The #CitiesFirst Podcast

Hosted by Scott Shepard

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Oct 2026

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About the show

New Podcast Series hosted by Scott Shepard, and focused on the intersection of AI, Urbanism, Mobility & Decarbonization. An award-winning urban planner, entrepreneur, author, educator, speaker & thought leader, Scott Shepard has his finger on the pulse of everything related to #CitiesFirst, an interdisciplinary term he coined.

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40 recent

October 21, 202628 min

Episode 40: Transit, Places, People: A Conversation with Nick Saponara on Building Communities Around Transit

Transit. Places. People.: Building Communities Around Transit with Nick Saponara How can public agencies leverage transit investment to shape housing, land use, urban design, and more connected communities? In Episode 40, we are joined by Nick Saponara, Joint Development Executive Director at LA Metro , for a conversation about the public-sector perspective on transit-oriented development and the challenge of turning planning ambitions into real projects. We discuss: 🚇 Connecting transit investment with land-use planning 🏘️ Housing and transit-oriented communities 🏙️ Urban design, placemaking, and first/last-mile connectivity 🤝 Public-private partnerships and joint development 🏗️ Moving from planning to implementation 🌎 Lessons from Los Angeles for cities everywhere The central question: How do we make transit investment work harder for the communities around it? Thank you to Nick and the LA Metro communications team for making this conversation possible. Cities. People. A Brighter Tomorrow. #CitiesFirst #LAMetro #TransitOrientedDevelopment #UrbanPlanning #PublicTransit #UrbanDesign #Transportation #Placemaking

October 21, 202629 min

Episode 39: Designing Cities for People: A Conversation with Helle Soholt on the Future of Urbanism

We were joined by Helle Søholt , Board Chair & Founding Partner at Gehl - Making Cities for People , for a conversation about what it means to design the next generation of cities around people. We explored how human-centred urbanism is evolving in the post-COVID city, including: 🏙️ Designing cities at the human scale 🚶 Mobility, streets and public life 🌍 Climate resilience and healthier cities 🤝 Turning urban vision into implementation 💡 The role of technology, AI and data in people-centred planning These are also central themes in my forthcoming book, CitiesFirst: Urbanism & Mobility in the Post-COVID City, coming in Q1 2027.

May 29, 202659 min

Episode 38: From Istanbul to Birmingham: Turning Mobility Innovation into Deployment (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

As the mobility sector looks beyond innovation and pilot projects, a bigger question is emerging: How do we move toward real-world deployment, integration, and measurable impact? Following the momentum of ITS European Congress 2026 in Istanbul, CitiesFirst Webinar #4 brings together leading city and mobility voices for a focused discussion on what Birmingham 2027 must deliver. 📍 From Istanbul to Birmingham: Turning Mobility Innovation into Deployment📅 Thursday, 28 May 2026🕛 13:00 PM CET🎙️ Live Webinar Featured Speakers: • Scott Shepard, AICP, LEED®AP, PMP — Founder, CitiesFirst (Moderator) • Peter Staelens — Eurocities • Berfin Sönmez — Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Discussion themes include: • Why pilots still fail to scale • Cities as orchestrators of mobility ecosystems • Governance, interoperability, and collaboration • What Birmingham 2027 must demonstrate for the sector This conversation continues the CitiesFirst dialogue around implementation, collaboration, and the future of intelligent mobility systems across Europe and beyond. We look forward to welcoming mobility leaders, city stakeholders, ITS professionals, and ecosystem partners to the discussion.

April 16, 202659 min

Episode 37: From Pilot to Scale: Deploying Integrated Mobility Systems – Insights from Istanbul (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

🚨 Cities don’t just pilot innovation — they need to scale it. Listen to Webinar 3 in The #CitiesFirst Advisors + Podcast × ERTICO - ITS Europe × ITS Congresses series:🎯 From Pilot to Scale: Deploying Integrated Mobility Systems – Insights from Istanbul As cities move beyond pilots, the real challenge begins: deployment at scale.This session brings together senior city leaders and mobility experts from Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and İSBAK to share how Istanbul is delivering integrated mobility systems in one of the world’s most complex urban environments. What you’ll learn: ✔ Why scaling mobility solutions is so difficult — and how to overcome it ✔ What “integration” really looks like in practice (data, modes, operations) ✔ Governance, procurement, and coordination challenges ✔ Real deployment insights from Istanbul✔ What cities should prioritise over the next 3 years Featuring: Scott Shepard, AICP, LEED®AP, PMP (Moderator) Joost VANTOMME (LL.M) Pelin Alpkökin Barbaros BÜYÜKSAĞNAK Erdem Samut , This webinar also sets the stage for the ITS European Congress 2026 — where these conversations continue with deeper technical insights and real-world case studies. 👉 Register for the ITS European Congress 2026 in Istanbul (27–29 April): https://lnkd.in/eGi5ZvTF

March 31, 20261 hr 3 min

Episode 36: Cities Shaping Intelligent Mobility: From Strategy to Integrated and Seamless Systems (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

🚨 Cities are shaping the future of intelligent mobility — from strategy to real implementation! Listen to Webinar 2 in the The #CitiesFirst Advisors + Podcast × ERTICO - ITS Europe x ITS Congresses series:🎯 Cities Shaping Intelligent Mobility: From Strategy to Integrated and Seamless Systems This session brought together leading experts to explore how cities are integrating digital infrastructure, multi-modal transport systems, and governance frameworks to deliver smarter, more sustainable mobility solutions. What you’ll learn: ✔ How cities move from strategy to integrated, operational systems ✔ Role of data, AI, and digital platforms in seamless mobility ✔ Barriers to scaling beyond pilot projects ✔ Practical lessons from city-level deployment ✔ Preview of key ITS European Congress 2026 technical themes Featuring: Scott Shepard, AICP, LEED®AP, PMP – Founder, CitiesFirst (Moderator) María Alonso Raposo – ERTICO – ITS Europe Marta Campos Ferreira , PhD – Universidade do Porto Sandra Witzel – SkedGo Pty Ltd 👉 Register for the ITS European Congress 2026 in Istanbul (27–29 April) using promo code CitiesFirst): https://lnkd.in/eGi5ZvTF

February 12, 202659 min

Episode 35: Cities at the Crossroads - From European Legacy to Living Mobility Labs (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

Cities are no longer just testing mobility innovation — they are shaping Europe’s deployment agenda. Across Europe, public authorities are moving from pilots to permanent solutions, balancing legacy systems with the pressure to deliver scalable, people-centred mobility. As cities take on a stronger leadership role, one question matters most: how do we turn innovation into long-term impact at city scale? On 11 February 2026, The #CitiesFirst Advisors + Podcast , in collaboration with ERTICO - ITS Europe , hosted a live webinar contributing to the wider conversation shaping the 17th ITS Congresses European Congress in Istanbul and its growing focus on public-sector leadership. This city-driven discussion brought together three leading voices in European urban mobility:🎤 Tamara Djukic, PhD , Head of Green & Urban Mobility, ERTICO - ITS Europe 🎤 Tina Wagner , Director-General for Transport, Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg 🎤 Karen Vancluysen , Secretary General, POLIS network Together, they explored how European cities are positioning themselves as living mobility labs — and why sustained engagement, beyond individual pilots or events, is essential to achieve real deployment and lasting impact. What we explored included: ✅ Why cities are at a turning point for mobility delivery ✅ How long-term European collaboration builds trust and continuity ✅ Moving from research and pilots to deployment at city scale ✅ Why the ITS European Congress matters for public authorities ✅ What Istanbul represents as a living mobility lab for Europe and beyond

November 20, 20251 hr 2 min

Episode 34: Vision Zero in Action (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

Safer Streets. Smarter Cities. Better Lives. 🌍 Traffic fatalities and serious injuries are not inevitable — they’re preventable. The global #VisionZero movement is transforming how we plan, design, and manage transportation systems to put people first and prioritize life and well-being. I recently contributed a guest post for PTV Group , exploring how Vision Zero is driving the journey toward zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries — and how cities around the world are reimagining safety through design, policy, and innovation. 👉 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/ehvDAAZU As part of Umovity — uniting PTV Group and Econolite — we’re helping cities make data-driven decisions that lead to safer, more sustainable, and people-centered mobility networks. We dive deeper into how Vision Zero is being put into practice globally, featuring insights from leading experts: 🎙️ Speakers: Snehasis "Sunny" Chakravarty “Sunny” Chakravarty – Vice President, Engineering, Econolite Michael Kent – Policy Director, Chicago Department of Transportation Hagen Schueller – Traffic Safety Expert, PTV Transport Consult ✅ Real-world examples of Vision Zero in action ✅ Strategies to embed safety into every level of transport planning ✅ How data and innovation are accelerating progress toward zero fatalities And if you haven’t yet, tune in to The #CitiesFirst Advisors + Podcast for more expert insights on the future of urban mobility: https://lnkd.in/d6HAa3kx

October 2, 202557 min

Episode 33: Shaping Transport with Digital Twins (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

We’re thrilled to share the latest episode of the #CitiesFirst Advisors + Podcast , featuring Michael Oliver, Technical Director at PTV Group . 🌍 🎙 Episode Topic: Shaping Transport with Digital Twins Digital twins are transforming the way cities plan, operate, and optimize their transport systems. In this episode, Michael dives into how this cutting-edge technology is driving smarter, more resilient, and sustainable urban mobility solutions. Michael shares actionable insights including: ✅ How digital twins are revolutionizing transport planning and operations ✅ Strategies for building smarter and more resilient urban mobility systems ✅ Lessons learned from real-world applications of digital twin technology Whether you’re a transport professional, urban planner, or just curious about the future of cities, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss! #DigitalTwins #SmartCities #UrbanMobility #TransportInnovation #ResilientCities #FutureOfMobility #SustainableCities #CityPlanning #UrbanInnovation #CitiesFirst #Podcast

September 10, 202554 min

Episode 32: Designing Resilient Cities (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

Urban resilience isn’t optional—it’s essential. As climate change, rapid growth, and aging infrastructure reshape our cities, the question isn’t if we should build resilience—it’s how. Join us for The #CitiesFirst Advisors + Podcast LinkedIn Live webinar, in partnership with PTV Group and Econolite 🎙 Designing Resilient Cities: Strategies for a Future-Ready Urban World📅 Wednesday, September 10 | 🕒 3 PM GMT+1 | 📍 LinkedIn Live Hear from global leaders: 👤 Ida Sami, PhD – CEO & Founder, ClimateNXT 👤 Matthias Pfriem – Senior Product Manager, PTV Group 👤 Mike Dang, M.S. – Product Manager, NEMA, Econolite We’ll cover: ✅ Defining resilient cities ✅ How smarter mobility protects communities ✅ Lessons from global innovators ✅ Why collaboration is the cornerstone of resilience

August 28, 202553 min

Episode 31: Data &AI in Mobility (The #CitiesFirst Webinar)

🚨 Join Us LIVE — Data & AI in Urban Mobility 📅 Thursday, August 28 🕔 4:30 PM GMT+1 📍 LinkedIn Live How can cities harness data and AI to build smarter, more accessible, and more efficient transport networks? EIT Urban Mobility - Urban Mobility Explained (UMX) invites you to a special LinkedIn Live webinar in collaboration with The #CitiesFirst Advisors + Podcast . We’ll hear from city leaders and innovators shaping the future of urban mobility. 🎙️ Rob Lloyd — Chief Technology Officer & Director of Information Technology, City of Seattle 🎙️ Kameale C. Terry — CEO, ChargerHelp ! 🎙️ Jason Cambridge — Technology Manager, City of Seattle 🔍 Discussion Topics: ✅ How mobility data—from people, vehicles, and infrastructure—is transforming urban transport planning ✅ Emerging AI tools to improve accessibility, equity, safety, and efficiency ✅ Real-world examples from Seattle and beyond 🎧 Warm up for the session by tuning into The CitiesFirst Podcast: Spotify : https://lnkd.in/dyRjqbvM Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/dnWCxvkh RSS.com : https://lnkd.in/d6HAa3kx 🎓 Want to go deeper? Enroll in the free UMX course “Data & AI in Mobility” to explore how cities can leverage emerging technologies: https://lnkd.in/dsKw5iYa