Biography

Dr. Anthony Townsend works at the intersection of urbanization and digital technology. He is the author of two books: Ghost Road: Beyond the Driverless Car (2020) and Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers and the Quest for A New Utopia (2013)—both published by W.W. Norton & Co. Anthony is the founder of * City Group (Star City Group), a strategy consultancy and planning studio that works with industry, government and philanthropy on smart city planning, innovation districts, and automated vehicle policy. He holds a Ph.D. in urban and regional planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and minored in physics as an undergraduate at Rutgers University. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey.

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Videos

Anthony Townsend, Speaker and Author

Anthony Townsend BUILD 2016 | The Past, Present, and Future of the Smart Cities Movement

Keynote: Official Launch of the Responsible Sensing Lab

Anthony Townsend: The Smart City. Aligning Industry and Grassroots

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Booksby Anthony Townsend

Ghost Road

Smart Cities

Blog Posts

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Human rights keynote speakers who turn ideals into everyday actions—discover voices bringing dignity, belonging, and courage to your stages.

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Learn from Hall of Fame speaker Bruce Turkel how story transforms events from forgettable content into experiences attendees quote months later.

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New Year Planning Moves That Turn Events Into Strategic Levers (Not Just Calendar Fillers)

Design your New Year with intention using proven strategies from top thought leaders & transform your 2026 events from calendar fillers into meaningful moments.

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How Top Speakers Shift Attention to Their Audience and Increase Event Engagement

Learn from emcee Scott Bloom how shifting your attention from yourself to your audience creates transformative speaking experiences that drive real engagement.

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Creating Impactful Leadership with Gratitude: Lessons from Chris Schembra

Learn from keynote speaker Chris Schembra how gratitude transforms leaders and help them build a workplace culture that people want to be part of.

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7 Ways Gratitude Transforms Your Events (From Burnout to Breakthrough)

Gratitude isn't about being nice; it's a performance tool. Learn how to design events that help attendees feel seen, process hard years, and leave inspired.

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