George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs
Encyclopedia
The George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at Ohio University
in Athens, Ohio, is a multidisciplinary school, which engages students, faculty, and professional staff in projects across Appalachia and the state of Ohio. Project teams, composed of individuals from the School and various departments and colleges, work with businesses, non-profit, and government partners on applied research and other efforts to contribute to economic and entrepreneurial growth, leadership development, and the environment in the region.
The Voinovich School also partners with a variety of Ohio University’s colleges and academic units at to present unique learning opportunities. The School employs more than 100 undergraduate and graduate students each year, and plays an integral role in the delivery of the Integrated Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, the Master of Science in Environmental Studies (MSES) program, and the Honors Tutorial College
(HTC)/Voinovich School Undergraduate Research Scholars program. The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is also housed within the School.
The George V. Voinovich School of Leadership was named after U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich, a 1958 graduate of Ohio University, in recognition of his commitment to public service.
The Ohio General Assembly created the Rural Universities Program (RUP) in 1985, which served as the major statewide public service program of the Ohio Board of Regents until 2009. Ohio University was the lead institution of the RUP, which also included Miami University
and Bowling Green State University
. Within the Voinovich School the RUP funds were utilized by The Institute of Local Government Administration and Rural Development.
In 1995, the university’s Board of Trustees created the Center for Public and Environmental Affairs (CEPA), which would house both ILGARD and the Environmental Studies Program. Three years later, on Dec. 11, 1998, the Board voted to rename the center “The George V. Voinovich Center for Leadership and Public Affairs” and expand it to include an Executive Leadership program and entrepreneurship program. The Ohio University Executive Leadership Institute (OUELI) was established at this time to address the challenges faced by public sector executives. The program offers professional development courses on strategic leadership for public and nonprofit managers and executives on public value, with an emphasis on strategy, change and performance. OUELI faculty and staff worked closely with representatives from the John F. Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University to design the program and based the model on the Mark Moore Strategic Triangle.
In 2001, Governor Bob Taft
, the Ohio Board of Regents, and the Ohio General Assembly implemented the Appalachian New Economy Partnership (ANEP) at the Voinovich School, to strengthen the region’s growth and competitiveness by building knowledge and technology use.
This region has traditionally been underserved by those providing sophisticated business expertise, especially in the areas of technology assistance and financing. Through a combination of unique programs supported by ANEP funds and partnerships, the Voinovich School is helping to provide this assistance and increase the economic competitiveness of the region.
In 2005, OUELI’s scope continued to expand on a national stage through collaboration with the Public Children Services Association to deliver executive development to children services executives in Ohio and nine other states.
The George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs was established on April 20, 2007 when the Ohio Board of Trustees voted to rename the Center. The School became the first multidisciplinary school at Ohio University and continues to focus on applied research, leadership development and applications learning across colleges.
Faculty involvement in multidisciplinary project teams is a critical component of the engaged scholarship model at the Voinovich School. The School provides opportunities for faculty from across Ohio University to work with students and professional staff in providing services and applied research to help make a difference in Appalachian Ohio and the state.
The Voinovich School grants special appointments on an annual basis to several nationally prominent leaders from both the public and private sectors. Special appointments are chosen for their contributions to public service and business, and for their leadership in State and national affairs.
, the former location of the Athens Lunatic Asylum. The site, owned by Ohio University, also hosts the Kennedy Museum of Art, Ohio University Recycling, a nature reserve and other university offices.
The School has done applied research work to improve decision making in health care with the College of Osteopathic Medicine, and in children's safety, economic growth, and education coordinated by the School's Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD), and through partnerships with other Ohio University colleges, the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at Ohio State University, and the Ohio Evaluation and Assessment Center.
The School also has a history of training and leadership development of educators and public sector and nonprofit professionals through the Ohio Appalachian Educators Institute (OAEI); the Ohio University Executive Leadership Institute (OUELI); and the Regional Nonprofit Alliance. These programs help shape government and nonprofit officials into better strategic leaders and provide them with the research they need for better decision-making.
The Voinovich School also provides value-added research and technical assistance to government and non-profit organizations, covering areas such as safety net services, health care, education, and community development. The School provides project facilitation and evaluation, data analysis for use in decision-making, geographic information system
(GIS) support, and survey and focus group research.
In conjunction with the political science department, the Voinovich School provides public sector learning opportunities for Master of Public Administration (MPA) students.
The Voinovich School, through the Appalachian Watershed Research Group, the Consortium for Energy, Economics and the Environment (CE3), the Center for Air Quality, and the Environmental Studies program, facilitates interactions between people who are interested in energy and environmental problems.
The School has over a decade of experience in working with faculty and staff from across Ohio University, local watershed groups, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), and with other local, state, and federal agencies on restoration of rivers and streams which have been polluted by abandoned coal mines in southeast Ohio. The Voinovich School continues its watershed work while also providing leadership through CE3 on issues related to energy, environmental health and economic growth.
Through AREG, the Voinovich School helps deliver the College of Business' Integrated Master of Business Administration (IMBA) program and the developing Entrepreneurship certificate, which will provide entrepreneurship curriculum to students from all Ohio University colleges and regional campuses. The IMBA was recently recognized by the University System of Ohio as a best practice program for applied learning and business growth.
TechGROWTH Ohio is the $15 million Southeast Ohio regional Third Frontier program that connects early-stage, technologically-innovative entrepreneurs with technical assistance and sources of funding in the areas of interactive digital media, bio-sciences, bio-agriculture, and advanced energy.
The Voinovich School also supports the development of other businesses in the region through the SBDC and PTAC programs, which provide technical assistance and government procurement assistance, respectively. Over the past three years, the SBDC has worked with over 500 companies, leading to the creation of over 200 new jobs and retention of over 1,000 jobs in the region. Over the same period, the PTAC has helped regional businesses successfully compete for more than $80 million in government contracts, supporting over 1,800 jobs.
The full-time, Integrated MBA program at the Ohio University College of Business meshes its core curriculum with Voinovich School projects. The program offers students opportunities for practical application of business models and concepts. Students work with Appalachian Regional Entrepreneurship Group staff at the Voinovich School to acquire consulting experience, putting these skills to work for Appalachian businesses.
In 2008-09, all 40 MBA students put their skills to work for 450 regional businesses during their time at Ohio University. Free services to entrepreneurs included business plan development, finance and accounting, marketing, organizational development, manufacturing and technology and process improvement. Students spent 11 hours a week at the Voinovich School in addition to their regular coursework and received grades for their efforts.
During 2007-2008, the first fully integrated year of the program, a group of MBA students helped regional businesses secure an excess of $20 million in loans, $30 million in new government contracts and nearly $1.5 million from individual investors.
Students seeking an MPA engage in a year-long learning experience that weaves together academic curriculum and real-world public sector service work through the School. The program commences fall quarter with four quarters of study and 10 practicum (service) hours to be completed by MPA candidates.
, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Environmental Studies Certificate supplements existing majors with an interdisciplinary study of the biophysical environment and the interactions between humans, other organisms, and the environment. The program is open to students in any major.
.
Merry Foresta, Scholar in Residence, has served as the Director of the Smithsonian Photography Initiative since its inception in 2000. She joined the Smithsonian Institution
in 1977 and was named the museum's first Curator of Photography in 1983. She later became the Senior Curator of Photography for the Smithsonian's International Art Museums Division. In 2007, Foresta oversaw the launch of the Smithsonian's first interactive program devoted to photography at the Smithsonian.
Beverly Jones, Senior Advisor and Strategic Coach, coaches executives and professionals to restructure their work lives at federal agencies, like the Federal Reserve Board and Los Alamos National Laboratory
, and other institutions, like the Organization of American States and the NAS Institute of Medicine. Jones was Vice President of External Affairs and Policy of Consolidated Natural Gas Company, a Fortune 300 energy and utility company, for 13 years.
Natalie Kruse, a Voinovich School faculty member, is a Morris K. Udall, Barry M. Goldwater and Marshall scholarship recipient. Kruse, 25, is an assistant professor in Environmental Studies.
Michele Morrone is Associate Director for Academic Affairs and Director of the Master’s of Science in Environmental Studies (MSES) Degree Program. Prior to working at the Voinovich School, Morrone spent seven years at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Published in 2008, her book “Poisons on Our Plates,” examines the nation’s environmental health policies and the causes of foodborne illnesses.
Gayle Channing Tenenbaum, Senior Policy Fellow and OUELI Faculty, has previously directed several human services organizations in Cuyahoga County and served as a member of the Strickland Transition Team focusing on health and human services policy. In 2009, Tenenbaum served on President Barack Obama
's Health and Human Services Transition team.
Mark Weinberg, founding and current Director of the School, is a Professor of Political Science specializing in the areas of organizational strategy and public sector value creation. In 2002, he was named the Appalachian Regional Commission
’s Whisman Scholar and served in that capacity for three years.
David Wilhelm
, Visiting Professor of Leadership and Public Affairs, has managed campaigns for President Bill Clinton
, Sen. Paul Simon, Sen. Joe Biden
, and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley
. In 1993, he became the youngest ever Chair of the Democratic National Committee
(DNC).
Michael Zimmer is the Executive in Residence for Energy and the Environment. He serves on the United States Green Building Council
EA TAG-Committee, and is co-chair of the American Bar Association
(ABA) Renewable Energy Resources Committee and the Vice Chair of the ABA Carbon and Energy Trading and Finance Committee.
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
in Athens, Ohio, is a multidisciplinary school, which engages students, faculty, and professional staff in projects across Appalachia and the state of Ohio. Project teams, composed of individuals from the School and various departments and colleges, work with businesses, non-profit, and government partners on applied research and other efforts to contribute to economic and entrepreneurial growth, leadership development, and the environment in the region.
The Voinovich School also partners with a variety of Ohio University’s colleges and academic units at to present unique learning opportunities. The School employs more than 100 undergraduate and graduate students each year, and plays an integral role in the delivery of the Integrated Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, the Master of Science in Environmental Studies (MSES) program, and the Honors Tutorial College
Honors Tutorial College
The Honors Tutorial College at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio is the only degree-granting tutorial program in the United States. The tutorial program is modeled after Oxford and Cambridge universities in England, and is centered on the tutorial, in which students meet individually with a professor...
(HTC)/Voinovich School Undergraduate Research Scholars program. The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is also housed within the School.
The George V. Voinovich School of Leadership was named after U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich, a 1958 graduate of Ohio University, in recognition of his commitment to public service.
History
In 1981, the Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD) was created by the Ohio University Board of Trustees. Founder Mark Weinberg remains the Director. Since its inception, the organization has been associated with the College of Arts and Sciences, until 2007, when it became an independent academic entity within Ohio University. It is now one of more than 275 institutional members of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).The Ohio General Assembly created the Rural Universities Program (RUP) in 1985, which served as the major statewide public service program of the Ohio Board of Regents until 2009. Ohio University was the lead institution of the RUP, which also included Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
and Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
. Within the Voinovich School the RUP funds were utilized by The Institute of Local Government Administration and Rural Development.
In 1995, the university’s Board of Trustees created the Center for Public and Environmental Affairs (CEPA), which would house both ILGARD and the Environmental Studies Program. Three years later, on Dec. 11, 1998, the Board voted to rename the center “The George V. Voinovich Center for Leadership and Public Affairs” and expand it to include an Executive Leadership program and entrepreneurship program. The Ohio University Executive Leadership Institute (OUELI) was established at this time to address the challenges faced by public sector executives. The program offers professional development courses on strategic leadership for public and nonprofit managers and executives on public value, with an emphasis on strategy, change and performance. OUELI faculty and staff worked closely with representatives from the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
at Harvard University to design the program and based the model on the Mark Moore Strategic Triangle.
In 2001, Governor Bob Taft
Bob Taft
Robert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
, the Ohio Board of Regents, and the Ohio General Assembly implemented the Appalachian New Economy Partnership (ANEP) at the Voinovich School, to strengthen the region’s growth and competitiveness by building knowledge and technology use.
This region has traditionally been underserved by those providing sophisticated business expertise, especially in the areas of technology assistance and financing. Through a combination of unique programs supported by ANEP funds and partnerships, the Voinovich School is helping to provide this assistance and increase the economic competitiveness of the region.
In 2005, OUELI’s scope continued to expand on a national stage through collaboration with the Public Children Services Association to deliver executive development to children services executives in Ohio and nine other states.
The George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs was established on April 20, 2007 when the Ohio Board of Trustees voted to rename the Center. The School became the first multidisciplinary school at Ohio University and continues to focus on applied research, leadership development and applications learning across colleges.
Faculty and Special Appointments
Currently the School has seven full time faculty, numerous joint appointments with various colleges across Ohio University, and over 60 faculty fellows from various colleges who work on projects teams at the School throughout the year.Faculty involvement in multidisciplinary project teams is a critical component of the engaged scholarship model at the Voinovich School. The School provides opportunities for faculty from across Ohio University to work with students and professional staff in providing services and applied research to help make a difference in Appalachian Ohio and the state.
The Voinovich School grants special appointments on an annual basis to several nationally prominent leaders from both the public and private sectors. Special appointments are chosen for their contributions to public service and business, and for their leadership in State and national affairs.
Location
The Voinovich School is housed at The RidgesThe Ridges
The Ridges are an orchestral folk rock band from Athens, Ohio. The band is made up of vocalist and guitarist Victor Rasgaitis, percussionist and vocalist Johnny Barton, and cellist and vocalist Talor Smith, who are frequently joined by up to six auxiliary musicians.- History :Formed out of the...
, the former location of the Athens Lunatic Asylum. The site, owned by Ohio University, also hosts the Kennedy Museum of Art, Ohio University Recycling, a nature reserve and other university offices.
Areas of Concentration
The work of the Voinovich School is focused in three main areas – Public Service and Leadership, Energy and the Environment, and Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness. In each of these three areas, the School helps manage degree programs, conducts applied research and provides services that address regional and state problems.Policy Innovation and Strategic Leadership
The Voinovich School works with a variety of local, regional, and state government and non-profit agencies to build public leadership capacity and provide applied research and technical assistance.The School has done applied research work to improve decision making in health care with the College of Osteopathic Medicine, and in children's safety, economic growth, and education coordinated by the School's Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD), and through partnerships with other Ohio University colleges, the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at Ohio State University, and the Ohio Evaluation and Assessment Center.
The School also has a history of training and leadership development of educators and public sector and nonprofit professionals through the Ohio Appalachian Educators Institute (OAEI); the Ohio University Executive Leadership Institute (OUELI); and the Regional Nonprofit Alliance. These programs help shape government and nonprofit officials into better strategic leaders and provide them with the research they need for better decision-making.
The Voinovich School also provides value-added research and technical assistance to government and non-profit organizations, covering areas such as safety net services, health care, education, and community development. The School provides project facilitation and evaluation, data analysis for use in decision-making, geographic information system
Geographic Information System
A geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
(GIS) support, and survey and focus group research.
In conjunction with the political science department, the Voinovich School provides public sector learning opportunities for Master of Public Administration (MPA) students.
Energy and the Environment
The Voinovich School offers the Master of Science in Environmental Studies (MSES), the Environmental Sustainability Graduate Certificate, and the Environmental Studies Undergraduate certificate programs in partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences.The Voinovich School, through the Appalachian Watershed Research Group, the Consortium for Energy, Economics and the Environment (CE3), the Center for Air Quality, and the Environmental Studies program, facilitates interactions between people who are interested in energy and environmental problems.
The School has over a decade of experience in working with faculty and staff from across Ohio University, local watershed groups, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), and with other local, state, and federal agencies on restoration of rivers and streams which have been polluted by abandoned coal mines in southeast Ohio. The Voinovich School continues its watershed work while also providing leadership through CE3 on issues related to energy, environmental health and economic growth.
Entrepreneurship and Regional Development
The Voinovich School's applied learning and consulting programs are delivered through the emerging Center for Entrepreneurship, which houses professional business consultants in the Appalachian Regional Entrepreneurship Program (AREG), Ohio University's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), and TechGROWTH Ohio, the Third Frontier premier Entrepreneurial Signature Program for Southeast Ohio.Through AREG, the Voinovich School helps deliver the College of Business' Integrated Master of Business Administration (IMBA) program and the developing Entrepreneurship certificate, which will provide entrepreneurship curriculum to students from all Ohio University colleges and regional campuses. The IMBA was recently recognized by the University System of Ohio as a best practice program for applied learning and business growth.
TechGROWTH Ohio is the $15 million Southeast Ohio regional Third Frontier program that connects early-stage, technologically-innovative entrepreneurs with technical assistance and sources of funding in the areas of interactive digital media, bio-sciences, bio-agriculture, and advanced energy.
The Voinovich School also supports the development of other businesses in the region through the SBDC and PTAC programs, which provide technical assistance and government procurement assistance, respectively. Over the past three years, the SBDC has worked with over 500 companies, leading to the creation of over 200 new jobs and retention of over 1,000 jobs in the region. Over the same period, the PTAC has helped regional businesses successfully compete for more than $80 million in government contracts, supporting over 1,800 jobs.
Integrated Master of Business Administration (MBA) program
In the Ohio University Integrated Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program, students work on teams with professional staff from the Voinovich School's Appalachian Regional Entrepreneurship Group (AREG) to apply the business models they learn in the classroom and provide consulting services to solve problems for businesses in the region.The full-time, Integrated MBA program at the Ohio University College of Business meshes its core curriculum with Voinovich School projects. The program offers students opportunities for practical application of business models and concepts. Students work with Appalachian Regional Entrepreneurship Group staff at the Voinovich School to acquire consulting experience, putting these skills to work for Appalachian businesses.
In 2008-09, all 40 MBA students put their skills to work for 450 regional businesses during their time at Ohio University. Free services to entrepreneurs included business plan development, finance and accounting, marketing, organizational development, manufacturing and technology and process improvement. Students spent 11 hours a week at the Voinovich School in addition to their regular coursework and received grades for their efforts.
During 2007-2008, the first fully integrated year of the program, a group of MBA students helped regional businesses secure an excess of $20 million in loans, $30 million in new government contracts and nearly $1.5 million from individual investors.
Master of Public Administration (MPA) program
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program pairs Ohio University’s political science department with the Voinovich School to provide public sector learning opportunities for MPA students. The program links each quarter’s academic learning with public service experience.Students seeking an MPA engage in a year-long learning experience that weaves together academic curriculum and real-world public sector service work through the School. The program commences fall quarter with four quarters of study and 10 practicum (service) hours to be completed by MPA candidates.
Master of Science in Environmental Studies (MSES) program
The Master of Science in Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary program of graduate coursework and research. The partnership between the Voinovich School and the Environmental Studies Program enables students to work with agencies such as the Midwest Biodiversity Institute, the Center for Applied Bioassessment and Biocriteria, the United States Forest ServiceUnited States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Environmental Studies Certificate supplements existing majors with an interdisciplinary study of the biophysical environment and the interactions between humans, other organisms, and the environment. The program is open to students in any major.
Alumni/Faculty
W. Warner Burke, Visiting Professor of Leadership and Public Affairs, is the current Associate Editor of the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science and past editor of both Organizational Dynamics and The Academy of Management Executive. He holds a number of leadership positions at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Merry Foresta, Scholar in Residence, has served as the Director of the Smithsonian Photography Initiative since its inception in 2000. She joined the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in 1977 and was named the museum's first Curator of Photography in 1983. She later became the Senior Curator of Photography for the Smithsonian's International Art Museums Division. In 2007, Foresta oversaw the launch of the Smithsonian's first interactive program devoted to photography at the Smithsonian.
Beverly Jones, Senior Advisor and Strategic Coach, coaches executives and professionals to restructure their work lives at federal agencies, like the Federal Reserve Board and Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
, and other institutions, like the Organization of American States and the NAS Institute of Medicine. Jones was Vice President of External Affairs and Policy of Consolidated Natural Gas Company, a Fortune 300 energy and utility company, for 13 years.
Natalie Kruse, a Voinovich School faculty member, is a Morris K. Udall, Barry M. Goldwater and Marshall scholarship recipient. Kruse, 25, is an assistant professor in Environmental Studies.
Michele Morrone is Associate Director for Academic Affairs and Director of the Master’s of Science in Environmental Studies (MSES) Degree Program. Prior to working at the Voinovich School, Morrone spent seven years at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Published in 2008, her book “Poisons on Our Plates,” examines the nation’s environmental health policies and the causes of foodborne illnesses.
Gayle Channing Tenenbaum, Senior Policy Fellow and OUELI Faculty, has previously directed several human services organizations in Cuyahoga County and served as a member of the Strickland Transition Team focusing on health and human services policy. In 2009, Tenenbaum served on President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's Health and Human Services Transition team.
Mark Weinberg, founding and current Director of the School, is a Professor of Political Science specializing in the areas of organizational strategy and public sector value creation. In 2002, he was named the Appalachian Regional Commission
Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission is a United States federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life...
’s Whisman Scholar and served in that capacity for three years.
David Wilhelm
David Wilhelm
A former campaign operative who rose to prominence as chair of the Democratic National Committee in the 1990s, today Wilhelm is an entrepreneur and impact investor devoted to building sustainable jobs and wealth in small town America....
, Visiting Professor of Leadership and Public Affairs, has managed campaigns for President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Sen. Paul Simon, Sen. Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
, and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
. In 1993, he became the youngest ever Chair of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
(DNC).
Michael Zimmer is the Executive in Residence for Energy and the Environment. He serves on the United States Green Building Council
United States Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council , co-founded by Mike Italiano, David Gottfried and Rick Fedrizzi in 1993, is a non-profit trade organization that promotes sustainability in how buildings are designed, built, and operated...
EA TAG-Committee, and is co-chair of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
(ABA) Renewable Energy Resources Committee and the Vice Chair of the ABA Carbon and Energy Trading and Finance Committee.