Alumni Highlights

Steve Kelly (2012) is now the Township Administrator / Public Safety Director in Miami Township, Clermont County, OH. He took on this role after serving as Fire Chief in Miami Township for many years and, prior to that, as Captain in West Chester Township's Fire and EMS Department. Congrats, Steve, on this next step in your public service career!  

As some of you may know, Miami Township is in the northwestern part of Clermont County along the I-275 corridor and near the communities of Loveland and Milford. Currently, about 44,000 people live in Miami Township, which provides public services including police, fire and EMS, parks and recreation, road maintenance, zoning, etc.  

Steve joins a group of NKU MPA alumni who are serving as top administrative officials in local governments in the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati region. These governments include other townships in Ohio such as Clearcreek, Deerfield, Green, and Springfield.

Tom Haggard (2019) is now the Vice President of Community Engagement, Development, and Advocacy at EducateNKY, according to a LINK nky article. EducateNKY is a nonprofit organization with a mission of "ensuring that the Northern Kentucky education landscape is one of the best at meeting the needs of families and learners." Congrats, Tom!  

Previously, Tom had been Executive Director of the Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance, which supports the development of quality afterschool and summer programs for young people in Kentucky. He continues to serve in his elected position on the Board of Education for Covington Independent Public Schools; most recently, he has been Chair of the Board.  

The LINK article also reported that EducateNKY will have a new President and CEO, starting on August 1. Cheye Calvo with C Squared Strategies in California will take on this role, replacing Tim Hanner. Here's a link to the article.

Deborah Kittner Johnson (2007) was interviewed by WCPO 9 for a story about the historic Mohawk Place neighborhood in Cincinnati, near Findlay Market and TQL Stadium. Deb and her husband have owned and operated a business in the neighborhood for many years -- Robin Imaging Services, which specializes in fine art and photographic reproduction for interior spaces.  

Mohawk Place has a large number of vacant and deteriorating buildings, and Deb and other community leaders have been advocating for city departments and officials to motivate owners to take action. “We have a lot to offer, we’re just struggling to get people to work on what they’ve purchased, and others who might own properties, to sell them instead of just holding onto them and letting them waste away,” she said.  

Deb has served as a member of the Mohawk Steering Committee, which has been instrumental in developing the Mohawk Area Plan and other efforts to improve the neighborhood. "The insight that I have into this situation is greatly helped by my MPA studies," she said. Here's a link to the full WCPO story.

The opening of HighGrain Brewing in the former Brentwood Bowl building is going to be a transformative addition to Springfield Township and a wonderful gathering place for all! Congratulations to everyone involved in this exciting project, including Township Administrator Christopher Gilbert (2012) and Assistant Township Administrator Kathleen Kennedy (2017)!

The Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) recently welcomed their first therapy dog! Initially, Stella is providing emotional support to police officers, and eventually she will help victims of crime in the city. LOCAL 12, WKRC-TV was one of the local media outlets that published a story about Stella, and they interviewed Tiphanie Galvez (2018), who serves as Officer Wellness Coordinator for the CPD.

Anthony "Tony" Rees (NKU MPA 2013) was appointed as the new Chief of Police for the Union Township Police Department (UTPD) with a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees.

Tony has served in law enforcement for 25 years, starting as a Patrol Officer and then becoming Investigator, Patrol Sergeant, and Staff Sergeant. Most recently, he was Operations Lieutenant in the UTPD, which is a key leadership role in the department.

“Lieutenant Rees has spent decades preparing for this role. Our goal is to make Union Township the best place to live, work, play, and raise a family, and public safety is a crucial piece of that puzzle," said Joe Dills, Board of Trustees Chairman. "The Trustees are confident Tony has the skill set, experience, and attitude to get the job done. We are very excited to welcome him to the leadership team.”

Read the The Clermont Sun article here.

Amy Humphrey (NKU MPA 2017) was appointed as Chief Deputy Auditor by Hamilton County Auditor Brigid Kelly. It is almost certain that Brigid and Amy are the first females to hold these two titles in Hamilton County, after Dusty Rhodes served as Auditor for 32 years with male Chief Deputy Auditors.  

In her new role, Amy oversees the departments of Finance, Information Technology, Real Estate Valuation, and Real Estate Public Services. Her office has nearly 80 employees with varied responsibilities including payroll for all county employees, valuation of approximately 350,000 parcels in the county, property tax allocation to municipalities and school districts, and program management for property transfers, vendor and cigarette licensing, and dog registration.  

Amy started working in the Hamilton County Auditor's Office in 2010, as an Appraiser. In 2012, she was promoted to Tax Exemption Specialist and, in 2017, to Assistant Director of Administrative Services. In 2019, she was hired as Director of Administrative Services, where served until this promotion. "I am very excited about continuing to work for Hamilton County and the wonderful employees of the Auditor’s Office," Amy said. "I strongly believe I would not have had these wonderful opportunities without my MPA first and foremost, and some great supervisor mentors."

Sherri Jones (NKU MPA 2019) started as Strategic Initiatives Director at Hamilton County (Ohio) Department of Job and Family Services (JFS). As some of you know, she had previously worked for a number of years at Northern Kentucky University, including as Assistant Director of Compliance.  

JFS is celebrating 75 years of service, as one of the few agencies in Ohio that provide four broad areas of human services: workforce development, children’s services, child support, and public assistance. Within the department, 850 employees administer state, federal, and local programs designed to assist families and individuals in need and to help them work toward self-sufficiency.

Sherri joined a relatively large number of NKU MPA alums and students who work at JFS specifically and Hamilton County more generally. Hamilton County is one of the largest employers of our MPA alums!

Sokoni Hughes (NKU MPA 2020) recently started as Manager of the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program at the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA).  

FSS is a voluntary, five-year employment incentive program that teaches participants to set goals each year toward economic self-sufficiency and receive community resources to meet these goals. As their earned income increases, participants can save money in an escrow account, which they can use toward any financial or personal goal, including buying a house. You can learn more about the FSS program here.  

The CMHA position represents a shift in Sokoni's public-service career journey, as he had spent about a decade in higher-education administration. He had served as Program Manager at the University of Cincinnati for more than four years and as Assistant Director of Admissions at Chatfield College in Cincinnati for more than five years.

Niki Marengo (NKU MPA 2017) opened a new consignment store for outdoor recreation gear, called Arrow Adventure, in Lebanon, Ohio. The store opened in May and is believed to be one of the first of its kind in Ohio.  

The store evolved from a group, called Arrow Adventure, which Niki started six years ago to encourage and support people trying new outdoor quests. The new store will offer classes and workshops by local experts in addition to selling used gear for backpacking, camping, paddling, and other outdoor activities. Eventually, Niki plans to open a small bar in the store, which is located in the city’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA).

Beyond her work with Arrow Adventure, Niki has served as Community Engagement Manager with the Clermont County Park District and Volunteer Coordinator with Great Parks of Hamilton County. She's also served as an adjunct/part-time instructor in our MPA program, specifically teaching our Volunteer Management class (PAD 622).

Tim Haizlip (NKU MPA 2003) and his team at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) were recently honored with a Balchen-Post Award from the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). This award recognizes outstanding achievement in snow and ice control to keep airports open and safe.  

As many of you know, Tim (far left) returned to CVG about two years ago to become Vice President of Maintenance and Asset Management, after working in other airports including Louisville International and San Jose International. He also serves on our MPA Advisory Board and regularly participates in the professional development sessions in our Capstone class.

State Senator John Schickel (NKU MPA 1995) has been named as a co-chair of the Jail and Corrections Reform Task Force and as a member of the Certificate of Need Task Force. These special interim committees will study and discuss the relevant issues, and they may draft bills for the next regular session of the Kentucky General Assembly. Task force findings and recommendations are due to the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) by December 4.

According to this Northern Kentucky Tribune article, Senator Schickel was selected for these task forces because of his lengthy career in public service. In addition to serving as a state senator, he has worked in corrections administration and law enforcement. He also has been recognized with various awards, including one from the Innocence Project for his efforts to allow convicted persons to use DNA  evidence to prove their innocence.

Tom Haggard (MPA 2019) has been selected for the School Board Partners (SBP) Fellowship, making him the first Kentuckian ever to be a part of this competitive national program. The SBP's mission is "to help connect, inspire and support anti-racist school board members to lead with courage,  competence and impact."  

As some of you know, Tom was first elected to the Board of Education for Covington Independent Public Schools in 2020, and he is currently serving as Board Chair. Beyond his school board service, he has been Executive Director of the Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance for more than three years and, prior to that, Associate Director of Covington Partners for eight years.

You can learn more about Tom and the SBP Fellowship program in this article in the Northern Kentucky Tribune.

Tyler Gabbard (Nonprofit Management certificate 2017) was selected as Theatre Director at The Carnegie in Covington, KY. As many of you know, The Carnegie is an award-winning multidisciplinary arts venue with a theatre, an education center, and multiple art galleries.  

“As someone born and raised in Northern Kentucky and a current resident of Covington, I’m excited to continue offering meaningful artistic experiences that are both entertaining and enriching to the community,” Tyler said in a recent article published by the Northern Kentucky Tribune.  

Prior to joining The Carnegie, Tyler served as Patron Experience Manager at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Previously, he was Box Office and Patron Communications Manager at Pepperdine University's Center for the Arts in Malibu, CA, as well as Events and Publicity Manager at the NKU School of the Arts.

David Plummer (2012) started as the new City Administrator in the City of Alexandria, Kentucky. This appointment is particularly exciting because David was born and raised in Campbell County, and his family currently resides in Alexandria.  

While David has connections to Alexandria, city officials did an exhaustive search for a new City Administrator -- a professional local government management position that had not existed in this community for 30 years. “We had a lot of quality applicants. At the end of the day, Mr. Plummer was the best," said Mayor Andy Schabell, according to a Link NKY article. In fact, David had been selected as the 2021 City/County Manager of the Year by the Northern Kentucky City/County Managers Association (NKCCMA).  

Prior to Alexandria, David served as City Administrator in Union, Kentucky, for about five years. In this role, he helped navigate a number of important projects, including Union Promenade, which is a 62-acre mixed-use development with a Cincinnati Children's Hospital medical facility, restaurants, retail, apartments, and single-family homes.

Wade Williams (MPA 2001) has started a new enterprise called the Economic Development Group, which "helps public organizations and businesses chart a smarter course for growth."  

Using data-driven processes, the Economic Development Group creates strategies and implementation plans for local, regional, and state economic development organizations as well as incentive analyses and location advisory services for businesses. Headquartered in Cincinnati, the group is serving cities, counties, states, businesses, and other organizations in the Midwest and beyond.   

As Principal of this group, Wade brings more than 20 years of experience in economic development, along with a number of awards. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Global Business Development at REDI Cincinnati. He also was Vice President of Business Retention and Expansion at the Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-ED) and Business Management Director at Duke Energy.

You can learn more about Wade's latest venture and connect with him on LinkedIn.  

This Soapbox Cincinnati article provides an interesting overview of "shared services" and other strategies among local governments in our region -- particularly first-ring suburbs -- to continue providing quality public services while facing budgetary challenges. The article provides some insights from T.J. White (MPA 2008), who has served as Executive Director of the Center for Local Governments (CLG) for more than 10 years and as a Management Analyst there for four years before that.  

CLG's mission is “to improve public service delivery by the cities, townships, and villages in the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area, especially among its member jurisdictions, through improved information exchange, cost reductions, shared resources, inter-jurisdictional collaboration, and new approaches to capital equipment and skills acquisition.”

Leo Calderón (MPA 1995) may have retired but he's not slowing down! He delivered the keynote address at this year's Supporting the Hispanic Parent Leadership Conference. Organized by Learning Grove, this conference provides educational workshops for Spanish speakers and shares community resources with them.  

In addition, Leo continues to serve as a member of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, which is a statewide, independent nonprofit organization. It has a mission "to move Kentucky to the top tier of all states for education excellence and equity for all children, from their earliest yearsthrough postsecondary education."

And as many of you know, Leo co-founded Esperanza Latino Center while he was Director of Latino Student Initiatives at NKU, and he continues to be very active with it. Esperanza is a nonprofit organization that advocates for and provides services to the Latino/Hispanic community of Northern Kentucky.

Two of our MPA alums -- Deanna Hillard (2019) and Tori Vogelgesang (2013) -- have been selected for Action Tank's City Council Bootcamp this year. Action Tank is a creative nonprofit that helps research and promote new public policy solutions in Greater Cincinnati. Its bootcamp program prepares participants to impact public policy as elected officials and/or community leaders.   

As many of you know, Deanna's "day job" is Program Officer at Interact For Health, which is a nonprofit that promotes healthy living for people in Greater Cincinnati through grants, education, and policy. And Tori is currently serving as the Associate Director of the Career and Experiential Education Center at Mount St. Joseph University. Here's a link to a recent news story about Action Tank, its bootcamp program, and this year's cohort.

Congratulations are in order for Jess Link (MPA 2022) on a couple fronts! First, Jess is part of this year's class for School Board School, which has 22 members. This nonprofit has a mission of "activating a diverse coalition of education advocates and aspiring school board members to create significant and sustainable change in their school system."  

On another front, Jess has been serving as Associate to Partnerships with the Dean's Office in the University of Cincinnati's College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology. Jess is really loving their work at UC, especially helping to formalize the Inclusive Excellence Office and co-directing DEI programs and initiatives.

The City of Union, KY and City Administrator David Plummer (MPA 2012) were in the news related to the Union Promenade development. David and other city officials participated in the official groundbreaking ceremony this fall. In addition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center announced it will be building a $10 million medical facility at the promenade, which will also have single-family homes, apartments, restaurants, and retail. Here are links to a few stories in case you missed them:

NKY Tribune

Spectrum News

WCPO News

Congrats to Joe Shriver (MPA 1996) on his decision to retire as County Administrator with Kenton County Fiscal Court, and thanks for his many years of public service in Northern Kentucky! And congrats to Scott Gunning (MPA 2014) for being named as the new County Administrator, effective August 1! We are so proud of both of these NKU MPA alums!

Joe has been credited with leading and managing a number of important projects in Kenton County, according to a lengthy article on the county's web site. One of the biggest was in 2019, overseeing the transition of multiple public agencies to the new Kenton County Government Center, which was developed on the historic site of the former Bavarian Brewery.

Scott started working for Kenton County in 2002, as an intern in the Judge/Executive's Office. Since then, he has held numerous positions including Director for Parks and Recreation from 2005 to 2014 -- during his time as an MPA student -- and then as Assistant County Administrator from 2014 to the present.  

Kamara Douglas (MPA 2020) recently started as Integrated Campaign Coordinator for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which is based in Washington, DC. As many of you know, Kamara is originally from Baltimore, so this role takes her back to family and friends in the region.  

The SEIU is a labor union that represents nearly 2 million workers in the United States and Canada. It is focused on organizing workers in more than 100 occupations in three sectors: 1) public services; 2) health care, including hospital, home care and nursing home workers; and 3) property services.

Kamara has gained much experience in political strategy and communications over the years, including her time in Greater Cincinnati. Among other experiences, she was Chief of Staff for one Cincinnati city councilmember and Community Affairs Director for another councilmember. She also served as Senior Civic Manager for the Women's Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

David Wallace began as Senior Vice President of Operations for OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence, which is based in Cincinnati. This position represents a major career transition for David -- and a fantastic "second act" -- after he retired from serving as an Attorney in the U.S. Court of Appeals for 32 years.

As some of you know, David earned his MPA degree and Nonprofit Management graduate certificate from our program in 2007. He had also earned a JD from the NKU Chase College of Law in 1989.You can learn more about him and his new role from this article by Movers & Makers Cincinnati.

Marcus Alan McGhee (MPA 2012) has authored his first law review article, which was published in the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy. Also, he recently started serving as a Staff Attorney for the U.S. District Courts, after working for the Indiana Supreme Court for five years.

His article reviews and analyzes the judicial actions in Indiana to allow for court proceedings to be conducted online and livestreamed during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can check out the abstract and download a full version of the article here.

Marcus earned his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice in 2010 and the MPA degree in 2012 from Northern Kentucky University. He went on to earn a J.D. in 2016 and a Master of Laws (LLM) in 2021 from Indiana University.  

Check out this wonderful, lengthy story about Mayra Sidler Guzman by Women of Cincy! Mayra is a three-time alumna of NKU -- MPA degree (2018), Nonprofit Management graduate certificate (2018), and bachelor's degree in Sociology with Spanish and Honors minors (2014).  

The story describes Mayra's journey moving at a young age from Mexico to the United States through her current role as Strategy and Impact Coordinator at Cooperative for Education, aka CoEd. This Cincinnati-based nonprofit organization is dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty in Guatemala through educational programs, which address the root causes of poverty rather than merely its symptoms.  

"In all that she does, Mayra uses empathy to assure that everyone is understood and given a voice," writes Sarah Wheatley. "Mayra is someone who believes that when we all take small steps, together, we can change the world."

Scott Smith (MPA 2012), City Administrator and Police Chief in The City of Ludlow, is trying to change policing in Northern Kentucky. He wants to expand the training of police officers in martial arts so that they are less dependent on using their guns and other weapons.  

Scott has implemented martial arts and hand-to-hand training in Ludlow's police department. He's also provided training to SWAT teams in Kenton County (KY) and Warren County (OH). You can learn more about his efforts in this article by LINK nky, formerly known as River City News.  

Keith Bales (MPA 1997) has returned to local government management in the City of Covington, after successfully launching and running Moonrise Doughnuts for a few years. He recently started as Deputy Director of the city's Neighborhood Services Department, which includes parks and recreation, solid waste and recycling, code enforcement, federal grants and housing assistance, and the housing choice voucher program.  

Keith said he looks forward to helping the City of Covington with addressing residents’ concerns, according to a recent article in Link nky. “My heart is in working in the field, meeting with citizens and organizations on the street level,” he said.“I have a tremendous commitment to customer service – I believe a key role of government is to problem-solve. I’m excited to get started.”  

Keith started Moonrise Doughnuts after a 30-year career in public service, including time with the City of Covington. The beloved donut shop has two locations in Northern Kentucky -- the original in the Latonia neighborhood of Covington (3718 Winston Avenue) and a second in Crescent Springs (2513 Ritchie Avenue).

Ryan Adcock (MPA 2006) co-founded Cradle Cincinnati in 2012 and then served as Executive Director of this collaborative effort among parents, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and community members to reduce infant mortality in Hamilton County. Recently, Ryan announced that he'll be stepping away from Cradle in the new year to become Director of Patient and Family Experience at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.  

We want to thank Ryan for leading and managing this collaborative effort to decrease infant mortality -- that is, babies dying from any cause before their first birthday. In 2011, Hamilton County's infant mortality rate was the second-highest in the country, and now it is about half the rate it was 10 years ago.

Also, we want to wish Ryan the very best in his new role at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. We know that he'll continue to be a strong, collaborative, strategic, creative, and empathetic leader there.  

For the 10th year, Jenny Brady (MPA 2012) organized the Day of the Girl Cincinnati. This year, it took place on Sunday, October 10 with in-person and online options. The in-person event was held at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and included the official viewing party of the global speakers online, followed by a local panel discussion in person. This event also included free admission to the zoo and complimentary parking.  

Jenny founded Day of the Girl Cincinnati in 2012 with a few goals: to increase awareness of inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender; to galvanize enthusiasm for goals to better girls' lives, providing an opportunity for them to show leadership and reach their full potential; and to foster local engagement – of individuals, organizations, and the community.

Alisa Berry (NKU MPA 2004), Executive Director of Cornerstone Renter Equity, talked to LOCAL 12, WKRC-TV about this nonprofit's innovative approach to helping renters of affordable housing achieve better lives for themselves and their families.  

Cornerstone helps families earn and save up to $130 per month, or $1,600 per year, in various ways such as paying rent on time, volunteering, and participating in community events like block clean-ups. These funds are put into an account that can't be touched for three years. After that time, participants can use the equity they've built up (approximately $4,800) in any way they want.  

"We’ve had people buy vehicles. We’ve had people pay off medical bills. We have families who keep this asset as an emergency fund,” Alisa said.

For 20 years, this program was available to affordable housing renters in certain buildings in Over-The-Rhine (OTR). But the "Renter Equity Club" has expanded to all renters in that neighborhood at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI).

Read full article here.

Learn more about Cornerstone here.

Lisa Desmarais (NKU MPA 2012) is currently serving as Chair of the Board of Regents for the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS). This statewide system has 16 colleges, more than 70 campuses, 97,000 students, and an estimated $1 billion annual budget. The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce recently published an article about about Lisa -- aka "Educator-in-Chief."  

“What Lisa brings to her position is a real focus on economic and workforce development and a real appreciation for the potential of KCTCS to serve Kentucky in those fields," said Dr. Fernando Figueroa, President and CEO of Gateway Community & Technical College. "The more voices we have out of Northern Kentucky that are involved in the statewide conversations, the better.”  

As some of you know, Lisa has a career that spans the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. In the public sector, she served as Director of Technology Services for Kenton County and as Director of Finance and Operations for the City of Covington. In the nonprofit sector, she was Executive Director of Family Promise of Northern Kentucky, which helps provide shelter to families experiencing homelessness. Previously, she spent more than 10 years working for corporations such as Fidelity Investments, Ernst & Young, and American Express.

“Lisa’s experience in both the public and private sector will help ensure the organization has the guidance it needs to continuously grow and improve to meet the future demands of our workforce," said Brent Cooper, President and CEO of NKY Chamber.  

You can read the entire article at this website.

It was also published in the September/October issue of the NKY Chamber Business Journal.

The 2022 Class of Leadership Northern Kentucky (LNK) has been announced, and it includes Tim Haizlip (MPA 2003), a Vice President at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. In addition, two NKU colleagues -- Dale Stephenson and Anna Wright -- have been selected for this program. Congrats to all in the 2020 Class!  

This year, Stacie Strotman (MPA 2015), Executive Director of Covington Partners, is serving as Chair of LNK, which is designed to enhance participants' understanding of the region and develop their skills to engage in collaborative efforts to improve it.  

"For the next year, this LNK class will have the unique opportunity and perspective to learn about our region post-2020 and use this experience to create positive momentum and change for a vibrant Northern Kentucky," she said. "While they shoulder a responsibility that no other class before them has encountered, the Class of 2022 is more than capable of meeting this challenge."

Learn more about LNK and this year's class in The River City News.

Jennifer Steele (MPA 2010), CEO of Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY, talked with 91.7 WVXU about recent efforts to improve the quality of life for senior citizens. In particular, the nonprofit organization has enhanced services in two areas: 1) hunger and malnourishment, and 2) social isolation and loneliness.  

Meals on Wheels provides meals, transportation, financial case management, and other services to about 10,000 seniors in our region. The organization recently expanded its robotic pet program to provide companionship to seniors who can't have live cats and dogs. All of these services are designed to help seniors "live safely and with dignity in the comfort of their homes for as long as they'd like to," Jennifer said.

You can read the full story here.

The Ohio Economic Development Association recently recognized economic developers across the state who achieved the Ohio Certified Economic Development (CED) credential this year. Two of these "best in class" professionals are NKU MPA alumni -- Alex Kraemer and Susan Ellerhorst -- who both graduated from our program in 2012.  

Alex is currently serving as Director of Economic Development and Zoning in Hamilton Township, Ohio, which is the fastest-growing township in Warren County. Prior to that, Alex held positions in all levels of government as well as non-governmental bodies including: Economic Development Manager in the City of Fairfield, Ohio; Manager of Public Affairs for the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Personal Aide to a U.S. Senator; and Senior Legislative Aide to an Ohio State Representative.   

Susan has served for 6 years as Village Administrator in Williamsburg, Ohio, which is located in Clermont County. In this role, Susan is responsible for managing a $4.9 million budget and local government operations, including zoning, public works, and street maintenance. Previously, she was the Assistant to the City Manager in Milford, Ohio, which is located in both Clermont and Hamilton counties.

Neil Kelly (MPA 2014) launched his campaign for City Council in Deer Park, Ohio. He said in a recent message, "I am thrilled to bring my experience as a collaborator, a problem solver, and a dedicated public servant to the table to seek commonsense solutions to the challenges Deer Park faces."  

As many of you know, Neil has been actively involved in public service and advocacy work for a long time. Most recently, he's served as Eligibility Technician with Hamilton County Job and Family Services, where he helps Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants and recipients. In this role, he coordinates with other county agencies, nonprofit organizations, and additional groups to achieve the best outcomes for SNAP clients.  

Deer Park is located in Hamilton County, north of Cincinnati and near Silverton and Amberley. The city is about one square mile and has a population of about 5,600.  

We wish Neil the very best as he joins other NKU MPA alumni who have run for city councils, school boards, state legislatures, and other elected bodies. Here are a couple links to his campaign sites for those who want to like, follow, and/or help:

https://www.voteneilkelly.com/

https://www.facebook.com/voteneilkelly

This Cincinnati Enquirer article focuses on Trailside Village, which is a proposed $150 million development in Green Township, Ohio. Frank Birkenhauer (NKU MPA 1995), Green Township Administrator, is quoted as saying, "It will change how people view the West Side."

At the heart of Trailside Village will be a hiking and biking trail, which has been built on an old railroad line and is currently less than a mile in length. Eventually, the development will include a mix of housing including single-family and apartments, restaurants and retail stores, and possibly a brewery. It will also have an extended trail system, a park with picnic areas, and 50+ acres of green space.  

According to the article, Green Township will help pay for some infrastructure in Trailside Village such as sewer and trail extensions through a tax-increment finance (TIF) district. Green Township currently has about 59,000 residents -- making it the third largest in Ohio -- and this development will likely add to that number.

The City of Ludlow is on the rise! The latest edition of "River City Resilience" shines a spotlight on the city and its businesses, especially Second Sight Spirits distillery. Scott Smith (MPA 2012), Ludlow City Administrator and Police Chief, adds his perspectives and insights to the story.  

Scott notes that Second Sight Spirits is a great example of the city’s plans to provide a mix of unique businesses within the main district on Elm Street. Other businesses there include Bircus Brewing Company, Taste On Elm specialty food market, Ludlow Parlor: Coffee, Ice Cream and Cookie Dough, and Leeta Ruth Boutique. "Getting the right mix of businesses is important," Smith said. "We want them to be successful. We don’t want redundancy, and we are looking for things that are unique."   

In addition, the City of Ludlow is undergoing a rebranding effort to highlight the positive qualities that set it apart from other communities. These qualities include a strong heritage as a railroad town, numerous historic homes and buildings, access to biking and walking trails at places like Devou Park, and a convenient location in the heart of the region.

"Ludlow is within 10 or 15 minutes of downtown Cincinnati, Hebron or Florence or Independence," Scott said. "We are very conveniently located, and if you’re looking for a different sort of day, come to Ludlow."

The Northerner – NKU's student newspaper – published a thoughtful and thorough profile on Leo Calderón (MPA 1995), as he prepares to retire from his 35-year career at Northern Kentucky University. Congrats to Leo on his retirement, and many thanks for all of his contributions to NKU and beyond!  

One of Leo's important contributions to our campus was establishing Latino Programs and Services in 2001, which eventually became Latino Student Initiatives. In 20 years, this office has gone from serving about 60 students to more than 600 -- a growth of 1,000 percent! He also led the establishment of NKU's Latino Mentor Program (LAMP) in 2008, based on an existing program for African American students, called NKU ROCKS.  

In our region, Leo's impacts include being a founding member of the Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati USA and Esperanza Latino Center of Northern Kentucky. And he was the first Latino member of the Kentucky Board of Education. You can read much more about his life, his work, and his impacts in The Northerner article.

David Caudill (MPA 2006) recently defended his dissertation to earn a Ph.D. in Politics and International Relations from the University of Leicester​ in the United Kingdom. The dissertation was titled: "War, the War Power, and the War Powers Resolution of 1973: A Study in American Political Development." Congratulations, Dr. Caudill!  

With a doctoral degree now, Dr. Caudill continues his career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. During the past 16 years, he's had assignments at U.S. embassies in Paris, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, Chile, and other countries. Currently, he's working on a detail assignment for Senator Todd Young of Indiana, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Prior to joining the foreign Service, Dr. Caudill served as Clerk of Courts in Clermont County, Ohio for nearly a decade. He's a native of southwestern Ohio, graduating from Williamsburg High School and earning a bachelor's degree in History from NKU.

Tynisha Worthy (MPA 2008) has achieved some important milestones. First, she defended her dissertation to earn a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership from NKU. Her dissertation title is: "If We Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Race, We Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Nothin’: Uncovering The Lived Experiences Of Black Students In Schools."

Dr. Worthy also started a new position as Assistant Director of Cradle Cincinnati Connections, which is a neighborhood-based approach to reducing infant death via a team of professionals who connect women with the services they need. These services include housing assistance, access to cribs and diapers, breastfeeding support, and depression screenings. (As some of you know, NKU MPA alum Ryan Adcock is Founder and Executive Director of Cradle Cincinnati.) Cradle Cincinnati has seen much success over the years. A recent report noted that Hamilton County had the fewest infant deaths in 2020 since modern record-keeping began in 1968. Here's a WCPO 9 story about it. Congrats and kudos, Dr. Worthy! And best wishes in your new role!

It's always great to see local organizations collaborating to achieve better outcomes for people living and working in our region! And it's especially interesting when these efforts involve NKU MPA alumni and students.  

Covington Partners and the Covington Business Council (CBC) are co-sponsoring a new work-based mentoring initiative to help Covington students realize their full potential. A few MPA folks are involved in these organizations including Stacie Strotman (MPA 2015), Executive Director of Covington Partners, and Jennifer Caskadon Danner (MPA 2008), Operations Manager at the CBC.

Check out this great article about Africa Fire Mission (AFM) published by Spectrum News 1 Ohio! As many of you know, Dave Moore (MPA 2006) started this nonprofit organization in 2012 after he visited Kenya and realized the lack of  firefighting equipment and training there. Dave now serves as AFM's Executive Director and Chief Fire Officer; his wife Nancy Moore serves as Program Director; and MPA student Josh Hamilton serves as Communications Director.  

The article discusses AFM's mission to increase the sustainable capacity of fire departments in developing communities via training, empowerment, support, and encouragement. ​So far, AFM has worked with fire departments in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Zambia. AFM is looking toward possible expansion in Ukraine and other countries around the world. The article highlights the fact that an AFM team will travel to Malawi later this month, which will be the organization's first trip in about a year due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Best wishes to the Malawi team on their journey and to all of AFM family in continuing its important work!

Tom Haggard (MPA 2019), Director of the Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance, wrote an article in The River City News. The article discusses the importance of summer and afterschool programs for students coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Far too many are struggling with lost instruction time, social isolation, hunger and mental health challenges," he wrote. "Now more than ever, we need to deliver innovative solutions that will accelerate students’ learning and recovery." Here's a link to the article.

Jennifer Millisor (MPA 2009) co-authored an article on engaging parents involved in child welfare in program evaluation and research. The article was published in a  recent edition of the Journal of Public Child Welfare.  

Here's a brief summary: "Child welfare-involved parents provide an important perspective on service needs and program impact. Similar to other vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, challenges exist to engaging child welfare-involved parents in community-based research and evaluation. This case study reviews recruitment and data collection strategies for effectively engaging child welfare-involved parents with substance use disorders in a survey to evaluate the Ohio Sobriety, Treatment and Reducing Trauma (START) program."   

Jennifer serves as Manager of the Ohio START Program at the Public Children Services Association of Ohio in Columbus. START is an evidence-informed intervention model for public children services agencies. It involves teams of caseworkers, behavioral health providers, and family peer mentors dedicated to improving outcomes for families struggling with both parental substance use and child maltreatment.

Here's a link to the journal article for those interested in learning more.

Deerfield Township is the latest community in Greater Cincinnati to launch a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA). A DORA allows people 21+ years of age to purchase alcoholic beverages from permitted businesses in a designated cup and then sip, stroll, and shop in a defined area. In this case, the defined area is the Deerfield Towne Center.  

Establishing a DORA is another tool to help promote Deerfield Township as a destination for dining, retail, and entertainment, according to the township's web page on the topic. Click here for more information including FAQs.

Jim Flick (NKU MPA 2010) is the Economic Development Director in Deerfield Township, and Eric Reiners (NKU MPA 2011) is the Township Administrator. The new DORA seems like a great opportunity for an NKU MPA event, especially for our students and alumni in Warren and Butler counties.  

Based on her expertise in fair housing, Jeniece Jones (MPA 1996) was interviewed by WCPO 9 about President Joe Biden's executive order to redress discriminatory housing policies and practices in the nation’s and federal government's history.  

Jeniece serves as Executive Director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME), which has a mission "to eliminate unlawful discrimination in housing in the Greater Cincinnati area."  

The executive order calls on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to review its policies and programs to ensure they comply with the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The act prohibits discrimination in housing -- renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, etc. -- based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.  

Jeniece said, “As a fair housing organization and a civil rights organization, HOME applauds this executive order for really focusing on historical patterns of racial segregation and discrimination." She added that as more is needed to eliminate housing discrimination such as enforcing fair and affordable housing measures at the state and local levels and incentivizing more homeownership for African Americans (which is much lower than whites). Watch and/or read more in the full story here.   

Great news! Dennia Palmer -- who earned the dual MPA degree and Emergency Management certificate in December 2020 -- has been hired as an Emergency Preparedness Planner for the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC). She started the position remotely and expects to be on the ground in Baltimore by May.  

Dennia is very excited about this opportunity because emergency management has been her career goal for some time. She said that she feels prepared for the new position because of her emergency management classes taught by Professors Marcos Misis and Kay Vonderschmidt.

Her job responsibilities are related to the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), which is a federal program that assists urban areas with building and sustaining capabilities to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism. Specifically, she will be validating Baltimore's capacity to shelter during an emergency, providing data for the annual threat hazard identification and risk assessment process, and developing a training plan in shelter practices and management.  

Niki Marengo (MPA 2017) and her friend Jessica Haag started Arrow Adventure to encourage and support people interested in trying new outdoor quests. This group organizes events, teaches skills, and provides accessibility to equipment for activities such as backpacking, kayaking, mountain biking, archery, and skiing.  

In her regular "day job," Niki serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for Great Parks of Hamilton County (Ohio). Also, she has taught the Volunteer Management course (PAD 622) in our MPA degree and Nonprofit Management certificate, every once in awhile.  

You can read more about Arrow Adventure and how it got started in the Soapbox Cincinnati article. And you can follow the group's Facebook page and keep updated on their events, gear exchanges, and more.

The Health Collaborative published a profile of Greg Kesterman (MPA 2015) as a COVID-19 Leader in Action! As you may know, Greg is the Health Commissioner of Hamilton County, and The Health Collaborative is a group of "health-conscious partners committed to creating better community, better health, and better healthcare in Greater Cincinnati."

MPA alumna Kamara Douglas has been engaged with the development of a report by the Women's Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation that focuses on laws, policies and practices that oppress Black women in the United States.  

Kamara served as a community reviewer of the report, which is titled “Analysis of Black Women’s Historical Labor Trends & Systemic Barriers to Economic Mobility.”  

The Women's Fund report is part of this group's ongoing efforts to empower working women in Greater Cincinnati and to address gender and racial disparities. You can learn more about the report, including Kamara's role, from this WCPO story.  

Josh Neumeyer (MPA and Nonprofit Management alum) has been advocating for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. Most recently, he's been working with Hoxworth Blood Center on the "We all bleed the same” campaign, which involves blood donors signing and sending cards to the FDA. The overall message is that eligibility guidelines for blood donations should be applied equally to all potential donors, not based on sexual orientation.  

Back in 2014, Josh organized the first Cincinnati effort linked to the National Gay Blood Drive, which brought attention to the FDA's policy discriminating against gay and bisexual men. As part of this effort, Hoxworth hosted a blood drive where gay and bisexual men could bring people to donate on their behalf.  

You can learn more about the "We all bleed the same” campaign from various local news stories including this Cincinnati Enquirer article featuring Josh. And you can learn more about donating blood by calling Hoxworth at 513-451-0910 or visiting their web site at https://hoxworth.org/. (In case you haven't heard, the local blood supply is at a critically low level due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.)

Keith Bales (MPA 1997) has opened a second location of  Moonrise Doughnuts in Crescent Springs, Kentucky (2513 Ritchie Avenue). You can learn more about the new shop from this WLWT story and others out there.  

Keith opened the original Moonrise Doughnuts a few years ago in the Latonia neighborhood of Covington (3718 Winston Avenue). It serves classic doughnuts as well as creative ones like maple bacon, chocolate raspberry, pumpkin cheesecake, cherry limeade, bourbon cream, Irish cream, and champagne.  

Keith started this sweet enterprise (literally and figuratively) after a 30-year career in public service. During that time, he worked for various government entities including those in the City of Covington, Boone County and the State of Kentucky.  

Kathleen Kennedy (MPA 2017) has been very busy during the past year ... or five! She recently wrote an article for the Alliance for Innovation(AFI) about how her team in Springfield Township has used "antifragile" principles as a guide during these challenging times. An antifragile organization is expected to leverage external stressors to facilitate development, growth, and renewal in a purposeful way. Here's a link to her article.  

Over the summer, Kathleen accepted the title of Director of Innovation and Sustainability in Springfield Township in addition to her ongoing role as Director of Administrative Services. The Office of Innovation and Sustainability is focused on making the township government work better by thinking across all departments, analyzing processes, utilizing technology, and keeping stakeholders at the forefront of decision-making and design.

Kathleen has worked for Springfield Township for five years and, during this time, her responsibilities have evolved, giving her opportunities to learn about almost every aspect of the township's operations. Currently, she's responsible for planning and zoning -- which crosses into economic development -- and she leads the IT department.  

The River City News talked with NKU MPA alum Chris Moriconi -- Administrator of Independence, Kentucky -- about a relief program that's provided financial assistance to 17 local businesses so far to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Enquirer interviewed Frank Birkenhauer (NKU MPA 1995), Administrator of Green Township, Ohio, and other local leaders about expected developments in the community this year. These wide-ranging and exciting developments include:

- upgrades to Kuliga Park such as a new pavilion, stage, and pickleball courts;

- extension of walking trails near Nathanael Greene Lodge at Veterans Park;

- widening and other improvements to Harrison Avenue;

- expansion of TriHealth's Western Ridge campus;

- construction of the Airy Hills senior living community; and

- construction of a Hampton Inn, Buffalo Wild Wings, and other commercial properties.

Bill Fischer (MPA 1999) talked to the Cincinnati Business Courier about plans by The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority to construct mixed-income townhomes in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Mount Auburn. As Vice President of Community Development, Bill leads The Port’s outreach efforts in neighborhoods throughout Hamilton County and with real estate developers in Greater Cincinnati.  

The Port was asked to get more involved in the neighborhood by the Mount Auburn Community Council and the Mount Auburn Community Development Corporation. The plans are to build and sell six market-rate townhomes and then use the proceeds toward the construction of two or three affordable townhomes. All of the townhomes will be on Loth Street and have a similar appearance -- that is, no noticeable difference between the market-rate and affordable structures.The Port's mission is "to rebuild communities with a focus on equitable development to promote job creation, improve property value, increase homeownership, and achieve the highest and best use of real estate." More info at its web site: https://www.cincinnatiport.org/.

Congrats to Justin Otto (MPA 2009) and Stacie Strotman (MPA 2015) for their graduation from Leadership Kentucky!  

NKU MPA alum Chris Cole has been contributing an entertaining series of columns -- called The Man Scout -- to the Northern Kentucky Tribune. "The Man Scout chronicles Cole’s journey to acquiring some of the skills of the head, the heart and the hand he failed to learn as a child of the 1980s growing up in Newport. His field guide: a 1952 Boy Scouts Handbook he found on eBay."  

This column, for example, focuses on the scout's fundamental motto of being prepared and how Chris learned it the hard way after graduating from NKU and moving to Colorado Springs.  

In his day job, Chris currently serves as Director of Enterprise Communications at Sanitation District 1 (SD1), which manages stormwater and wastewater in Northern Kentucky in order to keep waterways as clean and healthy as possible. In addition, he has been teaching the Administrative Law class (PAD 612) in our MPA program for the past few semesters.  

The Hamilton County Health Board voted to approve Greg Kesterman (MPA 2015) as Hamilton County Health Commissioner. Greg had served as interim commissioner since February 1 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I can’t image a more difficult scenario in which to begin, and Greg has handled it superbly. He has energized his team and is leading a comprehensive and complicated response to a novel pandemic that we haven’t seen in more than 100 years. The Board of Health could not be more pleased with Greg’s leadership,” said board president Mark Rippe.

Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) serves about 480,000 residents of Hamilton County in 45 political jurisdictions other than the cities of Cincinnati, Norwood and Springdale (which have their own health departments). The agency has 105 employees and a $17 million budget. HCPH's work includes control of diseases (such as COVID-19 and tuberculosis), immunizations and epidemiology, and inspections of various public facilities including restaurants, groceries, schools, swimming pools, and campgrounds.

Congratulations, Greg! And many thanks to you and your team for your exceptional efforts during the past six months to keep our region as safe and healthy as possible.

Read more about Greg in this article.  

Deanna Hillard (MPA 2019) was selected to be part of Impact 100 Cincinnati's Young Philanthropists Class of 2021. Impact 100 "empowers women to dramatically improve lives by collectively funding significant grants that make a lasting impact in our community." Every year at least 100 women members contribute $500 or $1,000 each, and these funds are pooled to make transformational grants of at least $100,000 to nonprofit organizations in Greater Cincinnati.

Impact 100 is part of a worldwide movement of high-impact collective giving circles involving thousands of women and millions of dollars. Much more info about Impact 100 here and about the Young Philanthropists specifically here.  

As Administrator of Clearcreek Township, Matt Clark (MPA 2011) is helping lead the way on the development of a new police station and the renovation of the township's administration building. This article in Dayton Daily News provides a good overview of these projects, particularly the financing.

Clearcreek Township is a fast-growing community of about 33,000 residents in the north-central portion of Warren County, Ohio. Matt has been the Township Administrator since May 2017. Previously, he worked for Deerfield Township for nine years, including six years as Director of Administrative Services.

Jeniece Jones (MPA 1996), Executive Director of HOME of Greater Cincinnati, has been featured in a couple national news stories on NPR during the past week. Based on her expertise in housing laws and regulations, she was interviewed about the national moratorium on evictions and what it means for tenants across the United States.

Click here for a news story about options and assistance for people who can't pay their rent.

Check out a one-on-one interview here.  https://www.npr.org/transcripts/910102483

NKU MPA alum Chris Moriconi hosts "City Talk," a public television show that focuses on local government in Northern Kentucky. In the most recent episode, he led a discussion of the Kentucky pension system and its funding challenges with Kentucky Senator Chris McDaniel, Covington Mayor Joe Meyer, and Fort Wright Mayor Dave Hatter.

As for his regular "day job" -- beyond talk show host -- Chris is the City Administrator of The City of Independence, Kentucky . He is actively involved in the Northern Kentucky City and County Management Association (NKCCMA), and he stays engaged in our MPA program including being a guest speaker in our classes.

"City Talk" is a service of the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky (TBNK), which is the cable television authority formed by an interlocal agreement among the Kenton County Fiscal Court and 15 local cities in the county. The TBNK's Community Program Center provides government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and citizens with opportunities to create and broadcast public access television programs around their needs and interests.

For those interested, click here for the most recent episode of "City Talk" on the state pension system.

We continue to be proud of and inspired by NKU MPA alumni and students who are helping people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic! This FOX19 story focuses on work by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County -- led by Paula Brehm-Heeger (MPA 2016) -- to assist kids and families in our region with remote learning.

Last year, Black infant mortality decreased by 24% in Hamilton County, Ohio. Specifically, the number of Black infant deaths per 1,000 live births dropped to 12.6 in 2019 from 16.6 in 2014-2018. This is the lowest rate since at least 1968 -- 50+ years! -- when comparable data started being collected.

One reason for the drop is Cradle Cincinnati's efforts to put more Black women in leadership positions and offer programs that bring Black women together to discuss childbearing and parenting. MPA alum Ryan Adcock (2006) co-founded and leads Cradle Cincinnati, which is a collaborative aimed at reducing the high infant mortality rate. Organizations in the collaborative include: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Hamilton County Government, and City Of Cincinnati Government.

Ryan and others recognize that there is more work to be done. But kudos to him, the Cradle Cincinnati team, and community partners for "moving the needle" in the right direction!

Check out this Cincinnati.com story to learn more about Black infant mortality and Cradle Cincinnati.

Greg Preece (MPA 2012) recently participated in an Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) podcast on the impacts of and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The podcast touches on how local government human resource offices have managed the crisis so far and how they're planning to reopen as states begin relaxing stay-at-home orders.

As many of you know, Greg currently serves as Human Resources Manager in the City of Oakland, California. Also, he is an adjunct instructor in our MPA program, teaching Human Resource Management (PAD 501) online. In the podcast, he mentions our MPA program, the PAD 501 class, and even the new textbook he's using this Summer.

ELGL’s mission is to engage the brightest minds in local government to foster "authentic and meaningful connections that are grounded in practices of equity and inclusion." Started in 2012 with 16 people meeting for dinner in Portland, the  group has grown to more than 4,800 members in local governments across the country and the world. Networking activities have expanded to include not only dinners but also podcasts, blogs, webinars, and social media.

Listen to the podcast here.  

Marcus Alan McGhee (MPA 2012) authored an article called "Money, Power & Respect: A Candidate’s Guide to Judicial Campaigns" in the Spring 2020 issue of Indiana Court Times. This outlet is designed to foster communications and enhance the work of judiciary members across the state.

"Judges and judicial candidates must, to the greatest extent possible, be free and appear to be free from political influence and partisan interests," the article says. "[I]t is imperative that, in addition to following the relevant election laws, candidates for judicial office properly file their candidacy, submit financial disclosures, and ensure their financial transactions adhere to the Code of Judicial Conduct."

Indiana Court Times published another piece by Marcus called "From Courtroom to Boardroom" in the Fall 2019 issue. This one explored the challenges and limitations of judges serving on governing boards of nonprofit organizations.

Currently, Marcus is serving as Staff Attorney with the Indiana Supreme Court's Commission on Judicial Qualifications. After earning his MPA at NKU, he went on to earn a JD degree at Indiana University in 2016, along with two graduate certificates in Criminal Law and Environmental and Natural Resources Law.  

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky has selected NKU MPA alumna Allison Adams as Vice President for Public Policy. The organization's mission is "to address the unmet health needs of Kentuckians by developing and influencing policy, improving access to care, reducing health risks and disparities, and promoting health equity."

Allison has been involved in public health for 20 years. She began as a health educator in 2000 at the Buffalo Trace District Health Department, which serves 20,000 residents in Mason and Robertson counties. She became Public Health Director of that district in 2008, which was the same year she earned the MPA degree at NKU. Beyond her formal position, Allison has served as President of the Kentucky Health Directors Association for the past four years.

In announcing Allison's appointment to the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, President and CEO Ben Chandler said, "She's not only the chief health strategist for her own community, she also led the charge to pass the public health transformation bill in the 2020 General Assembly to refocus all of Kentucky's local health departments on core policy and strategy functions and to ensure appropriate funding going forward." Read the full news article here.

A shout-out to our MPA folks who were involved in NKU's Night of Black Excellence including Sherri Jones and Marsha High! Both Sherri and Marsha were part of the MPA class that earned their degrees in December 2019.

The Night of Black Excellence is an event that recognizes NKU students, faculty, and staff members of color. It includes a gala and forum to showcase research, art, and other accomplishments. The Nu Upsilon Black Women's Honorary helps organize the event, and Sherri serves as the advisor to this group.

During the forum, Marsha presented her research with Dr. Nicole Dillard, which explores leader identity and engagement for Women of Color leaders in public administration. As you may recall, their research was  

Dave Butsch (MPA 2004) is retiring from a long career in public service culminating as Public Works Director in the City of Fairfield, Ohio - Government. He was awarded a key to the city at the City Council meeting on May 26. Read more about Dave here.

Congrats on your retirement, Dave, and thanks for your service!

Greg Kesterman (MPA 2015) has been named interim Commissioner of Hamilton County Public Health! He proceeds Tim Ingram, who announced his retirement after serving in this role for 27 years.

For the past 10 years, Greg has served as Assistant Commissioner of Hamilton County Public Health, so he is very well-qualified and well-prepared for this opportunity. As Assistant Commissioner, he was responsible for overseeing the divisions of Environmental Health, Water Quality, Waste Management, and Plumbing. Previously, he had served as Director of the Environmental Health division for two years.

Hamilton County Public Health serves the nearly 500,000 citizens living in Hamilton County outside the cities of Cincinnati, Norwood, and Springdale. The agency focuses on preventing disease and injury, protecting people from environmental hazards, and promoting wellness. It has about 100 employees and a $17 million annual budget.

More info at this Enquirer article.  

Congratulations to the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County and Executive Director Paula Brehm-Heeger (MPA 2016)! The library received a top national ranking for the seventh year in a row -- a Five-Star rating from the Library Journal’s Index of Public Library Service.

According to this Cincinnati Business Courier article, "Cincinnati’s public library is among the top two libraries in the country in the $30 million-plus expenditure category and is one of only five libraries nationwide in its category to receive a Five-Star Library rating."

The Cincinnati public library and Paula have been in the news a lot lately for another reason -- the release of its facilities master plan. The plan was developed after a yearlong listening process involving more than 3,000 community members at 41 sessions. It will serve as a guide to invest up to $190 million over 10 years from a Hamilton County tax levy.

Multiple media outlets released stories about the rankings and what is happening at the Library. Check them out below.

WCPO article

WVXU article

City Beat article

Cincinnati Business Courier article

Photo credit: David Kalonick | Courier

The Journal-News in Butler County looked at potential changes in 2020 for the City of Fairfield, Ohio. The article includes insights from Mark Wendling (MPA 1992), who has served as City Manager in Fairfield for nearly five years and, prior to that, as Assistant City Manager for four years.

The following are a few upcoming projects and efforts discussed in the article:

- starting a trail project around the perimeter of Harbin Park, which is 230 acres and the city's largest park;

- constructing a new pavilion at Harbin Park, which could be rented for weddings and other events, providing a new revenue source for the city;

- completing the Northern Ohio 4 Market Study, which will provide data about each land use along this corridor to help identify best uses for vacant properties; and

- developing a new online system so that residents can file local income taxes and pay bills online.

On Tuesday, March 24, the MPA program will be celebrating Mark at the 2020 Spring Awards Banquet as the Distinguished MPA Alumnus. We hope you can join us!

Cincinnati City Council has passed several pieces of legislation to reduce preventable evictions, and 91.7 WVXU asked Jeniece Jones (MPA 1996) for her insight, as Executive Director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME).

"I think this is a critical first step for the folks that the Fair Housing Act was designed to protect, African Americans, other communities of color, newcomers to our community, folks who are disabled, seniors and families with children," she said.

Jeniece not only is an alumna of the MPA program but she has also served as an adjunct professor for classes such as Nonprofit Strategic Planning (PAD 624) and Nonprofit Laws (PAD 628). She was selected as the Distinguished MPA Alumna in 2016.

Frank Birkenhauer (MPA 1995) is the top Administrator of Green Township, which is located in western Hamilton County. With an estimated population at 59,175, Green is the third largest township in the state of Ohio and one of the largest communities in the Greater Cincinnati region. This Cincinnati Enquirer article looks at Green's quest to attract an Olive Garden or another full-service chain restaurant, and it touches on at least two of Frank's activities as Township Administrator -- economic development and media relations.

Frank has served as Township Administrator in Green since 2016 and, prior to that, he was Assistant Township Administrator in Colerain for 21 years. Beyond his "day job," he has served as president of the Mill Creek Watershed Council and the NKU Alumni Association. He has been recognized with a Forty Under 40 award from the Cincinnati Business Courier, Public Administrator of the Year Award from the American Society of Public Administration's Greater Cincinnati Chapter, and Distinguished Alumnus Award from our MPA program. Read more about Frank and Green Township at: https://greentwp.org/departments/administration/.

Jenny Brady (MPA 2012) is the Executive Director of SOTENI International, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit organization with a mission is to prevent and mitigate the effects of disease, especially HIV/AIDS, through community-based programs in rural Kenya. About 25% of people in Kenya have HIV/AIDS, which is one of the highest incidence in the world.

This Soapbox Cincinnati article explains SOTENI's work via the author's first-hand experiences visiting its clinics and talking with staff. In light of the attack on a Kenyan airfield in January, author Jennifer Mooney writes, "We may be told not to travel to Kenya. News may say it is unsafe. Yet from personal experience, I argue that there is no more important time to think globally and positively."

This article in The River City News highlights positive changes in the City of Ludlow, Kentucky, where Scott Smith (MPA 2012) has been serving as City Manager since last year. These changes include transitioning the senior center to a more broad-based community center, new discussions about moving forward with the Ludlow Yards project, and potential new development along the riverfront.

NKU Magazine shined a light on Keith Bales (MPA 1997) who started Moonrise Doughnuts two years ago after a long public service career.

The beloved Moonrise is a retro-themed boutique doughnut shop in the Latonia neighborhood of Covington that's open for business only in the evenings. It serves classic donuts as well as unique ones like maple bacon, chocolate raspberry, pumpkin cheesecake, cherry limeade, bourbon cream, Irish cream, and champagne.

Prior to Moonrise, Keith worked for 30 years in local and state government including the City of Covington, Campbell Regional Juvenile Detention Center, Boone County Human Services, and State of Kentucky.

Read the full story here.  

Jim Flick (MPA 2010) recently wrote an article for Gov CIO Outlook, which is a magazine for chief information officers (CIOs) in government organizations at the local, state, and national levels.

In this piece, Jim identifies and describes four factors that he sees as being critical to local governments developing and enhancing relationships with the people they serve. These factors are data, transparency, culture, and inclusion.

Currently, Jim is the Director of Economic Development and Public Information Officer for Deerfield Township, Ohio, which is in Warren County, northeast of Cincinnati. He has also served as a part-time faculty member in our MPA program.

Patti Bates (MPA 1997) is retiring after 30 years of public service with the last five years as Village Manager in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

The Yellow Springs News wrote this article about Patti!

Two NKU MPA alumni were featured in the NKY Spotlight, produced by the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Elizabeth Fricke (MPA 2013) and Justin Otto (MPA 2009) talked about the Next Generation Leader Awards (NGLA). Elizabeth is a key organizer of the awards program, and Justin was a finalist this year. (MPA alum Tom Haggard (2019) was also a finalist and won the Education and Workforce category.)

The NGLA awards are presented by the Northern Kentucky Young Professionals, formerly known as Legacy. The awards recognize professionals under the age of 40 for "significant professional accomplishments, demonstrated leadership, and community impact."

Watch the NKY Spotlight here.

This River City News article explains an innovative approach initiated by Stacie Strotman (MPA 2015) to help Covington Independent Public Schools (CIPS) improve their achievement rates. The approach is based on "a system to troubleshoot open-heart surgery for infants," which she learned at a seminar at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Stacie Strotman is the CIPS Director of Communication and Family Engagement and Executive Director of Covington Partners, and she has taught the Program Evaluation class in our MPA program.

Chris Cole has joined the NKU Master of Public Administration (MPA) program as a part-time faculty member. He is teaching our Administrative Law class (PAD
612), to which he brings an exceptional combination of relevant education and experience.

Professor Cole earned a master's degree from the NKU MPA program (2004) and a law degree from the NKU Chase College of Law (2009). Currently, his full-time job is communications director for Sanitation District No. 1 (SD1), which is a public utility that provides stormwater and wastewater services in the Northern Kentucky region.

Prior to SD1, Professor Cole worked at Northern Kentucky University for 18 years, most recently as the university-wide communications director. Also, he has served as a part-time faculty member in NKU's College of Informatics -- specifically journalism and public relations classes -- and he is utilizing that teaching expertise in PAD 612.

Paula Brehm-Heeger (MPA 2016), Executive Director of the Public Library of  Cincinnati and Hamilton County, talked with 91.7 WVXU about the organization's efforts to get input for the facilities master plan from citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders in meaningful ways. Most recently, community engagement sessions were held regarding the two buildings that make up the Main Library in downtown Cincinnati.

"We're interested in engaging the community for their creative ideas about what they want to see for our library, specifically the Main Library," Paula said. "It's a high-level discussion to generate some high-level ideas. At this point, it's kind of sky's the limit because we want to hear from everybody about what their priorities are for what they need to do with our public library."

In May 2018, voters in Hamilton County approved a library levy that is expected to generate an additional $19 million per year for the next 10 years. The estimated $190 million will be used for facility updates across the library's 41 locations. This year, the library is working to create a facilities master plan to ensure that taxpayer funds are used efficiently, effectively, and ethically.

Learn more about the library's facilities master plan here.

Congratulations to Newport City Manager Tom Fromme (MPA 2001) and others involved with the development of a new music venue at the Ovation site near Newport on the Levee.

Corporex, based in Covington, is developing the $40 million venue in partnership with PromoWest Productions and AEG Presents. The development will have indoor space for up to 2,700 people and outdoor space for up to 7,000 people. It is expected to host 180 events per year that attract a total of 350,000 to 400,000 people.

"This project will totally redefine the face of Newport," Fromme said.

Check out the article from Kentucky.com.

Cradle Cincinnati, led by Ryan Adcock (MPA 2006), published its annual report focusing on the infant mortality rate in Hamilton County. The report has been featured in a number of news stories, including this one by Lucy May of WCPO - 9 On Your Side.

The full report -- titled "Because We Love Her: Fighting for Racial Equity in Maternal and Infant Health" -- has a lot of data about infant health, women's health, and community health as well as information about myths, causes and strategies related to the infant death crisis. Here is a link for those interested in learning more.

Wade Williams (MPA 2001) and his wife Kara Williams are featured in a recent issue of NKU Magazine with a focus on their ongoing commitment to the university. For example, Wade currently serves as Vice Chair of the Alumni Board, and Kara as Secretary of the NKU Foundation Board. (Kara earned a bachelor's degree in speech communication from NKU in 2001.)

Check out this story on the Williamses along with others on NKU's efforts to address the opioid crisis in Kentucky and the university's new partnership with Kroger to fight food insecurity among students. Here's a link to the full magazine online.

Kudos to Fairfield City Manager, Mark Wendling (MPA 1992) on earning a contract extension and raise!

“Collectively, we feel Mark’s done a good job. He’s fulfilled all the levels we would expect from our city manager,’’ said Fairfield City Councilman Bill Woeste. “He’s checked all the marks and he’s performing at the level we expect and we’re glad to have him.”

Check out this article from Cincinnati.com.

Caroline Braden (MPA 2009) was elected as Commissioner in the City of Taylor Mill, Kentucky. This was Caroline's first time running for public office, and she was one of four candidates elected to the city commission for a two-year term. We know that she will be an excellent representative and leader, based on her passion for public service, her knowledge of government and public administration, and her commitment to improving Taylor Mill, where she has lived for 27 years.

For those who don’t know, Caroline retired from NKU in December 2018 after serving as the Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs and Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Organizational Theory (which houses the MPA program). We miss Caroline, but we are very happy that she has more time to do things she loves, such as serving her community, being with her children and grandchildren, and traveling with her husband to national parks.  

As the new director of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Paula Brehm-Heeger (MPA 2016) recently gave the first State of the Library speech. A couple highlights in the speech were the future renovation of three libraries to make them handicap accessible as well as potential partnerships with the YMCA and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission to attract more young people to libraries.  

Read more about State of the Library speech here.

Keith Lanser is Manager of Service Learning and Civic Engagement at Mount St. Joseph University. In this MSJ video, he describes the meaningful work that he does to engage students in service learning, student philanthropy, voting, and other civic activities.

"The most rewarding part of my job is that I get to work with students one-on-one and encourage them to get off the sidelines and do something in our community," he says in the video. "I see students every day reject cynicism and apathy."

Keith earned a Nonprofit Management graduate certificate in 2013 from our program, during which time he participated in service learning and the Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project. He earned a bachelor's degree in International Studies in 2010 from the NKU Political Science, Criminal Justice and Organizational Leadership Department.

Check out the video here.

Paula Brehm-Heeger (MPA 2016) has been named as Director of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County after a national search during which she served as Interim Director. The PLCH is one of the oldest, largest and busiest public library systems in the United States. (It is second busiest next to the New York Public Library.)

Paula oversees the Main Library in downtown Cincinnati and 40 branches throughout the county that serve more than 800,000 people. Also, she is responsible for managing a $55+ million budget and 900+ positions (690 FTEs). Paula has worked for the PLCH for more than 16 years, including as Chief Strategy & Technology Officer and as Service Operations Manager. She oversaw the ambitious facilities improvement plan made possible by voter support of a levy in May 2018.

In 2016, Paula was selected as the Distinguished MPA Graduate by the NKU MPA program and Outstanding MPA Student by the American Society for Public Administration’s Greater Cincinnati Chapter.

Below are a few articles about Paula's hiring:

Cincinnati Business Courier

Cincinnati.com/Enquirer

WVXU

Congrats, Paula! We know you're going to continue to do amazing things for PLCH!

Dave Moore (MPA 2006) has been fighting wildfires across the country. Watch this interview from Channel 5 about Dave’s time fighting fires in Texas and read the article below from Inside NKU about Dave’s nonprofit, Africa Fire Mission. Thank you for your service, Dave, and stay safe!

https://www.wlwt.com/article/local-firefighters-answer-the-call-to-help-fight-the-nations-worst-wildfires/22701911?src=app

https://inside.nku.edu/nkumagazine/2018/july/moore.html

Good luck to MPA alumni Evelyn Sears (2008), Victoria Vogelgesang (2013), and Tynisha Worthy (2008) who started their adventure in the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership program at NKU! #NorseUp

Photo Credit: Arnie Slaughter

You might remember from the summer newsletter that NKU MPA alumna Tina Dyehouse (2009) won a People's Liberty grant to launch the first citywide digital ombudsman. Check out this excellent video about her project!

https://vimeo.com/284614611

Barry Burton (MPA 1995) was selected as the top administrator of Pinellas County, Florida. Seated in Clearwater, Pinellas County government has 1,800 employees who provide a wide array of services. These services include planning and community development, economic development, safety and emergency services, workforce development, veteran services, garbage collection and recycling, parks and conservation, watershed management, urban forestry, and mosquito control.

https://www.tampabay.com/article/20180816/ARTICLE/308169663/1071

Photo Credit: Mark Puente, Times

NKU MPA alumna Tina Dyehouse (2009) won a People's Liberty grant to launch the first citywide digital ombudsman! Tina is an experienced government employee and dispute resolution professional, who believes that an ombudsman can serve as a bridge between the people and their government. She fused the traditional concept of an ombudsman with new technology and ideas to solve quality-of-life issues for Cincinnati-area residents.

The City Ombudsman project will seek and investigate issues involving Cincinnati government agencies. It will publish results at the web site www.cityombudsman.com.  

Check out this story from WCPO on Tina and her creation of the digital City Ombudsman with a People's Liberty grant!

Please join us in supporting Tina's work by "liking" the City Ombudsman Facebook page.

Paula Brehm-Heeger (MPA 2016) talks about progress at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County in a recent Soapbox Cincinnati article. She is the Chief Strategy and Technology Officer of the library, which is the second busiest in the country.

Paula discusses the impact of technology on the library's services over the past 10 years, including self-checkout systems and digital offerings like eBooks an eAudiobooks. In addition, the main branch now has the Makerspace, which provides patrons with access to 3D printers, photography and video stations, audio recording stations, sewing machines, and other equipment to create and learn.

The Cincinnati Business Courier published an interview with John Scott (2013) as part of its 40 Under 40 series. John is currently serving as Program Manager of Community Relations at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. You can only see the full interview if you have a Business Courier account, but here are a few gems from it:

Q: What do you wish you had known when you were in college? A: The power of relationships. I would have networked much more before entering the world of work.

Q: What’s the worst advice you’ve ever received? A: To only love those who love you. I’ve learned love is best demonstrated by giving it to those who don’t give it back.

Q: What’s one luxury that’s always worth the splurge? A: A good suit and pair of shoes. For me, it’s an investment in my brand.

Q: Favorite vacation spot? A: My favorite vacation spot is Cincinnati. I love my staycations.

Q: Is there something people might be surprised to learn about you? A: I am a soap opera fan (“General Hospital”). It helps me to assess what not to do in relationships.

After leading the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative for 12 years, Jane Keller (MPA 2009) has announced that she'll retire at the end of this year. Her time in the nonprofit sector was a wonderful Second Act, following a lengthy First Act in the private financial services sector.

In fact, a few years ago, the Cincinnati Business Courier selected Jane for one of its official Second Act awards, which honors "Cincinnatians who have found success after a first career, as either owner or manager." The Courier recently included a story on her retirement announcement.

We know that Jane will find continued success in her Third Act, and we wish her much happiness, good health, and peace.

Congratulations to Dr. Angela Corley (MPA 2009) for earning a doctoral degree from Florida State University!

During his time as a graduate student, recent alumnus Chris Robinson (MPA 2017) helped lead an effort to conduct the first survey of veterans living in northern Kentucky for his Capstone project.  

As a veteran living in the region himself, Robinson was excited to work with the Tristate Veterans Community Alliance (TVCA) on the survey project. With input from Rusty Mardis, director of the TVCA's Veteran In-Processing and Welcome Center, Robinson created an online survey instrument that more than 200 veterans completed. To learn more about Robinson's project, including some key findings, check out this article in the NKU Magazine online!

/content/inside/nkumagazine/2018/january/veteran-survey.html

Greg Preece (MPA 2012), Assistant City Manager of Fairfield, Ohio, oversaw a comprehensive review of the local government's pay system. The review resulted in recommendations that include expanding pay grades from three to 14 while maintaining raises based on performance or merit. Our MPA program is fortunate that Greg has taught our Human Resource Management class (PAD 501) and brought this kind of real-world experience to our students. Here's a brief article about it in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/fairfield/2017/12/06/new-fairfield-pay-structure-puts-employees-into-14-grades/929422001/

A crew from a TV documentary show in the Netherlands recently came to America to report on gun violence in this country, and they found that the Cincinnati Police Department is using some innovative strategies to address this issue. The crew filmed and interviewed a few leaders in the CPD, including Homicide Commander David Johnston (MPA 2008), about the department's witness protection program and its use of technologies such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network and the ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection and Location Service.

https://www.wcpo.com/news/crime/tv-crew-from-netherlands-examines-gun-violence-in-cincinnati-for-documentary

Elissa Dixon-Bates finished her MPA degree in May 2017, shortly after she had been promoted to a new position in Cincinnati Public Schools. Elissa became Coordinator of the Aspire Program, which provides adult basic and literacy education, such as General Educational Development (GED) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).  

In this new role, Elissa is responsible for various activities including -- but not limited to -- the following:

• planning and facilitating the Aspire Program Advisory Board meetings,
• establishing and maintaining partnerships with local government agencies and businesses,
• recruiting and training adult education volunteers,
• assisting with the hiring, on-boarding, and evaluating adult education staff,
• evaluating and tracking program satisfaction,
• planning and facilitating program improvement strategies, and
• assisting with grant applications and additional fund acquisition.

Elissa said, "My new position has provided countless opportunities to utilize the knowledge and skills gained through earning my MPA degree." We hope the degree continues to serve Elissa well in her career of managing programs that help people become more self-sufficient and more engaged in the economy and society.

Check out this excellent article about Dave Moore (MPA 2006) and the Africa Fire Mission from the Enquirer - Cincinnati and Kentucky! Dave is one of our MPA Advisory Board members, and he has served as an adjunct instructor in our program.

Africa Fire Mission links the brotherhood of firefighters on two continents