City Counsel Session (October 2026)
City Counsel is designed for people who move across sectors, stitch networks together and connect the dots. We believe Philadelphia gets smarter, faster and better when we learn from past, present, and future dreamers and doers and figure out ways to collaborate and support each other.
Join us for a timely conversation with leaders from the Philadelphia Board of Ethics (invited), Committee of Seventy (confirmed), and the City Commissioners (confirmed) on the state of election integrity, ethical standards for candidates and officials, and how we can strengthen our City Charter and government structure to support our aspirations for the future of our City.
Grateful to our host Kiersten Mailler at uCity Square. uCity Square exists at the intersection of world-class universities, research institutions, academic medical centers, and dynamic neighborhoods. Their mission is to facilitate collaboration that stimulates breakthroughs, drives inclusive economic growth, and expands our diverse and vibrant community.
Speakers: Lauren Cristella, the President & CEO of the Committee of Seventy and the first woman to lead the organization in its 120‑year history. A champion of active citizenship and practical, people‑focused policymaking, she previously served as Seventy’s Chief Program Officer before stepping into the top role in 2023.
Lauren is widely recognized for her civic leadership — named a 2025 Woman of Influence by the Philadelphia Business Journal, a 2025 Civic Changemaker by Generation Citizen, and featured in Philadelphia Magazine’s list of the 150 most influential Philadelphians for three consecutive years. Under her leadership, Seventy earned the American Bar Association’s 2024 Unsung Heroes of Democracy Award.
Her career spans impact roles at the League of Women Voters of Philadelphia, Penn’s Fels Institute of Government, and the National Constitution Center, where she helped launch Constitution Daily and contributed to international democracy‑building projects. She serves on multiple boards and commissions, including the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Judicial Commission and the Forum of Executive Women.
Lauren holds degrees from the Catholic University of America and the University of Essex. She lives in Mt. Airy with her family.
Seth Bluestein has served as City Commissioner – one of three members of the Board of Elections in charge of election operations and voter registration for the City of Philadelphia – since February 2022. Prior to serving as Commissioner, Seth was Chief Deputy Commissioner for former City Commissioner Al Schmidt.
Seth began working in the Office of the City Commissioners in 2012 as a Deputy Commissioner before being promoted to Chief Deputy Commissioner in 2017. From 2018 through 2021, Seth also served as the department’s Chief Integrity Officer.
Seth has spent more than a decade serving Philadelphia voters, with a focus on improving the voter experience and ensuring our elections remain fair, secure, and accessible. He has overseen election integrity investigations and quality control audits for the department. An advocate for transparency, Seth has worked to transform the department’s website, communications, and open data initiatives.
A lifelong Philadelphian, Seth earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and history from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Administration from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.
Organizers are Jeff Friedman, Kelsey Hubbell, Cat McManus, Ed.D. and Eryn Santamoor.
Photo Credit: Kelsey Hubbell