Vallejo’s Summer Fellow Spotlight

As part of Vallejo’s participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative’s Program, the City is hosting a Summer Fellow through Harvard University. Each year, graduate students from across Harvard are competitively selected to spend the summer working within local governments, contributing to service improvements and presenting their recommendations to mayors, senior leaders, and key stakeholders in cities around the world.

This summer, Vallejo is pleased to welcome Avi Chaudhary, who will be working with us for 10 weeks. Avi joined the City in early June and will wrap up his fellowship in August. He is supporting the Economic Development Division, focusing on outreach efforts to help strengthen small business growth and retention, as well as strategies to fill vacant commercial spaces throughout the community.

Avi is originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration in International Development at the Harvard Kennedy School. He completed his undergraduate studies in Mathematics and Economics, and his professional background includes work in education and small business. He is passionate about public‑private partnerships that create meaningful and sustainable economic opportunities for communities at all levels—local, regional, and international.

Outside of his studies, Avi enjoys spending time training his energetic 4‑year‑old poodle, Stella Nova. He also loves cooking, exploring national parks, and discovering new cities by walking and taking in the sights.