UNO PA PHD PROFILES 22-23 University Nebraska Omaha Public Administration

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The School of Public Administration is made up of nationally- ranked and accredited graduate degrees that are a force to be reckoned with. 2022 saw our highest rankings ever.

Powerful programs. Unforgettable reputation. We are the School of Public Administration.

Camtrice (Cam) Bexten , Doctoral Student

Email: clbexten@unomaha.edu

LinkedIn Link

Cam is a doctoral student in the School of Public Administration and is currently a Director of Development for the University of Nebraska Foundation. 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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Felipe Blanco, Doctoral Candidate

Specializations: Public Administration Theory, Public Policy Email: fblancosanchez@unomaha.edu | Twitter: 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

MPA/MPP, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas, CIDE, Mexico.

BA, Economics, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, Mexico.

Selected Professional Experience

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

Recent selected publications:

Blanco, F. (2022). Race matters at the DMV? Public values, administrative racism and Whiteness in local bureaucratic settings. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 44(1), 46-70 doi.org/10. 1080/10841806.2021.1948735;

Blanco, F. (2022). The other pandemic in Latin America. Towards a research agenda to address ethnoracial inequalities in a post-pandemic world. Occasional Paper Series, Section on International and Comparative Administration, American Society for Public Administration, 4 (Special Issue, Latin America), 25-33.

Research Interests

Race and ethnicity in public administration and public policy Social equity and ethnoracial inequalities | Representative bureaucracy | Comparative public administration Comparative public policy

Selected Honors and Awards

Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration, NASPAA Staats Emerging Scholar Award, 2022

Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration, JSEPA Fellowship, 2022

American Society for Public Administration, Section on International and Comparative Administration ASPA-SICA’s Gould Scholarship, 2022

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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Sheldon Brennemann, Doctoral Student Email:

Sbrennemann@unomaha.edu

Shel is a first year doctoral student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She began her academic career at Wayne State College, where she started to explore the science and youth balance. Upon graduation she started teaching 6th grade in Lincoln, Nebraska. During her tenure she observed a wide array of students processing their trauma in different ways.

This difference in perspectives of reality, safety, and truth motivated her to pursue a Master’s in Educational Psychology. There she specialized in cognitive, developmental, and learning sciences. She shared her talents at UNL, where she provided support to struggling students through a blended approach of learning, community engagement resources, mental health and stress management practices, and the use of SOAR methodology. Her research centered on motivational theory, positive psychology, and preventative programming. She has gained invaluable knowledge working in both educational and non profit settings that have provided collaborations with organizations such as Wisconsin United Way and state senators, Volunteer Wisconsin, Ice Age Trail Alliance, YMCA of the Rockies, and National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Education

B.S. K-8 Elementary Education - Wayne State College, 2014 M.S. Educational Psychology - University of Nebraska- Lincoln, 2018

Published Papers

Brennemann, S., Colliot, T., Kiewra, K.A., Luo, L. et al. The effects of graphic organizer completeness and note-taking medium on computer-based learning. Education Information Technologies 27, 2435–2456 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10639-021-10693-y

Teaching Experience

Research Interests

Motivational theory

Positive psychology

Preventative programmings

Educational Psychology (EDPS: 209) Academic Success -University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Education and Human Sciences

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

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,

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

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 award-winning social worker in Asian-American community building and human rights defense.

Education

Doctoral Candidate in Public Administration.

University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, NE

Dissertation Title: “Does Specialized Governance of Transit Make a Difference in Performance? An Analysis of Midwest Transit Agencies”

MPA, Rutgers University Newark, NJ

BA in Chinese Language and Literature, Beijing Language and Culture University

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

Research Interests

Local Government

Emergency Management

Urban Affairs Public Budgeting and Finance Public Transportation Administrative History Professional Experience 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.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Keristiena Dodge, Doctoral Student

Email: kshenouda@unomaha.edu

Bio

LinkedIn Link:

Keristiena Dodge is a second-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 as the Chancellor’s Chief of Staff, after previously serving in UNO’s Office of Academic Affairs as the Director of Academic Strategic Planning.

Prior to working in higher education, Keristiena worked as a journalist and a community organizer with several quasi-and-nongovernmental 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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Yuriko Doku, Doctoral Student

Specialization: Nonprofit Management

Email: ydoku@unomaha.edu

Bio

LinkedIn Link:

Yuriko Doku is a second-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.

Yuriko 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. Yuriko 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 Social equity

Teaching Experience

LLS 4990 Latino/Latin American Studies

Capstone for students majoring in Latino/Latin American Studies.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

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

Intellectual Property Manager

University of Nebraska Medical Center, Intellectual Property Office/UNeMed Corporation, 2001-2010

Research Interests

Citizen Participation e-Government Information Policy Innovation Policy Peer-Reviewed Publications

Publication

Frecks, Lora Mae, 2011. “Patent Donations” in the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) Technology Transfer Practice (TTP) Manual: Volume IV. July 2011.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Roger Garcia, Doctoral Student Email:

rogergarcia@unomaha.edu LinkedIn Link

BIO

Roger Garcia, a first-year student, was born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents from Honduras and Mexico. He grew up in the rural town of Columbus, Nebraska before moving to Omaha in 2005. He holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Latino/Latin American studies, a Master’s in Public Administration, a Master’s in Theological Studies, a Doctorate in Ministry, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Administration.

Since moving to Omaha, he has extensively engaged in civic and community activities, such as co-founding the Metro Young Latino Professionals Association (MYLPA) and serving on the boards for the Women’s Center for Advancement and the Immigrant Legal Center. For his active community involvement, Roger was awarded the Ten Outstanding Young Omahans award and the College of Public Administration and Community Service’s Goodrich Scholar Alumni of the Year award.

Professionally, Roger has been working in the nonprofit and public sector for over 17 years, previously serving as executive director for El Centro de las Americas in Lincoln, Nebraska, the Federal Programs Director for the National Center for Families Learning, and currently serves as Associate Director for Recruitment and Retention at the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska of UNMC. Roger has also served his community through elected office, recently concluding two terms on the Metro Community College Board of Governors and now serving as a Douglas County Commissioner.

Education

Doctor of Ministry: Claremont School of Theology

Master’s in Theological Studies: Iliff School of Theology

Master’s in Public Administration: Bellevue University

Bachelor’s in Psychology & Latino/Latin American Studies: University of Nebraska at Omaha

Research Interests

Organizational Theory

Philanthropy

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Community Engagement Program Evaluation

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Joel Gehringer , Doctoral Candidate

Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Administration Theory

Email: jfgehringer@unomaha.edu LinkedIn

Bio

Joel Gehringer is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration. Joel is currently Senior Director of Annual Campaigns at the University of Nebraska Foundation. In this position, he heads the annual fund for UNO and oversees annual giving campaigns among the University of Nebraska campuses – UNK, UNMC, UNL and Nebraska Medicine. In his tenth 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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

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 policy-making 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.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Allegra Hardin, Doctoral Student

Email: ahardin@unomaha.edu

Bio

Allegra Hardin is a second-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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Daniel Hayes, Doctoral Student

Email: danielhayes@unomaha.edu

LinkedIn Link:

BIO Daniel Hayes is a first-year doctoral student at the School of Public Administration. He holds a degree in accounting, with a minor in international business, and earned his MPA from UNO with a concentration in local government.

Daniel has held positions as a Research Analyst for a business brokerage and has worked in the nonprofit disabilities field in management, leadership, and, most importantly, advocacy positions. He has been involved with arts, civil rights, and martial arts (aikido) nonprofits for many years as a performing artist, advocate, and teacher.

His interests are in the areas of finance and budgeting. According to Daniel, “What initially interested me in public administration was the same question in accounting: Why do organizations often fail to reflect their short and midrange goals in their budget sustainably? What I thought would be answered with my accounting undergraduate degree has pushed me into the depths of my doctoral coursework. “

Education

MPA - University of Nebraska at Omaha; local government concentration

BSBA - University of Nebraska at Omaha- accounting

Research Interests

Renewable energy transitions Strategy Equity

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Claire Hoff, Doctoral Student

Email: clairebuddenberg@unomaha.edu

Bio

Claire Hoff, a first-year student, has worked as a practitioner in the nonprofit sector for over a decade in the areas of program management, fund development, and evaluation. She has spent the past six years as an internal evaluator at local nonprofit intermediary organizations overseeing a variety of evaluative activities.

Claire currently serves as President of the Nebraska Evaluation Network, is a member of Women’s Fund of Omaha Circles (Class 7), and has been involved with Rising Leaders Institute, a leadership development program supported by Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Greater Omaha and Nonprofit Association of the Midlands. Professional Background: Director of Grants and Research, College of Saint Mary (2015-16); Associate Vice President, Research and Evaluation of Older Youth, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation (2016-2022); Director of Research and Evaluation, Women’s Fund of Omaha (2022-Present).

Education

BA, Oxbridge Music and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry (2011), William Jewell College (Liberty, MO)

MPA, Nonprofit Management Concentration (2016) University of Nebraska at Omaha

Research Interests

Equitable evaluation

Organizational development and culture Capacity building.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Jeffrey Jensen, Doctoral Student

Email: jeffreyjensen@unomaha.edu

Bio

Jeffrey is a first-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. He was raised in Omaha and received his BA in Political Science from the University of NebraskaLincoln. Jeffrey earned his MPA from the University of Wyoming after a career in golf course management at facilities in Nebraska and Wyoming. During his time in golf, he became an industry leader serving on the Board of Directors for the Peaks and Prairies Golf Course Superintendents Association and authoring several editorials in the association’s periodical. He was also a founding member of the Board of Trustees for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Political Action Committee and was active in grassroots organizing and government relations. In addition to his involvement with nonprofit professional organizations, Jeffrey’s interest in public administration grew in part from a decade spent in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem working for a National Parks concessionaire.

Education

MPA, University of Wyoming

BA, Political Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Publication

Schuhmann, R.A. & Jensen, J.D. (2022). “Time for a Significant Reimagining of Government in Wyoming?” California Journal of Politics and Policy. 14(1).

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Theodore W. Johnson, Doctoral Candidate

Specializations: Public Aviation & Transportation, Nonprofit Management Email: theodorejohnson@unomaha.edu LinkedIn Link

Bio

Theodore W. Johnson, MPA, a native of Ypsilanti, MI, is a doctoral candidate and is also an Instructor with UNO’s Aviation Institute. He teaches undergraduate courses such as Introduction to Aviation/Aerospace and Diversity in Aviation. Previously, he served as the Aircraft Dispatch Program Director at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) where he taught two senior-level undergraduate courses and assisted students in earning their Aircraft Dispatcher certificate. Theodore is a two-time graduate of EMU, where he also was a Lecturer and a Graduate Assistant within the Aviation Department while obtaining his MPA. In these capacities he assisted with the accredidation of EMU’s aviation program by the Aviation Accreditation Board International, routinely met with Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors to ensure regulatory compliance, and engaged in outreach efforts to various underserved school districts.

It was with his position at EMU that also melded his passions for aviation and higher education. The attainment of his MPA further solidified his commitment to equity and inclusion. He was recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), beginning Jan. 2023. Currently, Theodore serves as the Secretary for the American Society of Public Administration’s Section on Transportation Policy & Administration and advises two student organizations: The University of Nebraska Chapter of OBAP, and the Beta Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.

Research Interests

Social, Racial, and Educational Equity

Racial Minority Recruitment/Retention in Higher Education and Aviation; and in Public and Nonprofit Entities

Racial Minority Recruitment/Retention in Transportation Policy & Administration | Aviation Safety

Honors/Awards

Equity and Inclusion Student Fellowship | Association of Public Policy and Management - 2022

Mary Ellen Patterson Phi Delta Gamma Scholarship, UNO, 2022-2023

Selected Publications

Johnson, T. W. (2022). “Book Review: Race and social equity: A Nervous area of government”. Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration. Lutte, R. K., Johnson, T. W., & Liao, W. (2022). In plain sight: An Analysis of factors that influence the recruitment and retention of Black aviation professionals. International Journal of Aviation Research.

3. Johnson, T. W. (2022). “Book Review: From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education”. Journal of Public Management & Social Policy. 29(1): 204-208.

Dr. L. Frances P. Liddell Student Policy Debate – 2nd Place, American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) - 2022

Young Professionals (YP) Summit Change Maker Award, Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Section on Transportation Policy & Administration (STPA) Best Student Paper Award | American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) - 2022

Leading Black Male Educator – Impact Cohort | Uplift Publication - 2021

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Seoeun

(Grace) Jung, Doctoral Student

Specializations: Nonprofit Management, Technology & Data Analytics

Email: seoeunjung@unomaha.edu

Bio

Seoeun (Grace) Jung is a fourth-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Before coming to UNO, she studied public service and administration specifically focusing on nonprofit management. Her current research interests include nonprofit organization and management, ICTs and social media, and social equity. For future research at UNO, she hopes to learn how nonprofit organizations use social media and how nonprofit organizations can contribute to social equity.

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 Organization and Management Collaborative Governance Social Media Socal Equity

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Yeonkyung Kim, Doctoral Candidate

Specializations: Technology & Data Analytics, Public Policy

Email: yeonkyungkim@unomaha.edu

Bio

LinkedIn Link:

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

Publication

Heckler, N., & Kim, Y. (2020). Crypto-Governance: The Ethical Implications of Blockchain in Public Service. Public Integrity, 1-15.

Teaching Experiences

Introduction to Public Administration, online Strategic Planning, online

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

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

Research Interests

Urban Management Public policy Public and nonprofit management Community development.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Monica Lea, Doctoral Student

Email: mlea@unomaha.edu

Bio

LinkedIn Link

Monica Lea is a second-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. As a lifelong 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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Michael Lee, Doctoral Student

Specialization: Public Budgeting & Finance

Email: mlee50@unomaha.edu

LinkedIn Link :

Michael Lee is a second-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 in Geography from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Before pursuing a PhD at UNO, Michael worked at various state and local governments including the City of Vineyard, Utah, Mountainland Association of Governments as a Planning Intern, and in the Office of the Utah State Auditor as a Junior Staff Auditor.

He has also been heavily involved in academia through his role as a teaching and research assistant in both his undergraduate and graduate program. Michael currently works as a research assistant at the Center for Public Affairs Research at UNO on a variety of projects involving demographic analysis, education and youth surveys, mobility assistance, housing perceptions, transportation finance, and rural transit.

Michael is excited about financial management and budgeting in many ways. His current focus is on pension funding and management as well as fiscal resilience during economic downturns and optimal savings behavior during economic growth. This year, Michael presented a study on the antecedents to Cross-Sector Collaboration at the Western Social Science Conference and presented a research study on Cash Balance Pension Plans at the Association for Budgeting and Financial Management Conference. Michael was also a PA Theory Fellow at the PA Theory Network Conference where he presented a paper on budgeting best practices through cross-sector collaboration.

Education

MPA, State and Federal Government. Brigham Young University –Marriott School of Management

BS, Urban and Regional Planning. Brigham Young University – Geography

Research Interest

Fiscal Resilience

Pension Plan and Fund Management

Cross-sector Collaboration

Social Equity

Public Affairs Education

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

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

MPA, National Taiwan University

BA, Political Science/Public Administration, National Taiwan University

Research Interests

Citizen Participation in Public Budgeting

Fiscal Health

Capital Budgeting

Debt Management

Public Policy

CV Link

https://sites.google.com/view/wliao/curriculum-vitae

Selected Publications

Liao, W., Kuo, N., & Chuang, S. (2021). Taiwan’s Budgetary Responses to COVID-19: The Use of Special Budgets. Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, 33(1), 24-32.

Maher, C., Park, S., & Liao, W. (2019). Municipal Referenda Activity in Colorado: Responding to TABOR. Municipal Finance Journal, 40(3), 1-26

Teaching Experience

Public Budgeting, Program Planning and Evaluation, Applied Statistics, Financial Management for Nonprofits

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

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 who 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 is 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.

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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Shawn

Rachael

McLeod, Doctoral Student

Specializations: Public Policy, PA Theory, Social Justice

Email: rmcleod@unomaha.edu LinkedIn Link:

Bio

Rachael McLeod is a fourth-year doctoral student. Originally a native of Kansas City, she 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

Social and racial justice, Public administration

Higher education Equity interventions

Conference Presentations

PATnet 2022 Mexico City: “Radical Institutionalism, Chronic Oppression, and Target Universalism”

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

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 fourth-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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Jae Won Oh, Doctoral Candidate

Specializations: Public Budgeting & Fiance, Public Policy Email: joh@unomaha.edu

Bio

Jae Won Oh is a fourth-year doctoral candidate 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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Reyna Lizet Reyes-Nunez, Doctoral Candidate

Specialization: Public Policy

Email: rreyesnunez@unomaha.edu

Bio

LinkIn Link: Twitter Link :

Reyna is a doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration. She earned a master’s degree in political science with a concentration in international affairs, and a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences.  Her job experience in government is diverse. It includes working for the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs in the Mexican federal government, the Consulate of Mexico in Omaha, the Mexican Congress, and areas of international affairs, migration, and information and strategy at the state government level.

In Omaha, Reyna has collaborated with the Douglas County Health Department during the pandemic in 2020-2021, UNO’s Office of Latino and Latin American Studies (OLLAS), UNO’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee, the NU Government Engagement Group, and the NU Legislative Liaison Team. Her teaching experience includes main and supportive roles in courses like Strategic Planning, Introduction to Emergency Management, and Disaster Response and Recovery. She has collaborated with NU faculty on research projects related to disaster justice, COVID-19, social equity, and Latinos/as in Nebraska. Her research interests include human security, international affairs, social equity, and climate change policy. Reyna is also dedicated to completing her dissertation focused on women and their influence in climate change policy in Latin America.

Research Interests

International Policy Human Security International Government Organizations International Cooperation

Migration

Honors

Reyna is a NU Presidential Graduate Fellow for the academic year 2022-2023, a prestigious fellowship awarded to a select group of NU graduate students each year on the basis of high scholastic performance and personal accomplishment.

Publications

Reyes-Nunez, Reyna L., Felipe Blanco, Jodi Benenson, Juve J. Cortes Rivera, Barbara Gomez-Aguinaga, Nuri Heckler, Thomas Jamieson, and Njoki Mwarumba (2022). “Building Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity into Student Coauthorship” PS: Political Science and Politics

Reyes-Nunez, Reyna L. (2022) “Qualitative Methods in International Relations” in Handbook of Research Methods in International Relations. edited by R. Joseph Huddleston, Thomas Jamieson, and Patrick James. Cheltenham, UK; Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Reyes-Nunez, Reyna L. (2021). [Book Review: Exploring the World of Social Policy: An International Approach, by Michael Hill and Zoe Irving] International Review of Public Administration. 26(1), 110–111.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Kaci Richter, Doctoral Student

Specializations: Policy, Management

Email: krichter@unomaha.edu

Bio

Kaci Richter is a second-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

Research Interests

Pay-to-play news media Structure as a public utility Broadcast media regulation Rise of misinformation Social media

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

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.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Ignacio Ruelas Ávila,

Doctoral Student

Email: iruelasavila@unomaha.edu

BIO

LinkedIn Link:

Ignacio Ruelas, a first-year doctoral student, was born and raised in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where he received his BA in Economics. Later, he earned a Master’s in Public Policy from Universidad de Chile in Santiago de Chile. His experience runs from managing the public budget at Jalisco´s State Government (Mexico) to assisting the legislative process at the National Congress of Chile. He has collaborated as a Consultant and Research Assistant at Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC, United Nations). His research interests are fiscal decentralization in Latin American countries, public policies in education, intergovernmental fiscal relations, fiscal rules, and comparative public finances. He was recently awarded with an Honorable Mention in the Mexican National Award of Public Finances Research, organized by the Mexican Federal Congress.

Teaching Experience Seminar in

fiscal decentralization.

Graduate remote learning course, “Decentralization, Territorial Development and Financing of Sub-National Governments” Instituto de Asuntos Públicos, Universidad de Chile.

Introduction to Economics. Graduate in-person course., Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, 2019. Economics. Undergraduate in-person course. Universidad de la Ciudad de Aguascalientes, 2019-2022.

Publications

Cárdenas, S., Lomelí, D., Ruelas, I. (2022). COVID-19 and Post-pandemic Educational Policies in Mexico. What is at Stake? In: Reimers, F.M. (eds) Primary and Secondary Education During Covid-19. Springer, Cham. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-81500-4_6

Bonet, J., Jiménez, J.P., Letelier, L., Ruelas, I. (2022). Experiencias internacionales de las reglas fiscales subnacionales y sus desafíos en la agenda post-covid 19, en Instituto de Estudios Fiscales ed. (2022) “10 años de la gestión pública intergubernamental en Iberoamérica: finanzas, institutuciones y nuevos retos”. Ministerio de Hacienda y Función Pública. Gobierno de España. Radics, A., Vázquez Ahued, F., Pérez Benítez, N., & Ruelas, I. (2022). Panorama de las relaciones fiscales entre niveles de gobierno de países de América Latina y el Caribe. Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) and Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. (ECLAC) https://publications.iadb.org/es/ panorama-de-las-relaciones-fiscales-entre-niveles-de-gobierno-de-paises-de-america-latina-y-el Ruelas Ávila, I., & Izquierdo Reyes, A. D. (2021). Fatiga, límites de deuda y espacio fiscal de los gobiernos estatales en México. In Gestión y Política Pública. Vol. 30, Issue 2, CIDE. https://doi.org/10.29265/gypp.v30i2.878

Jiménez, J.P., Brosio, G., Ruelas I. (2019). Territorial Inequality, Equalization Transfers and Asymmetric Sharing of Non-Renewable Natural Resources in Latin America. ECLAC Review. No. 126: https://www.cepal.org/en/node/47980

Cárdenas, S. and Ruelas, I., (editors). (2018). Profesiones en Riesgo. Ediciones CREFAL. Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Ibrahim Shafau, Doctoral Student

Email: ishafau@unomaha.edu

BIO

LinkedIn Link:

Ibrahim is a first-year Doctoral student. He comes to UNO with several specialties, including museum management, youth mentoring, community organizing, qualitative research, and diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI). He gained these skills through his work with the Air Force, where he was a cyber operations manager, and through his involvement with Americorps Year of Service in New Jersey. In addition to his service, Ibrahim has worked as the Dean of Students Support for a charter school, the DEAI project manager for the American Alliance of Museums, a research assistant at the Center for Community Engagement at Seton Hall University, and has worked as an intercultural development inventory (IDI) qualified administrator.

Education:

BA in History, University of Toledo

MA in Museum Management, Seton Hall University

Graduate Certificate, Non-profit Management, Seton Hall University

Honors and Presentations

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., 4th District Scholar of the Year Bruce Craig Fellowship Arnova conference presenter

North Carolina Council of Museums conference presenter

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

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

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

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.

Publication

Eikenberry, A. M., & Song, Xiaowei. (2022). Collaborative philanthropy and doing practically relevant, critical research. Researching Voluntary Action: Innovations and Challenges. J. Dean & E. Hogg (eds), Policy Press.

Education

MA, Public Administration, Sun Yat-sen University, China

BA, Public Administration, Liaoning Technical University, China

Research Interests

Capital Planning & Budgeting

Infrastructure Financing

Performance Budgeting & Management

Citizen Participation

Public Policy Evaluation

Teaching Experience

Instructor of Record:

PA 3000 | Applied Statistics and Data Processing in Public Sector (In-Person and Online)

PA 4390 | Public Budgeting (Online)

Teaching Assistant:

PA 8400 | Public and Nonprofit Budgeting (Online)

PA 4390 | Public Budgeting (Online)

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Yi-Fan Wang

Doctoral Student

Specializations: Technology & Data Analytics, Public Policy

Email: yi-fanwang@unomaha.edu

CV: https://sites.google.com/view/yi-fanwang/home-page

Bio

Yi-Fan Wang is a third-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

MPA, Public Management, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.

BA, Political Science (Public Administration Major), National Taiwan University, Taiwan.

Interests

Digital Governance Policy Implementation Public Administration Theory

Selected Publication

Bullock, Justin., Young, Matthew., and Wang, Yi-Fan. (2020). Artificial Intelligence, Bureaucratic Form, and Discretion in Public Service. Information Polity. 25(4), 491-506.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1973-2023

Jonathan Wong, Doctoral Student Email: jwong@unomaha.edu

LinkedIn Link:

BIO

Bio Jonathan Wong (he/him) is a second-year doctoral student at the School of Public Administration. Before joining the program, he worked in communications for the Minnesota state government and national nonprofit organizations. 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. In his free time, he works on statewide and regional initiatives in Minnesota and other places that aim to address racism and other social equity issues at the systemic level. He also actively supports BIPOC-led organizations such as the Jugaad Leadership Program (MN) and Historic Greenwood Mainstreet District, a.k.a Black Wall Street (OK). Jonathan is interested in social equity in collaborative governance and civic engagement. He is an alumnus of the Minnesota Young American Leaders Program (mYALP), a Harvard-based program by the UMN Center for Integrative Leadership, and a 20/21 UMN Humphrey Policy Fellow. Jonathan also recently concluded his journey as an Urban Leaders Fellow, a fellowship focusing on racial equity and policy. Previously, he has done work sponsored by regional nonprofits and foundations such as the Bush Foundation and the McKnight Foundation.

Education

MPA, emphasis in International Development Leadership and Management, 2020, St. Cloud State University

BS in Mass Communications (Major: Public Relations, Minor: Political Science), 2016, St. Cloud State University

Research Interests

Public Governance and Management

Social Equity

Civic Engagement

Collaborative Governance

Public Participation

Critical Race Theory

Professional Work & Experience

Communications Strategist, Center for New Democratic Processes

Communications Specialist, Minnesota Department of Human Rights

Board Chair of the Jugaad Leadership Program

Graduate Student Director, SCSU Survey Research Center

Conference Presentations

Employing Social Equity: Analyzing the Roles and Responsibilities of Chief Diversity Officers in State Governments, 2022 Public Management Research Conference

Centering Critical Race Theory in Policy Science: A Multiple Streams Framework Approach, 2022 APPAM Fall Conference

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

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