Courses on Local Government

Each year, Stanford University offers dozens of courses related to local government across many disciplines. Such courses have highlighted the powerful role local politics can play in creating just, equitable and sustainable cities, and have given students a new understanding of the immediate impact they can have on their communities by engaging in policymaking at the local and regional level.  Some Lane Center alumni have even gone on to pursue meaningful careers in local government. 

We are fortunate to have Dan Rich serve as the Lane Center's local government advisor, who co-teaches the popular introductory course Land Use: Planning for Sustainable Cities (URBANST 163).  With over 30 years of public sector experience, including 27 years in local government management in the Bay Area, Rich has served as the city manager of both Campbell and Mountain View, where he remained until his retirement at the end of 2019.

Explore these local government courses, and scroll down to learn more about Lane Center alumni who have launched public service careers in this space.

Explore local government courses

Alumni Working in Local Government

A number of Lane Center alumni have taken courses on local government and gone on to pursue careers in the field. Check out the profiles below to learn more about the academic and career paths of these Stanford graduates.

Nick Mascarello is an environmental planner with Valley Water, the government agency responsible for water supply management, flood protection and stewardship of aquatic habitats in Santa Clara County.

 Connie Huynh Fife says the connections she made at the Bill Lane Center helped guide her to a career in local government. Today she works for her hometown of Chula Vista, California.

 Caleb Smith is a sustainability coordinator for San Mateo County, working on affordable housing issues.

 Makena Wong works on engineering projects for Millbrae and Burlingame, such as developing the Bay shoreline that will connect to sea level rise protection currently planned for San Francisco International Airport’s runways. She is also developing environmental policy solutions, such as helping design future zoning ordinances for cities on the Bay shoreline that incorporate sea level rise into their zoning standards.