Faculty
Varouj Abkian, M.S.
MPA 632B: Strategic Management
Abkian has more than 40 years of experience in leadership and strategic management. He has served in executive level positions and as a management consultant for government and nonprofits for more than 20 years. Abkian earned a Master of Science Environmental Engineering from Loyola Marymount University, and he completed executive leadership studies at UCLA. As an experience environmental engineer and consultant, he has expertise in design, start-up and operations.
His diversified background includes managing more than 500 professional and technical employees for the City of Los Angeles, working in the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works as assistant director of the Bureau of Sanitation, and as principal civil engineer for the Environmental Engineering Division of the Bureau of Engineering. He has taught college and university-level courses in technical, leadership and management areas. He also has consulted with the mayor’s and city council offices and many departments in the City of Los Angeles in the areas of strategic management and leadership. Students will benefit from Abkian’s public sector management experience, and they can apply concepts learned in class to their own work situations.
Lawrence Becker, Ph.D.
Lawrence Becker is a professor in the Department of Political Science at California State University, Northridge. He teaches a variety of American political courses, including the American Presidency, the Legislative Process, and Political Parties and Elections. In addition, Dr. Becker teaches courses on policy and administration in the MPA and PSM programs.
Dr. Becker's main research interests center on the link between legislative procedures and policy outcomes. His book, Doing the Right Thing, was published by the Ohio State University Press in 2005, and studies four cases in which Congress utilized tailor-made procedures to overcome collective action problems. He is currently working with Dr. Matthew Cahn on a co-authored book examining the tension between science and democracy in regulatory politics. Dr. Becker received his B.A. (1991) from the University of California, San Diego and his M.A. (1996) and his Ph.D. (2001) from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Suzanne Beaumaster, Ph.D.
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and Its Environment
MPA 612A: Intergovernmental Relations
MPA 622A: Policy Implementation and Evaluation
MPA 623A: Seminar in Effective Public Sector Management
MPA 630: Seminar in Organizational Theory and Human Behavior
MPA 632A: Organizational Leadership
MPA 640: Public Policy Analysis
MPA 642A: Ethics and Professionalism
MPA 650: Seminar in Public Policy Process
Beaumaster holds a Ph.D. Public Administration and Policy from Virginia Polytechnic and State University, and a Master of Public Administration from Northern Kentucky University. She has taught public administration at the university level for more than 20 years.
The courses she teaches are imperative for skill development and understanding the field. To be an effective public manager, one must have a depth and breadth of understanding of the context of public administration. The skilled movement of theory to practice makes for a stronger public manager. An expert in her field, Beaumaster also has published on topics such as organizational theory, public management and public information management, and public integrity. Her research focuses on the aging workforce, system fragmentation across public sector agencies, and ethics. Students learn concepts they can apply to real-world work experiences.
David Cain, MPA
MPA 642B: Public Sector Labor Relations
MPA 643: Public Human Resource Management
MPA 644: Public Budgeting and Financial Administration
Cain has more than 25 years of experience in the public sector, serving as an assistant city manager/director of finance /treasurer for cities and a water district. He has taught graduate-level courses for the MPA program for more than 10 years. Cain earned his Master of Public Administration from CSUN, and his Bachelor of Science Business Administration from Biola University. Students can apply public sector concepts learned in his classes to their own workplace. Cain brings a practical approach to the field of public finance. He served as director of finance/deputy city treasurer for the City of Chino for 11 years; and he serves as director of finance/treasurer for Moulton Niguel Water District, one of the largest special districts in Southern Orange County. He brings to the classroom years of public sector experience as a manager and director, giving students insight into real-world applications of what they learn.
Shauna Clark, MBA
Shauna Clark taught in the MPA program at CSUN's Tseng College for six years. Her classes include MPA 643, Public Sector Personnel Management, and MPA 644 Public Finance and Budgeting. In addition, she has taught Community and Economic Development. Before teaching at the Tseng College, Clark lectured at Cal State Los Angeles and Cal State San Bernardino in the MPA programs. She holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance and a B.A. in Public Administration from Cal State San Bernardino.
Shauna Clark is the City Manager of the City of La Habra Heights and previously was the City Manager of the City of San Bernardino. For the 10 years between those two positions, she was a public/private sector consultant working for several cities in California, including Los Angeles, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Moreno Valley, Riverside, Pasadena, Bell Gardens and Baldwin Park.
Ariane David, Ph.D.
MPA 623A: Seminar in Effective Public Sector Management
MPA 630: Seminar in Organization Theory and Human Behavior
MPA 632A: Organizational Leadership
MPA 632C: Communication in Public Organizations
MPA 698S: Graduate Project
David has worked as a consultant in the private, public and nonprofit sectors for 30 years, giving her extensive background in public sector management. Her Ph.D. in human and organizational systems provides an in-depth understanding of how public sector organizations and staff behave, and deeper implications of behavior. For example, her research with organizational whistle-blowers focuses on the cultural influences of retaliation. She also serves on the boards of four nonprofit organizations and trains public sector managers and executives in critical thinking and communication.
David’s understanding of psychology and communication make her courses vital for those in the public sector. Students will learn valuable information and skills about leadership and communication in organizations. They’ll also learn how to improve their organizations with critical thinking and systems-thinking. They’ll discover how to communicate change in their organizations in a positive way. David teaches how to read and listen on a deeper level to improve communications and administration in organizations.
Jonathan Delgado, DPA (Doctorate in Public Administration)
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and its Environment
MPA 640: Public Policy Analysis
Delgado served as an executive of a large foster family organization, and as a social work director and a clinical director. He has years of experience and knowledge working in the public and nonprofit sectors, including serving on multiple boards and establishing public policy and agency programs aligned to strategic priorities. Delgado conducted extensive research in coalition frameworks in the policy process. While living in Reno, Nevada, he authored, developed and implemented a gang resistance program specific to Native American youth, funded through federal grants. In addition to the classes he teaches for CSUN, he has taught in the areas of management of conflict and change, organizational behavior, public administration and Its environments, business ethics, public policy issue analysis, organizational theory, leaderships and management, and information management.
Delgado has a doctorate in public administration from the University of La Verne, and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Reno, Nevada. He presents information in a way that opens minds to the complexities of social policy and its applicability to public administration. Students examine policy variables that impact the ability to provide services to those in need and to be a steward to society. Students apply the information presented in class to their own work environments, as well as to their own administrative and personal development.
Delgado values the opportunities that allow students to critically evaluate everyday cultural, social and political norms. His aim is to have students dispassionately question the core beliefs and opinions essential to their intellectual and ethical development as public servants. He enjoys teaching and connecting with students from a critical, theoretical lens that frames and reshapes how they think and see public sector responsibilities. Delgado brings a rich theoretical background to the classroom, along with real world experience.
Maurice Franklin, DPA (Doctor of Public Administration)
MPA 642A: Ethics and Professionalism
Dr. Maurice O’Brian Franklin is a Public Policy and Public Administration Adjunct Professor at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). He consults and lectures on organizational sustainability, strategic planning and corporate development strategies. Franklin has served as a faculty-student advisor at Clark Atlanta University, Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University, Virginia Wesleyan University, and Morehouse College.
Franklin has over 20 years of leadership experience in senior management for legacy African American nonprofit organizations. He is a current member of Manhattan’s Community Board 10 (representing Central Harlem; Landmark and Transportation and Health and Human Service Committee leadership); the Harlem Hospital Community Advisory Board (Second Vice-President); the Prince Hall Medical Foundation Board of Directors; and the Chair of Health and Wellness for the Harlem’s founding Chapter of One Hundred Black Men.
Franklin also serves as a community advisor to the City University of New York, Graduate Centers Harlem Strong Community Mental Health Project. Additionally, he has advised and served as an executive consultant for the National Juneteenth Museum (Forth Worth, Texas) and the Alpha Light Fund (Ithaca, New York), raising over 30 million dollars in public and private sector funds.
His published academic works are rooted in his expert knowledge of Participatory Action Research Methodology (PAR), nonprofit leadership and management, institutional sustainability, and resilience strategies. Dr. Franklin has previously served as an advisor to former Mayors Mike Rawlings (Dallas, TX), Bill Campbell (Atlanta, GA), and Marion Berry (Washington, D.C.).
As a practitioner, Franklin’s work has included Bristol Myers Squibb, consulting for the Health and Human Services, HUD, the Centers for Disease and Control, the American Red Cross, the National Black Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Théâtre, the YMCA, and many other public sector organizations. Franklin served as an executive staffer for The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and was an advisor to the Civil Rights Icon and Presidential Medal of Honor recipient Dr. Joseph E. Lowery. Franklin was the second Openly Gay Staffer (Bayard Rustin, principal founder) to work for the SCLC. As a result of his SCLC experience and its impact, Franklin founded three national nonprofit organizations: The Black AIDS Institute, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), and Second Sunday.
Dr. Franklin has been featured on PBS, in the New York Times, in many local and international magazines, as well as in other publications. He is also a celebrated and award-winning public opinion columnist.
Rhonda Franklin, Ed.D.
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and Its Environment
MPA 630: Seminar Organization Theory and Human Behavior
MPA 632D: Overview of Nonprofit Organizational Management
MPA 632H: Funding and Resource Development for Nonprofit Organizations
MPA 698S: Graduate Project
Franklin earned her Ed.D. from Nova Southeastern University, and her Master of Public Administration from California State University, Los Angeles. She has more than 15 years of teaching experience in Master of Public Administration programs, including undergraduate and doctoral level courses. Her education, experience and involvement with public administration organizations keep her immersed in developments in the field. Franklin has supervised capstone projects, theses and dissertations, and directed research projects. She also served as faculty adviser for graduate student associations and the Pi Alpha Alpha honor society.
She has served on several NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration) reaccreditation committees and as a board member in local chapters of ASPA (American Society for Public Administration). Franklin is co-editor of an academic case book, which includes best practice cases on nonprofit excellence for nonprofit enterprises around the globe. She also served as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Public Affairs Education. Her current research interests include community food security and experiential learning. In addition to her academic experience, she has more than 20 years of experience providing management consulting for public and nonprofit agencies. She is an active member in professional associations, advisory board member, and civic volunteering in local communities.
Franklin teaches practitioner-based skills and techniques that provide efficient/effective management of nonprofit organizations.
Marc D. Glidden, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Criminology and Justice Studies
MPA 620: Research Methods for Public Administration
Glidden’s teaching interests focus on research methodology and corrections. He has taught research methodology in various formats, and his research has included both quantitative and qualitative methods. He designs each course to focus on key components of the topic. Students then utilize a very structured format to prepare a well thought out research proposal.
Glidden earned his Ph.D. Criminal Justice from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and his M.A. Higher Education Administrative Services from McKendree University. Students will learn the core concepts of research methods that allow them to design, implement and analyze empirical research. They can take this core knowledge and apply it to being good consumers of research, allowing them to think critically about various methodological approaches. Students in his course become both good producers and good consumers of research.
Steven J. Golightly, Ph.D., MPA
MPA 630: Seminar in Organizational Theory and Human Behavior
MPA 632A: Organizational Leadership
MPA 632B: Strategic Management
Golightly has more than 40 years of experience in local and federal governments and nonprofit sectors in executive management positions. He has taught in MPA programs for more than 10 years and has a Ph.D. in public policy and administration, an MPA and experience directing large-scale divisions. Golightly understands strategic management, organizational theory and human behavior. He considers himself a "pracademic" – someone who combines practitioner experience with advanced educational credentials.
Students receive instruction from someone with experience leading and directing large scale government programs. He brings to the class his expertise from heading government programs focusing on vulnerable populations. He gives students contemporary coverage of issues related to strategic management, leadership and planning in the public sector, with hands-on examples of what works in government.
In addition to his education and experience, Golightly has received national, regional and local awards for excellence in leadership. Students will benefit from Golightly’s experience and insights and can apply lessons learned to their own workplace situations.
Tom Hogen-Esch, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Political Science
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and Its Environment
MPA 623A: Seminar in Effective Public Sector Management
MPA 650: Seminar in Public Policy Process
Hogen-Esch’s expertise focuses on bureaucratic reform, an important issue facing public sector managers at all levels. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Southern California. From 1997 to 1999, he served as a policy researcher for the Los Angeles Elected Charter Commission, where he authored policy reports related to decentralization of city services. More recently, he has published on the topic of municipal corruption at the local level in Southern California, examining the relationship between municipal corruption and the council manager form of government, the most common form of government in California. His research highlighted downsides of the council manager form of government in serving cities with large numbers of recent immigrants. He is currently editing a textbook, Cases in California Public Management, which features case studies examining issues of critical importance in California public policy and management.
His approach to MPA 610 relates to the age-old question in public administration: whether, and to what extent, government should be run like a business. He approaches the course addressing the tension between "old" and "new" approaches to public administration. MPA 623A examines the tension between organizational structure and organizational culture, with a focus on identifying cultural problems in organizations and crafting effective solutions. Hogen-Esch delves into leadership issues in public and nonprofit agencies, addressing strategies for managing and improving public agencies, and focusing on reforming organizational structures and cultures. For example, with recent public attention on police practices, he examines challenges associated with changing police cultures and structures from military style to community-oriented policing.
Hogen-Esch wants students to understand public policy as a scientific process for decision-making, and to examine political forces that shape policy making. Students gain a solid understanding of how policy process works.
Paul D. Krivonos, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor, Department of Communication Studies
MPA 623A: Seminar in Effective Public Sector Management
MPA 630: Seminar in Organization Theory and Human Behavior
MPA 632C: Communication in Public Organizations
Krivonos has more than 45 years of teaching experience, including more than 40 years in the MPA program, where he focuses on organizational issues. With a Ph.D. Communication from Purdue University and a Master of Arts degree Political Science from UC Davis, Krivonos has specialized expertise in public sector management, behavior and communications. He conveys the importance of understanding how human behavior is critical to the effective functioning of public sector organizations. Krivonos has students examine how people can perform more productively in their roles. He emphasizes real-world experience and has students relate work-life issues to theoretical perspectives and share examples from their professional experiences in class discussions. Krivonos ensures the theoretical has practical, real-world applications for students’ own organization’s circumstances.
In addition to his extensive educational background, Krivonos wrote three books and numerous articles on organizational issues for various journals. He also served as a visiting professor in New Zealand. His public sector clients include the City and County of Los Angeles, the State of California, and government agencies in Australia, Fiji, Morocco, New Zealand, South Africa, Tobago, Trinidad and the United States.
James S. Larson, Ph.D.
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and its Environment
MPA 620: Research Methods for Public Administration
Larson has taught MPA courses for more than 25 years. He ensures that students understand how government works on a technical, administrative basis, and how research in the public sector should be conducted. He has taught in MPA programs and in a Ph.D. public policy program. Larson holds a Ph.D. Political Science from Southern Illinois University, and he also served as a visiting professor at Harvard Medical School. He brings his teaching expertise and research skills to the classroom, specializing in public administration, public policy and health policy. In addition to his academic expertise, Larson has published numerous articles about public administration, research methodology and public policy.
Julio L. Lima Ph.D.
Lecturer, Department of Criminology and Justice Studies
MPA 642A: Ethics and Professionalism
Ethical decision making is a critical skill for any leader or manager in public administration or nonprofit management. Lima presents theories and concepts of classical ethics and provides students with practical tools they can use to apply ethics in their own workplace. Lima has a Ph.D. Public Service Leadership and teaches ethics in both the MPA program and for the Department of Criminology and Justice Studies. In addition to teaching, Lima has 22 years of law enforcement experience as a police lieutenant commanding officer in the Los Angeles School Police Department, and 28 years as an Army lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard. He has been deployed overseas in command and staff positions, giving him real-world experience in leadership and in dealing with ethical challenges and dilemmas in public sector organizations.
Dean C. Logan, MPA
MPA 612A: Intergovernmental Relations
MPA 623A: Seminar in Effective Public Sector Management
MPA 632A: Organizational Leadership
Logan brings a prestigious and extensive background in public administration to the classroom. He serves as Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for the County of Los Angeles and ha more than 25 years of experience in elections administration, records management and public. Logan served as the director of records, elections and licensing services in King County, Washington; as state elections director for the Washington Secretary of State; and as the elected county clerk and chief deputy county auditor in Kitsap County, Washington. Logan is past president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials and served on the Pew Center for the States’ Voter Registration Modernization, Voter Information Project and Performance Index for Elections working groups. He serves on the board of directors for the National Election Center and on advisory boards for the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, the Auburn University MPA Election Certificate Program, and the CSUN MPA Program. He has been widely published on the topics of elections and election administration.
Logan earned his executive MPA from the Evans School of Governance and Public Policy, University of Washington, and his Bachelor of Science Organizational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University. Each of the courses he teaches explores the fundamentals of public administration. Students achieve course objectives through practical observations, working through case studies and examining current trends, challenges and opportunities in public sector leadership and administration.
Logan has been a speaker, panelist and workshop instructor for educational forums and programs, including the Calâ€Tech/MIT Voting Technology Project, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the American Association of Political Consultants, People for the American Way, the National Election Center, the Election Verification Network, the American Bar Association, UCLA Political Science Department, the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles Urban Lecture Series at Loyola Marymount University, and at a national summit on postâ€election audits sponsored by the American Statistical Association, Verified Voting Foundation, Common Cause and the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.
Thomas D. Lynch, Ph.D.
MPA 642A: Ethics and Professionalism
MPA 644: Public Budgeting
Lynch earned his Ph.D. in political science and public administration from State University of New York, giving him in-depth expertise about organizational behavior. MPA 642A covers how ethics relate to students as professionals. MPA 644 teaches students how budgeting works. Lynch’s experience includes producing budgets in federal government agencies. He also worked in the budget office for the State of New York. Lynch has written or edited numerous books, including Public Budgeting in America, a leading textbook in its sixth edition. He also co-wrote the textbook, Ethics and Professionalism in the Public Sector. Lynch has taught extensively at the university level. He is active in the public administration field and served as president of the American Society for Public Administration. His blend of academic and practical experience gives students a strong understanding of ethics and budgeting.
Sarmistha R. Majumdar, Ph.D.
MPA 623B: Approaches and Methods in Program Evaluation
MPA 698S: Graduate projects
Majumdar has a doctoral degree in public administration from the School of Public Affairs and Administration of Rutgers University. She brings her specialization in policy analysis and program evaluation to her classes. She has expertise in public policy analysis, program evaluation, public policy and research methods. Her research focuses on policies related to transportation, the environment, energy and public involvement in decision-making. Additional activities include writing book chapters, speaking in national webinars, and receiving grant-funded research from the local, state and federal government.
MPA 632B provides valuable information on the nuts and bolts of evaluating a public program. It prepares students to undertake evaluation assignments in the workplace. MPA 698S offers students the opportunity to put into practice their research skills and apply their theoretical knowledge to understand problems in public administration.
Majumdar understands the field’s demands. She is actively involved in professional organizations and served as chapter president and section chair of the American Society for Public Administration. She has published papers in peer reviewed journals, presented research at conferences, and collaborated with researchers and students in grant funded projects. She also published a book, The Politics of Fracking: Regulatory Policy and Local Community Responses to Environmental Concerns.
Deborah Martin, MPA, CPA
MPA 632B: Strategic Management
Martin earned her Master of Public Administration at CSUN. She has a background in accounting, fraud investigation and public administration, and 35 years of experience working in Los Angeles County operational and administrative areas. Her activities give her in-depth understanding of strategic management of public organizations. Martin’s extensive duties involve information technology, finance, budgets, investments and operations. She serves as chief deputy (second in charge) at the Los Angeles County Department of Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. The department has about 1,000 employees and a budget of about $200 million, requiring outstanding management skills to maintain the position. She gives students instruction and insights that help them stand out in the public sector by engaging in strategic management in their own organizations.
Lauren McDonald, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
MPA 620: Research Methods for Public Administration
MPA 622A: Policy Implementation and Program Evaluation
MPA 623B: Approaches and Methods in Program Evaluation
MPA 630: Seminar in Organization Theory and Human Behavior
MPA 640: Public Policy Analysis
MPA 642A: Ethics and Professionalism
McDonald earned a Ph.D. Sociology from City University of New York. She has advanced training in quantitative and qualitative research methods and ethics that she applies to her Master of Public Administration courses. McDonald also has experience conducting internal and external program evaluations for higher education and nonprofits. Her interactive approach to teaching links course work to students’ real-world experiences. Whether it is a course focused on research methods, program evaluation or policy analysis, students choose projects relevant to their current and/or future interests in the public and nonprofit sectors.
McDonald gives detailed guidance, feedback and support to help students progress throughout the semester. She provides students with the empirical skills, critical thinking and theoretical background needed to confidently design and oversee their own projects in the workplace. Employers seek qualified managers who can conduct evaluations and outcome-based assessments that provide stakeholders with information and data for decision making. The content covered in her courses is highly marketable. Former students have worked on important projects in a range of areas, including urban planning, child welfare, substance abuse, public parks/gardens, clean energy, housing, public health, transportation, job training, elder services, information technology, education, public safety, emergency management, immigration and public finance.
She has written for peer-reviewed publications on education policy and was recognized with CSUN’s Don Dorsey Excellence in Mentoring Award, Exceptional Levels of Service to Students Award, and Honorable Mention - Student Success Champion.
Henrik P. Minassians, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Urban Studies and Planning
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and Its Environment
MPA 620: Research Methods in Public Administration
MPA 640: Public Policy Analysis
MPA 650: Seminar in Public Policy Process
MPA 698S: Graduate Project
Minassians has extensive experience working for public agencies and nonprofits. He helps students develop a strong understanding about the public administration field and how to think about issues from a systemic perspective.
As an expert in public policy with a Ph.D. in that field, he served as a senior research associate for the higher education program at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, a public policy think tank. He teaches public policy classes for the MPA program and also has taught urban studies, public policy, political science and American politics. His knowledge and expertise give students in-depth understanding of issues and solutions facing public agencies and organizations.
In addition to his work in academia, Minassians made numerous presentations on a variety of public sector topics, including “Panacea of Separating Politics from Administration: Re-Examining the Governance Structure in Los Angeles County” at the Multinational Conference in Public Management; “Performance Measures and Its Pitfalls: Strategies for Building a Quality Program in a Southern California Public Agency”; and “The Implications of Globalization and Its Effect on Domestic Public Policy”.
His publications include co-authoring “Good Cities and Healthy Communities in the United States” for the Journal of Urban Design and Planning; and “Miscalculated Opposition of Business to Street Improvements” for Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Urban Design and Planning.
Minassians brings an intellectual and practical approach to the field of public administration, enabling students to define issues and solutions for their own organizational challenges.
Jason L. Morin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science
MPA 620: Research Methods for Public Administration
MPA 650: Public Policy Process
Morin has a Ph.D. Political Science with a specialization in Latina/o politics, racial and ethnic politics, immigration and representation from the University of New Mexico. He also received training in quantitative methods and survey research.
He has expertise in teaching the interpretation and analysis of data, essential for students interested in public administration. Elected officials, bureaucrats, teachers and public safety officers all need the ability to read, understand and generate reports in which numerical summaries of data are used as evidence to describe and interpret public concerns, evaluate policy solutions to public problems, and assess the effectiveness of public policies and the impact they have on the general public.
His most recent work, “Expanding Carceral Markets: Detention Facilities, ICE Contracts, and the Financial Interests of Punitive Immigration Policy,” examines the political economy of private prisons and its influence on legislative behavior in Congress. He has written book chapters published by Michigan State University Press and Russell Sage Foundation, and journal articles for Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, American Political Research, and Race and Social Problems.
Philip M. Nufrio, Ph.D.
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and its Environment
MPA 620: Research Methods for Public Administration
MPA 698S: Graduate Project
Nufrio has a Ph.D. Public Administration from Rutgers University and a Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Public Affairs, Syracuse University. He has taught in higher education for more than 30 years. Nufrio has extensive experience in government, including serving as a consultant, an organizational development specialist, and a management/policy analyst. He has worked with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, National Bureau of Standards, and President Jimmy Carter’s Presidential Reorganization Project. He is an international scholar in the field of public policy and administration who brings his years of experience to the classroom.
Nufrio organized and presented – with members of the U.S. Congress – on numerous Super Storm panels at national ASPA (American Society for Public Administration) conferences, and he took part the Biden Challenge Conference: Restoring the Middle Class, at the University of Delaware. He has been published in Public Administration Times, Public Administration Quarterly, the International Journal of Public Administration, and Public Administration and Management. He authored two books: Applied Statistics for Public Policy, and Organizational Culture Change: A Study of the National Government.
Since 2009 he has convened a national sub-committee of national public administration professor/student panel presentations at the national APSA conference. NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration) selected him as outstanding Pi Alpha Alpha National Faculty Adviser of the Year. In 2016 Metropolitan College of New York recognized him with the Crystal Award for Outstanding Service to higher education. In 2018 he was inducted into the Essex Catholic High School Foundation Hall of Fame for his lifelong work in serving higher education and the New Jersey/New York communities. In June of 2020 he was elected as a national delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He currently develops policy papers for the Biden Institute on topics of social equity, police reform and restoring the middle class.
Patty Oertel, MBA
MPA 632F: Issues and Problems in Human Resources, Board and Volunteer Management in Nonprofits
MPA 632I: Program Implementation and Management for Nonprofit Services
Oertel’s career of more than 40 years focuses on building the capacity and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations, boards, staff and volunteers, and on strategic planning and organizational development. Her MBA focused on nonprofit management, and organizations she has worked with represent a cross-section of the nonprofit sector. She served as the executive director of the Center for Nonprofit Management for many years. During her tenure, she launched the Nonprofit Bookshelf Project, which identified and reviewed books written on nonprofit management topics. She also co-authored The Nonprofit Answer Book, Board Development Guide, and Get Ready, Get Set: A Guide to Launching a Nonprofit Organization. She served as chair of the Terry McAdam Book Award Committee, which annually reviews new books focused on nonprofit management, and as a board member of the Nonprofit Management Association. Oertel co-chairs the Capacity Building Organization's Affinity Group of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, a national organization of nonprofits.
She has taught courses in nonprofit management at UCLA's Anderson's School of Management and other higher education institutions. Oertel brings years of experience, education and training to MPA 632F, which provides key insight into the people associated with nonprofit organizations. Students address nonprofit organizations they are familiar with (e.g., staff, board or volunteers) for their case study assignments. They will appreciate the blend of academic and practical context.
MPA 632I focuses on assessing underlying need/root causes, intervention strategies, designing effective programs, resource assessment, evaluation and managing effective programs. Students will understand how the subjects they study relate to the development and execution of a nonprofit organization's mission through its programs.
David Powell, Ph.D.
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and Its Environment
MPA 623A: Seminar in Effective Public Sector Management
MPA 630: Seminar in Organization Theory and Human Behavior
MPA 644: Public Budgeting and Financial Administration
MPA 698S: Graduate Project
Powell has more than 20 years of experience teaching in MPA programs in California, Florida, Illinois and Ohio. His research focuses on issues of local government finance and budgeting with practical, real-world applications for today’s public sector. He holds a Ph.D. Political Science from Miami University. On a practical level, Powell served as a local elected official, providing him with experience in organization behavior and public budgeting. His research has been widely published in public sector journals. Recognized for his accomplishments as an instructor, the California State University and Miami University bestowed him with outstanding instructor awards.
MPA 610 introduces students to the study of public administration and its unique environment. MPA 630 helps students deal with organizational problems and how to create effective and efficient organizations. MPA 644 exposes students to the art and science of public budgeting. Money is the lifeblood of organizations. Powell has the expertise and experience to ensure students understand the skills necessary to manage these resources and to understand public administration issues.
Ravi Roy, Ph.D.
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and Its Environment
MPA 620: Research Methods for Public Administration
MPA 640: Public Policy Analysis
MPA 650: Public Policy Process
Roy served as director of the CSUN MPA program and now teaches a variety of MPA courses. He is a Senior Fellow, W. Edwards Deming Institute; and director, Quality, Innovation and Leadership Incubator, Department of Aviation Sciences, Southern Utah University, and he teaches in the university’s MPA Program. Roy also serves as program director of International Development and teaches in the International Development and International Studies program at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.
Roy earned his Ph.D. Political Science (with a concentration in comparative political economy/public policy) and his M.A. Public Policy from Claremont Graduate University. He also holds a Tertiary (higher education) Teaching Certificate from RMIT University.
MPA courses are essential for ongoing preparation and professional development, and Roy brings international experience and expertise to this program. He wrote several books, with the latest focusing on the role of ideas and mental models in shaping people’s understanding of available choices and how they inform their policy preferences.
Mikayel Safaryan, Ph.D.
MPA 632B: Strategic Management
Safaryan has taught internationally, including as a professor at Armenia State University of Economics, where he also developed courses. He earned his Ph.D. Economics from Armenia State University of Economics. His expertise includes research issues and international practice of crisis management, strategic management, and theory and practice of public administration. His publications address state and local government reforms. He also and co-authored a book, Economic Crisis and Crisis Management.
MPA 632B provides a complete overview of the strategic management process in public organizations. Students will gain comprehensive knowledge about the key concepts and principles of strategy formulation, logic and steps of strategic management. The complexity of the environment in which public organizations operate makes strategic planning one of the most important aspects of management. Safaryan teaches students strategic planning as a tool to satisfy the needs of the interested parties by using available scarce resources. He gives them an in-depth understanding of this aspect of public administration. The success of effective public administrators is determined by understanding core concepts of strategic management, and by having the necessary skill set. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze an organization’s external and internal environment, identify major strategic issues, formulate strategies for public organizations, propose actionable recommendations, and critically think about organizing the strategic management process in public organizations.
Tatevik Sargsyan, Ph.D.
MPA 622A: Policy Implementation and Program Evaluation
MPA 640: Public Policy Analysis
MPA 642A: Ethics and Professionalism
MPA 650: Seminar Public Policy Process
Sargsyan earned a Ph.D. Political Science and Master of Public Administration from Yerevan State University in Armenia. She also was a Visiting Scholar at Arizona State University’s School of Social Transformation. She was an expert on regulatory policy for public managers/inspectors with the World Bank Group in Armenia and the International Finance Corporation. She coordinated partnership projects with UK’s Better Regulation Delivery Office and UK’s Department for Business Innovation and Skills (now Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). She teaches Policy Proposal – Memo Writing through TEMPUS, an education program offered by the European Union focused on modernizing education in countries that neighbor the EU. She also worked with field experts from educational and research organizations such as USAID international development agency, Arizona State University and the University of Southern California.
MPA 640 is a critically important course. Students and public employees learn how to perform policy analysis and identify and solve problems. They employ diverse analytical strategies, and they gain skills to improve their writing and policy communication.
In MPA 642A students develop ethical competence, awareness and motivation for their respective fields. Sargsyan has close to 10 years of teaching and research experience on public service ethics. She authored and co-authored multiple articles on public service ethics in peer-reviewed academic journals.
She brings to her classes more than 10 years of international research and teaching experience in public policy and analysis.
Talin Saroukhanian, Ph.D.
Lecturer, Department of Political Science
MPA 650: Seminar in Public Policy
MPA 642A: Ethics and Professionalism
MPA 622A: Policy Implementation and Evaluation
Saroukhanian earned her Ph.D. Political Science from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the State University of New York at Albany, which is ranked among the top universities in this field. As a doctoral student, her graduate research focused on development policy and politics. Saroukhanian began teaching for the MPA program in 2004. In addition to the MPA program, Saroukhanian also taught in the public sector management program and the political science department at CSUN, where she continues teaching public policy and public administration courses. Most recently, she co-authored and presented “Can Ethics be Taught?” at the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) in Atlanta and “Designing a Professional Ethics Course: Ethics Education as a Tool for Developing Trust in Public Administration” at the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) in Washington, D.C. She convened a panel on ethics education titled “Ethics Education as a Tool for Developing Trust in Public Institutions” during the NASPAA 2017 conference. Saroukhanian has two forthcoming publications, which include a co-authored article, “A Case for the American Society of Public Administration’s Code of Ethics”; and an anthology, The Fundamentals of the Public Policy Process.
MPA 650 is a foundational course where students learn how the entire public policy process functions, and how politics are inseparable from the process. Students learn basic policy theories, and they apply their knowledge in the practical sense. In MPA 622A students learn primarily about the post-decision stages of the policy process. MPA 642A teaches students about ethics in public administration. In the ethics course, students learn about normative theories and the American Society for Public Administration’s (ASPA) Code of Ethics – essential tools for students working in public or nonprofit sectors, where knowledge from the course helps them as they face ethical dilemmas.
H. Eric Schockman, Ph.D.
MPA 623A: Seminar in Effective Public Sector Management
MPA 632A: Organizational Leadership
MPA 642A: Ethics and Professionalism
MPA 697S: Comprehensive Examination
Schockman brings his passion for public service and real- world experiences to his classes, making the academic materials relevant for students and appliable to their own organizations. With a Ph.D. in political science and international relations, Schockman brings a diverse perspective to addressing public sector issues.
In academia, Schockman served as associate dean/associate professor of political science at the University of Southern California. He also served in public policy roles, including as associate director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics; associate director of the Center on Multiethnic and Transnational Studies at USC; and the executive director of the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles. These positions gave him an in-depth understanding of issues facing the public sector and how to devise solutions to problems unique to public organizations.
He has widespread experience in government, working for the City Council of Los Angeles, the State Assembly and on multiple state commissions. His dedication to serving the public includes his role as founding chair of the National Anti-Hunger Organization (NAHO), an alliance of major national anti-hunger organizations in the United States. He also served on the founding board of directors of the Global Food Banking Network, and served with the prestigious Little Hoover Commission, a bipartisan, independent body promoting efficiency and economy in state programs.
In government he was policy director of the elected Los Angeles City Charter Commission, which re-wrote the city charter. Schockman speaks before elected officials, professional organizations and community groups across the country and has been quoted in the Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, CNN, NPR and other national publications and electronic media. He has written several books and edited numerous articles on politics and public policy. He brings his experiences to MPA classes, giving students new perspectives and ways of addressing and solving issues.
He served as Policy Director of the Elected Los Angeles City Charter Commission, which re-wrote the city charter of the second largest city in the United States. He served in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone, West Africa, teaching agricultural and sustainable development. Dr. Schockman speaks before elected officials, professional organizations and community groups across the country and is frequently quoted in the Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, CNN, NPR and other national publications and electronic media. He has written several books and edited numerous articles on politics and public policy. Dr. Schockman holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of California, Riverside.
Linda-Marie Sundstrom, DPA (Doctor of Public Administration)
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and Its Environment
MPA 620: Research Methods for Public Administration
MPA 640: Public Policy Analysis
Sundstrom brings her extensive public sector experience and knowledge to the classroom, enabling students to understand issues and devise solutions. She worked for a decade at the county level as a policy analyst in the Executive Office. She then worked for a decade as a grant writing consultant for government, nonprofit, academic and tribal agencies. In addition to her government experience, she has taught for nearly two decades at a number of universities.
Sundstrom provides students in these courses with a robust understanding of the long-developed concepts that led to the current system of public administration. Understanding the depth and breadth of the topics connects students with the current state of affairs. They will develop a deeper understanding of the field so they can make high-level decisions.
Ward Thomas, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Urban Studies and Planning
MPA 640: Public Policy Analysis
Thomas holds a Ph.D. Urban Planning from UCLA, a Master of Public Administration from San Francisco State University, and a B.A. Sociology from the University of Oregon. His academic fields of interest include racial inequality, economic development, social welfare policy, and environmental planning. He brings that background to the program, where students analyze public policy. Thomas has extensive research and analysis experience on public policy issues. He researched the role of Korean immigrant entrepreneurs on the economic development of communities in Los Angeles, and the study was published in the journal, Ethnic and Racial Studies. His current research examines the technological challenges that polluting industries in Los Angeles face in complying with stringent environmental regulations. His publications address issues that include environmental regulations, industry growth and hiring practices. His areas of specialty include public policy analysis, economic development and environmental planning. Thomas provides students with the necessary theory and practical applications they will need in their careers.
Zeynep Toker, Ph.D.
Toker has taught in CSUN’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning since 2006, primarily courses on research methods and fieldwork. She has a strong understanding of the importance of involvement to improve communities, with experience that includes supervising more than 20 community design projects through service-learning courses. Students in those projects worked with community members in collaboration with community organizations to address local urban planning problems. Her Ph.D. Design, Community and Environmental Design Concentration from North Carolina State University, and her Master of City Planning in Urban Design from Middle East Technical University, give her in-depth knowledge and insights in this field. Toker has studied internationally, giving her a diverse perspective on addressing community development issues. She also has published articles on community design practice. Toker teaches skills that help students pursuing a variety of career paths.
Anaïs Valiquette L'Heureux, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Criminology and Justice Studies
MPA 610: Seminar in Public Administration and Its Environment
MPA 620: Research Methods for Public Administration
MPA 630: Seminar in Organization Theory and Human Behavior
MPA 698S: Graduate Project
Valiquette L’Heureux received her Ph.D. Public Administration, organizational theory and public management track, from the National School of Public Administration (ENAP) Université du Québec. She earned her M.Sc. Public Administration, organizational analysis and development track, from ENAP. She earned the Research Fellowship Award of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, a Ph.D. Fellowship from Québec’s Society and Culture research fund, the “Innovative theoretical contribution” of the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA), and alumni recognition from ENAP. Her publications are featured in journals such as the Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, and International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management.
The Graduate Project is the culminative experience of the MPA program. Students will develop breadth and depth of knowledge in the area of management or policy sciences of their choice. MPA 698S is the final opportunity to sharpen writing and analytical skills. Students leave this class prepared to take on management or professional analyst role in federal, state and local governments. As Graduate Project Committee Chair, she accompanies students through this transformative class. Students will take stock of all their MPA courses and get set on a path of continuous learning, improvement and growth. The class will give them the chance to navigate hybridized governance networks with rigor, credibility and research literacy in public administration.
Steve Wantz, MPA
MPA 644: Public Budgeting and Financial Administration
Wantz has more than 20 years of experience in local government public budgeting and financial administration. As manager of Fiscal and Administrative Services for the County Executive Office at the County of Ventura, his responsibilities included the fiscal management of general government operations, internal service funds, and program and grant funds. He also worked for the City of Ventura Treasury, Budget and Revenue Offices, as well as the Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Internal Business Office. In MPA 644, he covers public budgeting and financial administration at all levels of local government.
In addition to his Master of Public Administration earned at CSUN, Wantz has a B.A. Economics from California State University, Long Beach. MPA 644 is a practical course. Students take what they learn in class back to the workplace. The class is a “learn by doing” experience, equipping students with a budgeting toolkit that allows them to navigate the budget process of a local government agency. Students gain the knowledge required to manage a budget at the program manager level and will study a current public agency budget document as part of a case study analysis.
Wantz has taught MPA 644 since 2004. His focus on the practical application of the subject material gives students a chance to apply what they learn in their own work situation.
Kim Williams, Ed.D.
MPA 632A: Organizational Leadership
MPA 632B: Strategic Planning
Williams earned her Ed.D. from UC Davis and is a management and governance consultant. She provides students with the skills to think critically about how to implement policies that add value through public service. Williams specializes in building capacity in mission-driven environments, promoting disciplined decision-making, and promoting ethical leadership and meaningful social change. She brings that dedication to the classroom and to her students. Her expertise includes developing governance systems, strategic planning, executive and transition management, and training and professional development. Her experience in organizational leadership and planning includes designing training programs and conducting seminars on strategic planning for the Center for Nonprofit Management, the Junior League of Los Angeles Board Fellows Program, and the Riordan Volunteer Leadership Development Program.
Dr. Williams also designs training programs and conducts seminars on nonprofit governance and strategic planning for the Center for Nonprofit Management, the Junior League of Los Angeles Board Fellows Program and the Riordan Volunteer Leadership Development Program. She also teaches courses in nonprofit governance and strategic planning for California State University, Northridge, LMU Extension and UCLA Extension.
Mylon Winn, Ph.D.
Currently serving as the academic lead of the MPA program, Dr. Winn was the commissioner on The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) and the Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA). He was a former Public Administration Review editorial board member and was the founding member of the Clinton School of Public Service in the University of Arkansas (2004). He also served as the interim Dean of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy in Southern University from 2009-2010.
Bryce Yokomizo, DPA (Doctor of Public Administration)
MPA 623A: Seminar in Effective Public Sector Management
MPA 632A: Organizational Leadership
MPA 632B: Strategic Management
MPA 642A: Ethics and Professionalism
Yokomizo has extensive, high-level experience in the public sector that he brings to the classroom. He served as director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, managing public welfare services with a budget of $3 billion and a staff of more than 14,000 workers. He also served as deputy chief executive officer for the County of Los Angeles and has served on governing boards of numerous management and nonprofit human services organizations. He is a graduate of UCLA, holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California, and earned a doctor of public administration from California Baptist University. As a leader and strategic and management expert, he understands vital issues facing public administrators today. Yokomizo focuses on making academic theory relevant to current, real-world challenges.
