Leo Hidy
Leo Hidy
Leo Hidy, from San Francisco, California, graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in Comparative American Studies and a minor in Economics. At Oberlin, Leo co-chaired the Student Senate Finance Committee, allocating $2.4 million in annual grants to campus organizations and community partners, while also serving as a Consent Educator, Dialogue Facilitator, and Resident Assistant.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Leo helped launch Berkshire Busk, an annual placemaking festival that brings hundreds of musicians to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and generates over $1 million in economic impact each season. Building on this experience, Leo interned for the San Francisco City Planning Commission where he researched the social implications of public-private partnerships while distributing over $600,000 in grants supporting Small Business Recovery and Arts & Culture initiatives.
Seeking international perspectives on urbanism, Leo was awarded the Shansi Fellowship to teach at J.F. Oberlin University in Tokyo, Japan. He was then selected for the New York City Urban Fellowship, where he published the official NYC Storefront Design Guide and now serves as Policy Advisor to the Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood Development, working to build vibrant streets where New Yorkers can shop, work, and live.
As a Marshall Scholar, Leo will pursue graduate studies in urban policy and city design to research how immigrant entrepreneurs shape and sustain neighborhood economies. Leo is an avid home-cook and can’t wait to try his first Sunday roast while in the UK.