I am a faculty member and director of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) graduate program. I teach courses in public finance, policy analysis, and urban management. My research on local public finance, social policy and community development has appeared in journals such as the American Journal of Political Science, Urban Affairs Review, Urban Studies, and Publius. My work in the Public Administration Review won the American Society for Public Administration's Mosher and Mosher award for best article in 2017.
Education
Ph.D., Political Science - Public Policy & Methodology, Indiana University Bloomington, 2004; M.Phil., Development Studies, Massey University, New Zealand, 1994; B.A., Economics, International Studies, West Virginia University, 1992.
Teaching Style
The overall goal in my courses is to make students more effective participants in the policymaking process. I want students to develop the skills and concepts they need to analyze the causes and consequences of public problems, and to form persuasive arguments about policy. Our graduates generally pursue careers in public policymaking, advocacy, and administration; but the critical thinking, writing, and analytic skills that come with learning to argue well transfer to a broad range of career paths and life circumstances.