Master of Public Administration Faculty Highlights

Read more about faculty highlights for the Master of Public Administration program at Central Michigan University.

LAWRENCE ADAMITIS

FIXED-TERM FACULTY

School of Politics, Society, Justice & Public Service

THOMAS GREITENS

FACULTY

School of Politics, Society, Justice & Public Service

SHARON KUKLA ACEVEDO

FACULTY

School of Politics, Society, Justice & Public Service

MATTHEW LIESCH

CHAIRPERSON

Geography & Environmental Studies

EMMA POWELL

FACULTY

School of Politics, Society, Justice & Public Service

Thomas Greitens

Research or scholarship

  • M. Ernita Joaquin & Thomas J. Greitens. 2021. American Administrative Capacity: Decline, Decay, and Resilience. Springer. 
  • Thomas J. Greitens & Nancy Quarles. 2020. From Competition to Collaboration: Transforming Economic Development Strategies in the Detroit Metropolitan Region.  Collaborative Governance for Regional Development: Global Lessons for Local Economies, edited by Denita Cepiku, So Hee Jeon, & David K. Jesuit.  Routledge.
  • Nathan Grasse, Thomas J. Greitens, David K. Jesuit, & Lawrence Sych. 2018. Exploring the Mediating Effects of Institutions on Polarization and Political Conflict:  Evidence from Michigan Cities.  In Public Policy, Governance and Polarization: Making Governance Work, edited by David K. Jesuit and Russell Alan Williams.  Routledge.
  • Thomas J. Greitens & J. Cherie Strachan.  2017. Local Governments in Michigan II:  Michigan's Rural Areas and Small Towns.  In Michigan Government, Politics, and Policy, edited by John S. Klemanski and David A. Dulio.  Ann University of Michigan Press.
  • Thomas J. Greitens.  2016. Assessing Transboundary Governance Capacity in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern.  International Journal of Water Governance, 4: 73-90.

Community service

  • Board Member, American Society for Public Administration, Michigan Capital Area Chapter (2015-present). 
  • Program Evaluator, Gratiot County Specialty Court Programs (2016-2018). 

Efforts to engage students

  • MPA Program Advisor, 2013-2022. 
  • Ph.D. Dissertation Committee Member for:  Christopher Surfus.  2020.   Michigan Municipal Manager Perceptions on LGBTQ+ Inclusion:  A Narrative Policy Framework Case Study.  Western Michigan University. 
  • Ph.D. Dissertation Committee Member for:  Ivo Hristov.  2018.  The Causes That May Lead to the Balanced Scorecard's (BCS) Failure:  A Conceptual Framework, University of Rome-Tor Vergata.  
  • Lead Faculty Study Abroad Trip to Seoul, 2013. 
  • Faculty Advisory to the Winners of the 2013 Students Reinventing Michigan Competition (Trent Wolf and Ben Harris).

    Sharon Kukla-Acevedo

    Research or scholarship

    • Kukla-Acevedo, S., Ernst, M., Sommer, E., Adams, L.E., & Barkin, S. (forthcoming). Diet quality and school attendance: cost analysis informing absence-reduction strategies in schools with underserved students. Journal of School Health.
    • Heflin, C.M., Darolia, R., & Kukla-Acevedo, S. (2020.) Exposure to food insecurity during adolescence and educational attainmentSocial Problems.  spaa036.
    • Heflin, C.M., Kukla-Acevedo, S., & Darolia, R. (2019.) Adolescent food insecurity and risky behaviors and mental health during the transition to adulthood. Children and Youth Services Review, 105, 104416.
    • Jeon, S.H. & Kukla-Acevedo, S. (2019.) Attitudinal effects of Ethical Work Climate: An organizational analysis. Public Administration Quarterly43, 4, 456-488.
    • Kukla-Acevedo, S. & Heflin, C.M. (2014). Unemployment insurance effects on child academic outcomes: Results from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 47, 3, 246-252.

    Efforts to engage students

    • Director, Master of Public Administration 2022-Present
    • Advise Honors Capstones
    • Advisor, Social Studies Major: Political Science Concentration 6-12 (Secondary Emphasis)

    Emma Powell

    Research or scholarship

    Pinter, A.N., Powell, E.A., English, K, Poley, L, & Dilg, E. (2023). Credentialing the nonprofit professional: A focused look at the campus partner track of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. 

    Powell, E.A. & Raggo, P. Teaching Cases in the Philanthropic and Nonprofit Sector, as a part of Nonprofit Management book series. Sagamore Publishing (Expected in Summer, 2023). 

    Powell, E.A. (2020). Next steps for social impact bonds: Moving from an economic tool to a trust-based collaboration. In D. Cepiku, S.H. Jeon, & D.K. Jesuit (Eds.), Collaborative governance for local economic development: Lessons from countries around the world (pp. 49-64). Routledge. 

    Edwards, V., Powell, E.A. (2019). Michigan nonprofit compensation & benefit report. Michigan Nonprofit Association

    Mugo, P. & Powell, E.A. (2019). Lessons from lessons learned: A review of lessons learned by CEPF grantees in the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot, 2012-2019. Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund. 

    Powell, E. Winfield, G., Schatteman, A.M. & Trusty, K. (2018). Collaboration between practitioners and academics: Defining the pracademic experience. Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership. 8(1) pp.62-79. 

    Community service

    • The Care Store, Vice-Chair 2021 - present; Governance Committee 2021-present
    • Keisha Y. Brown Angel Wings Fund Vice-Chair 2019-2022; Board Member 2018-2019
    • Mount Pleasant Community Foundation Board of Trustees 2018-present; Youth Advisory Council Advisor 2018-present; Scholarship/Grant Committee 2017-2019; Community Relations Committee 2016-2018
    • Isabella Community Soup Kitchen: Board Development/Strategic Planning 2017-2019
    • United Way of Isabella & Gratiot Counties: Board Development/Planning Session 2019
    • Habitat for Humanity Isabella County: Facilitator, Board Retreat 2017-2021
    • Art Reach: Bylaw Review Committee 2017-2018; Board of Directors 2017- 2018; Sacred Heart Docent 2016-2017
    • Junior Achievement: Advisory Board, Member 2018; Susan G. Komen for the Cure Michigan Grant Review Committee 2015-2016
    • Mount Pleasant Discovery Museum: Strategic Planning Facilitator 2016-2017
    • Mt. Pleasant City Commissions, Facilitator, Strategic Priorities and Direction 2018
    • YMCA Summer Summit: Nonprofit Speaker, Youth Engaging in Service Summit (2016, July)
    • Gratiot Area Chamber of Commerce, Facilitator, Board Retreat/Strategic Planning 2017-2018

    Efforts to engage students

    • Public Administration Undergraduate Director
    • Advisor, Honors Capstone Projects
    • Political Science/Public Administration Internship Coordinator
    • The Washington Center Liaison
    • Advisor, Nonprofit Leadership Student Alliance
    • Campus Director, Certified Nonprofit Professional
    • Directed Student Learning- Advisor for Honors Capstone, Theses, and MPA Applied Research Papers
    • Seoul, South Korea- Study Abroad 2016
    • Public Administration Student Success Mentor, Western Michigan University 2015. (Provided career mentoring and course advice to students).​