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 Jennifer Fox ’19

Business services manager, Durham Workforce Development Board

President –
Elect
Deepti Panjabi ’14

Client success manager, BetterUp

Past –
President
Corey Petersohn ’16

Budget, innovation, and strategic initiatives manager, Town of Holly Springs, NC

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 Dec. 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

  Toney Thompson ’18

Innovation strategist, Wake 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. 2022)
Courtney Cooper-Lewter ’20

Management analyst, Chatham County, NC

  Michael Halford ’92 (completing Deepti Panjabi’s term)

County manager, Guilford County, NC

  Brian Haney ’17

Assistant county manager, Harnett County, NC

  Ryan Rotundo ’16

Founder and CEO, Fratello Consulting Group

  Roger Stancil ’78

Retired town manager, Chapel Hill, NC

  Alex Vazquez ’16

Senior utility analyst, City of Raleigh, NC

Student Representatives  
   
   
   
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

October 02, 2023

UNC MPA is coming to Austin, TX for the ICMA conference.  22 students along with a handful of…

News

September 22, 2023

As the University prepares to welcome back faculty, staff, and students to campus, the…

MPA Matters Blog

September 18, 2023

We love getting to know our students. They are diverse, smart, and representative of why public…