There has been much talk as to how fast the year 2021 has flown by—particularly after a prior year that seemed (to some at least) to drag on forever. In a time of fast-tracked change for the whole of society, many of our classmates are making new strides within their chosen fields or even exploring completely new paths to help bring order to the chaos of the last two years.

Two of our ’96 family members opted to drive change through elected office in their respective communities—with both facing votes in the latter half of the year. After seven years as its economic chief, John Barros ran in a hotly contested race for the mayorship for the city of Boston; he had previously run for the office in 2013 but decided in 2021 that the political climate required an office of inclusion and giving everyone a seat at the table. While he ultimately came up short in his quest (losing to eventual mayor-elect Michelle Wu in a nonpartisan primary), John’s campaign for mayor led him on a new path in helping improve the economic climate of Boston as a whole. In late November he joined commercial real estate brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield as managing principal for the company’s Boston market—becoming the first person of color to run a major brokerage firm in Boston. With so much of the city’s budget dependent on property taxes, commercial real estate plays a critical role in its economic success. John indicated that “being able to invest in the things we want to make the city great, attracting new business, attracting jobs to the city” complements well his years of governmental work promoting economic development. With so many shifting trends in commercial space occupancy and changing needs of the workforce due to the pandemic, John has both a challenge and an opportunity in helping redesign the dynamic of Boston’s downtown area in the years ahead.

Also facing election in a completely different role was our own Suzanne Leonard. After her daughter, Annabelle, spent her first year of elementary school at home due to the pandemic, Suzanne heard the call to serve her broader community and announced her candidacy for school committee for the city of Winthrop, Massachusetts. As a faculty member and professor of English at Simmons University, the role of educators in childhood development is of great significance to Suzanne. She ran with a focus on “creating a space where learning is accessible for every student.” Her campaign was successful, and she won office on Election Day in November as the only non-incumbent. Congrats, Suzanne, on your new position—the children of Winthrop will be lucky to have your enthusiasm and expertise in their corner!

Finally, congratulations also go out to Morgan Flatley, who was recently promoted to the position of global chief marketing officer for McDonald’s. The worldwide fast-food company, with more than 35,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries, recently formed its first customer experience team. She had previously served since 2017 as chief marketing and digital consumer experience officer for the U.S. market; in that role she led the company’s highly successful promotion of mobile ordering and “Famous Meals” campaign featuring partnerships with musicians including rapper Travis Scott, Colombian singer J. Balvin, and K-pop super group BTS. She now oversees global brand, menu strategy, family marketing, and business insights for all of McDonald’s operations. Her previous work and efforts in her new role have already garnered a great deal of attention, including her mention at No. 6 on the list of the “World’s Most Influential CMOs of 2021” by Forbes magazine. Amazing work, Morgan, and recognition well-deserved!

—Garrett Gil de Rubio, 1062 Middlebrooke Drive, Canton, GA 30115; ggdr@alum.dartmouth.org