National Academy of Public Administration (United States)
Encyclopedia
James E. Webb
James Edwin Webb was an American government official who served as the second administrator of NASA from February 14, 1961 to October 7, 1968....
, then-administrator of NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, and other leading public administration practitioners in 1967 and chartered
Congressional charter
A congressional charter is a law passed by the United States Congress that states the mission, authority and activities of a group. Congress issued federal charters from 1791 until 1992 under Title 36 of the United States Code....
under Title 36 of the United States Code
Title 36 of the United States Code
Title 36 of the United States Code outlines the role of Patriotic Societies and Observances in the United States Code.*Subtitle I—Patriotic and National Observances and Ceremonies*Subtitle II—Patriotic and National Organizations...
in 1984 under Public Law 98-257. The Academy is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on analyzing emerging trends in governance and public administration. Though the Academy's funding comes primarily from studies that are Congressionally requested or mandated, it is not considered a government agency.
Background
The Academy's studies are directed by a group of 600 peer-elected Fellows. http://www.napawash.org/about_academy/biobook2006.pdf. They are responsible for establishing the organization's policies and priorities and serving as advisers on Panels, convened for each study, which issue the studies findings and recommendations.Webb's impetus in forming the Academy was to create an organization that would provide independent, nonpartisan and neutral advice to government leaders and agencies. The Academy provides advice to a variety of organizations including:
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Department of Homeland Security
- Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
- Small Business AdministrationSmall Business AdministrationThe Small Business Administration is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses...
- Federal Aviation AdministrationFederal Aviation AdministrationThe Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
- United States Agency for International DevelopmentUnited States Agency for International DevelopmentThe United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
- University of CaliforniaUniversity of CaliforniaThe University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
- City of Camden, New JerseyCamden, New JerseyThe city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
Research
Through its studies, the Academy has focused attention on a range of government issues including:- Strategy Development and Change ManagementChange managementChange management is a structured approach to shifting/transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations from a current state to a desired future state. It is an organizational process aimed at helping employees to accept and embrace changes in their current business environment....
- Organizational Structure and Design
- Program EvaluationProgram evaluationProject evaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about projects, policies and programs, particularly about their effectiveness and efficiency...
- Human CapitalHuman capitalHuman capitalis the stock of competencies, knowledge and personality attributes embodied in the ability to perform labor so as to produce economic value. It is the attributes gained by a worker through education and experience...
and Multisector Workforce - Acquisitions, Budget and Finance
- Intergovernmental Relations
- Workshops and Outreach
Most studies are carried out under the direction of Project Panels which consist primarily of elected Academy Fellows.
Recent studies include:
- Budgeting for the U.S. Judiciary: Preparing for the Future June 2007
- Taking Environmental Protection to the Next Level: An Assessment of the U.S. Environmental Services Delivery System (April 2007)
- Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program: Assessing Performance (April 2007)
Fellows
The Academy's 600 Fellows are current and former public managers and scholars, business executives and labor leaders, Cabinet officers, members of Congress, governors, mayors, state legislators, and diplomats who provide insight and experience as they oversee Academy projects and provide general guidance. Fellows are also the Academy's primary vehicle for addressing emerging issues and contributing to the intellectual and popular discourse on government. Fellows elect new members of the Academy each year. The principal criterion for selection is a sustained and outstanding contribution to the field of public administration through public service or scholarship.Some notable Fellows include:
- Greg LashutkaGreg LashutkaGregory S. Lashutka is a lawyer, who served as the 51st mayor of Columbus, Ohio, from 1992 to 2000. He is an Eagle Scout and had earlier been an American football player.-College Athletics:...
- Colin PowellColin PowellColin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
- Alasdair RobertsAlasdair Roberts (academic)Alasdair S. Roberts is a Canadian professor at Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts, and author of articles and books on public policy issues, especially relating to government secrecy and the exercise of government authority.-Education:...
- Donna ShalalaDonna ShalalaDonna Edna Shalala served for eight years as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Bill Clinton and has been president of the University of Miami, a private university in Coral Gables, Florida, since 2001. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest...
- Dick ThornburghDick ThornburghRichard Lewis "Dick" Thornburgh is an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as the 41st Governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987, and then as the U.S...
- David WalkerDavid M. Walker (U.S. Comptroller General)David M. Walker served as United States Comptroller General from 1998 to 2008, and is now the Founder and CEO of the Comeback America Initiative.- Career as Comptroller General :...
Board Chairs
- John D. Millett (1970-1973)
- James A. Norton (1973-1974)
- Frederic N. Cleaveland (1974-1978)
- Alan L. Dean (1978-1981)
- Phillip S. Hughes (1981-1985)
- Elmer B. Staats (1985)
- Mark E. Keane (1985-1987)
- Joseph L. FisherJoseph L. FisherJoseph Lyman Fisher is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He was a Democrat from Virginia....
(1987-1991) - Astrid E. Merget (1991-1993)
- Alfred M. Zuck (1993-1995)
- Peter L. Szanton (1995- 1997)
- Jonathan Howes (1997-1999)
- David S. C. ChuDavid S. C. ChuDavid S. C. Chu is an American politician and consultant born New York, NY, May 28, 1944. As of 2009, he was President and CEO of the non-profit Institute for Defense Analyses. From 2001 to 2008, he served as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the George W...
(1999-2001) - Jane Pisano (2001-2001)
- Mortimer L. DowneyMortimer L. DowneyMortimer Leo Downey, III was the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation from 1993 to 2001, making him the longest-serving person to ever hold the post...
(2001-2002) - Carl Stenberg (2002-2004)
- Valerie Lemmie (2004-2007)
- J. Christopher Mihm (2007-2010)
- Kenneth S. Apfel (2010-present)
Executive Directors and Presidents
- George A. Graham (1967-1972)
- Roy W. Crawley (1972-1976)
- George H. Esser (1976-1982)
- J. Jackson Walter (1982-1985)
- Ray Kline (1985-1992)
- R. Scott Fosler (1992-2000)
- Robert J. O'Neill, Jr. (2000-2002)
- Phillip M. Burgess (2002-2003)
- Howard M. Messner (2003-2003)
- C. Morgan Kinghorn (2003-2006)
- Howard M. Messner (2006-2007)
- Jennifer L. Dorn (2007-2010)
- Kristine M. Marcy (2011-2011)
- Dan G. Blair (2011-present)