FUSE Corps

10/16/2026

We are proud to spotlight FUSE Executive Fellow Johnetta Roberts and the incredible work she did in Louisville, Kentucky.

Roberts spent her FUSE Fellowship embedded in Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government’s (LMG) Office of Housing and Community Development. Through her listening tour, one theme kept coming up: LMG wanted to better connect with its faith communities on real estate development.

Roberts launched Louisville’s Faith-Based Development Initiative and organized the LMG's very first Faith-Based Development Summit, bringing together over 100 faith leaders, lenders, developers, and community organizations for a full day of collaboration. She also worked directly with small developers, visiting construction sites, sitting down with entrepreneurs, and strengthening the ecosystem that helps local builders create affordable housing in their own neighborhoods. She also saw an opportunity to save LMG $50,000 by strengthening an existing program instead of building a new one.

LMG loved having her so much, they asked her to stay. Roberts is now continuing her work as a contractor. Her vision for the next five years is to have 1,000 units of affordable housing linked back to the foundation she built.

This is what’s possible when talented leaders bring their skills to public service. Learn more about what our Spring 2025 cohort accomplished and the work they're doing post-fellowship here: https://go.fuse.org/4zx9U05

10/15/2026

As Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month comes to a close, we’re spotlighting Angelica Hernandez and the story that shaped her work before she ever set foot at the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting.

As a kid, Hernandez didn’t have internet at home. The public library became her second classroom. Years later, as a FUSE Executive Fellow, she found herself on the other side of that story: helping the City of Los Angeles build broadband infrastructure into Crenshaw, Canoga Park, and Hollywood, three neighborhoods facing the same digital divide she grew up in.

“I came in with a different idea of how to approach the project,” she says, “because I had at one point benefited from those types of services.”

That lived experience shaped everything from who she brought to the table to how she listened to why she refused to let the City show up in these communities alone.

Hernandez is a first-generation college graduate. Today, she’s hoping her path opens a door for the next one. “I really hope that more Latinas allow themselves the opportunity to apply for these types of positions,” she says, “even maybe 10 years ago, that wasn’t an option for them.”

10/14/2026

This Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re honoring FUSE alum Susana Santana and her work on homelessness in the County of Los Angeles.

Latinx residents now make up about 45% of the County’s homeless population, yet the data often misses their stories. Families sharing one home, recent and long-time immigrants, and people afraid to report abuse can all go uncounted.

Santana supported the Task Force on Latinx People Experiencing Homelessness, whose recommendations the Board of Supervisors has since approved for implementation.

When systems don’t see people clearly, help doesn’t reach them. And when getting help means a family has to split up, many will go without. Better data and culturally aware services can help families find stable housing together.

10/01/2026

New at FUSE: catching you up on everything happening across our network.

We welcomed Melvin Carter, former Mayor of Saint Paul, as FUSE's new CEO. Our Fall 2026 candidate interviews are underway, with our team traveling to meet candidates in person in each host city. Urban Institute and FUSE co-hosted two webinars this season: one on housing & homelessness and one on workforce, economy, and AI. We hosted Innovation Labs in Birmingham and Baltimore, moving strategy into real, on-the-ground ex*****on. And FUSE Alum Dawn Comer took the stage at a Cities Innovation Network event in San Diego and shared how FUSE shaped her path into government.

09/30/2026

What does a small business really need before it's ready for capital?

That's the question FUSE Executive Fellow Lo**ta Jackmon set out to answer during her fellowship with Baltimore City's Mayor's Office of Small & Minority Business Advocacy & Development (SMBA&D). Her answer: the 4 Pillars of Capital, a framework built around Human, Social, Structural, and Financial Capital that helps business owners, lenders, and city partners diagnose what's really holding a business back.

On August 13, she tested the framework live with Baltimore business owners at an Innovation Lab hosted by FUSE and SMBA&D. The results are shaping what comes next for small business support across the city.

When we talk about access to capital for small businesses, the conversation often starts with money: loans, grants, credit, and investment. During my FUSE Executive Fellowship with Baltimore City’s Mayor’s Office of Small & Minority Business Advocacy & Development (SMBA&D), I learned that capita...

09/30/2026

Nathan Chai spent almost 20 years leading marketing and operations teams in tech. Then a fellowship opportunity in Salt Lake City changed everything.

As a FUSE Executive Fellow, Chai helped the City build its first-ever clean energy jobs landscape analysis, supporting a $1M grant and a citywide apprenticeship strategy. That one-year fellowship turned into two and then into a full career shift into philanthropy, where he now works full-time at FUSE.

Chai's story isn't unique, but a testament to our fellows' belief in the FUSE mission. We now have four full-time staff members at FUSE who are former fellows.

Read more about Chai's journey from tech executive to leading philanthropic partnerships: https://go.fuse.org/4rBJB6a

09/23/2026

This Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, we want you to meet Edgar Padilla. Padilla is a FUSE Executive Fellow working with the City of Austin Government to help more students access high-paying careers in advanced manufacturing.

As the son of Mexican immigrants, Padilla knows firsthand what it's like to navigate the workforce and education system without a roadmap. Now he's building that map to help others through robust wraparound services that address pain points in their journey.

09/15/2026

We couldn’t be more excited to announce Melvin Carter as CEO of FUSE.

Carter begins his tenure today after two decades in local and state government, most recently as Mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota. He was selected following a months-long national search that considered more than 1,100 applicants.

Jeff Hébert, Board Chair of FUSE and CEO of HR&A Advisors, shared, “Melvin was our first and unanimous choice. He’s spent his career building systems that last, and he understands how to turn that kind of change into real results. That gives us a lot of confidence and excitement about where he’ll take this organization.”

Carter succeeds James Weinberg, who has served as CEO since 2014. Under Weinberg’s leadership, FUSE led over 500 executive fellowship projects in more than 250 city and county agencies across 33 states. Weinberg will remain engaged as a senior advisor through the end of this year to support a smooth transition.

“It has been the greatest honor of my career to lead this organization,” said Weinberg. “Alongside a remarkable community of staff, fellows, civic leaders, and funders, FUSE has helped governments across the country work more effectively for their communities and accelerate systems change. I cannot imagine a stronger leader for what comes next than Melvin Carter, and I am excited for him to carry this work forward.”

Lenny Mendonca, Co-Founder and Chair Emeritus of FUSE, also reflected on FUSE’s last 15 years. Mendonca is a Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey & Company and is the Former Chief Economic and Business Advisor for the State of California.

“FUSE believes local leaders are closest to their communities, and that the right people, in the right roles, at the right times can help turn ideas into action,” he said. “James helped bring that vision to life, building a fellowship model that has helped hundreds of local governments tackle some of their toughest challenges. Melvin embodies that same belief in the power of local leadership, and I’m excited for him to carry this work forward.”

Welcome, Melvin Carter, to FUSE! Let’s continue building together.