Meet Carlos Morales, a 2nd year student in the UNC MPA program.
I grew up in Columbia, SC, and originally went to school for audio engineering, spending time in Nashville, TN, and Atlanta, GA, working in the music industry. During that time, I also cooked in commercial kitchens and began connecting with our food system through a culinary lens. My passion for community and food eventually outpaced my love for music, leading me to Washington state, where I worked as a food educator and had the opportunity to farm. There, I learned regenerative practices that focus on building a relationship with the land you tend. These practices take a holistic, systems-thinking approach — stacking functions and expanding networks to identify key players and strategies that create resilience within both food systems and the communities they serve.
Teaching others how to grow food and leading cooking classes for everyone from pre-K students to senior citizens helped guide me toward pursuing an MPA. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside several nonprofits in Washington and have seen the far-reaching impact they can have. At the same time, I became more aware of the barriers to access — and how policy can be used as a tool to reimagine and create new opportunities for both community members and the organizations that serve them.
Earning an MPA from the UNC School of Government is preparing me to better serve North Carolinians across the state. It has provided me with tools to understand our structures of governance and to navigate them to find solutions to issues as they emerge in our food system and environment. Being a graduate of this program will help me become a stronger partner, facilitator, policymaker, bureaucrat, and community member — all with a focus on building resilient systems that reflect the diverse needs of residents from the mountains to the coast.
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This summer, I’ve had the honor of serving the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) with the Organics Recycling team in the Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service, as part of my Professional Work Experience (PWE) for the MPA program. I’ve seen firsthand the impact of their work in advancing much-needed waste diversion in the state — reducing landfill use while offering technical assistance and grant funding to support the growth of composting infrastructure. I’ve especially appreciated how the team uses creative, systems-level thinking to center economic development by reinforcing a circular economy. This approach reduces the consumption of new materials by creating pathways to produce and purchase recycled or reused materials right here in North Carolina.
So far in my role at DEQ, I’ve had the opportunity to:
• Strengthen the agency’s compost facility database
• Update and analyze data from annual reports to help identify infrastructure gaps across the state
• Collect, organize, and visualize tonnage data to support a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) rate study
• Research food waste depackaging technologies to inform permitting and regulation as this part of the market continues to grow
These are just a few of the projects I’ve been proud to support — and it’s been a true honor to contribute to such essential public service for our state and environment.
This post was written by current student Tyler Holden.
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At its foundation, government exists to uphold justice and protect the public. The rule of law is essential to a functioning civil society, and upholding it is a responsibility carried out by the brave men and women of our police departments. Tasked with promoting public safety and enforcing state laws and local ordinances, police officers strive to serve as both peacemakers and guardians. To fulfill these responsibilities in a professional, consistent, and transparent manner, departments rely on a framework known as accreditation.
Before beginning my internship with the Hillsborough Police Department, I knew little about the concept of police accreditation—let alone the process itself. Over the course of ten weeks, I developed a deeper understanding of both its significance and how it functions in practice.
Accreditation offers a blueprint for aligning departmental policies with best practices in law enforcement. Public service organizations such as the North Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation (NCLEA) program and the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) Law Enforcement Risk Review establish comprehensive standards that help agencies modernize procedures, increase accountability, and improve effectiveness. A core part of the accreditation process involves mapping these external standards to the department’s internal policies. I was tasked with reviewing these standards, identifying where our policies already met them, and recommending revisions where improvements were needed. In total, I reviewed more than 87 departmental policies as part of this effort, each requiring careful attention to detail to ensure alignment with accreditation standards.
At the Hillsborough Police Department, policies are maintained in PowerDMS, a document management system that enables staff to easily access, sign, and reference policies. A major focus of my internship was updating and reorganizing these policies within PowerDMS—archiving outdated documents, consolidating overlapping content, and streamlining language to improve clarity and usability. To make policies more accessible, we reorganized them into three main sections: Administration (100s), Operations (200s), and Investigations (300s). This restructuring required renumbering policies and updating all internal references to reflect the new system. What initially seemed like a straightforward task revealed the complexity of policy integration, as numerous references to old policy numbers were embedded in unexpected places. This experience highlighted how deeply interwoven and dependent these policies are—and how essential well-organized, clearly linked policies are to guiding and supporting an effective organization.
Leading these updates deepened my understanding of how policy and accreditation intersect to support law enforcement effectiveness. By the end of my internship, I had not only gained practical experience in law enforcement policy and accreditation, but also developed a broader appreciation for the systems that underpin effective policing. Most importantly, I saw how well-crafted, consistently applied policies serve the greater mission of policing: upholding the rule of law, advancing justice, and protecting the public.
This post was written by current student Ryan Ledbetter.
As I reach the midway point of my PWE with the Stanly County Economic Development Commission (EDC), I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the work I’ve been involved in so far. The most significant project I have been involved in up to this point has been the creation of a comprehensive master list of all available sites and buildings the EDC is actively marketing for development in Stanly County. Each entry includes key information that supports the EDC’s responses to Requests for Information (RFIs) from companies exploring potential locations.
Since the Stanly County EDC is just a two-person team when I am not here, the economic development coordinator spends a considerable amount of time gathering this information. The purpose of the master list is to make that process more efficient, helping reduce response times for RFIs and allowing the team to focus more on other efforts such as marketing and outreach.
When I first began this project, I assumed gathering the necessary information would be simple and straightforward. I quickly discovered otherwise. Collecting complete and accurate data meant reaching out to a wide range of contacts, including property owners, municipal utilities directors, electric providers, planning departments, and even town managers. Some responded promptly, others provided partial information, and a few did not respond at all. In some cases, especially with utility providers, I found that key personnel had recently left their positions, which required additional steps to identify the right contact person.
Although my initial expectations had to be adjusted, this turned out to be an excellent project for someone like me with limited prior experience in economic development. It gave me a clear view of the field, including the variety of stakeholders involved, what companies prioritize when evaluating sites and buildings, and the communication strategies needed to gather information from different organizations.
I’m pleased to share that the master list is now complete with all essential information. Last week, I presented an overview of the project and a summary of currently available sites and buildings at the EDC Board’s monthly meeting. For the rest of my PWE, I will continue to update the list as new properties become available. I will also begin working on content for the “Success in Stanly” marketing campaign that the EDC plans to launch later this year. This will involve visiting local businesses, writing blog posts about them and their work, and developing social media content the EDC can post on their various accounts throughout the year.
This post is written by current student Tyler Holden.
Tyler Holden is a current student in the online format. Originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Holden completed his undergraduate degree in Political Science from UNC Greensboro. As a former Americorps Lead for North Carolina Fellow, he is pursuing his interests in local government and is currently employed with the Town of Hillsborough and completing his Professional Work Experience with the Hillsborough Police Department.
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Every year, the North Carolina League of Municipalities hosts a dynamic driver training program designed to sharpen the decision-making and driving skills of police officers across the state. Known as the “Slower is Faster” Driver Training, this hands-on experience, led by instructors skilled in the art of autocross, emphasizes precision, awareness, and thoughtful response under pressure — vital qualities for any first responder.
During the first week of my internship with the Hillsborough Police Department, I had the extraordinary opportunity to participate in this training event, held at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. As someone aspiring to a career in public service, this experience proved to be far more than a driving exercise — it offered deep, transferable lessons in leadership, strategy, and decision-making in government.
As part of the event, my group organized a portion of the driving course. Using road signs, inflatable deer, traffic cones, and even a remote-controlled car topped with a stuffed dog (meant to simulate a pet darting into traffic), we created a series of unpredictable obstacles. We regularly changed their positions to simulate real-world driving scenarios that officers might encounter on duty.
The objective wasn’t speed, but rather disciplined decision-making. It was about teaching officers how to remain composed, think critically, and respond appropriately in high-pressure situations.
As I observed dozens of officers navigating the course, I began noticing distinct trends. Those who accelerated too quickly on the straightaways often misjudged tight turns, leading to close calls or collisions with cones. In contrast, officers who paced themselves, slowing down strategically to assess and adapt to the layout ahead completed the course more efficiently and with greater accuracy. Just as the name of the training entails, slower really was faster. A classic case of the tortoise and the hare.
The takeaway? Rushing ahead without gauging what lies down the road often leads to errors or setbacks. But those who take the time to evaluate the landscape, anticipate obstacles, and adjust their approach accordingly tend to reach their goals more effectively.
It’s a lesson that extends far beyond the driver’s seat.
The principles behind “Slower is Faster” apply directly to leadership in local government. Just like navigating a challenging driving course, managing a municipality requires anticipating long-term needs, understanding the terrain ahead, and making deliberate, informed decisions.
Whether you’re crafting policy, managing public budgets, or planning community development, effective leadership is not always about rapid responses. It’s about thoughtful planning, steady execution, and knowing when to pause, reassess, and adapt — especially when the stakes are high.
Perhaps the most exciting moment of the training came when I had the chance to ride along with a Hillsborough Police Department officer through the full course. As we weaved through a simulated pursuit scenario complete with autocross instructors playing suspects in other vehicles, I experienced firsthand the mental and physical demands officers face when responding to emergencies.
The adrenaline, the focus, the constant decision-making — it all underscored the importance of preparation and training. It also reinforced the broader lesson: calm, measured responses are often the most effective, even in fast-paced or high-stakes environments.
Participating in the “Slower is Faster” Driver Training is a key highlight of my internship experience. It offered me not only a behind-the-scenes look at how law enforcement officers hone their skills, but also an enduring perspective on leadership, both in public safety and in public service.
As I look forward to a career in local government, I’ll carry with me the lesson that taking the time to observe, think, and plan is the best way to lead with purpose, precision, and impact.
This post was written by 2nd year student Ryan Ledbetter.
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My name is Ryan Ledbetter, and I am a Master of Public Administration (MPA) student at the UNC School of Government. I’m originally from Harrisburg, North Carolina, a town just outside Charlotte and right next to the Charlotte Motor Speedway. I have always been interested in government, although I didn’t initially plan to pursue an MPA. After graduating from NC State University with degrees in political science and history, I took a job in project management at a technology company. While the role offered valuable experience, it didn’t align with my interests or feel particularly fulfilling. Luckily, a few months into that position I came across a fellowship hosted by the UNC School of Government called LEAD for NC. The LEAD for NC fellowship places recent college graduates in local governments across the state to strengthen public institutions and help develop the next generation of public service leaders. I was placed with the Town of Spencer, just outside of Salisbury, where I worked on several meaningful projects, including designing and administering a school safety and support grant program, developing town policies, and gaining hands-on experience in local government operations. This was a great experience and it played a key role in shaping my decision to pursue a career in public service at the local level.
That experience ultimately led me to pursue my MPA at UNC, especially given that the School of Government is one of the top programs in the country for local government administration. I hope to use this degree to build a career in local government, with the goal of eventually serving in a city or county management role. An integral part of the UNC MPA program is the Professional Work Experience (PWE), which takes place between the first and second year. For my PWE, I am interning with the Stanly County Economic Development Commission (EDC). The EDC is responsible for promoting economic growth and job creation throughout Stanly County. It works to attract new businesses, support the expansion of existing industries, and enhance the county’s overall business climate. Through partnerships with local governments, educational institutions, and private industry, the EDC provides support for site selection, workforce development, and access to both local and state incentives.
As part of my internship, I will be developing a master list of the properties the EDC markets for economic development and working with county businesses and municipalities to create a recommended social media content plan for the next year as part of a broader marketing campaign. In addition to my work with the EDC, I will also get the chance to observe the budget process by shadowing the county manager and commissioners through attending budget workshop meetings. This opportunity is especially exciting because it allows me to gain experience in county-level administration while exploring the field of economic development for the first time.
Lilly Parker is a 2nd year student in the MPA program. As a former teacher from Kentucky, Lilly’s interests are centered around education, advocacy, and child and family welfare. She earned a BA degree in Education from Wake Forest University in 2021.
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From the Classroom to the Foundation: Launching My Summer with NCCCF
This summer, I’m thrilled to be serving as an advancement intern with the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation (NCCCF) as part of my Professional Work Experience (PWE) in the UNC MPA program. The opportunity to work directly with the Foundation’s Executive Director, Katie Loovis, who also happened to be my professor for nonprofit management last semester, has been especially rewarding. Learning from her both in the classroom and now in a professional setting has provided a powerful bridge between theory and practice, and I’m excited to continue deepening my understanding of nonprofit management and advancement.
Although my PWE has only just begun, I’ve already been trusted with meaningful projects that align with my interests and push me to grow professionally. I participate in weekly fundraising strategy meetings where the team maps out how to engage funders, shape program pitches, and prepare for meetings with stakeholders. I also have regular one-on-one check-ins with both the executive director and the chief advancement officer to share updates, receive feedback, and discuss how I can continue to contribute to the Foundation’s mission.
My current responsibilities include drafting a gift acceptance policy and a gift agreement for NCCCF, as well as managing the application process for solicitation licenses in new fundraising states. The centerpiece of my summer, however, is a research project focused on nonprofit earned income strategies. I am conducting a literature review on best practices, analyzing IRS Form 990s to understand how peer foundations generate earned income, and interviewing executive directors of other community college foundations to learn from their insights. The final deliverable will be a set of strategic recommendations I’ll present to the NCCCF Board of Directors. I was able to pitch my research proposal during my first week on the job, and I’m proud to say it was met with enthusiasm.
As a former teacher and current MPA student with an interest in nonprofit management and development, this experience is helping me imagine what a future career in development/advancement could look like. I feel incredibly fortunate to be working for an organization that is committed to making higher education more accessible across North Carolina, while also sharpening my skills in fundraising, research, policy writing, and professional communication. Plus, since I’m working remotely, I get to do it all with my sweet dog, Athena, by my side (see pictures)! I can’t wait to see how the rest of the summer unfolds!
This post was written by current student Ushni Gupta.
As the Southern California wildfires continue to rage with devastating consequences, the need for strong leadership at the local level has never been more apparent. California wildfires are no longer seasonal crises—they are a year-round threat exacerbated by climate change and the expansion of development into fire-prone areas. At the forefront of combating these disasters are local community leaders, from city officials to fire chiefs, whose leadership is essential to safeguarding lives, protecting property, and fostering resilience in the face of growing wildfire threats.
Fostering community is critical to minimizing loss of life and ensuring that the infrastructure needed to protect residents is in place. Local leaders play a pivotal role in guiding their communities through all stages of wildfire response. During active fires, they coordinate evacuation efforts, establish shelters, and communicate crucial safety information. After the fires are extinguished, they lead recovery initiatives, helping communities rebuild while prioritizing resilience through investments in fire-resistant infrastructure, vegetation management, and long-term planning to mitigate future risks.
Preparing leaders to navigate these challenges requires specialized training and knowledge, which programs like the Master of Public Administration at UNC-Chapel Hill provide. The UNC MPA program focuses on equipping future public service professionals with the skills needed to address complex crises like wildfires. With coursework in strategic communication, emergency management, public policy, and intergovernmental collaboration, the program develops leaders who can think critically, act decisively, and inspire communities during times of crisis.
As the frequency and intensity of wildfires continue to rise, the importance of local leadership cannot be overstated. Programs like the UNC MPA ensure that future leaders are prepared to meet these challenges head-on, fostering stronger, safer, and more resilient communities in California and beyond.
When friends ask me why I got into urban planning, my response normally includes a love for cities, a desire to tackle pressing issues through land use policy, and an attempt to avoid having to do too much math. So, what am I doing as an analyst in a town budget office? This is a question that I myself would have likely been stumped by just a few months ago.
After graduating with a bachelor’s in urban planning, I decided to pursue a dual master’s degree in urban planning and public administration. Working in a municipality and working on land use policy both involve coordination with many different entities. However, these entities too often get siloed in their own spheres without fully understanding the work of those they are coordinating with. As an effort to broaden my understanding of the work of different municipal departments and the financial decisions underpinning this work, I decided to pursue a Professional Work Experience in a budget office. When the town of Apex offered me a good position early in the PWE selection process, I knew it was exactly what I wanted for this stage of my professional development.
So far, my time in Apex’s budget office has been everything I hoped it would be. I began working in Apex in March, right as the budget for the next fiscal year was being drafted. Some unexpected absences in the office meant that I was quickly diving into various spreadsheets to track itemized spending for the fiscal year and highlight significant expenses for council reports. I’ve also been designated as the budget analyst for Apex’s Finance and Communications departments. These experiences have sharpened my Excel skills and emphasized the centrality of communication in budget work.
Apex’s budget office is a welcoming and supportive work environment. My coworkers here are happy to answer questions and support me and fellow UNC MPA intern Chris Bouzane in having a productive, hands-on Professional Work Experience. As I become more comfortable in this role and the proposed budget gets adopted, I hope to initiate a project that will combine my interests by exploring the impacts different land use patterns might have on Apex’s fiscal health. I am excited for the rest of the summer and hope I can take full advantage of it, as it is already passing by quickly!
This post was written by current student Wes Merritt.
I’m Wes Merritt-an MPA candidate at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Government. I came to the University in the midst of a career change from the financial services world here in D.C. with hopes of learning more about how I can contribute as a public servant. The UNC MPA program felt like an obvious fit with their very practical and holistic course curriculum.
When I started my Masters back in early 2021, I had an idea of what I wanted to do- to work for either a non-profit or government agency that focused on substance abuse and recovery support services. I was tailoring all my class projects and papers around learning about that world but oddly enough fell in love with Economic Development after taking an elective with Joy Wilkins titled ‘Managing Economic Development’. I had no idea it was an actual profession but was really happy that it mirrored some of my sales/finance experience with the desire to enact more positive change in the public sector. It feels like a natural fit.
After doing some research on the profession I decided to pursue it for my PWE, and my professor Joy was kind enough to introduce me to her contact at the IEDC (International Economic Development Council) here in D.C., which actually writes the textbook for the class.
The internship is part-time, and my work is fully remote. I’m really excited about looking at different cities and counties through an Economic Development lens and getting a full picture of what Economic Developers do and how they add value to a local economy. Some of the projects I’ll be working on center around disaster relief and economic resiliency, along with traditional economic development ideas like corporate recruiting and human capital development at local universities.
This post was written by current student Rachel Werz.
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My name is Rachel Werz and I’m a North Carolinian, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and most recently a new mom! I’m in my third year of the online format of the MPA program. After getting my undergraduate degree in International Studies from UNC-Charlotte in 2009, I left the country to backpack through Southeast Asia. After 5 months of backpacking, I got a job teaching English in South Korea, and loved it so much I stayed for about 6 years. I then took my teaching skills to the U.S. Peace Corps, where I served as a teacher trainer in Indonesia. It was there that I found my passion for public service and sustainable development. I also met someone who became my mentor and introduced me to the field of public administration, suggesting it would be a good fit for me. She was right!
I applied for the UNC MPA program with my sights set on work at the federal level, in diplomacy or international development. However, as I’m sure has happened to many before me, the incredible MPA faculty’s expertise on local and state government has shifted my interests. As I enter my third and final year in the program, I am most interested in economic and community development. Through some of my volunteer work in Durham, I have gained experience in community development at the grassroots level. So, when looking for a PWE, I wanted to work for an organization that could offer professional experience in the same field. I reached out to Jamie McCall, a UNC MPA Alum, and the VP of Economic Development Policy at Carolina Small Business Development Fund (CSBDF). CSBDF provides financial and technical assistance, as well as policy research to small business owners in underserved communities across the state.
I’m now a research fellow for the Western Women’s Business Center (WWBC), which is a project of Carolina Small Business Development Fund. My first month has flown by! The research I am working on aims to identify gaps in the services provided by us and partner organizations to ensure we are meeting the needs of small business owners in Western North Carolina. Our goal is to strengthen the relationship that we have with small business owners and partner organizations by identifying our strengths and areas that need improvement. So far, I’ve really enjoyed the friendliness of everyone at CSBDF and working on the research project with a small team of fellow interns from UNC. I’m looking forward to the weeks ahead as I learn and grow in this internship!