PROFILES
PhD Students and Candidates in Public Administration 2021/22
WHO ARE WE? We are a powerhouse of social innovators, thinkers, and scholars ready to take on today’s challenges in the public and nonprofit fields. The School of Public Administration is made up of nationallyranked and accredited graduate degrees that are a force to be reckoned with. Powerful programs. Unforgettable reputation. We are the School of Public Administration.
Bit An Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance; Nonprofit Management Email: ban@unomaha.edu Bio
Bit An specializes in public budgeting and finance, and urban policy. His research interests include public finance and budgeting, public and nonprofit financial management, the financial relationship between nonprofits and local governments, and collaborative governance. He is currently working on his dissertation on an exploratory case study of the adoption process of a new PILOT policy.
Education
MPA, Arizona State University MPA, University of Seoul (Seoul, South Korea) BA, Hansung University (Seoul, South Korea)
Publications
Craig S. Maher, Ji Hyung Park, & Bit An. (2018). PILOTs: What are they and are they affected by institutional and/ or economic constraints? The case of Wisconsin municipalities. Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs, 4(3), 265-283. Daejin Kim & Bit An. (2012). “Inter-local Diffusion of Policy Innovation- Bus system Diffusion and Innovation Attribute”, In chapter 5: Policy Transfer and Innovation in East Asia, World Politics: Institute of International Studies, 189-245. [In Korean]
Research Interests
Public Budgeting & Finance Urban Policy and Community-based organizations Public & Nonprofit Financial Management Fiscal Institutions and Fiscal Decision-making
Teaching Experience (Instructor of record)
Applied Statistics & Data Management (Undergraduate Face-toFace Course) - Spring & Fall 2021 Financial Management for Nonprofits (Undergraduate On-line Course) - Fall 2018-21 Introduction to Public Administration (Undergraduate On-line Course) - Summer & Spring 2019-20
Camtrice (Cam) Bexten Doctoral Student Email: clbexten@unomaha.edu Cam is a first-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration and is currently the Director of Development for the UNO College of Communication, Fine Arts & Media. She began her academic career in the arts, having received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the UNO School of Music. Cam has enjoyed working in both nonprofit and higher education, partnering with organizations such as Opera Omaha, Omaha Performing Arts, Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, UNO Service Learning Academy, and the UNO School of Music. She returned to UNO to earn her Master of Public Administration degree with a capstone focusing on program evaluation. Cam is interested in exploring diversity, equity, and inclusion in nonprofit and education sectors, from both leadership and service perspectives. She currently serves on the Community Panel for the Holland Community Opera Fellowship (Opera Omaha) and has presented on community-engaged work at Opera America’s national conference.
Education
MPA, Nonprofit Concentration, University of Nebraska at Omaha MM, Music Performance (emphasis in theory), University of Nebraska at Omaha BM, Music Performance, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Research Interests
Organizational Theory Philanthropy Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Community Engagement Program Evaluation
Del Bharath Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Policy, Urban Management Email: dbharath@unomaha.edu Bio
Del Bharath completed her Bachelors in English and Psychology at Florida Atlantic University before moving to Nebraska to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA. This fostered an interest in public administration, specifically in increasing effectiveness and efficiency in the nonprofit sector. She pursued her MPA at UNO and received her degree with a concentration in nonprofit management in May 2014. Her research attempts to link public administration theory with practice by examining the questions asked by practitioners in the field.
Education
MPA, Nonprofit Concentration (2014) University of Nebraska at Omaha BA, English (2005) Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, Florida) BA, Psychology (2005) Florida Atlantic University
CV Link
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Del_Bharath
Research Interests
Nonprofit management Board governance Civic engagement Volunteerism National service programs Urban studies Gentrification Community redevelopment
Professional Background
Assistant Professor, Savannah State University
Felipe Blanco Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Administration Theory, Public Policy Email: fblancosanchez@unomaha.edu Bio
Felipe Blanco specializes in public administration theory and public policy. His research interests are race and ethnicity in public administration and public policy, social equity and ethnoracial inequalities, comparative public administration, and comparative public policy. His dissertation explores the ethnoracial representation of federal public administration and its implications on social equity in Mexico.
Education
Research Interests
BA, Economics, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, Mexico.
Race and ethnicity in public administration and public policy Social equity and ethnoracial inequalities Representative bureaucracy Comparative public administration Comparative public policy
Selected Professional Experience
Selected Honors and Awards
MPA/MPP, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas, CIDE, Mexico.
Graduate Research Assistant and Instructor, UNO School of Public Administration Summer Project Associate, Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Consortium, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Researcher for Special Evaluation Projects, Institute of Social Research, UNAM, Mexico Policy Advisor, Mexican Institute for Youth, (IMJUVE) Mexico Adjunct Professor and Researcher, Department of Public Administration, CIDE, Mexico
Presidential Graduate Fellowship, University of Nebraska, 2021-2022 Founders’ Fellowship, American Society for Public Administration, 2021 PATNet Fellowship, Public Administration Theory Network, 2021 Diverse Rising Graduate Scholar, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, 2021 Equity & Inclusion Student Fellowship, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, 2019
Kristin B. Broyhill Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Policy, Public Administration Theory Email: kbroyhill@unomaha.edu Bio
Kristin B. Broyhill is a native Nebraskan and competed her BA and MA degrees at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Before returning to Nebraska for graduate school, she earned her International Peacekeeping Certificate at the Austrian Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution and her Texas Teaching Certificate with the Texas Teaching Fellows. In addition to teaching middle school ESL, social science, and language arts; she has worked in the nonprofit sector with organizations such as the U.S. Committee for the UN Development Program in Washington, DC and the Kalahari Peoples Fund in Austin, TX. During her studies and nonprofit work, she participated in fieldwork researching government relations and economic development in Mexico, South Africa, and Namibia. Since graduating with her Master’s degree, Kristin has remained in higher education, including serving as UNO’s Department of Political Science’s academic program coordinator and teaching political science courses.
Education
BA, International Studies University of Nebraska-Lincoln MA, Political Science University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Research Interests Civil Society Economic Development Public Implementation Local Government
Publications and Conference Papers
Miller, Jennifer, McMahon, Patrice, and Broyhill, Kristin, The ICTY as a Realist Institution: International Courts, Accountability Networks, and Transitional Justice (2011). APSA 2011 Annual Meeting Paper. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1900500 Broyhill, Kristin, and Adrianne Daggett. What These People Want? Indigenous self-determination through the lens of John Marshall. 2nd Annual CIC-AISC Faculty Research Symposium. 2009. Michigan State University.
Dakota Caldwell Doctoral Student Email: dakotacaldwell@unomaha.edu Bio
Dakota Caldwell is a native of Glasgow, Kentucky. Dakota is a 2nd year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. Dakota received both a Master’s in Public Administration and Bachelor’s degree in Systems Management from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Dakota worked as an ADA compliance assistant at WKU overseeing the University’s transcription systems. Dakota also has experience serving as an intern for the city of Bowling Green, Kentucky in the Neighborhood Services Division where Dakota helped to facilitate events and distribute services to Bowling Green’s large migrant population. Dakota has an interest in research relating to migrant populations in America. For the past year, Dakota has been conducting research about perceptions of health and economic risk that migrants feel in America— particularly in relation to the impacts of COVID-19. Beyond migration and risk perceptions, Dakota is also interested in how theory development can advance the field of Public Administration. Inspired by Jacques Derrida, Dakota is interested in how meaning is instilled in policies and how the creation or destruction of meaning affects human identity. Dakota is also interested in using this approach to explore the hyperpolarization in American politics and the effects these differing bubbles of political or social identity have on Public Administration.
Education
MPA, Local Government Administration, Western Kentucky University BS, Systems Management–Information Systems, Western Kentucky University
Research Interests Migration Human Identity Semiotics Post-Traditional Theory Theory Development
Melanie Chapman Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Policy, Public Administration Theory Email: mmchapman@unomaha.edu Bio
Melanie Chapman is a doctoral candidate with a diverse academic background in health promotion, sociology, and philosophy. Her work draws attention to the interface between health research, public policy, social equity, and administrative practice. Through engagement with local practitioners working to improve health equity at the local level, her research interests include Health in All Policies approaches, governance, poststructural theory, power relations, and narratives. Melanie has a strong background in qualitative and interpretive research methods, with particular emphasis on discourse analysis. Melanie is currently working with Dr. Njoki Mwarumba on understating the role of social capital as a coping strategy in Chinese diasporic communities and the dual pandemic of COVID-19 and Sinophobia. Melanie completed her MPA at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and BA at l’Université Laurentienne (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada).
Selected Publications
Donovan L, Hartling L, Muise M, Guthrie A, Vandermeer B, Dryden DM. (2013). Screening Tests for Gestational Diabetes: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force. Annals of Internal Medicine. 159(2): 115-122. Carrier BK, Muise M, Cummings GG, Newburn-Cook C. (2009) Healthcare Succession Planning: An Integrative Review. Journal of Nursing Administration. 39 (12): 548-555. Michigan State University. Hartling L, Dryden DM, Guthrie A, Muise M, Vandermeer B, Aktary WM, Pasichnyk D, Seida JC, Donovan L. (2012). Screening and Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 210. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Publication No. 12(13)-E021-EF. Rockville, MD.
CV Link
https://unomaha.academia.edu/MelanieChapman
Minshuai Ding Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Urban Management, Public Budgeting & Finance Email: mding@unomaha.edu Bio
Minshuai Ding is a doctoral candidate at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His entire research can be summarized as an attempt to answer how the collaborative structure of governmental organizations affects urban public services. He has been looking for clues and evidence in public services of various natures, including public transit, emergency management, and libraries. Outside of academia, he is an awardwinning social worker in Asian-American community building and human rights defense.
Education
Research Interests
Dissertation Title: “Does Specialized Governance of Transit Make a Difference in Performance? An Analysis of Midwest Transit Agencies”
Local Government Emergency Management Urban Affairs Public Budgeting and Finance Public Transportation
MPA, Rutgers University Newark, NJ
Administrative History
BA in Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Language and Culture University
Professional Experience
Doctoral Candidate in Public Administration. University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, NE
Teaching Experience
Introduction to Urban Studies (Undergraduate, Online) - Fall 2018, Spring & Fall 2019 & 2021 – Instructor of record Introduction to Public Administration (Undergraduate, In-person & Remote/ Synchronous) - Spring & Fall 2020 – Instructor of record Intro to Emergency Management (Undergraduate, Online) – Fall 2020 – Teaching assistant
Policy Researcher at Transition Institute, Beijing, China, 2011-2013. Attended Winter School at Centre for Public Policy Research, Cochin, India, 2012. Contributing Writer on Chinese public polices for Echowall, University of Heidelberg’s Institute of Chinese Studies, Germany, 2019. Guest Lecturer on American local government and urban history for liberal-edu (LLC), Beijing, 2020.
Keristiena Dodge Doctoral Student Email: kshenouda@unomaha.edu Bio
Keristiena Dodge is a first-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. She received her BA in Political Science and International Law from the University College Roosevelt (Utrecht University) in the Netherlands and her MSc from SOAS, the University of London in the United Kingdom. She works for the University of Nebraska at Omaha supporting Strategic Planning and leading institutional community engagement data efforts. Prior to working in higher education, Keristiena worked as a journalist and a community organizer with several quasi-and-non-governmental organizations.
Education
University of Utrecht (University College Roosevelt) BA in Political Science and International Law University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies) MSc in Middle East Politics
Research Interests
Community Engagement Social Equity
Yuriko Doku Doctoral Student Specialization: Nonprofit Management Email: ydoku@unomaha.edu Bio
Yuriko Doku is a first-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Universidad de la Costa (CUC) in Colombia, Yuriko came to Omaha and received a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a specialization in International Management and Business and a Master’s degree in Economics, both from UNO. Recently, she graduated with a Masters’ Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management at UNO. Yoriko currently serves as the Assistant Director of the UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS). She has held various positions within OLLAS for the last 16 years. Yoriko has been involved in research projects financially supported by renowned think tanks such as the Woodrow Wilson Center and the Migration Policy Institute and foundations such as the Ford Foundation and Iowa West Foundation. She has been instrumental in developing an office that represents the Latinx community in Omaha and across Nebraska through research and engagement.
Education
MPA, Nonprofit Management, University of Nebraska Omaha MS, Economics, University of Nebraska at Omaha BA, International Studies, University of Nebraska at Omaha BS, Economics, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia
Research Interests
Leadership Gender inequality Mentoring Community engagement Migration
Lora Mae Frecks Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Technology & Data Analytics, Public Policy Email: lmfrecks@unomaha.edu Bio
Before returning to school, Lora managed the intellectual property portfolio of a public medical research university. Continuing her work with innovators and inventions, Lora volunteers with other civic hackers in Nebraska and serves as the treasurer for the American Society of Public Administration’s (ASPA) Section for Science & Technology in Government (SSTIG). Her research focuses on community members’ co-production of services and resources with governments and nonprofits. She can be found online at frecks.info.
Education
MPA, University of Nebraska at Omaha BA, Biology Chadron State College
Professional Background
Research Interests
Citizen Participation e-Government Information Policy Innovation Policy Peer-Reviewed Publications
Publication Intellectual Property Manager University of Nebraska Medical Center, Intellectual Property Frecks, Lora Mae, 2011. “Patent Donations” in the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) Office/UNeMed Corporation, 2001-2010 Technology Transfer Practice (TTP) Manual: Volume IV. July 2011.
Sue Ann Gardner Doctoral Student Specializations: Technology & Data Analytics, Public Policy Email: sagardner@unomaha.edu Bio
Sue Ann Gardner is a third-year doctoral student. She has been a librarian in public higher education throughout her career. In her work as the Scholarly Communications Librarian at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), she helps to administer one of the largest institutional repositories in the world, making academic literature available online for free to any interested reader (https:// digitalcommons.unl.edu). She is a fully promoted faculty member at UNL and regularly serves as a consultant, peer reviewer, and conference organizer. She gained an interest in public administration as she became aware of its relevance to her work in academic libraries. As libraries transition to virtual means of access and connection, aspects of digital governance have become relevant to library operations, which drew her to UNO’s Digital Governance and Analytics Lab. As its mission statement reads, the work of the Lab affords the opportunity to explore and “develop innovative theory and practice to advance digital governance and data analytics for the creation of public values.”
Education
Professional Background
BS, Geosciences State University of New York College at Buffalo
Metadata Librarian / Associate Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Graduate Certificate, Public Management University of Nebraska Omaha
Librarian / Assistant Professor, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
MLS State University of New York College at Buffalo
Scholarly Communications Librarian / Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Joel Gehringer Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Administration Theory Email: jfgehringer@unomaha.edu Bio
Joel Gehringer is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration. Joel is currently Director of Annual Campaigns at the University of Nebraska Foundation, heads the annual fund for UNO and oversees strategy and analytics for annual giving campaigns among the University of Nebraska campuses – UNK, UNMC, UNL and Nebraska Medicine. In his ninth year in the position, Joel strives to increase philanthropic support of public higher education in Nebraska. Joel is interested in studying how nonprofit leadership, public-private partnerships, nonprofit policy and philanthropy can affect democratic outcomes, encourage civic participation, foster public service motivation, increase access to education and reduce inequality. Specifically, he is pursuing research into the role of philanthropy in higher education, how it affects the discourses of education as a public good, and who benefits from fundraising and philanthropic activity. Additionally, Joel has an interest in the role technology and social media play in distorting civil society and public discourse. Joel was born and raised in Omaha and lives in the city with his wife Taylor (Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology at UNO) and two rambunctious, comical dogs (no formal education).
Education
MA, Social Sciences (political psychology/public opinion emphasis) University of Chicago BJ, News-Editorial (double-major in political science) University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Professional Background
University of Nebraska Foundation, Director of Annual Campaigns – UNO, UNK & UNMC Creighton University, Direct Mail Coordinator, Creighton Fund
Andres Gomez Doctoral Student Specialization: Public Policy Email: agomezlopez@unomaha.edu Bio
Andres was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. He is a first-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. He received his bachelor’s in Political Science from Javeriana University at his hometown, and his master’s degree in Local Development from the Latin American Faculty in Social Sciences (FLACSO), at Quito, in Ecuador. His career has addressed the policy-making process, and the impacts of public policies on diverse issues such as development, migration, citizen security, and armed conflicts. Before coming to UNO, Andres walked through a wide experience in the academia, government agencies, and international organizations. As a consultant for FLACSO, Andres’ research focused on Colombia and Ecuador’s security policies and their consequences on the border’s communities. He also served as the editor of the Latin American Citizen Security Journal (URVIO). As a policy advisor for different government agencies and international organizations, Andres supported the implementation of public policy at local and national levels in Colombia. His professional experience has been marked for being a bridge between government agencies and communities to involve them in the public policymaking processes. Andres enjoys knowing more about different cultures, societies, and geographies.
Education
Bachelor’s in Political Science, Pontificia Javeriana University, Bogotá, Colombia Master’s degree in Local Development. Latin American Faculty of Social Science (FLACSO) Quito, Ecuador Certificated training in Social Design and Management of Technology, Los Andes University Bogotá, Colombia
Research Interests Migration and security Government organizations Policy making process Policy networks
Publications
Gomez, A. (2017). Appropriation of concepts of Science, Technology, and Society. University Foundation of the Area Andina. Gomez, A. (2013). Interculturality in migrations: Qualitative analysis of migrants inside the Andean Community. Bogotá: Fundación Esperanza.
Allegra Hardin Doctoral Student Email: ahardin@unomaha.edu Bio
Allegra Hardin is a first-year doctoral student within UNO’s School of Public Administration. Recently she completed a year of service at UNO’s Service Learning Academy (SLA) through the Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA program. In this role, Allegra partnered with local P-12 schools, UNO faculty, and community partner organizations to increase student engagement using service learning as a method to address poverty. By creating infrastructure, expanding community partnerships, and securing long-term resources, she assisted in building the SLA’s capacity for anti-poverty service learning. While pursuing her MA, Allegra worked as a graduate teaching assistant within UNO’s School of Communication. In this space, she not only taught sections of Public Speaking Fundamentals, but also supported students through speech anxiety and preparation in UNO’s Speech Center. Together, Allegra’s AmeriCorps service and communication training opened a path toward meaningful research in public administration.
Education
BS University of Nebraska at Omaha Communication Studies MA University of Nebraska at Omaha Communication
Research Interests Public policy Nonprofit management Communications
Josephine K. Hazelton-Boyle Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Urban Management, Public Administration Theory Email: jhazelton@unomaha.edu Bio
Josephine Hazelton-Boyle is a doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Her research interests center around questions of power and social equity in transportation planning and policymaking. Josephine is interested in the role transportation administrators play in advancing mobility justice in car-centric urban environments. Her dissertation research draws from intersectional feminist theory to examine how public transportation agencies pursue gender equity.
Education
PhD Candidate of Public Administration, University of Nebraska at Omaha MPA, California State University, Stanislaus BA, Political Science from California State University, Stanislaus
Research Interests
Transportation Administration Social Equity Feminist Theory Intersectionality in Public Administration
Publication
Jensen, C., Hazelton, J.K., & Wellman, G.C. (2020). Finding ‘improvement’ in the language transportation planners use: A critical discourse analysis to illustrate an automobilecentric bias in transportation policymaking. Public Works Management and Policy.
Teaching Experience (Instructor of Record)
Introduction to Public Administration (Undergraduate online & synchronous virtual) - Summer 2020 & 2021, Spring 2021 Introduction to Urban Studies (Undergraduate in-person) Fall 2021
Theodore W. Johnson Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Aviation & Transportation, Nonprofit Management Email: theodorejohnson@unomaha.edu Bio
Theodore W. Johnson, a native of Ypsilanti, MI and second-year doctoral student within the School of Public Administration at UNO, is an Instructor within UNO’s Aviation Institute. He teaches several of the undergraduate courses, including Introduction to Aviation and Aerospace, and Diversity in Aviation. Previously, he served as the Director of the Aircraft Dispatch Program at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) where he taught two senior-level undergraduate courses aimed at assisting students to earn their Aircraft Dispatcher certificates from the Federal Aviation Administration. Theodore’s career in higher education began when he was selected to take over the Aircraft Dispatch program in January 2018, just a mere five months after graduating with his bachelor’s degree. This position allowed his passions for aviation and higher education to meld.
Education
MPA, General Public Administration , Eastern Michigan University BS, Aviation Management Technology – Aircraft Dispatch Eastern Michigan University Certificate, General Public Management, Eastern Michigan University Certificate, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace, University of South Florida (USF)
Teaching Experience
Aircraft Dispatch I (Undergraduate) Aircraft Dispatch II (Undergraduate) Aviation Safety (Undergraduate) Diversity in Aviation (Undergraduate) Introduction to Aircraft Dispatch (Undergraduate) Introduction to Aviation & Aerospace (Undergraduate)
Research Interests
Social Equity and Ethics Impact of Mentorship on Racial Minorities Racial Minority Recruitment/Retention in Collegiate Aviation Programs Racial Minority Recruitment/Retention in Public and Nonprofit Entities Aviation Safety Transportation and Administration Policy
Nick Juliano Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Urban Management, Public Administration Theory Email: njuliano@unomaha.edu Bio
Nick Juliano is an accomplished senior leader with 25 years of nonprofit human services experience. He is currently President & CEO of Nebraska Youth Justice Initiative. In this role he is responsible for development and operation of an innovative multi-service agency serving youth and families involved in the local juvenile justice system. His diverse practitioner experience includes program administration, business development, community engagement, and advocacy and public policy. Nick currently serves on a number of local, state, and national committees exploring juvenile justice system reforms. During his career Nick has worked closely with public and private sector leaders in Nebraska and Iowa to improve child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Through his work he has seen the promise of public private partnerships in helping children and families achieve better life outcomes. In the doctoral program Nick has explored ways that public policy can improve these partnerships and accelerate efforts to strengthen communities in the region. His research interests include nonprofit government relationships, networks, urban communities with concentrated need, and the role of youth and family voice in human service delivery systems.
Professional Background Nebraska Youth Justice Initiative President & CEO 2020 – present
Boys Town Director Advocacy and Public Policy, Sr. Director Community Impact, and Sr. Director Business Development 1995 – 2019
Education
MBA, University of Nebraska at Omaha BS, Psychology, Creighton University
Seoeun (Grace) Jung Doctoral Student Specializations: Nonprofit Management, Technology & Data Analytics Email: seoeunjung@unomaha.edu Bio
Seoeun (Grace) Jung is a third-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Before coming to UNO, she studied public service and administration specifically focusing on nonprofit management. Her current research interests include nonprofit and strategic management, nonprofit leadership, collaborative governance, organizational development, and social justice. For the future research at UNO, she hopes to learn what forms of strategic management, leadership, and network governance works the best for nonprofit organizations, and how these elements can contribute to improving social justice better life outcomes.
Education
MPA, Public Service and Administration (Track: Nonprofit Management), Texas A&M University MPA, Public Administration, Yonsei University BA, Public Administration, Economics, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Research Interests
Nonprofit Management and Leadership Collaborative Governance
Yeonkyung Kim Doctoral Student Specializations: Technology & Data Analytics, Public Policy Email: yeonkyungkim@unomaha.edu Bio
Yeonkyung Kim is a doctoral student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the School of Public Administration. She specializes in information and technology management, and public policy. Her research interests lie in performance management, e-government, citizen participation, and ICT in the public sector. For several years, she has been working in the Digital Governance and Analytics Lab, specifically for the technology team of Advance (a project developed by the Nebraska Department of Transportation and University of Nebraska). She is currently working on her dissertation which tries to broaden the understanding of crowdsourcing and its impact on both public officials and the public. Yeonkyung received two GRACA awards ($5,000 each) for her research: (1) What shapes the public manager’s use of performance information: the case of the city managers in Nebraska (2) Crowdsourcing in the governments: Lessons from Challenge.gov and Challenge Korea.
Education
MA, Public Administration, Ewha Womans University
Publication
BA, Public Administration, Ewha Womans University
Heckler, N., & Kim, Y. (2020). Crypto-Governance: The Ethical Implications of Blockchain in Public Service. Public Integrity, 1-15.
Research Interests
Teaching experiences
e-Government Digital Government Citizen Participation Performance Management IT Management
Introduction to Public Administration, online
Bunmi Lawoyin Doctoral Student Specialization: Urban Management, Public Policy Email: blawoyin@unomaha.edu
Bio
Bunmi Lawoyin is a native of Osogbo, Nigeria. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Covenant University, Nigeria, and pursued her MPA at St. Cloud State University. During her time as an MPA student, she worked with the policy department of the university’s office of the president and served as committee member for the community building and the academic planning working group. Bunmi is very passionate about societal reform and hopes to proffer solutions to social problems in low-income communities. Her research interests are urban management, public policy, public and nonprofit management, and community development.
Education MPA, St. Cloud State University BSc., Mass Communication, Covenant University
Monica Lea Doctoral Student Email: mlea@unomaha.edu Bio
Monica Lea is a first-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. As a life-long Florida resident, she received both her undergraduate degree in History with minors in Nonprofit Organizational Leadership and Religion, and M.S. degree in Family, Youth and Community Sciences from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. During her studies, she had the opportunity to work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant for the Nonprofit Research Lab, and peer leader for campus wide social justice and diversity and inclusion programs. Her research interests include nonprofit governance, public policy, and social equity. Ideally, she aims to engage in critical theory work related to the involvement of diverse communities in the public sector and the ways public policy and public discourse affect nonprofit organizations and their management.
Education
MS, Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida BA, History, University of Florida
Research Interests Nonprofit Governance Public Policy Civic Engagement Critical Theory
Michael Lee Doctoral Student Specialization: Public Budgeting & Finance Email: mlee50@unomaha.edu Michael Lee is a first-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. He is a native of Singapore and received both his Master’s in Public Administration and Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. During his MPA, Michael worked as a research assistant on three projects: discussing the Benford Analysis Method in determining the accuracy of big administrative data; analyzing the fiscal health of Scranton, Pennsylvania through their bonds, pension, and financial indicators; and determining the validity of gender compensation difference in Utah cities. He also worked as a teaching assistant in the Public Financial Resource Management class. Michael interned at the City of Vineyard, Utah and at Mountainland Association of Governments during his undergrad studies, which exposed him to the practical implications and importance of long-term financing and allocations of funds within a budget. His latest professional experience was as a Junior Staff Auditor at the Office of the Utah State Auditor, investigating issues of non-compliance, fraud, and waste of various state and municipal agencies. These professional and academic experiences have prepared Michael to better understand financial management and policy issues in public organizations and to accurately identify solutions to problems through research.
Education
Research Interest
Fiscal Federalism MPA, State and Federal Government. Brigham Young University – Marriott School of Management Intergovernmental Relations Public Budgeting and Financial Management BS, Urban and Regional Planning. Fiscal Health Brigham Young University – Geography Pensions and Bonds
Wei-Jie Liao Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Policy Email: wliao@unomaha.edu Bio
Wei-Jie Liao is from Taichung, Taiwan. He is a doctoral candidate and part-time instructor in the School of Public Administration. Wei-Jie received the Outstanding Graduate Paper Award from the Western Social Science Association in 2020 and the ICPSR Scholarship from the University of Michigan in 2021. His work has been published in the Journal of Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management, Municipal Finance Journal, and Journal of Public Administration (Taiwan). Wei-Jie is currently working on his dissertation titled “Assessing the Adoption and Implementation of Budget Simulations at the Municipal Level,” which assesses the use of one citizen participation mechanism, budget simulations, in the United States.
Education
Selected Publications
Research Interests
Maher, C., Park, S., & Liao, W. (2019). Municipal Referenda Activity in Colorado: Responding to TABOR. Municipal Finance Journal, 40(3), 1-26
MPA, National Taiwan University
Liao, W., Kuo, N., & Chuang, S. (2021). Taiwan’s Budgetary Responses to COVID-19: The Use of Special Budgets. BA, Political Science/Public Administration, National Taiwan Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial University Management, 33(1), 24-32. Citizen Participation in Public Budgeting Fiscal Health Capital Budgeting Debt Management Public Policy
CV Link
https://sites.google.com/view/wliao/curriculum-vitae
Teaching Experience
Program Planning and Evaluation Public Budgeting
Kenya Love Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Policy, Public Administration Theory Email: kslove@unomaha.edu Bio
Kenya Love is a public health practitioner who has spent over 13 years in local government. Before coming to UNMC Center for Reducing Health Disparities, she served as a Robert Wood Johnson Evaluation Fellow for the National Cancer Institute’s, Office of Science Planning and Assessment, and as a Community Health Planner II at the Douglas County Health Department. In this role, she developed and oversaw the Douglas County Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), workforce development and strategic planning initiatives. As the Community Health Program Manager for the Center for Reducing Health Disparities, Love’s focus is to improve population health in the North Omaha residents. As an expert, Ms. Love manages and facilitates community groups to assess health from multiple lenses, including need and impact, evidence, and dissemination. The culmination of these activities is used to inform and design programs, and content for materials to share progress, get input, and/or facilitate necessary conversations to further advance the health of Black/African Americans that reside in North Omaha. Her interests include creating healthy communities by identifying new ways of engaging community and addressing social determinants of health through collaboration, sustainable inclusivity, and shared power. Additionally, her broad range of public health experience includes but not limited to 1) Program planning 2) Program implementation 3) Culturally responsive evaluation 4) Participatory Action Research.
Education
MPH in Community Health Education University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health. BS, Community Health Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Research Interests
1)To go further upstream to explore and improve fundamental social and economic factors deep-rooted in policy, systems, and antiquated belief systems to enhance community outcomes. 2) To explore specific areas strongly perceived to be the community vital signs of wellbeing at the intersection of policy, community and economic development, and civic engagement.
Emily MacNabb Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Policy (with a focus on Emergency Management) Email: emilynewman@unomaha.edu Bio
Emily MacNabb was born and raised in Nebraska and is currently a doctoral candidate in the UNO School of Public Administration with a concentration in emergency management and disaster science. She spent a large portion of her undergraduate studies at the University of Haifa in Israel, focusing on counterterrorism, human conflict, and nuclear proliferation. Her master’s degree is in political science, with an emphasis on middle east foreign policy and Israeli government. Her dissertation research explores community trust in government emergency response and disaster management, in particular ways that such trust and perspectives may vary between those who are of greater or lesser vulnerability levels to disaster impacts. She also works as a corporate security and public emergency management consultant for Leonum Advisors, a corporate security firm based in Omaha, Nebraska. Emily has a background in the nonprofit sector, including work with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Omahabased educational theatre program RESPECT. Through her work with the ADL, she helped educate high school and college students on varying issues relating to the rise of anti-Semitism both on college campuses and within communities around the United States. She also has a background lobbying on Capitol Hill pertaining to a variety of US foreign policy issues regarding the Middle East, including nuclear policies and foreign aid agreements. Her focus now is to help community leaders better understand and address the dynamic pressures that hazards and disasters place on those in their community, and to help private businesses do their part to address these concerns in the work place and to help better prepare their employees for the onset of emergencies and disasters.
Education
BA, Political Science Minor in Religion University of Nebraska at Omaha MS, Political Science University of Nebraska at Omaha
Publication
MacNabb, E., & Fletcher, B.J. (2019). Hurricanes, Disasters, and Food Insecurity: The Intersection of Two Social Events. Emerging Voices in Natural Hazards Research, 121. Cambridge, MA: Elsevier Inc.
Shawn Maxwell Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Policy, Nonprofit Management Email: shawnmaxwell@unomaha.edu Bio
Shawn Maxwell’s interest and experience in public administration is diverse but with some parallels. Prior to deciding to pursue a PhD at UNO, she spent nearly ten years as a project coordinator with South Carolina’s leading federally qualified community health center, HopeHealth, Inc, where she managed a range of community-based projects and grants across five rural counties. In her capacities there she directed projects and facilitated community partnerships such as: Veterans’ mental health and well-being, access to public health education for rural colleges and universities, coordination of health for incarcerated persons, and suicide prevention among youth. Ms. Maxwell also spent two years with the DeKalb County Community Foundation connecting and supporting local nonprofit organizations in the service areas of child care and well-being among youth. The combination of these roles and her own experience growing up in a rural community is both the impetus for Ms. Maxwell’s pursuit of a PhD and the basis for her research. More specifically, she would like to further explore the impact of peer networks and collaborative groups in achieving well-being either as individuals or organizations, and what strategies can be identified and disseminated.
Education
MPA, Nonprofit Management, Northern Illinois University BS, Experimental Psychology, University of South Carolina Upstate Certificate, Executive Management, Francis Marion University
Research Interests
Peer Networks Collaborative Governance Collaborative partnerships Among Nonprofits Governance in Rural Communities Open Systems Theory & Process Evaluation
Rachael McLeod Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Policy, Nonprofit Management Email: rmcleod@unomaha.edu Bio
Rachael McLeod, a native of Kansas City, is currently the Administrative Director of Resource Development at Southeast Community College. In this position, she has seen how public policy affects federal grant funding in higher education as it relates to filling employer needs and narrowing skills and wage gaps in career/ technical fields. She has worked as a reporter for the Lincoln Journal Star and the Des Moines Register specializing in covering stories about academic research, science, and the environment. She also was a technical editor at the U.S. Geological Survey Nebraska Water Science Center for nine years. Rachael’s master’s thesis explored the environmental history of the Nebraska Ordnance Plant near Mead, Nebraska, where pollution from the plant’s activities during WWII ultimately led it to being declared a Superfund Site by the EPA, requiring extensive soil and water remediation efforts. Her experiences as a practitioner in the public sector sparked an interest in the formulation and evaluation of public programs to determine their effectiveness and efficiency, and to improve accountability.
Education
MA, Journalism (News-Editorial), University of Nebraska-Lincoln BA, Political Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Research Interests
Public Safety Food Policy Program formulation, implementation, and evaluation
Richard K. Nkrumah Doctoral Student Specialization: Public Budgeting & Finance, Technology & Data Analytics Email: rnkrumah@unomaha.edu Bio
Richard Nkrumah is a native of Cape Coast, Ghana, and a third-year doctoral student at the School of Public Administration at UNO. After his undergraduate studies at the University of Ghana, Richard worked in government through which he familiarized and developed a keen interest in governmental financial management, public budgeting, ethics & accountability, and technology in government. During his time as an MPA student, Richard worked with the Georgia Municipal Assembly (GMA) in an advisory position on various tax reforms that affected local governments in the state of Georgia. He hopes to strengthen public financing, especially in Africa, through his research as an academic.
Education
MPA Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA BSc. in Business Administration University of Ghana, Accra-Ghana
Research Interests
Public Budgeting & Finance IT in Public Service
Jae Won Oh Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Fiance, Public Policy Email: joh@unomaha.edu Bio
Jae Won Oh is a fourth-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Stony Brook University and Masters in Public Policy from Korea Development Institute School (KDIS). Prior to studying in UNO, Jae Won worked as a research assistant at Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI). In broad terms, his research interest focuses on financial management in the public sector, particularly on fiscal federalism. His previous work on developing and evaluating a financial condition measure for small local governments was published in the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting, and Financial Management. He also has a strong passion for teaching as well. He has taught courses both online and in-person including Introduction to Public Administration and Applied Statistics.
Education
BA, Economics Stony Brook University MPP Korea Development Institute School (KDIS)
Research Interest
Public Budgeting & Financial Management Financial Condition of Local governments Fiscal Institutions Public Policy
Publication
Maher, C.S., Oh, J.W. and Liao, W.-J. (2020), “Assessing fiscal distress in small county governments”, Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management.
Carol RedWing Doctoral Student Specializations: Public & Nonprofit Administration Theory, Public Policy Email: credwing@unomaha.edu Bio
Carol RedWing is a second-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. She is an enrolled member of the Yankton Dakota Tribe with Santee Dakota descendancy. Carol received her Master of Public Administration degree, with a Nonprofit Management concentration from UNO. After graduating with her MPA, Carol dove further into the nonprofit field at Film Streams, an art-based 501(c)3 located in Omaha. Carol loves creative expression of all kinds and holds a special place in her heart for public sector organizations that are devoted to the arts and culture. Carol is a special faculty development member and instructor with the Emergency Management and Disaster Services department and holds a seat with the UNO Native American Studies Executive Council along with being a member of the UNO Chancellor’s Native American Advisory Cabinet. Her research interests include: social equity, nonprofit theory, tribal sovereignty, Indigenous identity and historical trauma, community engagement, food and traditional medicine security, and public policy.
Education
MPA, Nonprofit Management University of Nebraska at Omaha BA, Environmental Science and Indigenous Studies University of Nebraska at Omaha AS, Natural Resource Management Haskell Indian Nations University, Lawrence, KS
Teaching Experience
Introduction to Emergency Management Introduction to Native American Studies
Reyna Lizet Reyes-Nunez Doctoral Candidate Specialization: Public Policy Email: rreyesnunez@unomaha.edu Bio
Reyna L Reyes-Nunez graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences in 2010 and a Master of Science in Political Science in 2018. Her experience in the public administration includes working for the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs in Mexico City and the Consulate of Mexico in Omaha, Nebraska, where she focused her work on immigration policy, governmental programs for Mexican communities abroad and international events. In 2012, Reyna worked for the President of Mexico during his political campaign and his government transition team in the area of international affairs and immigration. Reyna understands that culture and language should not be an impassable wall to mutual understanding and human progress. She believes that public policy and international cooperation are keys to building bridges among peoples. Her research interests include international policy, human security, international governmental organizations, international cooperation, and migration.
Research Interests
International Policy Human Security International Government Organizations International Cooperation Migration
Kaci Richter Doctoral Student Specializations: Policy, Management Email: krichter@unomaha.edu Bio
Kaci Richter is a first-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is currently an assistant professor of practice in the College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, teaching courses in communication design, broadcasting and journalism. Her professional background is in radio broadcasting, media promotions and management. Her research interests center around the public impact of the media landscape including broadcast media regulation, structure as a public utility, the rise of misinformation, pay-to-play news media and social media.
Education
MA, Professional Journalism University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE Graduate Certificate, Public Relations and Social Media University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE MA, Management, Emphasis: Leadership Doane University, Crete, NE BJ, Broadcasting University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
Ryan Rouse Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Policy, Public Administration Theory Email: rrouse@unomaha.edu Bio
Ryan Rouse received both his undergraduate degree in Political Science with an emphasis on political theory, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration, from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. While pursuing these degrees he had the opportunity to work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and a Research Assistant for the Human Ecology Learning and Problem Solving Lab at MSU. His research interests include public administration theory, organizational theory and public policy. In particular he seeks to explore public management systems and their consequences for the production of worker identity in late-modern organizations.
Research Interests
Public Administration Theory Organizational Theory Public Policy
Publication
Nuri Heckler & Ryan Rouse (2020) Freedom of speech versus racial justice: Homeplace theory, antiparallelism, and becoming-minor, Administrative Theory & Praxis.
Josh Shirk Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Administration Theory, Urban Management Email: jtshirk@unomaha.edu Bio
Josh Shirk is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His research looks at the historical shift from bureaucratic administration to contemporary market-based governance structures. He is especially interested in how human agency is enabled and contained by the organization of relations between politics, administration, and citizenship. Special attention is focused on the workers’ range of work tasks, their encounters with performance management technologies, and the meaning they give to their work. The study will help shed light on the work and policy alienation experienced by street-level workers today and how policy continues to be reproduced or transformed despite it.
Education
MS, Urban Studies University of Nebraska at Omaha BA, General Studies University of Nebraska at Omaha
Teaching Experience
Introduction to Public Administration Introduction to Urban Studies
Research Interests
Market-based Governance Bureaucracy Social Policy Citizen Participation Social and Political Theory
Taylor Smith Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Administration Theory, Public Policy Email: tssmith@unomaha.edu Bio
Taylor Smith is a fifth-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration with a focus on public policy and public administration theory. He received his BA in history, and MPA at UNO. His research interests include the study of network governance, common-pool resource issues, and the institutional arrangements and decision-making processes in local, state, and federal natural resource management agencies. Taylor is currently studying water policy and governance in Nebraska, focusing on ground and surface water management under Nebraska’s unique Natural Resource District system. Taylor is currently a Research Specialist at the University of Nebraska Public Policy center. He joined the Center in 2016, and provides data management and analysis, as well as writing and presentation for a variety of research and evaluation reports.
Education
MPA, University of Nebraska at Omaha BA, History University of Nebraska at Omaha
Xiaowei Song Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Policy Email: xiaoweisong@unomaha.edu Bio
Xiaowei Song is a doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration, University of Nebraska at Omaha. His research interests span across several different areas involving capital budgeting & finance, performance budgeting & management, and citizen participation in the budget process. Currently, he is working on his dissertation to evaluate the effects of institutional structure on airport operation and governance.
Education
Publication
BA, Public Administration Liaoning Technical University, China
Eikenberry, A. M., & Song, Xiaowei. (In press).Collaborative philanthropy and doing practically relevant, critical research. Researching Voluntary Action: Innovations and Challenges, J. Dean & E. Hogg (eds), Policy Press.
Research Interests
Teaching Experience
MA, Public Administration Sun Yat-sen University, China
Capital planning & budgeting Infrastructure financing
Instructor of Record: Applied Statistics and Data Processing in Public Sector
Performance Budgeting & Management
Teaching Assistant: Public and Nonprofit Budgeting
Citizen participation Public Policy Evaluation Education
Public Budgeting
Yi-Fan Wang Doctoral Student Specializations: Technology & Data Analytics, Public Policy Email: yi-fanwang@unomaha.edu Bio
Yi-Fan Wang is a second-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration and serves as a graduate research assistant in the Digital Governance and Analytics Lab. Before studying at the UNO, he acquired his Master of Public Affairs and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from National Taiwan University (Taiwan). His research interests include digital governance, policy implementation, and public administration theory. Currently, Yi-Fan works on projects regarding the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence in the public sector. Additionally, he has 3-years working experience as a congressional assistant in the Taiwanese Congress.
Education
Interests
BA, Political Science (Public Administration Major), National Taiwan University, Taiwan. for three years.
Selected Publication
MPA, Public Management, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
Digital Governance Policy Implementation Public Administration Theory Bullock, Justin., Young, Matthew., and Wang, Yi-Fan. (2020). Artificial Intelligence, Bureaucratic Form, and Discretion in Public Service. Information Polity, 25(4), 491-506.
Jonathan Wong Doctoral Student Email: jwong@unomaha.edu BIO
Jonathan Wong is a first-year doctoral student at the School of Public Administration. He is a communications professional that spent his career in the Minnesota state government and the nonprofit sector. His experiences include digital marketing & communications, civic engagement, strategic planning, DEI facilitating, and complex cross-sector collaborations. Jonathan is passionate about social justice and raising social equity. Outside of his employment, he has worked on statewide and regional initiatives in Minnesota that aim to address racism and other social equity issues at the systemic level. Jonathan is interested in social equity on collaborative governance and civic engagement. His interests and involvements led him to be selected as part of the mYALP, a Harvard-based program hosted by the Center for Integrative Leadership (University of Minnesota). He also completed a prestigious fellowship as a 20/21 Humphrey Policy Fellow and has done works sponsored by regional nonprofits and foundations such as the Bush Foundation and the McKnight Foundation.
Education:
Professional Work & Experience
BS in Mass Communications (Major: Public Relations, Minor: Political Science), 2016, St. Cloud State University
Communications Specialist, Minnesota Department of Human Rights
MPA, emphasis in International Development Leadership and Management, 2020, St. Cloud State University
Research Interest:
Public Governance and Management Social Equity Civic Engagement Collaborative Governance Public Opinion and participation
Communications Strategist, Center for New Democratic Processes
Board Chair of the Jugaad Leadership Program Graduate Student Director, SCSU Survey Research Center
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