Pooja Paswan

Chair

Term: 2023-2026

Dr. Pooja Paswan an alumna of John. F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, she is currently the Assistant Dean, Student Welfare and Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration, specializing in Public Policy, and has over 13 years of teaching experience. A recipient of the prestigious ASPA 2019 Founders Fellow award, Dr. Paswan also serves as the Chair of the Public Administration Theory Network (PATNet) and as a Chair of ASPA SNAPS (Student and new professional Sections).

Her research primarily focuses on development administration, public policy analysis, and governance, with particular emphasis on the intersections of institutional development, policy implementation, and socio-economic change in emerging economies. Her most recent publication is the book Public Administration in Amritkal. 

Dr. Paswan can be contacted via her Academia profile or at poojapaswan.jmi@gmail.com, and she is active on Twitter at @poojapaswan.

Michal Plaček

Vice-Chair

Term: 2025-2028

Prof. Michal Plaček is a distinguished scholar in Public and Social Policy at Charles University in Prague. He holds a Ph.D. from Masaryk University and degrees from the University of Economics in Prague and Nottingham Business School. His research focuses on fiscal decentralization, government transparency, anti-corruption strategies, green public procurement, and the integration of sustainable technologies in the public sector. Prof. Placek is the co-author of several notable works, including Fiscal Decentralization Reforms: The Impact on the Efficiency of Local Governments in Central and Eastern Europe and Museum Management: Opportunities and Threats for Successful Museums.

His extensive academic contributions have appeared in leading journals and have been cited by international institutions such as the IMF, OECD, and World Bank, reflecting the global relevance and impact of his work.

Christopher Tyler Burks

Co-Vice-Chair

Term: 2025-2028

Dr. Christopher Tyler Burks is an assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He teaches in the public administration, nonprofit management, and political science programs. His research focuses on urban policy and regional governance for sustainable development. His scholarship has been published in the Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration and Journal of Public Affairs Education. He is the founder of Urban Analysis, a management consulting firm for changemaking through policy, planning, and politics.

Samanta Varela

Secretary

Term: 2023-2026

Dr. Samanta Varela received her Ph.D. from the Center for Economics Research and Teaching (CIDE) in Mexico City. Her background in Public Administration and Public Policy helps her specialize in disaster, crisis, and technology policy. Samanta is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Technology & Information Policy Institute at the University of Texas, a position she started after visiting the Institute of Security and Global Affairs at The Hague Campus of Leiden University as a Ph.D. candidate. Dr. Varela has published articles using perishable data and contributing to theory on the impact of COVID-19 on organizations and public officials in Mexico. Her current work seeks to understand techniques to increase flood awareness in underserved communities in the United States.

Edgar Ramirez

Treasurer

Term: 2023-2026

Edgar Ramírez is a Professor in the School of Public Policy and Leadership in Greenspun College of Urban Affairs at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He served as Director of the Public Administration Division of the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE) in Mexico City from 2017 to 2022. Edgar Ramírez has published in academic journals such as the American Journal of Political Science, Public Administration Review, and Urban Affairs Review. CIDE published his coauthored book on the Private Capitalization of Public Goods in 2001. His most recent book on the use of evidence for decision-making in education policy was published in 2002 by Universidad de los Andes, Colombia, and CIDE. He currently serves as Associate Editor of Public Administration Review. Dr. Ramírez has also worked with numerous public, nonprofit, and private organizations in Mexico and the United States to create solutions for public problems. Dr. Ramírez was awarded the 2019 International Public Administration Award from the American Society for Public Administration.

Victoria Williams

Board Member

Term: 2024-2027

I hold a Ph.D. in Public Administration from Penn State Harrisburg. My research centers on Health Administration and Policy, drawing from my extensive background in health administration, social work, and mental health nursing. With a strong passion for integrating academic theory and real-world application, I bring a unique perspective to my work. As the newly elected Co-Vice Chair of PATNet, I am dedicated to using my expertise to support the organization’s growth and contribute to its strategic development.

Ricardo Corrêa Gomes

Board Member

Term: 2025-2028

work in progress!!!!!

Triparna Vasavada

Board Member

Term: 2025-2028

Dr. Triparna Vasavada is an associate professor of public administration in theSchool of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg. Her research interests include nonprofit management, gender and leadership, and collaborative governance. She teaches research methods and nonprofit management courses. She has published in esteemed journals such as the American Review of Public Administration, Administration & Society, and Public Management Review. She has over 40 presentations at numerous national and international conferences, including American Society of Public Administration (ASPA), Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), International Society of Third Sector Research (ISTR) and Association for Research in Nonprofit and Voluntary Association (ARNOVA).

Majda Nassif

Board Member

Term: 2024-2027

Dr. Nassif is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration at King Abdulaziz University.

Nuri Heckler

Co-Editor ATP (January 2024)

Nuri Heckler, J.D., Ph.D. focuses his research on Whiteness and Masculinity in public organizations including nonprofits, social enterprise, and government. Using experimental, qualitative, historical, and theoretical research methods, he examines the mechanisms that reinforce inequities and inefficiencies in public organizations. As a Maryland barred attorney, his research also examines the role law plays in the work of public administrators. His research can be found in Administrative Theory & Praxis, Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, Administration & Society, Journal of Public Affairs Education, Urban Affairs Review, and Public Integrity among others. He is an avid commuter cyclist who spends his free time with his two children and baking award-winning cookies.

Ashley Nickels

Co-Editor ATP (January 2024)

Ashley E. Nickels, Ph.D. is an award-winning, interdisciplinary public affairs scholar. She works at the intersections of community development, urban governance, and civil society, centering her research on issues of power, civic/political engagement, and local democracy. She is the author/ co-editor of 5 books, including the award-winning book, Power, Participation, and Protest in Flint, Michigan (TUP, 2019) and the author of numerous peer-reviewed chapters and journal articles. As an Associate Professor in the School of Peace and Conflict Studies at Kent State University, Nickels teaches classes in conflict management, community organizing, and community-based conflict transformation. She also holds faculty status in the department of Political Science, teaching courses and advising students in the M.A./Ph.D. program.