Mission

The mission of the UNC MPA Alumni Association is to advance and support public service leaders by maintaining and strengthening connections among alumni, students, and faculty. To support this mission, they focus their efforts in the areas of connection, collaboration, and contribution.

The program’s core values are:

  • Collaboration
  • Diversity
  • Stewardship
  • Integrity
  • Professionalism
  • Exploration

Membership

All matriculants of the UNC MPA program are eligible for full membership in the Alumni Association. Full members hold voting rights and are eligible for elected office and all privileges afforded members of the Alumni Association. In addition, cooperating membership may be extended to those who have an interest in the UNC MPA program and the betterment of public service.  Cooperative members may not hold elective office in the Association, nor may they vote. Current MPA students are always welcome—and encouraged—to attend any Alumni Association-sponsored events.

President Deepti Panjabi ’14

VP, Talent Management Consultant II, Bank of America

President –
Elect
Toney Thompson ’18

Innovation Strategist, Wake County, NC

Past –
President
Jennifer Fox ’19

Senior Strategy & Performance Analyst, City of Raleigh

Treasurer Lee Worsley ’97

Executive director, Triangle J Council of Governments

Secretary Brian Murphy ’20

Budget and management analyst, Town of Chapel Hill, NC

Scholarship
Chair
Sarah Hazel ’14

Chief sustainability and resiliency officer, City of Charlotte, NC

Board Members

(Term ends December 2023)

Nick Byrne ’16

Associate general counsel, Clark Capital Management Group

Josh Edwards ’07

Assistant manager, Athens-Clarke County (GA) Unified Government

Jonathan Griffin ’16

Finance director, Transylvania County, NC

Kirsten Wyatt ’04

Executive director and co-founder, Engaging Local Government Leaders

Kenneth Woodcock ’99

Maxwell Air Force Base chief, security forces, U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command

Board Members
(Term ends Dec. 2024)
Mike Halford ’92

County Manager, Guilford County, NC

Brian Haney ’17

Assistant County Manager, Harnett County, NC

Chris Kenrick ’14

Frontend Developer & Scrum Master, Renaissance Learning, Inc.

Ryan Regan ’14

Project Developer, Azimuth Renewables

Roger Stancil ’78

Retired town manager, Chapel Hill, NC

MaryBeth Spoehr ’22

Budget and Strategy Analyst, Town of Holly Springs, NC

Emily Wilson ’22

Development & Project Manager, Fountainworks

Student Representatives  Jack Peterson                                Russ Pulley
 James Hirsch                                 
 Christopher Bouzane
 Angelica Foster
Ex-Officio
Members
Willow Jacobson
MPA director
jacobson@sog.unc.edu(link sends e-mail), 919-966-4760
Alumni & External Relations
919-966-4159
Elizabeth Langefeld
Associate director of academic advising and student life
elangefeld@sog.unc.edu(link sends e-mail), ​919-843-7330
Brandon Foster
Director of annual giving and alumni relations
foster@sog.unc.edu(link sends e-mail),​ 919-962-0426

Upcoming Events

March 27, 2024

Did you know 100% of our students are looking to start, advance, or change their careers?  Attend…

News

February 07, 2024

This January the UNC MPA program welcomed 21 new students into the program.   Read about a few…

MPA Matters Blog

February 19, 2024

Andrew Stephen Wright is a current 1st year student in the MPA program at Chapel Hill.  Born and…