Shady Side Academy alumnus and Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto's chief of staff Dan Gilman '00 was the featured guest at Senior School assembly on Friday, Jan. 26, as part of the Alumni Fireside Chat series.

Gilman, who previously served as the Pittsburgh City Council member representing District 8, answered questions asked by a student host, senior Nick Becker, and from students in the audience. Topics included: how to define success; the challenges of moving from City Council to the Mayor's Office; dealing with federal and local policy differences; issues such as affordable housing, sanctuary city policies, renewable energy and gentrification; the Amazon HQ2 proposal; and how his SSA education impacted his life and career.

Gilman credited SSA for equipping him with three skills he believes everyone needs to be successful: the ability to write, the ability to speak publicly, and the ability to think critically to solve problems.

Watch the full video on YouTube (22:38).