Karl F. Seidman Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

Karl F. Seidman is Senior Lecturer at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning and an experienced economic development practitioner.  His MIT courses have completed over forty technical assistance projects for development finance organizations and prepared twelve economic development plans, including an award-winning revitalization plan for Boston’s Hyde Park Commercial District.  His professional experience includes the design, management and evaluation of economic development finance programs, the financing and supervision of complex development projects, and the preparation of economic development plans and strategies. 

Mr. Seidman’s accomplishments include:  

• Authoring laws that established two Massachusetts business finance agencies
• Building a $120 million state real estate finance and development authority
• Preparing over fifteen local and regional economic development plans; and
• Participating in the national evaluations of federal and foundation economic and community programs.  

Mr. Seidman holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor's degree in political science from Amherst College.  He is the author of over thirty-five consulting reports, articles in professional journals, a guide to urban commercial revitalization practice and the editor of a practitioner’s guide to defense conversion.