Public Service Research and Project Management Experience

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Early Intervention Program (2004—Present).

One of three co-principal investigators on a team contracted by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development and distressed local governments to study and develop proposed solutions to financial and management concerns.  Resource Development & Management is our primary partner on EIP projects.  Studies for eleven cities (Ambridge, Beaver Falls, Butler, Connellsville, Erie, Meadville, Monongahela, New Castle, New Eagle, Oil City, Titusville) and two counties (Lawrence and Venango) have been completed. Studies for Rochester, PA and Zelienople, PA  will begin in 2008.

 

Southwestern Pennsylvania Indicators Project

Coordinator of the government sector for regional benchmarking that includes efforts by Carnegie Mellon University and the Local Government Academy.  Indicators under development include measures of political participation, local government financial performance, and participation on volunteer appointed boards.

 

City of Johnstown, PA, Comprehensive Staffing Analysis and Report.

Conducted a comprehensive analysis of Johnstown’s staffing and resource utilization in all of the city’s departments as part of its Act 47 planning process.

 

Borough of Wilkinsburg, Borough Council Training Series..

Conducted board development training sessions with borough council.  Training focused on the role of council, rules of ethical and appropriate conduct, and legislative planning and goal setting.

 

Township of Mt. Lebanon, Real Estate and Tax Comparative Analysis.

Two stage study that identifies real estate agents’ opinions of and concerns with Mt. Lebanon as a community and the effects on the townships largest revenue source, real estate taxes.  The study also includes a full tax comparison analysis with benchmark or “competing” communities in the region.

 

Allegheny County Controller’s Office, Row Office Reform Restructuring Plan

Faculty advisor to a team of students in GSPIA’s Nonprofit Clinic hired to evaluate options to reorganize and integrate departments previously directed by independently elected officials under the administrative authority of the County Executive.

 

Healthcare Georgia Grants Subcommittee, Management Capacity Evaluation Program, Fall 2004.

Provide technical support and training to 6-8 health related nonprofit organizations regarding their ability to evaluate their programs.  Specific support services include designing evaluation plans, instituting data collection methods, and data processing and reporting.

 

Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. Organization Restructuring Assessment, Spring 2003.

Organization analysis to assess the financial, management, and political ramifications of a proposal to separate Developmental Disability services from the Georgia Department of Human Resources’ Mental Health, Developmental Disability, and Addictive Disease Division.

 

Supreme Court of Georgia.  Staff to the Supreme Court Commission on Public Trust and Confidence in the Courts, Winter 2002.

Project to determine levels of trust and confidence Georgians have in local courts.  The comprehensive study includes a telephone survey of 1000 Georgians to determine areas needing improvement, focus groups with attorneys, court personnel, and citizens to identify potential solutions, and a mail survey of judges to determine which solutions they would be willing to implement.

 

Oglethorpe County Board of Education, Classroom Technology Use Assessment, Spring 2002.

Survey of administrators, teachers, and a sample of students to identify what technologies are used in the county’s classrooms, what support needs are not being met, and technologies available to students at home.

 

Supreme Court of Georgia.  Juvenile Mediation Project, Summer 2001.

Evaluation of mediation proceedings in family courts Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton, and Clarke counties.  Includes assessment of participant satisfaction, stability and speed of child placements into permanent settings, and cost comparisons to judicial proceedings.

 

Georgia City/County Managers Association.  Mystery Shopper Program, Fall 2000.

Assessment of the quality of customer service in Georgia’s city and county offices.  The Carl Vinson Institute of Government contracts with a private firm to “shop” government offices then uses the results to tailor customer service training in those governments.

 

Athens-Clarke County, Department of Human and Economic Development.  Citizen Services Needs Assessment, Spring 2000.

Project designed to help the department prioritize service emphases through direct citizen involvement.  Randomized telephone survey techniques were combined with paper surveys distributed among underprivileged target groups in the community.

 

Family Connections . . . First! of Stephens County.  High School Dropout Evaluation Program, Spring 2000.

Designing and conducting interviews with high school dropouts to determine specific reasons for leaving school, employment history since leaving school, and awareness of further education opportunities.

 

 

Department of Technical and Adult Education.  Graduate Employment Tracking Program, Fall 1999.

 

Georgia Department of Community Affairs.  Financial Information Collection Program, Fall 1999.

 

Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education.  How Georgians View Post Secondary Technical Education, Summer 1999.

 

Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education.  10 Years Later: A Follow-Up Study of Technical Institute Students, Spring 1999.

 

City of Covington, Georgia.  Citizen Satisfaction Survey, Winter 1999.

 

Georgia Department of Industry, Trade, and Tourism.  Local Economic Development Assessment, Fall 1998.

 

Georgia Public Broadcasting. Peachstar Educational Services: Client Satisfaction Survey, Fall 1998.

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Project List

Evaluation Resources

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