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Bit An
Del Bharath
Bio Bit An is a fourth-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. His research interests include public finance and budgeting, community district organization, public and nonprofit financial management, and the financial relationship between nonprofits and local governments.
Bio Del Bharath is a doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration. She 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.
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Urban Mangement Email: ban@unomaha.edu
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Policy, Urban Management Email: dbharath@unomaha.edu
His current research interests span both the government and nonprofit sectors. He studies how fiscal institutions influence decisions made by nonprofit organizations and governments. Bit wants to contribute to strengthening public finance and budgeting policy through his research.
Research Interests Public Budgeting & Finance Urban Policy and Community-based organizations Public & Nonprofit Financial Management Fiscal Institutions and Fiscal Decision-making
Education MPA, Arizona State University MPA, University of Seoul BA, Public Administration, Hansung University
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 Professional Background Research Assistant – University of Nebraska at Omaha (August 2014 – May 2016) Assessments of Omaha Community Foundation Nonprofit Capacity Building Program
Research Interests Nonprofit management, board governance, civic engagement, volunteerism, national service programs, urban studies, gentrification, and community redevelopment CV Link https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Del_ Bharath
Scott Bovick
Felipe Blanco
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Urban Management Email: sbovick@unomaha.edu
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Policy, PA Theory Email: fblancosanchez@unomaha.edu Bio Felipe Blanco was born and raised in Mexico City, where he received his BA in Economics and his Master’s in Public Administration and Public Policy. Upon completion of his Masters, he worked as an Adjunct Professor at the Center for Teaching and Research in Economics (CIDE). At CIDE, he studied and wrote about performance evaluation systems and public policy and democracy. He also taught graduate courses on public administration and organizational theory. Felipe has also served as an independent consultant for federal and local government agencies in Mexico. He has collaborated on multiple research projects to analyze a variety of public policies: from national public health systems with over 50 million affiliates, to state level programs to promote high school completion.
Bio Scott Bovick currently works as the Deputy County Administrator for Sarpy County, Nebraska and previously served as the City Administrator in Nebraska City, Nebraska. He has been active in the Nebraska Chapter of the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) serving on the Chapter Council for several years, including two terms as Chapter President. Scott had the opportunity to teach a Master’s level course at UNO in 2009 which sparked his interest in pursuing a doctoral degree. His main research focus is urban administration and public finance and budgeting. He believes a doctorate degree will help him become a well-rounded public administration scholar and practitioner.
In 2016, Felipe and his wife moved to the U.S., where he worked as a Community Organizer for the Health Access Program at Nebraska Appleseed, a nonprofit organization based in Lincoln.
Education MPA University of Kansas-Lawrence
Professional Background Deputy County Administrator Sarpy County, Nebraska, 2009 – present
Felipe is also a Hip-Hop artist known as Elemsiburron and a craft beer enthusiast that hosts a brewery tour in Spanish at Zipline Brewing Co. every month.
BA, Political Science William Jewell College (Liberty, Missouri)
City Administrator City of Nebraska City, Nebraska, 2004-2009
BA, History William Jewell College
Assistant City Administrator City of Blair, Nebraska, 2002-2004 Research Interests Local government and urban administration Collaborative governance Public service motivation Public finance and budgeting
Kristin B. Broyhill
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Policy, PA 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, serving as UNO’s Department of Political Science’s academic program coordinator and teaching political science courses. Education Bachelor of Arts, International Studies University of Nebraska-Lincoln Master of Arts, Political Science University of Nebraska-Lincoln Research Interests Civil Society Public-Private-Third Sector Partnerships Democratic Transition and Institution Building
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.
Lucas Casey
Doctoral Student Specializations: Urban Management, Nonprofit Management Email: ljcasey@unomaha.edu Bio Lucas Casey has a diverse professional background which includes positions on city staff with two growing suburban communities, time as the executive assistant to the president at a small private university, and a stint as a local TV news anchor at the ABC-affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa. He is currently serving as the business development manager and local government consultant for Iowa at Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. A constant through his varied experiences is Luca’s interest in and involvement with local government systems and processes. During his time in the doctoral program, Casey intends to explore professional management on local governments; especially related to younger managers in the city management profession and smalland medium-sized communities. His interest in local government also has led to numerous opportunities for community involvement, including current service on the Greaer Des Moines Partnership Government Policy Council and the West Des Moines Quality of Life Council. Lucas also previously served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. Lucas is a lifelong Iowan. He was born and raised in Manson, Iowa and currently lives in West Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife and three children. Education BA, Public Administration: Economics and Finance University of Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, Iowa) MPA, Public Policy Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa)
Melanie Chapman
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Policy, PA Theory Email: mmchapman@unomaha.edu Bio Melanie Chapman is a third-year doctoral student with a diverse academic background in Physical Education and Recreation, Health Education, Sociology, Human Ecology, and Philosophy. Her work draws attention to the interface between health research, public policy, and administrative practice. Through a strong engagement with local coalitions to improve population health outcomes, her research interests include governance networks; critical social and post traditional theory; health equity; and, power relations and agency. Melanie has a strong background in qualitative research methods, with particular emphasis on interviewing, focus group facilitation, and discourse analysis. Melanie completed her MPA at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and BA at Laurentian University (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada). She has a background in program evaluation, research, and teaching and was previously a Research Assistant in the Department of Medicine and Dentistry and lecturer in the Physical Education & Recreation Department at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). In her free time, Melanie competes in triathlons and is a certified triathlon coach and race director. She is an active volunteer member with USA Triathlon in the Regional Planning, North Central Women’s Working Group to create resources and tools and offer mentorship to provide opportunities for women in the sport of triathlon.
Byungwoo Cho
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Urban Management Email: bcho@unomaha.edu Bio Byungwoo (Shine) Cho is a doctoral candidate currently working on a dissertation titled “Participatory Budgeting Institutional Change: A Longitudinal Case Study of the Seoul, South Korea (2012-2017)”. This project aims at describing how a PB institution changes over time focusing on the types and directions of change in four dimensions of public involvement. His goal as a public administration scholar is to make local governments more accountable, effective, and efficient by promoting successful organizational changes with innovative ideas (e.g., citizen participation, sustainability, civic tech).
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. 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. Carrier BK, Muise M, Cummings GG, NewburnCook C. (2009) Healthcare Succession Planning: An Integrative Review. Journal of Nursing Administration. 39 (12): 548-555. Michigan State University.
CV Link https://unomaha.academia.edu/ MelanieChapman
Publications and Grants Hong, Sounman & B. Shine Cho. (2018). “Citizen Participation and the Redistribution of Public Goods”, Public Administration. 96(3): 481-496 Cho, B. Shine & Sangoh Yun. (2017). “Citizen Participation for Open Government: A Typology of Civic Hacking”, Korean Policy Studies Review. 26(1): 177-202 [Written in Korean] Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) Fellowship ($5000) in 2016 Graduate Research and Creative Activity grant ($5,000) in 2013, 2015
Education MPA, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, 2012 MA, Public Administration, Yonsei University, Korea 2010 BA, Public Administration, Yonsei University, Korea 2007 (1-year exchange at Ritsumeikan APU, Japan, 2005) Teaching Experience PA3000 Applied Statistics and Data Management PA3200 Program Planning and Evaluation PA4530 Strategic Planning
BJ Fletcher
Minshuai Ding
Doctoral Student Specializations: Urban Management, Public Budgeting & Finance Email: mding@unomaha.edu Bio Minshuai Ding is a third-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. Born and raised in Mainland China, Minshuai has strong concerns about problems in bureaucracy, political liberty, and urban management. He is exploring the possibilities of institutional arrangements for delivering public service and specifically focuses on special districts. His ongoing research revolves around specialized governance of public transportation and library services. He takes public finance as a crucial perspective to look into the operation of public organizations. Minshuai has been a dedicated nonprofit practitioner. He worked for four years as a researcher and editor at Transition Institute in Beijing, an organization winner of Templeton Freedom Prize awarded by Atlas Network in 2010. He is also a volunteer for Long Island Chinese American Association in New York State, which brought him a citation from the executive of Nassau County, NY. On the UNO campus, he is serving the Waldo Society, a doctoral student group in the SPA. Minshuai is a loyal reader of Jorge Luis Borges, Oswald Spengler and the Ostroms. Fishing and archery are new hobbies that Midwestern life gives him. Education MPA, Rutgers University-Newark, NJ, 2013 BA, Literature & Chinese Language Beijing Language and Culture University, China, 2008
Research Interests Urban Management: specialized governance, local governance network, public transportation, public libraries, social problems in urban areas. Public Finance: funding structure of public organizations, use and effects of public grants.
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public policy, Urban Management Email: bjfletcher@unomaha.edu Bio B.J. Fletcher comes from the state of Missouri. Prior to joining UNO, he worked for the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration (DIFP) in the Division of Insurance. While working with the Division of Insurance, he provided program evaluation and policy analysis and provided assistance in cases of insurance investigation. In addition to his work with DIFP, he has also provided assistance to the USDA’s Department of Rural Development on the evaluation of an economic development plan for a community in Missouri. During the completion of his Masters of Public Affairs, he focused on Public Policy in particular on evaluation and analysis. His coursework in evaluation and analysis led him to become interested in Food Policy, in particular, in food security and poverty. His work on food security issues led him to be selected to participate in a food security and hunger program at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food Program in Rome, to examine the causes, consequences, and remedies of world hunger. During his time in the SPA doctoral program, B.J. hopes to further explore Food Policy and food security issues. Education Masters of Public Affairs, Public Policy University of Missouri-Columbia MS, Personal Financial Planning University of Missouri-Columbia BA, Business Administration – Finance Westminster College, Fulton Missouri
Lora Mae Frecks
Xian Gao
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’ coproduction of services and resources with governments and nonprofits. She can be found online at frecks.info.
Bio Xian’s research focuses on smart city and collaborative governance, with a specific interest in how to foster the use of information technology to improve government performance.
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Information & Technology Management, Public Policy Email: lmfrecks@unomaha.edu
BA, Biology Chadron State College
Research Interests Citizen Participation e-Government Information Policy Innovation Policy Peer-Reviewed Publications
Professional Background Intellectual Property Manager University of Nebraska Medical Center, Intellectual Property Office/UNeMed Corporation, 2001-2010
Publication Frecks, Lora Mae, 2011. “Patent Donations” in the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) Technology Transfer Practice (TTP) Manual: Volume IV. July 2011.
Education MPA University of Nebraska at Omaha
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Information & Technology Management, Public Policy Email: xiangao@unomaha.edu
In the program, Xian has worked for the Global Digital Governance Lab and has served in the Waldo Society, the SPA doctoral student group. Since 2017, Xian volunteers as the website manager for the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) District IV. Xian’s research projects have received two UNO Graduate Research and Creative Activity grants. She is also the winner of the Asian Scholarship Award for the 2016 ASPA conference and the Best Student Paper Award for the 2017 Midwest Public Affairs Conference. After graduation, Xian hopes to secure an academic position in the field of government information technology management and public policy. Education MA, Political Theory China University of Mining and Technology (Xuzhou, China)
Research Interests Digital government Collaborative governance Performance management
BA, Public Administration China University of Mining and Technology
Selected Publications Gao, X. (2018). Networked co-production of 311 services: Investigating use of Twitter in five U.S. cities. International Journal of Public Administration, 41(9):712-724.
Teaching Experience Introduction to Public Administration (Undergraduate) Professional Experience Graduate Assistant, Global Digital Governance Lab, School of Public Administration, CPACS, UNO, August 2014-December 2016
Gao, X., & Lee, J. (2017). E-government services and social media adoption: Experience of small local governments in Nebraska State. Government Information Quarterly, 34(4), 627-634.
Joel Gehringer
Beth Gillespie
Bio Joel Gehringer is a second-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. Joel is currently Director of Annual Campaigns at the University of Nebraska Foundation and oversees the annual funds of three University of Nebraska campuses – UNK, UNMC and UNO. In his seventh year in this position, Joel strives to increase philanthropic support of public higher education in Nebraska. Joel recently worked to establish the UNO Fund, which encourages unrestricted giving to scholarships, research, academics and other immediate student assistance needs at UNO.
Bio Elizabeth Gillespie is a fourth year doctoral student. Before starting the doctoral program, Elizabeth’s professional experience was in the human services field. She spent seven years working in management at a large nonprofit organization serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, PA Theory Email: jfgehringer@unomaha.edu
Joel is interested in studying how nonprofit leadership, local nonprofit networks, 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. 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
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: PA Theory, Nonprofit Management Email: egillespie@unomaha.edu
Her research interests focus on nonprofit organizations and women’s philanthropy, specifically women’s philanthropic foundations, funds, and giving circles and their grant making for social change, women’s empowerment, and gender equality and equity. Beth’s dissertation concerns whether the work of women’s foundations, funds, and giving circles advance women and girls socially, politically, and economically. Her dissertation also looks at whether these philanthropic organizations are agents for social change.
Professional Background University of Nebraska Foundation, Director of Annual Campaigns – UNO, UNK & UNMC
Education MPA, Executive Development Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa)
Creighton University, Direct Mail Coordinator, Creighton Fund
BA, History University of Iowa
Research Interests Women’s philanthropy Nonprofit organizations Social equity Social change Feminist theories
Dell Gines
Josephine K. Hazelton
Bio Dell Gines has a deep passion for seeing disadvantaged and economically challenged communities grow and thrive through innovative economic development strategies. As a Senior Community Development Advisor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, his primary responsibility is to support the Banks small business and economic development initiatives across the seven states within the Bank’s region. Dell is a Certified Economic Developer (CeCD) who focuses on entrepreneurship based economic development in urban and rural communities.
Bio Josephine K. Hazelton is a doctoral student in the School of Public Administration and a Graduate Assistant in the Center for Public Affairs Research. Her research interests center around transportation safety and security, feminist theories of urbanism, social equity, and critical theory.
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Policy, PA Theory Email: rgines@unomaha.edu
During his work at the Federal Reserve Bank Dell has created numerous programs and projects including the creation of the Grow Your Own Guide to Entrepreneurship Based Development, the regional micro-finance alternative lender database and Small Biz Day programs across the region, which connected over 600 entrepreneurs to local small business resource providers. A gifted speaker and presenter, Dell has spoken across the nation on entrepreneurship based economic development, entrepreneurship ecosystems and developing local rural and urban economies through developing entrepreneurship growth strategies. In 2013 he served as the keynote presenter for the National Economic Gardening Conference, a panelist at the National Workforce Investment Board Conference, and presented at numerous other conferences and seminars across the region and nation.
With his background in business banking, non-profit executive management, community activism and as adjunct professor of Social Entrepreneurship at Creighton University, he brings a unique, community grounded perspective to the field of urban core and rural economic development. In 2011 Dell received the Omaha Jaycees TOYO award, given to the top 10 individuals under 40 who are making an impact in the Omaha, Nebraska community. Education MS, Finance Bellevue University Executive MBA University of Nebraska at Omaha BS, Business Management Grace University
Doctoral Student Specializations: Urban Management, PA Theory Email: jhazelton@unomaha.edu
Prior to studying at UNO, Josephine was active in the effort to improve public transportation in California’s Central Valley as the 2016 Turlock Mayor’s Public Policy Scholar. Josephine previously served as an ASPA Founders’ Fellow (2018), a U.S. Department of Transportation Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellow (2018), and a 2015 Panetta Institute Delegate in Washington, D.C. Josephine received her BA in Political Science (Summa Cum Laude) and Masters in Public Administration (with Distinction) from California State University, Stanislaus. She is originally from Northern California.
Research Interests Critical Theory Democratic Citizenship Social Equity Transportation Policy Active Transportation Safety
Gabby Henderson
Nick Juliano
Bio Gabby Henderson is a Richmond, Virginia native and seond-year doctoral student. Gabby has a Master’s in Public Administration from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia where she concentrated on international non-governmental organization management. She also has a bachelo’rs degree from JMU in international relations with a concentration in African politics, with a minor in African politics.
Bio Nick Juliano is the Director of Regional Advocacy and Public Policy for Boys Town, a national organization serving children, families and communities for more than 100 years. Nick’s leadership has focused on Boys Town’s initiative to grow community-based services and expand impact within communities of concentrated need.
Doctoral Student Specializations: Nonprofit Management, PA Theory Email: gehenderson@unomaha.edu
Her research interests lie in the capacity of international nongovernmental organizations, specifically in the Southern African context. This research interest is supported by her graduate assistantship where she works with a local community foundation to evaluate nonprofit capacity building programs. Before coming to UNO, Gabby worked as a graduate assistant at JMU where she researched nonprofit giving, student veteran academic needs, and nonprofit codes of ethics. Gabby hopes to leverage these experiences, as well as her passion for international relations and knowledge of the Southern African context, to help create a greater understanding of the unique context for INGOs operating in Southern Africa.
Education MPA, International Non-Governmental Organization Management James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virgina BA, International Relations–Africana Studies James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virgina
Research Interests Critical Theory Post-Colonial Theory INGO Management International Relations
Doctoral Student Specializations: Urban Management, PA Theory Email: njuliano@unomaha.edu
Over the past two decades Nick has worked closely with public and private sector leaders in Nebraska and Iowa to improve child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Through this 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, collaborative governance, and the role of youth and family voice within service delivery networks. Education MBA, University of Nebraska Omaha BS, Psychology, Creighton University
Professional Background Director Regional Advocacy and Public Policy, 2017-Present Sr. Director Community Impact, 2013-2017 Sr. Director Business Development, 2007-2013
Yeonkyung Kim
Ji Seul Kim
Bio Yeonkyung Kim is a second-year doctoral student, with a focus on IT management and public policy. Her research interests lie in performance management, performance information and information technology.
Bio Jiseul Kim is a doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration. She is a recipient of a national scholarship sponsored by the Korean Government enabling her to attend graduate school abroad.
Doctoral Student Specializations: Information & Technology Management, Public Policy Email: yeonkyungkim@unomaha.edu
She currently works as a graduate assistant for the Global Digital Governance Lab, specifically for the technology team of Advance (a project developed by the Nebraska Department of Transportation and University of Nebraska). Yeonkyung has a background working in government-sponsored research institutes, the Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA), and the Supreme Audit Institution of South Korea, as a research assistant. Yeonkyung completed both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in public administration at Ewha Woman’s University in Korea.
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Policy Email: jiseulkim@unomaha.edu
Her research and teaching interests are in public budgeting and financial management, with emphasis on budgetary institutions and institutional performances, capital budgeting and spending, and government accounting and financial reporting. At present, she is working on her dissertation, “Why Pay More? Capital Budgeting Institutions for State Public Highway Maintenance.” Also, with Dr. Carol Ebdon, she is working on several studies related to capital budgeting and management practices of U.S. counties. They have received the 2018 Gil Crain Memorial Research Grant from the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) on one of the studies. After graduation, she hopes to extend her research areas and contribute to the field of public budgeting and finance as a public administration scholar. Publications
Education
Kim, J., Chen, C., & Ebdon, C. (2018). Effects of the GASB No. 34 infrastructure reporting standards on state highway infrastructure quality. Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management,30(2), 191-210.
MPP, Public Policy, Arizona State University BA, Business Administration and Health Service Management, Kyung Hee University
Kim, J., & Ebdon, C. (2017). Have the GASB No. 34 infrastructure reporting requirements affected state highway spending? Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management,29(3), 347374.
Budgetary Institutions and Institutional Performances Capital Budgeting and Spending Government Accounting and Financial Reporting
Research Interests
Teaching Experience Public Budgeting (undergraduate) Introduction to Public Administration (undergraduate)
Yunseung Kim
December Lange Treacy
Bio Yunseung is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration. Studying in-depth budget execution, performance and financial resource management of state and local governments and public agencies, he hopes to find ways to increase the effectiveness, transparency, and responsibility of state and local governments’ fiscal management. He has an academic interest in studying diverse modes of public service delivery and further evaluating the effectiveness of different forms of public service management strategies such as intergovernmental collaboration, public-private partnerships, and coproduction of public services.
Bio December Lange Treacy is a first year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. Prior to beginning her doctoral journey, December worked in a variety of higher education administration and student affairs capacities including inclusive excellence, retention, first generation college student programming, academic support, and graduate enrollment management.
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Policy Email: yunseungkim@unomaha.edu
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Policy, Nonprofit Management Email: dlangetreacy@unomaha.edu
December is interested in research regarding democratic engagement, community engaged public administration, identity and relationship development, and data driven decision making in nonprofit capacity building.
At the University of Nebraska, he worked for Global Digital Governance Lab (GDGL) as a research assistant. He carried out data arrangement and analysis of Nebraska City and County E-government Survey 2015 and Iowa County E-government Survey 2017. Also, he participated in Nebraska Transit Projects in the summer of 2017, during which he collected and arranged data of public transit providers in Nebraska and performed case studies to search benchmarking cases or best practices of mobile application for rural transit. He is currently working on his dissertation on fiscal impacts of water and wastewater funding sources in Nebraska. Professional Background Education Master of Public Policy, Seoul National University Research Analyst, Research Center of StateOwned Entities, (Seoul, South Korea) BA, Public Administration, Chung-Ang University Korea Institute of Public Finance Research Analyst, Laboratory for Future Society (Seoul, South Korea) Seoul Development Institute Research Interests Research Assistant, BK 21 Project, Public Service Provision Graduate School of Public Administration, Seoul Public Finance and Budgeting National University Intergovernmental Relations Policy and Program Evaluation Teaching Experience Transparency Applied Statistics and Data Management (undergratuate)
While pursuing her doctorate, December will serve as a Graduate Research Assistant for the Support and Training for the Evaluation of Programs (STEPs) in the Grace Abbott School of Social Work. STEPs promotes evidence-informed decision making for government and nonprofit social service programs through research and evaluation. December’s current project areas include public health education, sexual violence prevention, and child welfare.
Education MS, Administrative Leadership, Higher Education Administration, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee BS, Psychology, Kansas State University
Wei-Jie Liao
Megan McGuffey
Bio Wei-Jie Liao is from Taichung, Taiwan. He is a third-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration, with a focus on public budgeting and finance. He is also a research assistant at the Nebraska State & Local Government Finance Lab. He received both his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science / Public Administration and Master in Public Administration from National Taiwan University (NTU).
Bio Megan McGuffey is a doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration. She received her BA in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and pursued her MPA at UNO, with a concentration in local government management. Megan is contributing to the growing focus on food systems and food policy studies in public administration. She also researches and works in the areas of citizen participation and active citizenship as well as nonprofits and multi-sector networks.
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Policy Email: wliao@unomaha.edu
Wei-Jie is also interested in teaching. He worked as a teaching assistant for Applied Statistics at NTU and received the NTU Excellent Teaching Assistant Award four times. This year, he has published a journal article on debt management in a Taiwanese journal and has completed a peer-reviewed book chapter on capital budgeting. He hopes to enhance both research and teaching skills during his Ph.D. studies at UNO and keeps contributing to the field of public budgeting and finance.
Education MPA, National Taiwan University BA, Political Science / Public Administration National Taiwan University
Research Interests Citizen Participation in Budgeting Fiscal Health Capital Budgeting Debt Management Public Policy
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Policy Email: mmcguffey@unomaha.edu
As a practitioner, Megan has served on the board of Community Crops, authored technical reports on food systems topics, and served on various regional initiatives in Nebraska focused on improving local food systems. She currently serves as the coordinator of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Food Policy Council. She has taught various courses online and in-person on topics around public administration, public policy, nonprofits, and leadership. Megan also co-developed a new course, PA 8896 (Introduction to the U.S. Food System). After the completion of her degree, Megan hopes to continue her teaching, research, and practice to contribute to communities’ ability to build strong networks of engaged citizens and organizations capable of tackling tough challenges on a variety of topics, including their local food systems. Research Interests Food Policy Public Policy Food Systems Citizen Participation and Active Citizenship Local Government Management Network Governance Nonprofit Management
Publications McGuffey, M. M., & Starke, A. (2017). Towards A Just Food System. In A. B. Hoflund, J. Jones, & M. C. Pautz (Eds.), The Intersection of Food and Public Health: Current Policy Challenges and Solutions. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis. McGuffey, M. M. (2016). The Producer’s Perspective: Examining the Challenges of Providing Local Food. Food Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 6 (3), 13-26.
Emily Newman
Reyna Lizet Reyes-Nunez
Bio Emily Newman was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska and is now working on her doctorate in Public Administration with an emphasis in Emergency Management. She did a portion of her undergraduate degree at the University of Haifa in Israel, while there focused her studies in counter-terrorism and nuclear proliferation. She has been able to use these areas of study to help assist in lobbying on Capitol Hill.
Bio Reyna L Reyes-Nunez is a doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences in 2010 and a Master of Science in Political Science in 2018.
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Policy (with a focus on Emergency Management) Email: emilynewman@unomaha.edu
Emily also has a background in the nonprofit sector, including work with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Omaha-based educational theater organization RESPECT. Through her work with the ADL as a facilitator and RESPECT as both an Actor Educator and as Scheduling Coordinator, she has helped to educate students of varying ages on bullying, teen dating violence, suicide and depression, antiSemitism on college campuses, and more. She links such work with her background in political science and counter-terrorism studies as being a spectrum of ways in which to observe human communications and interaction during emergency and disaster situations and prevention, from the individual to the societal level. Her research interests focus on emergency management policy and the effects that politics have on these policies.
Education BA, Political Science Minor in Religion University of Nebraska at Omaha MS, Political Science University of Nebraska at Omaha
Doctoral Student Specialization: Public Policy Email: rreyesnunez@unomaha.edu
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
Jae Won Oh
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Policy Email: joh@unomaha.edu Bio Prior to admission to the doctoral program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Jae Won Oh’s academic interests were focused on economics and earning a degree in economics in Stony Brook Univsersity. Jae worked as a research assistant at the Korean Economic Research Institute where he developed his passion in research and further studies. Jae recieved his MPP at the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management (KDIS). His reseach interest now lay in public finance and budgeting as well as on corruption and its impacts on public finance.
Michael Pippin
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: Information & Technology Management, Public Policy Email: mpippin@unomaha.edu Bio Michael Pippin is a doctoral candidate in the School of Public Administration with interests in public sector information management and public policy. He hails from Florida, where he spent 25 years working in both the public and private sectors performing a variety of information technology duties from computer programmer to information services director. This mix of public and private sector work experience fuels his interest in information management similarities and differences between sectors. His dissertation focuses on the similarities and differences between chief information officers working in traditional public sector and traditional private sector organizations with an emphasis on internal organizational factors that may impact CIO performance. As an adjunct instructor he has taught PA 2170 (Introduction to Public Administration), PA 3000 (Applied Statistics and Data Management in the Public Sector), PA 3200 (Program Planning and Evaluation), PA 3700 (Financial Management for Nonprofits), PA 4300 (Public Policy Seminar), and PA 4530 (Strategic Planning). He has also taught the Managing Information and Information Technology module for the Certified Public Managers program. In conjunction with the Emergency Management Department, Mike assisted in the development of the Applications of Fire Research (FSMT 4860) course, which teaches students how to apply social science research methods to fire-related research. He plans to graduate this coming year and to secure an academic position. Michael’s primary intent is to contribute to the research on the impact of information technology on public and nonprofit sector organizations. Professional Background Research Interests Information Services Director The role of impact of the sector in the Office of the State Attorney, Jacksonville, Florida performance of CIOs. Systems Program Administrator Florida Department of Corrections, Tallahassee, The impact of information technology on Florida organizations, especially in the public and Owner Computer Tutors of the First Coast, nonprofit sector. Jacksonville, Florida
Josh Shirk
Taylor Smith
Bio Josh is currently a doctoral candidate completing a dissertation on the agency of street-level workers. It is a two-part dissertation beginning with a theoretical elaboration on human agency, dependency, and alienation. The second part consists of an ethnographic study of street-level workers charged with implementing welfare policy.
Bio Taylor Smith is a a Nebraska native. He is a second-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration, with a focus on public administration theory and public policy. He also received his BA in history, and MPA at UNO. His research interests include the study of inter-organizational networks, and the study of administrative behavior in federal natural resource agencies.
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: PA Theory, Urban Management Email: jtshirk@unomaha.edu
Special attention is focused on the workers’ range of work tasks, their encounters with performance management technologies, and the meaning they give to 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.
Research Interests Welfare Policy Performance Management Critical Theory Meaning of Work
Education MS, Urban Studies University of Nebraska Omaha
Teaching Experience Introduction to Public Administration Introduction to Urban Studies
Research Link https://www.researchgate.net/profile/ Josh_Shirk
BA, General Studies University of Nebraska Omaha
Doctoral Student Specializations: PA Theory, Public Policy Email: tssmith@unomaha.edu
Taylor is currently a graduate research assistant at the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center. He joined the Center in 2016, and provides data management and analysis for a variety of research and evaluation reports. Taylor is also a part of the National Research Traineeship (NRT) program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he gains additional natural resource management related knowledge.
Xiaowei Song
Anthony Starke
Bio Xiaowei Song is originally from Henan Province, China. Currently, he is a second-year doctoral student working as both a research assistant (RA) and teaching assistant (TA) in the School of Public Administration.
Bio Anthony Starke is a University of Nebraska Presidential Fellow and doctoral candidate at the UNO School of Public Administration. His research investigates the intersection of identity and public policy administration. Anthony is particularly dedicated to issues of social equity, intersectionality, and citizenship. His dissertation project examines the relationship between administrative discourse and welfare policy design.
Doctoral Student Specializations: Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Policy Email: xiaoweisong@unomaha.edu
Prior to joining in the doctoral program at UNO, Xiaowei took on diverse advisory programs for China’s local governments in evaluating and improving local public budgeting and financial management practices. This experience provided a solid foundation for him to develop a research interest in performance budgeting reforms in China. Particularly, he is devoted to investigating the institutional logics of performance budgeting and how different institutional arrangements affect the budget process. The study and work experience at UNO encourages him to examine the issues that are related to local fiscal sustainability/health. In addition, Xiaowei also conducts the research on solid waste reduction policy and program/policy performance evaluation.
Education MA, Public Administration Sun Yat-sen University BA, Public Administration Liaoning Technical University
Research Interests Institutional Analysis and Development Performance Budgeting Performance Management Performance Evaluation
Doctoral Candidate Specializations: PA Theory, Public Policy Email: astarke@unomaha.edu
Prior to beginning his studies at UNO, Anthony was an active leader in the governance and management of service-oriented nonprofits based in Virginia’s Greater Fredericksburg and Hampton Roads communities. Anthony holds credentials as a Qualified Mental Health Professional and has experience in the field of human development. He is a former VCU Wilder Fellow, 2014 ASPA National Founder’s Fellow, 2016 ASPA International Young Scholar, 2016 Engagement Scholarship Consortium Emerging Engagement Scholar, AmeriCorps VISTA Alum, and life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Education MPA, Nonprofit Management Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, Virginia) Post-baccalaureate Certificate of Nonprofit Management Virginia Commonwealth University BS, (Clinical) Psychology Old Dominion University (Norfolk, Virginia) BS, Human Services/Counseling Old Dominion University Professional Background Research & Policy Analyst, VCU Office of Development & Alumni Relations Youth Programs Coordinator, Garden of Hope, Inc. Site Supervisor, Hanover County Parks and Recreation
Research Interests Social Policy/Welfare State Social Equity Race and Racism Community Engagement in Higher Education Research Link https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/public-administration/academics/doctoral-student-profiles/anthony-starke.php
Morgan D. Vogel
Ming Xie
Bio Morgan Vogel is a second-year doctoral student in the School of Public Administration. Her primary research interest is the motivations and ethics of public and nonprofit practitioners. Her most recent research explores the relationship between public service motivation and the calling to public service among local government employees in the Omaha area.
Bio Ming Xie currently holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, China. She is particularly interested in nonprofit organization management, policy analysis, intergovernmental collaboration, and risk management.
Doctoral Student Specializations: PA Theory, Public Policy Email: mdvogel@unomaha.edu
Morgan’s professional experience includes working for Ohio Governor John Kasich’s communications office, the congressional district office of U.S. Representative Mike Turner (OH-10), the Dayton Fire Department Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), and the University of Dayton Government Relations office. Currently, Morgan works with UNO’s Center for Public Affairs Research on a rural transit grant project with the Nebraska Department of Transportation as well as research on evidence-based decisionmaking in local government. Education MPA, University of Dayton BA, Political Science University of Dayton
Research Interests Motivation and Meaningful Work Bureaucratic Discretion Organizational Decision-Making Foundations of Public Administration Public Administration Theory Policy Theory
Doctoral Student Specializations: Nonprofit Management, Public Policy Email: mingxie@unomaha.edu
She has focused on intercultural communication research for several years. She believes that intercultural comparison and experience is a good way to help people understand their own culture and society, and that this can be used to understand and solve social problems. From the perspective of cultural diversity, her goal is to propose a theoretical-practical, systematic and effective intervention system to empower individuals and groups, and to assist policy makers in understanding the nature of the partnership arrangements between the non-profit and government organizations and how they might affect the implementation of public policy. Education PhD, Anthropology Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences MA, Communication Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences BA, Journalism Shanxi University, China
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