Mayor Steve Patterson has served as Mayor of Athens, Ohio since 2016 and is the Immediate Past President of the National League of Cities, representing thousands of municipalities across the United States. A former Associate Professor of Health Psychology at Ohio University and retired U.S. Air Force Major, he has dedicated his career to public service, community leadership, and building resilient communities. Mayor Patterson also chairs the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) and serves in numerous regional, national, and international leadership organizations, bringing a broad perspective on how local communities can drive meaningful change through collaboration and innovation.