Katjana Ballantyne
Katjana Ballantyne is an American politician who served as the 36th mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts between January 3, 2022 and January 2, 2026.
Early life and education
Ballantyne was born in Greece and was adopted by her father and mother, a Scottish man and a Czech-German woman. They immigrated to the United States four years after she was born. She later received her B.A. from Saint Michael's College in 1984 and her M.B.A. from Suffolk University in 1998.Political Career
Ballantyne ran unsuccessfully in a close race for the Ward 7 seat on the Somerville City Council in 2011, but ran again successfully in 2013, and won each of her reelection bids. She was elected President of the City Council by her fellow councilors in 2018.After then-mayor Joe Curtatone announced that he would not run for another term, Ballantyne announced her bid for mayor in 2021, and won in a race against fellow city councilor Will Mbah. She ran and won a second term in 2023.
In February 2025, under Ballantyne's administration, Somerville, alongside Chelsea, Massachusetts, sued the Trump administration for threatening to withdraw federal funds from the city because of its sanctuary city status.
She ran for a third term in 2025, but lost in a preliminary election against city councilors Willie Burnley Jr. and Jake Wilson. Wilson went on to win in the municipal election and took office on January 2, 2026, ending Ballantyne's term.