Mary Bunting is City Manager of Hampton, VA, where she has served in various capacities for 22 years. The power of community was demonstrated to her when local scholarships helped Mary achieve an undergraduate education at Johns Hopkins University and master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Since being appointed City Manager in 2010, Mary has focused on translating complex issues into everyday values making them more accessible, and on reaching people through additional channels – such as social media and the internet – allowing residents to become involved on their own schedule and in a way that’s less intimidating than speaking out at a City Council meeting.