MMI Senior Fellows
The MMI Senior Fellows program is an annual program that identifies a small cohort of individuals with unique insights and professional experience to contribute toward scholarship that advances safe, clean and inclusive mobility systems.
MMI Senior Fellows are invited to engage with and contribute to the Mobility Initiative and the broader MIT community. The program’s inaugural cohort of three individuals is now completing their term.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 MMI Senior Fellows cohort of up to five individuals - application deadline is 17 January 2025. We are looking for mid-career to senior executives with at least ten years of professional experience. Applicants should have demonstrated a commitment to MMI’s mission to promote safe, clean and inclusive mobility systems through their professional experience. Applicants must hold a master’s degree or higher in a relevant discipline (business, engineering, public policy, urban planning, etc.).
2024 Cohort
Laura Fox
Laura speaks on mobility, city, and climate topics globally, and is on ‘Transportation Power 100’ and ‘Top Women in Mobility’ lists. She is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Streetlife Ventures, a seed-stage venture fund investing in urban climate solutions to transform sectors including mobility, buildings, energy, waste, and water.
Previously, Laura was the General Manager of Citi Bike at Lyft and built it into a $100M ARR business and one of the country’s largest transportation systems, led diligence on urban climate tech companies at Sidewalk Labs, launched new mobility products with Boston Consulting Group’s digital ventures team, and advised Bloomberg Philanthropies on their urban investment strategy.
Laura also teaches MBA strategy courses at NYU Stern, and is on the board of Governors Island, which will be the test bed for climate innovation in NYC. She is a Senior Fellow with MIT’s Mobility Initiative, and on the urban-focused Expert Taskforce for the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Fun fact: Laura’s friends call her ‘20 Questions’ since she loves getting to the heart of a good idea - and she’s given a TED Talk on the topic.
Alex Mitchell
Alex Mitchell is a seasoned investor at the intersection of cleantech and mobility. He currently serves as a Senior Advisor at Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator and authors the Su$tainable Mobility newsletter. While Alex was SVP at Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) he oversaw startup recruiting, incubation programs and was responsible for venture capital investments. Alex raised and deployed the LACI Cleantech Debt Fund, a first-of-its kind lending solution for cleantech startups that was the subject of a Stanford GSB case study.
Previously, Alex worked at Peugeot (now Stellantis) as the VP of Corporate Strategy, where he focused on vehicle autonomy and electrification. His previous work experience includes McKinsey, Toyota, and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Alex holds a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from The Wharton School. A lifelong car enthusiast, Alex is one of the rare but growing number of Los Angeles residents who are car free by choice.
Alex's 2024 Research Briefing can be read here.
David Zipper
David Zipper examines the interplay between transportation policy, technology, and society. A Contributing Writer at Vox & Bloomberg CityLab, David’s writing has been published in outlets including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Slate, and Vox. His articles focus on topics including road safety, climate change, the uses of transportation data, and the future of American public transit.
David was previously the Managing Director for Smart Cities and Mobility at 1776, a global entrepreneurial hub with over 1,300 member startups. Earlier in his career he served as the Director of Business Development and Strategy under two mayors in Washington DC, where he led support for the region’s first startup incubators and guided the city’s response to the emergence of ride hail. Before moving to Washington, David served as Executive Director of NYC Business Solutions in New York City under Mayor Bloomberg.
David holds an MBA with Highest Honors from Harvard Business School, an M.Phil in Land Economy (Urban Planning) from Cambridge University, and a BA with High Honors from Swarthmore College. He has been selected as a Truman Scholar, a Gates Scholar, and a Baker Scholar.
David's 2024 Research Briefing can be read here.