PORTFOLIO

EDUCATION

My career goal is to improve economic growth and quality of life locally, regionally, and nationally by:

Identifying policy priorities that impact the lives and issues surrounding Appalachians and advancing a strategy for affecting the outcome of those policies.
Increasing capacity by developing collaborative efforts with the public, decision-makers, and organizations with shared goals.
Determining needs at a local landscape level that may be shared throughout the region and determining a strategy for providing the resources needed for meeting those needs.

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
2021 - 2024

Completed Emphasis of Study: Local Governance and Community Development, Fall 2023

Pi Alpha Alpha—National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration

The following highlights from my MPA education at WVU are organized according to the five NASPAA Universal Competencies with learning outcomes from core studies. These selected samples of learning outcomes advanced my capacity to achieve the stated career goals.

To lead and manage in the public interest.

Evaluate the relationship of organizational values, vision, and mission to management.
Demonstrate management skills as applied to programs, projects, people, and resources in public service organizations.
Apply ethical decision making to public management issues.
Identify and evaluate the mix of revenue sources and underlying assumptions that shape budget planning and execution in both public and non-profit contexts.

To participate in, and contribute to, the policy process.

Analyze and assess organizational context, structures, and systems in public service organizations.
Explain a substantive policy issue.
Create and report policy analysis findings for community and policy maker audiences.
Identify major features in the political and social landscape that shape budgetary processes in both present and past contexts.

To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make evidence-informed decisions in a complex and dynamic environment.

Evaluate the relationship of organizational values, vision, and mission to management.
Analyze and assess organizational context, structures, and systems in public service organizations.
Demonstrate management skills as applied to programs, projects, people, and resources in public service organizations.
Apply ethical decision making to public management issues.
Assess and apply the use of various data collection, analysis, and presentation methods.

To articulate, apply, and advance a public service perspective.

Evaluate the relationship of organizational values, vision, and mission to management.
Analyze and assess organizational context, structures, and systems in public service organizations.
Demonstrate management skills as applied to programs, projects, people, and resources in public service organizations.
Assess and apply the use of various data collection, analysis, and presentation methods.
Create a research design and implementation proposal.

To communicate and interact productively and in culturally responsive ways with a diverse and changing workforce and society at large.

Analyze and assess organizational context, structures, and systems in public service organizations.
Apply ethical decision making to public management issues.
Apply technical and ethical assessment techniques to a policy issue.
Create and report policy analysis findings for community and policy maker audiences.