, the state capital and one of America's most innovative cities. Founded in 1970 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to expand access to the halls of power, the school offers a range of nationally ranked degree programs that prepare students to take on society's most pressing challenges. The LBJ School also provides career development and leadership training to emerging policy leaders and operates numerous research centers that develop solutions to complex local, state, national and global challenges.