The Kennesaw State Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is dedicated to cultivating
future leaders in public service. Whether you're a current student, a proud alumnus,
or a valued member of our community, your involvement strengthens our mission to foster
integrity, accountability, and innovation in government and nonprofit sectors. As
we build on our shared commitment to excellence, we invite you to stay engaged, explore
opportunities for growth, and contribute to the positive impact of public administration.
Together, we continue to shape a brighter, more just future for our communities.
Message to Students, Alumni, and Esteemed Members of Our Community
Dear Students, Alumni, and Esteemed Members of Our Community,
I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to all of you—whether you are entering the Kennesaw State University Master of Public Administration (MPA) program for the first time, returning to continue your studies, or joining us as proud alumni and supporters. Your presence strengthens our shared commitment to excellence in public service, and we are excited to continue building upon the strong foundation we have cultivated together.
To our current students, I urge you to take full advantage of the opportunities ahead. This is a time for growth, exploration, and collaboration, where you will be challenged to think critically, innovate, and make a difference. Remember, the MPA program is not just about preparing you for careers—it's about preparing you to shape the future. We look forward to supporting your intellectual growth and professional development.
To our alumni, we are deeply grateful for the lasting contributions you have made
to our program and to your respective fields. Your professional achievements speak
to the transformative power of public affairs education, and we are proud to be part
of your journey. We encourage you to stay connected and involved, as your experiences
and insights enrich our program and the next generation of public service leaders.
And to our broader community of faculty, staff, and supporters, thank you for your
unwavering commitment to our collective mission of preparing students for administrative
and leadership positions in governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations. We
recognize the importance of partnerships between academia and the public, nonprofit,
and private sectors. We value your support and look forward to continuing our work
together to advance the common good.
As we move forward, let us remain committed to the values of integrity, accountability, honestly, fairness and ethical behavior—values that are essential for building a better society. Thank you for being part of this vibrant and dynamic program. I am excited to see all that we will accomplish together.
Wishing you all an inspiring and productive year ahead.
Warm regards,
Madinah F. Hamidullah, PhD Master of Public Administration Director
Professor of Public Administration School of Government and International Affairs
Kennesaw State University
Faculty and Staff
Listed below are the current faculty and staff for the Master in Public Administration
at Kennesaw State University.
Name
Position
Jonathan BoydAssistant Professor of Public Administration
Additional Affiliation: Heterdox Academy Jonathan Boyd is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration in the School of
Government and International affairs at Kennesaw State University. His research focuses
on higher education policy, veteran issues, pay gaps for women and minorities, and
representation in the public sector workforce. Before coming to Kennesaw State University,
Jonathan was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Georgia State University. He has taught
courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels that cover public administration,
research methods, statistics, evaluation, policy analysis, and public management.
Jonathan is a graduate of the joint Ph.D. program in public policy at Georgia State
University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Before moving to the Atlanta area,
he studied philosophy and economics at Eastern Kentucky University.
Research Methods, Program Evaluation, Policy Analysis, Advanced Research Methods,
MPA Capstone Seminar
Research Interest Areas:
Higher Education Policy, Veteran Issues, Pay Gaps for Women and Minorities, Representation
in the Public Sector workforce
Selected Publications:
Lewis, G. B., Boyd, J., & Pathak, R. (2018). Progress toward pay equity in state governments?.
Public Administration Review, 78(3), 386-397.
Lewis, G., Boyd, J., & Pathak, R. (2022). Progress Toward Increasing Women's and Minorities'
Access to Top State Government Jobs?. Public Personnel Management, 51(2), 213-234.
Aarika ForneyAssistant Professor of Public Administration
Aarika Forney, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration in the School
of Government and International Affairs at Kennesaw State University. She received
her PhD in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma, following a Bachelor
of Arts from the University of Northern Iowa and an Associate of Arts in Criminal
Justice from Hawkeye Community College. Her research is primarily focused on Black
bureaucrats and representative bureaucracy. Her professional journey includes experience
working with refugees and immigrants in her hometown of Waterloo, IA, where she also
mentored high school students from Myanmar.
Areas of Expertise:
Public Management, Representative Bureaucracy, Street-Level Bureaucracy, Federalism,
and Decision-Making
Courses Taught:
Courses previously taught: Introduction to Public Administration, Introduction to Public Policy, introduction to American Government, and Nonprofit Management.
Research Interest Areas:
Interest areas are primarily focused on Black bureaucrats and representative bureaucracy.
Dr. Forney also has a focus on behavior and social equity.
Misty GrayerSenior Teaching and Learning Consultant, VITAL Faculty & Part-Time Assistant Professor of Public Administration
Senior Teaching and Learning Consultant, VITAL Faculty & Part-Time Assistant Professor of Public Administration
Additional affiliations: CETL Faculty Fellow for Learning-Centered Teaching Misty Grayer is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration in the School of Government
and International Affairs. She mainly teaches courses in the Master of Public Administration
program, and she also teaches in Master of Science in International Policy Management
and undergraduate political science programs. Her research interests focus on the
intersection of public policy/management and public law and contemporary public issues
and collaboration. As a former practicing attorney, Misty seeks to introduce the law
through teaching and scholarship in a relevant and practical to students and practitioners
working in the public sector.
Areas of Expertise:
Law and Public Management, Street-Level Bureaucracy, Collaboration
Courses Taught:
AD 6200, PAD 6500, PAD 6600, PAD 7150, PAD 7455, PAD 7461, PAD 7465, PAD 7900, POLS
1101, POLS 3310, IPM 7710
Research Interest Areas:
Role of Law in Decision-Making, Street-Level Bureaucracy Theory, Collaboration, Contemporary
Public Issues
Selected Publications:
Barnes, A., & Grayer, M. (2023). Does Language Matter? Perceptions of the Use of Diversity
Training in the Public Sector Workforce. Public Personnel Management, 52(2), 240-262.
Getha-Taylor, H., Grayer, M. J., Kempf, R. J., & O'Leary, R. (2019). Collaborating
in the absence of trust? What collaborative governance theory and practice can learn
from the literatures of conflict resolution, psychology, and law. The American Review
of Public Administration, 49(1), 51-64.
Nelson, D. H., O'Leary, R., Schroeder, L. D., Grayer, M., & Vij, N. (2016). 12. Collaboration
across boundaries in the Indian Forest Service. The Challenges of Collaboration in
Environmental Governance: Barriers and Responses, 267.
Madinah HamidullahMPA Director and Professor of Public Administration
MPA Director and Professor of Public Administration
Madinah F. Hamidullah, PhD is a Professor and Director of the Master of Public Administration program at Kennesaw State University. Her major research areas are public and nonprofit administration leadership and management, specifically how it applies to human resource management practices and policies. She is developing a research focus on women's organizations, and their collective impact in philanthropy, service, and professional development. Developing inclusive and accessible public management practices are critical aspects of her research, teaching, and overall life focus. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7659-1332
Areas of Expertise:
Public Management, Human Resource Management, Nonprofit Administration, Public Affairs
Education
Courses Taught:
Fundamentals of Public Administration and Public Service, Human Resource Management,
Nonprofit Governance and Administration
Research Interest Areas:
Leadership, Public Management, Human Resource Management, Experiential Learning (Internship
Supervision), Nonprofit Administration and Management, Organization Theory
Selected Publications:
Kim, Min Hyu, Van Ryzin, Gregg G., & Hamidullah, Madinah F. (2022) The effect of Obama's election on minority employees of federal agencies. International Journal of Public Administration. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2022.2061991
Hamidullah, Madinah F., Yun, Jung Ah (Claire), McDougle, Lindsey M., Shon, Jongmin,
Yang, Hyuk & Davis, Ashley. (2021) Exploring Individual Predictors of Variation in
Public Awareness of Expressive and Instrumental Nonprofit Brands. Journal of Philanthropy
and Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1002/nvsm.1710
Hamidullah, Madinah F. and Rodas, Mauricio A. (2019) Going Beyond Study Abroad: An
Introduction to United States and Chinese Joint Undergraduate Degree Programs and
Public Affairs Application. Journal of Public Administration Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2019.1680063
Hamidullah, Madinah F. Undergraduate Public Affairs Education: Educating Future Generations
of Public and Nonprofit Administrators. (Editor, Fall 2021, Routledge Press)
Hamidullah, Madinah F. 2016. Managing the Next Generation of Public Employees: Public Solutions Handbook. New York and London, Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group.
Jerry Herbel holds a PhD in political science from the University of Oklahoma; a Master
of Public Administration (MPA) degree, also from the University of Oklahoma; and a
BS in Public Affairs from Emporia State University. Prior to his academic career,
Herbel served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force and Air Force Reserve as
a public affairs officer and command staff officer in assignments around the world.
He teaches courses in human resource management and program evaluation, organizational
theory, and public sector budgeting. His primary research is focused on public human
resource management and executive decision-making.
Areas of Expertise:
Public Human Resource Management, Executive Leadership, Effective Decision-Making,
Public Organization Theory
Courses Taught:
PAD 6200, PAD 6250, PAD 6300, PAD 6350, PAD 6700, PAD 7250
Research Interest Areas:
Literature and Public Administration, Public Human Resource Management
Selected Publications:
Herbel, Jerry. 2018. Religion and Civic Purpose in Sophocles' Philoctetes. The Journal
of Religious Ethics. 46(3): 548-569.
Herbel, Jerry. 2018. Humanism and Bureaucracy: The Case for a Liberal Arts Conception
of Public Administration. The Journal of Public Affairs Education. 24(3): 395-416.
Herbel, Jerry E., Jr. 2015. Shakespeare's Machiavellian Moment: Discovering Ethics
and Forming a Leadership Narrative in Henry V. Public Integrity. 17(3) 265-278.
Herbel, Jerry E., Jr. and Henry T. Edmondson, III. 2015. Introduction: Symposium on
Shakespeare and Governance. Public Integrity. 17 (3) 243-246.
Sarah Young Hinkel-YoungProfessor of Political Science
Professional Website - www.NonprofitPhD.com Dr. Sarah L. Young, Professor of Public Administration at Kennesaw State University,
serves as the Director of Research for CARE Services, a campus support program for
students who have experienced foster care or unaccompanied homelessness. Dr. Young
earned her Ph.D. from Florida State University's Askew School of Public Administration
and Policy and her M.B.A. in nonprofit management from the University of Tampa Sykes
College of Business. She is the co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Public Affairs
Education and on the editorial board of Teaching Public Administration. Dr. Young's
research is published in Public Administration, Nonprofit Management & Leadership,
American Review of Public Administration, Journal of Public Affairs Education, and
other leading academic journals. She is the author of three forthcoming books, Mentorship
in Higher Education, A Roadmap to Social Change, and Building a Fair Society: A Global
Outlook of Public Management in Achieving Social Equity.
Areas of Expertise:
Nonprofit Management, Social Equity, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Public
Management, Public Crises
Courses Taught:
AD 7980 - MPA Capstone; PAD 3343 - Introduction to Public Administration, POLS 1101
- Introduction to American Government, HSD 3500 - Introduction to Research Methods,
PAD 7900 - Public Administration in Crisis
Research Interest Areas:
My research uses systems-based approaches to study the intersection of nonprofit,
public management, and equity, especially during periods of crisis.
Selected Publications:
Lim, S. & Young, S. (2023). Why the network coordinator matters: The importance of
learning, innovation, and governance structures in coproduction networks. Journal
of Civil Society. Available online first. https://doi.org/10.1080/17448689.2023.2206157
Collins, C., Salazar, A., Hoffman-Cooper, A., Johnson, R., Schmidt, L., Tiller, L.,
& Young, S. (2023). Mixed Methods Evaluation of Two Georgia College Campus Support
Programs for Students with Experience in Foster Care. Child and Adolescent Social
Work. Available online first. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-023-00941-0
Searing, E., Wiley, K., & Young, S.L. (2021). Resiliency tactics during financial
crisis: The nonprofit resiliency framework. Nonprofit Management and Leadership. 32(2),
p. 179-196. https://doi.org/10.1002/nml.21478
Young, S. L., & Tanner, J. (2022). Citizen participation matters. Bureaucratic discretion
matters more. Public Administration. 101(3) p. 747-771. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12867
Dr. Neuby researches and teaches in the areas of public budgeting and finance, homeland
security, and is particularly interested in the coming changes toward digital fiat
currency and the attendant social changes. Dr. Neuby enjoys numismatics and personal
development activities.
Areas of Expertise:
Budgeting, Finance, Homeland Security, Digital Currency, Organzation Theory
Courses Taught:
Public Budgeting, Organization Theory, Homeland Security, MPA Capstone, American Government
Research Interest Areas:
Global Financial System Changes, Central Bank Digital Currencies, Homeland Security
Selected Publications:
Neuby, B. L. 2023. Workbook for Public Budgeting. Kendall Hunt. 150pp.
Neuby, B. L. 2023. "Central Bank Digital Currency & the Business Model." International
Journal of International Journal of Business and Information Technology, 9(1): 27-42.
Neuby, B. L. and S. M. Barrett.* 2017. “The Case for a Single Currency.” Journal of Advances in Economics and Finance, August. v 2(2):83-96. DOI
Jennifer PurcellProfessor of Public Administration
Professional Website: www.jenniferpurcell.com Social: @drjwpurcell Dr. Jennifer W. Purcell is a Professor in the School of Government and International
Affairs at Kennesaw State University where she teaches courses in public leadership,
administration, and policy. Purcell is a leadership scholar whose research explores
leadership capacity building in organizational and community contexts with emphasis
on the role of boundary-spanning, organization development, coaching, and collaboration.
She has been affiliated with and taught leadership concepts across six academic departments
and in co-curricular and community settings. Purcell earned a Doctor of Education
in Adult Education in the Department of Learning, Leadership, and Organization Development
at the University of Georgia (2013) and holds a Master of Public Administration from
Valdosta State University (2010) and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and business
administration minor from Mercer University (2006). She also completed a Graduate
Certificate in Organization and Leadership Coaching from the University of Georgia
(2022).
Areas of Expertise:
Public Leadership, Organization Learning and Development, Boundary Spanning, Higher Education Community Engagement
Courses Taught:
PAD 7250 Leadership & Ethics in the Public Sector, POLS 3310 Public Policy Analysis
Research Interest Areas:
Boundary-Spanning Leadership, Sustainable Leadership and Organization Development
in the Public Sector, Higher Education Community Engagement, Coaching for Collaboration
Effectiveness
Honors, Awards, Achievements:
2024 RISE Research Fellow, 2024 Outstanding Professional Service and Community Engagement Award (nominee), 2023 KSU Tenured Faculty Enhancement Award, 2023 Cobb Chamber of Commerce Honorary Commander, 2021-2022 Faculty Diversity Fellow for Gender and Work Life Issues UC Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activity Award, 2018 KSU Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award Distinguished Faculty Award, 2018 University College (nominee), 2017 Delegate to the European Academy of Otzenhausen (EAO) in Germany, 2016 John Saltmarsh Award for Emerging Leaders in Civic Engagement, 2016 Catherine C. and Kenneth O. Kiesler Service Award, 2015 UC Faculty Development Award 2013 Engaged Campus Research Fellowship, 2013 IARSLCE Dissertation Award (nominee), 2012 IARSLCE Doctoral Student Scholarship, 2012 Emerging Engagement Scholar, 2011 AAWCC National Doctoral Scholarship, 2011 GHC Community Involvement Award, 2009 American Cancer Society Team Spirit Award & South Atlantic Division All Star Team (Team Captain)
Selected Publications:
Guest Editor, Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Anticipated Fall
2024, Special issue on Community-Engaged Scholars, Practitioners, and Boundary Spanners:
Identity, Wellbeing & Career Development.
Purcell, J. W. & Smith, D. N. (2023). Disciplinary Expertise and Faculty Credentialing
in Leadership Studies: Advancing a Necessary Conversation. (Feature Article). Journal
of Leadership Studies, 17(2), Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10/1002/jls.21851
Purcell, J. W., Rodriguez, D. X., & Ring, K. A.* (2022). The Covid Shift: Working
women's punctuated equilibrium. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 43(8),
1217-1233. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-01-2022-0044
Purcell, J. W., Pearl, A., & Van Schyndel, T.* (2021). Boundary spanning leadership
among community-engaged faculty: An exploratory study of faculty participating in
higher education community engagement. Engaged Scholar Journal, 6(2), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.15402/esj.v6i2.69398
Purcell, J. W. (2019) Future directions for community engagement in higher education:
Advancing scholarship, building leadership capacity, and refining commitments. In
Sandmann, L. R., & Jones, D. O. (Eds.), Building the field of higher education engagement:
A 20-year retrospective and prospective (pp. 247-249). Stylus Publishing.
Chenaz SeelarbokusProfessor of Public Administration
Dr Chenaz B. Seelarbokus teaches courses in international environmental policy, global issues, principles of public administration, public policy analysis, nonprofit governance, and philanthropy. Dr Seelarbokus is author of the book International Environmental Cooperation and The Global Sustainability Capital Framework (Elsevier, 2021), and she has published articles on the participation and effectiveness of international environmental agreements, international environmental law, NGOs and depleted uranium, the Kashmir dispute, and the de-Islamization of Rumi in the US.
Prior to her academic career, Dr. Seelarbokus served for more than five years as Assistant
Secretary in the Government of Mauritius, serving in the Ministry for the Environment
and Quality of Life, the Ministry of Commerce and Cooperatives, and the Ministry of
Education and Human Resources. Dr. Seelarbokus also served as an environmental technician
in the Environmental Studies Laboratory of the University of Mauritius.
Dr. Seelarbokus holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Georgia State University (GSU);
an MPA from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, GSU; an MA in Political Science,
GSU; an MS in Environmental Planning and Management from Louisiana State University;
and a BS (Hons.) in Pure Science (Chemistry, Environmental Studies) from the University
of Mauritius. Dr. Seelarbokus also holds a UNEP/UNESCO/Dresden University of Technology
International Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management for Developing Countries.
Dr. Seelarbokus was an intern in the Democracy Program at the Carter Center Inc.
Selected Publications:
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2024. “The Kashmir Dispute: Very Much an International Affair, with Erga Omnes Obligation.” Indonesian Journal of International & Comparative Law, 11(1), 29–111.
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2021. International Environmental Cooperation and the Global
Sustainability Capital Framework. Cambridge, MA: Elsevier.
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2014. “Assessing the Effectiveness of International Environmental Agreements (IEAs): Demystifying the Issue of Data Unavailability.” SAGE Open. 4(1). DOI: 10.1177/2158244014521820.
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2014. “International Environmental Agreements (IEAs): An Integrated Perspective on the Concept of Effectiveness.” International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy. Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 76-95. DOI: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20140202.15.
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2014. “Theorizing State Participation in International Environmental Agreements (IEAs).” World Environment. Vol. 4 No. 3, pp. 121-142. DOI: 10.5923/j.env.20140403.04.
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2014. “The Influence of Treaty Design on the Participation of Developed and Developing Countries in International Environmental Agreements (IEAs).” African Journal of Political Science and International Affairs. Vol. 8, No. 8, pp. 288-301. DOI: 10.5897/AJPSIR2014.0688.
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2014. “Thoroughly Muslim Mystic: Rewriting Rumi in America.” In A. R. Richards & I. Omidvar (Eds.), Muslims and American Popular Culture. US: Praeger
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2010. "International Environmental Law." In Robert A. Denemark
et. al. (Eds). The International Studies Encyclopedia. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2005. “Effectiveness of Environmental Treaties: Trend Analysis of Treaty-Based Environmental Indicators.” Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management. Vol 7: 3 (September).
Seelarbokus, Chenaz B. 2005. “NGOs and Depleted Uranium. Establishing a Credible and Legitimate Counter-Narrative.” In Richmond Oliver P. and Henry F. Carey. Subcontracting Peace: The Challenges of NGO Peacebuilding. Ashgate: Burlington, VT.
Dr. Shock teaches in the political science program and has been employed at KSU since
2002. He teaches courses on American politics and state and local government. In addition,
he conducts research on local growth politics related to zoning, housing, and environmental
concerns such as wind farm siting.
Areas of Expertise:
State and Local Government, Zoning, Growth Politics
Courses Taught:
American Government, State and Local Government, Governmental Relations
Research Interest Areas:
Local growth politics in the U.S.
Honors, Awards, Achievements:
2014 Betty L. Siegel Award from the KSU Alumni Association
Maureen WilsonAcademic Program Support Specialist & Part-Time Assistant Professor of Government and International Affairs
Academic Program Support Specialist & Part-Time Assistant Professor of Government and International Affairs
Maureen Wilson, PhD is the Graduate Programs Coordinator in the School of Government and International Affairs supporting both the Master of Public Administration and Master of Science in International Policy Management programs. Maureen is also part-time faculty in SGIA and has previously held teaching positions at Chattahoochee Technical College and Emory University. She is a graduate of KSU’s PhD in International Conflict Management program. Her research interests include transitional and post-conflict justice and international law.
Honors, Awards, Achievements:
College of Humanities and Social Sciences Outstanding Team Member 2019, PhD in International
Conflict Management Outstanding Scholar 2020
