Cady graduated from the UNC MPA program in May 2025. She earned her undergraduate degree at University of Mississippi in Public Policy Leadership & French.
Q1: Cady, you are finished with your MPA! Congratulations, how does it feel?
Thank you so much! It feels amazing! Completing the program was incredibly rewarding, and I’m so proud of everything I learned along the way. The experience really expanded my perspective and strengthened my skills which has given me a deeper understanding of public service and a renewed sense of purpose.
Q2: Tell us about your initial decision to pursue an MPA. Did you consider other grad degrees?
I always knew I wanted to pursue a graduate degree, but after entering the workforce full-time, I realized a part-time program would be the best fit for me. I wanted to stay in Washington, D.C., so I started researching local programs and considered options like a Master of Public Policy. Ultimately, I decided that an Master of Public Administration aligned more closely with my goals. I came across UNC’s MPA program through online rankings and reviews, and after researching further, it checked every box. Choosing UNC’s online MPA program was one of the easiest and best decisions I’ve made.
Q3: Was it difficult working full time and going back to school?
Balancing both definitely required some adjustment. There were challenging periods, especially when a demanding work week lined up with major school deadlines, but it was never unmanageable. The program’s structure and the understanding nature of the professors made a huge difference. They recognized that many of us had careers and personal responsibilities, which created a supportive and flexible learning environment.
Q4: Can you tell us about a favorite class, specific project or experience, or meaningful professor in the program, and what you gained from it?
There were so many enriching classes and memorable experiences throughout the program, but one professor in particular made a lasting impression on me, and that was Professor Ana-Laura Diaz. I had the opportunity to take her Law for Public Administration and Mediation for Public Managers courses, and she was phenomenal. Her teaching style was dynamic, thoughtful, and engaging. She had a unique way of bringing real-world relevance to the classroom, whether through discussions of landmark court cases or practical conflict resolution strategies. I still carry many of her lessons with me, especially around ethical leadership and effective communication. I’m so grateful to have learned from her!
Q5: What advice do you have for those considering going back to school or starting a career in public service?
My biggest advice is to connect with people who’ve already gone through the experience. Current students or recent graduates can offer honest, practical insights about what to expect. It’s also so important to research programs carefully to find one that aligns with your personal goals, interests, and lifestyle. And perhaps most importantly, get clear on why you want to pursue further education. Understanding your purpose will help guide your decisions and keep you motivated through the challenges of graduate school.
Q6: What are you looking forward to in your career?
I’m looking forward to making real, tangible impacts in the communities I care deeply about. I’m especially drawn to roles that combine strategic thinking with public service. This could be through leadership positions, policy development, or driving organizational improvements. Both my MPA coursework and my work on Capitol Hill have shaped the way I view public service, and I’m excited to apply those lessons to shape policies and improve public services. At the heart of it all, I want to be part of efforts that lead to lasting, positive change.
Q7: And a fun question to end with. What are you reading or listening or looking forward to most this summer?
This summer, I’m most looking forward to picnics on the National Mall with friends. Jimmy Buffett is always on repeat for me during the summer months, and my “Want to Read” list is overflowing! A few books I’m hoping to get through are Senate Procedure and Practice by Marty Gold, East of Eden by John Steinbeck, The Next Conversation by Jefferson Fisher, and Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.
Q: What was the path you took to get to where you are now?
A: Out of the MPA program, I came to Washington to work at the GAO. I had a great 5 years there and applied everything I learned in the program including data analysis, public speaking, and writing. From there I had the privilege of working on budget issues in the US Senate, at the US Department of Transportation and Treasury on high level issues helping to manage large departments of tens of thousands of people. I am now a consultant and teach at American University. The path I took in short was not direct, but I did always want to serve and hope to continue to do that in the future.
Q: Have you pursued any other certifications since your MPA?
A: I am a National Association of Public Administration fellow, a Strategic Advisor to Government Executives (SAGE) with the Partnership for Public Service, and a senior fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute.
Q: Is the field you are working in now relevant to your MPA degree?
A: Yes, I currently teach government executives about leadership at American University. In my consulting work, I have led large nonprofit projects, advised companies how to make their products more applicable to the public sector, and written on topics of public policy.
Q: How did the MPA program specifically prepare you for future work experiences or inform what you do now?
A: The MPA program’s multi-disciplinary approach to public sector management was the best training I could have hoped. Not only did I have the analysis background to support decision-makers, I also used the writing and public speaking skills central to the MPA program to clearly communicate the results and implications of the proposed course of action in an understandable way. The MPA program made me ready day one and I still use lessons from the program more than 20 years later.
Q: Have you been able to fulfill goals formulated while in the MPA program? If so, how?
A: Great question. I came to the program to understand how to make public organizations run better to serve citizens in the most effective way. I have had multiple opportunities to do that, and I hope I have many more.
Dylan Russell is the executive director of Lead for North Carolina at the UNC School of Government and a co-founder of Lead for America. Lead for North Carolina places students in high-impact fellowships in local government across the state. He has secured over $6 million in private support to advance Lead for North Carolina’s mission and has placed 110 young people in local government fellowships across the state. Dylan also launched the NC COVID-19 Student Response Corps with the Office of Strategic Partnerships and placed 300 student interns in local governments and nonprofits across North Carolina. Prior to serving as executive director, Dylan was a development officer at the School of Government, a policy analyst at the NC Department of Public Instruction, a fifth-grade public school teacher, a White House intern, and a member of the Board of Trustees at Appalachian State University. Dylan served as president of the Graduate Student Body at UNC and president of the Student Body at Appalachian. Dylan was awarded the Robert E. Bryan Public Service Award from the UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor and the Plemmons Leadership Medallion by the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.
Russell is an instructor in the UNC School of Government’s Master of Public Administration program. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University, an MPA from UNC-Chapel Hill, and is pursuing his Ph.D. at North Carolina State University.
The UNC MPA Program gave Dylan the tools, network, and skills he needed to launch Lead for North Carolina and co-create Lead for America. The UNC MPA Program was where he first studied the silver tsunami and human capital pipeline concerns in public management. The School’s commitment to bridging scholarship to practitioners inspired Dylan to create a similar model to connect future talent with high impact positions in local government. The faculty’s mentorship, guidance, and support were and continue to be critical in Lead for NC’s operations.
Jennifer Barnhill is using her experiences with the online Master of Public Administration at UNC to create a new pathway for military families with special education needs—and leaders at all levels are taking notice.
After 15 years of relocations, deployments, and dealing with military bureaucracy, Barnhill took solace and found great camaraderie in her military spouse support group but couldn’t shake the idea that it wasn’t checking all the boxes.
“The purpose of the organization was to support us while our spouses were deployed or working,” Barnhill said. “But I realized this structure built around us no longer supported the needs of our military families. We could fix a problem at the local level, but the systemic issues still existed.”
Barnhill had the passion and the motivation but knew she needed further education to tackle such a looming challenge.
She explained that while there were programs and groups in place to support military families, they were based on an outdated definition of who a military spouse is, often thinking of them as stay-at-home wives, not the career-driven men and women they are.
“There are a lot of volunteer expectations that fall on military spouses,” she said. “This structure sets us up for failure. I began asking how a nonprofit organization could address these challenges.”
At first, Barnhill was unsure if her military lifestyle could sustain a master’s program—during her husband’s time in the military, the family had moved to Japan not once but twice—so she pursued a certificate program as a testing ground.
Upon completing the certificate, Barnhill decided to pursue an MPA to improve systems that were not serving military families to the fullest. She chose UNC’s online MPA program because of its high rankings as well as the ability to be completed from anywhere in the world.
Barnhill was impressed that the online MPA admissions team took the time to understand her skills and background. This is crucial for military spouses, whose résumés may look different than other applicants.
“Military spouses are extremely capable, but our lifestyle makes it difficult to seize career opportunities,” she said. “We have a unique ability to pivot quickly based on our circumstances, and this skillset is transferable to professional life.”
As she started the program in January 2020, Barnhill had a discussion with the executive director of Partners in PROMISE (Protecting the Rights of Military Children in Special Education), and something clicked.
“I could tell she was working hard to help military-dependent kids in the special education system,” Barnhill said, “but the organization had no structure, even though they had a lot of traction in Capitol Hill.”
Barnhill offered to help the newly formed organization. Using the skills she learned in the classroom, —specifically in the Nonprofit Management course—she helped refine their 501c3 application and business plan. The real work, however, came as Barnhill began the Public Administration Analysis and Evaluation II course. Her research topic aligned with her Partners in PROMISE work, asking why military-affiliated special education students do or do not pursue legal solutions in disputes with services or possible violations.
“We wanted to know whether the transient military lifestyle was affecting their ability to access the legal system,” Barnhill said.
She frequently met with her PUBA 720 professor, Dr. Chris Cody, to share her survey instrument and seek guidance on collecting data that would later be shared with military leadership.
“Dr. Cody always made himself available to answer questions in class or during office hours,” she said. “His assistance helped me feel confident and trust our findings—especially since the data we collected would be presented in front of a congressional caucus.”
In fact, many of the recommendations in Partners in PROMISE’s survey became law, and the White House cited information from the survey websiteExternal link:open_in_new in their own reportsExternal link:open_in_new.
“Dr. Cody is still helping me, reviewing this year’s findingsExternal link:open_in_new, and giving me advice as I seek to continue my research after graduation,” Barnhill said.
Today, Barnhill serves as the chief operating officer for Partners in PROMISE, and her dedication to helping military families remains. However, her passion has expanded to include mental health and special education services within the military, in the hope of removing stigmas and elevating voices to fix systemic problems.
“My MPA@UNC(link sends e-mail) experience taught me that if something works well in local government, it may translate to the state or federal level—this is also true with the military’s ability to implement new programs and change regulations,” Barnhill said. “If we can use that ability to remove hurdles for military families, we could also do that within the larger population.”
Barnhill added that she is grateful for the level of attention and understanding UNC offered every step of the way.
“They truly understood the challenges of military life,” she said. “Military families make many sacrifices, and we’re starting to bridge that divide.”
In addition to her work for Partners in PROMISE, Barnhill has published articles about military spouse life, is writing a book about military spouse volunteerism, and hosts a podcast, Disrupting Storytelling with Military Changemakers, seeking to combat military stigmas.