IN THE NEWS: Barnett-Harrison discusses new role as CEO of Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority on CBS Detroit
Taubman College lecturer Clarinda Barnett-Harrison was recently interviewed by CBS Detroit about her new role as CEO of the Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority and the future of the government entity. Barnett-Harrison was recently named the first woman CEO of the building authority in its history, tasked with overseeing and managing the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in downtown Detroit.
“This is the people’s house,” Barnett-Harrison said. “It belongs to the residents and constituents of Detroit and Wayne County, so we want to match the public service that’s already happening in the space by making sure the user experience is of the utmost quality.”
Barnett-Harrison teaches UT 201: Change-Making in Cities, which focuses on teaching students about real-world urban challenges and institutions. She has over 20 years of experience in urban planning and previously served as the senior director of Economic Prosperity and executive director of the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund at the United Way for Southeastern Michigan.
Appointed in January, Barnett-Harrison will lead a critical capital modernization project at the authority to establish a long-term operational model for the body responsible for managing the city’s municipal center. Tenants include Detroit’s executive and legislative branches, city and county clerks, and the Wayne County Third Judicial Circuit court.
“It’s an old building … so there are a lot of things that we know we need to work on,” Barnett-Harrison said in the interview. “We’re thinking already about the windows and ensuring that they are functioning and safe for all of the tenants there. And building collaboration across the city and Wayne County elected officials to ensure that anything else that needs to be done, we’re able to preserve this legacy for years to come.”
Watch the full interview on YouTube and read more about Barnett-Harrison’s appointment as CEO of the Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority at the Michigan Chronicle.
