Eric D. Batista, a native of Puerto Rico and longtime Worcester resident, is City Manager for the City of Worcester. In 2012, he joined the City Manager's Office as Chief of Operations and Project Management. In 2019 he ascended to Director of the newly established Office of Urban Innovation. In the fall of 2021 he was promoted to Assistant City Manager, in the spring of 2022 was named Acting City Manager by the City Council, and appointed City Manager by the City Council on December 6, 2022. In his current role, he serves as chief executive for the second largest city in New England with 206,000 residents and oversees a city workforce of 7,000 employees with an annual city budget of more than $700 million.
Batista's family moved to Worcester when he was 7 years old. He attended Worcester Public Schools and graduated from North High. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from UMass Amherst and an MBA from Assumption College. His tenure in municipal government includes securing over $3 million for the Youth Violence Prevention Initiative; overseeing the creation of the City's Municipal Strategic Plan and Performance Measures; leading award-winning initiatives through smart city solutions through the Office of Urban Innovation; establishing key data reporting functionality in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and serving on regional nonprofit organizations' oversight boards.
Before joining city government, Batista worked at the nonprofit YOU, Inc., in Worcester and at Worcester State University. A dedicated public servant, Batista promotes and facilitates a safe, inclusive and equitable workplace that supports employee engagement, innovation and productivity. He lives in Worcester with his wife and young child.
You may contact City Manager Batista at City Hall by calling 508-799-1175 or via email CityManager@worcesterma.gov
Watch a brief recap of the Swearing In Ceremony for City Manager Batista.
