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MarySue Barrett

MarySue Barrett is the president of the Chicago-based Metropolitan Planning Council. For more than 80 years, MPC has made the Chicago region a better place to live and work by partnering with businesses, communities and governments to address the area's toughest planning and development challenges. 
President, Metropolitan Planning Council, Chicago

Email: msbarrett[at]metroplanning.org
Twitter: @MarySueMPC

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MarySue Barrett is an expert on designing effective urban solutions through creative collaboration across governments, businesses and communities. As president of the independent Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), MarySue builds bridges between the public and private sectors to solve metropolitan Chicago’s urgent planning and development challenges, refining the tactics that can help regions everywhere prepare for the needs of tomorrow.

MarySue speaks and writes frequently about why and how cities must continually reinvent themselves. She deconstructs Chicago’s and MPC’s success stories as models for cities across the globe, while offering constructive analysis when we fail to unlock our region’s full potential.

Prior to joining MPC, MarySue served in former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley as his chief of policy. She counts among her top accomplishments Chicago’s early implementation of community policing and the City’s successful bid to host the 1996 Democratic National Convention. Tapping her deep knowledge of government, MarySue recently has led transition committees for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner.

MarySue is a steering committee member of World Business Chicago’s Plan for Economic Growth & Jobs, co-chairing the infrastructure team. She also serves on the Advisory Boards of the Chicago Infrastructure Trust, Harris School’s Visiting Committee at the University of Chicago, and Illinois Issues magazine. She is also active with The Chicago Network and the Economic Club of Chicago. She has participated in leadership exchanges sponsored by the International Women’s Forum (1996), Rockefeller Foundation (2009) and Brookings Institution (2008 and 2011). She has a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University.

Recent Posts by MarySue Metropolitan Chicago’s Regional Housing Initiative, with support from HUD, is piloting ways to connect low-income families with promising housing opportunities.