TIffany Chu ‘10, a Course IV graduate was recently appointed Chief of Staff for Michelle Wu, the newly elected mayor of Boston.
From the City of Boston website:
Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the appointment of designer and planner Tiffany Chu as her Chief of Staff. Chu will begin transitioning into the role next month.
Chu is the former CEO & Co-founder of Remix, a software platform for transportation planning, and as a former Commissioner of the San Francisco Department of the Environment. She will play a crucial role in advancing Mayor Wu’s transportation and climate justice priorities. She will work alongside the Mayor and lead the Mayor’s Cabinet in implementing equitable policies that reach all of Boston’s neighborhoods. Chu will be responsible for overseeing daily operations and long-term initiatives of the Mayor’s Office, and encouraging collaboration between City departments, local organizations outside City Hall, and other levels of government on behalf of Boston residents.
“Tiffany brings a bold vision for what cities can do and how innovative teams can reshape what’s possible,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Her planning and team-building skills have already made impacts around the world. I’m confident that as our next Chief of Staff, she will bring our communities together to deliver on our brightest future.”
Tiffany Chu brings a background in design, urban planning, and entrepreneurship. She is the former CEO & Co-founder of Remix, and following the acquisition of Remix in March 2021, she became Senior Vice President at Via, the global leader in transit tech. Remix’s collaborative software platform for transportation planning is used by the MBTA and 500+ cities globally, and aims to build a more equitable world by expanding access within it. The company has been recognized as a Tech Pioneer by the World Economic Forum and BloombergNEF for furthering sustainability and equity in the field. The acquisition of Remix by Via was one of the largest software acquisitions last year.
Chu has also served as a Commissioner of the San Francisco Department of the Environment and sat on San Francisco’s Congestion Pricing Policy Advisory Committee.
"I have long been inspired by Mayor Wu and the new energy and inclusiveness her administration represents,” said Chief of Staff Tiffany Chu. “I am so incredibly honored to return to a city that I love and can't wait to get started and strengthen Boston's legacy as one of the most welcoming and livable cities in the world."
Chu is preceded by Mary Lou Akai-Ferguson, who served as Mayor Wu’s Interim Chief of Staff.
“Tiffany’s appointment is a huge win for Boston, and I look forward to seeing how her drive and expertise will create change,” said Mary Lou Akai-Ferguson, former Interim Chief of Staff. “As Boston continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and make progress as a national leader in transportation and climate justice, I know Tiffany will leave a lasting legacy. Congratulations!”
Previously, Chu was at Code for America, Y Combinator, Zipcar, and Continuum. She's been named in Forbes' 30 Under 30, LinkedIn's Next Wave of Leaders Under 35, and featured at SXSW, Helsinki Design Week, the New York Times Cities for Tomorrow Conference, and more. Chu has a degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) School of Architecture and Planning.
Chu is a first generation Taiwanese American. A few of her favorite things around Boston include the Charles River Esplanade, seafood at Giacomo’s, and the City’s walkability.