SPAA Faculty
The School of Public Affairs faculty consists of seven full-time members, one joint appointment with the Sociology Department,
one emeritus faculty member, and part-time faculty who work in the health care, nonprofit, and public sectors. A majority of the required and elective
courses are taught by full-time faculty.
Full-Time Public Administration Faculty
| Dr. Melisa Beeson Assistant Professor |
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Contact Information Office:
227 E Walwood Hall |
Education Ed.D., Indiana University M.A., Ball State University M.P.A., University of Kentucky B.A., Ball State University (Indiana) |
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Courses PADM 6180 Program Evaluation | |
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Research Areas Evaluation and Assessment of Nonprofit Organizations, Giving Circles, and Women’s Philanthropy |
| Dr. Anna Filipova Assistant Professor |
| MPA Advisor - Lansing Campus |
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Contact Information Office:
225 E Walwood Hall |
Education Ph.D., Western Michigan University M.A., Saginaw Valley State University M.A., St. Cyril and St. Methodius University (Bulgaria) |
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Courses PADM 6080 Organization Theory and Behavior | |
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Research Areas Organization and Leadership Studies, Ethics, Human Resources Administration, and Public Policy |
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Scholarly Societies and Professional Associations Academy of Management, the American Society for Public Administration, Midwest Political Science Association and Society for Business Ethics |
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Honor Societies The National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration Pi Alpha Alpha |
| Dr. Barbara Liggett Associate Professor |
| MPA Internship Coordinator |
| Contact
Information
Office: 221 East Walwood Hall
Phone: (269) 387-8943 |
Education Ed.D., Western Michigan University |
| Courses
PADM 5800 Nonprofit Board-Staff Relations PADM 5820 Volunteer Recruitment and Retention PADM 6440 Human Resources for Nonprofit Organizations PADM 6270 Human Resources Administration PADM 6290 Supervisory Skills for Administrators SWRK 6230 Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations PADM 6630 Leading in Public Organization | |
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Research Areas Leadership, Human Resources, Ethics, and Nonprofit Board-Staff Relations. |
| Ms. Janice W. Maatman Faculty Specialist II |
| Director of Nonprofit Education Programs; MPA Advisor - Nonprofit Concentration |
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Contact Information Office: 223 East Walwood Hall Phone: (269) 387-8945 E-mail: |
Education M.Div., Princeton Theological Seminary |
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Courses PADM 2000 Introduction to Nonprofit Leadership, PADM 4000 Seminar in Nonprofit Leadership, PADM 5870 Fundraising in Nonprofit Organizations, SOC 6740 Nonprofit in Society | |
| Click here for information on the American Humanics Program at WMU. |
| Dr. Matthew Mingus Professor |
| Director, School of Public Affairs and Administration |
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Contact Information Office:
230 East Walwood Hall |
Education Ph.D., University of Colorado M.P.A., University of Victoria, B.C. B.A., University of Denver |
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Courses PADM 6000 Legal and Philosophical Foundations of American Public Administration PADM 6060 Analytical Methods PADM 6640 Research Design PADM 6880 Program Planning and Proposal Writing | |
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Research Areas Comparative Public Administration, Interorganizational and Network Theory, U.S.-Canadian Relations |
| Dr. Robert Peters Associate Professor |
| MPA Advisor - Battle Creek Campus |
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Contact Information Office:
232 East Walwood Hall |
Education Ph.D., The University of Michigan |
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Courses PADM 6070 Quantitative Data Analysis PADM 6120 Principles of Public Budgeting PADM 6150 State and Local Government Finance PADM 6170 Intergovernmental and Interorganizational Relations PADM 6840 Management of Public Financial Resources | |
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Research Areas: The Politics of Infrastructure Finance, Tax Policy, Public Budgeting and Finance, and Intergovernmental Relations | |
| Dr. James Visser Associate Professor |
| MPA Advisor - Kalamazoo Campus |
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Contact Information Office: 222 East Walwood Hall Phone: (269) 387-8937 E-mail: |
Education Ph.D., University of Oklahoma M.A.P.A., University of Oklahoma B.S., Western Michigan University |
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Courses PADM 6180 The Political and Economic Environment of Public Administration PADM 6130 Local Government Administration PADM 6140 Managing Community Growth and Development PADM 6930 Managing Public Performance and Information Technology PADM 6660 Contemporary Issues in Public Management | |
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Research Areas Inter-local Governmental Relations, Inter-organizational Collaboration in Urban Regional Governance, Economic Development and Growth Management in Urban Regions, Professional and Distance Education in Public Administration. |
| Dr. Udaya Wagle Assistant Professor |
| Doctoral Director |
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Contact Information Office: 226 East Walwood Hall Phone: (269) 387-8934 E-mail: |
Education Ph.D., University of Massachusetts - Boston M.S. Nonprofit Administration, Eastern University M.B.A., Tribhuvan University (Nepal) B.B.A., Tribhuvan University (Nepal) |
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Courses PADM 6060 Analytical Methods PADM 6070 Quantitative Data Analysis PADM 6640 Research Design PADM 6920 Quantitative Data Analysis | |
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Research Areas Poverty and Social Policy, Urban Development Policy, Policymaking and Citizen Participation, Civil Society, and Comparative Studies. |
| Dr. Yuan-Kang Wang Assistant Professor |
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Contact Information Office: Phone: E-mail: |
Education Ph.D., University of Chicago M.A., Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, John Hopkins University (International Relations) |
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Courses PADM 6070 Quantitative Data Analysis | |
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Research Areas |
| Dr. Peter Kobrak Professor Emeritus |
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Contact Information Mail
Box: 220 East Walwood Hall |
Education Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison B.A., Oberlin College |
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Research Areas Politics and Administration, Public Policy, and Public Management |
| Dr. Robert J. Sobie Assistant Professor |
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Contact Information Off-Campus
Office: |
Education Ph.D., Western Michigan University M.P.A., Western Michigan University B.A., Spring Arbor University |
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Courses PADM
6000 Historical and Legal and Foundations of American Public Administration |
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Research Areas Technology, Public Sector Leadership, State and Local Government |
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Associations & Affiliations American Society for Public Administration & Government Management Information Sciences |