Setti Warren, the former mayor of Newton and first Black man elected to lead a city in Massachusetts, has died.
He was 55.
The announcement of his passing came Sunday evening from leadership at Harvard, where he was director of the Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics.
“Setti was a beloved member of our community, and we are devastated by this heartbreaking news,” Jeremy Weinstein, the Kennedy School dean, and David Deming, dean of Harvard College, said in a statement Sunday.
They did not disclose a cause or time of death.
Warren, an Iraq War veteran and prominent voice in politics at the local, state, and federal level, has led Harvard’s Institute of Politics since 2022, and before that was executive director of Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy.
“It’s often said that the measure of a person’s life is found in their service to others — and by that standard, Setti’s life stands as an example to us all,” their statement read. “Whenever he saw a challenge, he ran toward it — not away from it — and our university and country are better for it."
Warren worked as the deputy state director for Senator John Kerry’s Massachusetts office from 2004 to 2008, held multiple positions in the Clinton White House, and served as New England regional director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
After he was elected mayor of Newton, he ran briefly in 2011 for the US Senate and, after serving two terms, briefly challenged Republican Governor Charlie Baker in 2018, before withdrawing from the race.
At Harvard, he was named executive director of Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy before serving as interim director, then director, at the Institute of Politics, where he lectured as an adjunct professor and moderated conversations with political figures. In mid-October, he held a talk with Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman on the Middle East.
“He will be remembered as a visionary and tireless leader who helped steer these institutions as they hosted prominent speakers and fellows from across the political divide, conducted groundbreaking research, and fostered debate and engagement on the most challenging issues of our time,” the statement from the Harvard deans read. “Most of all, he will be remembered at Harvard by the many students he helped to teach, nurture, and mentor. Setti’s students loved him, and their impact — like his — will reverberate for generations to come."
He quickly introduced himself to Newton voters by knocking on more than 11,000 doors, he said in a 2009 interview with the New York Times.
“What I feel most passionate about is making people’s lives better, and I wanted to do it right here in my own community,” Warren told the Times.
Warren leaves behind his wife, Tassy, who is the coexecutive director and chief strategy officer at Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child. The couple have two children, Abigail and John.
Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in a statement Sunday that Warren “loved Newton” and “combined that love with a passion for public service and an unshakeable belief that government can be a force for good.”
Fuller highlighted some of his accomplishments during his eight years as mayor, including investing in education, public transportation, and reducing Newton’s carbon footprint.
“Setti was charismatic. His smile lit up a room. He drew people to him and turned their energy into positive action,” Fuller said.
Correspondent Emily Spatz contributed to this report.
Alexa Coultoff can be reached at alexa.coultoff@globe.com. Follow her @alexacoultoff. Spencer Buell can be reached at spencer.buell@globe.com. Follow him @SpencerBuell.