“The MPA Program taught me how to listen to and understand where others are coming from. These skills are required to be an effective leader—and are helping me to navigate my community into the future.”
Esther Manheimer was interested in local government even before enrolling in the Carolina MPA program and her internship with the city of Asheville. It grew after law school as a new attorney staffing a local government committee for the North Carolina General Assembly and when she returned to Asheville, appearing before planning commissions representing land use clients and working on the Asheville Board of Adjustment.
Manheimer was elected to the Asheville City Council in 2009 and mayor in 2013. She says, “As mayor, much of my time is spent listening to people. Then I hope to bring my skills to the table to help shape the direction my community wants to go in.”
Corey Petersohn ’16 always enjoyed solving problems. It was not until he studied strategic planning and performance management in the Master of Public Administration program at UNC-Chapel Hill that he found a career field to match.
Concepts and tools learned through his coursework instilled him with the knowledge needed to facilitate budgetary decision making. Petersohn shared that one of the biggest challenges for public administration leaders today is building trust.
“Public service leaders need to be able to build bridges through dialogue and outreach,” Petersohn said. “Public service is a drive to better your surroundings, your community, and the world. It’s one of the most difficult jobs in the world, trying to get people to work together.”
Once Corey had direction, the MPA alumni community provided the mentorship and opportunity to advance his career. When pivoting to local government, Petersohn sought guidance from seasoned MPA alumni and conversations quickly led him to the role of budget and management analyst for the Town of Holly Springs.
“In some ways I probably got a little lucky, but I have always believed the saying that luck is the intersection of hard work and opportunity,” Petersohn said. “If you put in the hard work to earn your MPA, this alumni community will provide opportunity.”
Now the budget, innovation, and strategic initiatives manager for Holly Springs, Petersohn has the opportunity to give back and serve the town his family lives in.
“The most rewarding aspect of my public service career has been the opportunity to live and work in the same community,” Petersohn said. “The streets I drive, the sidewalks I walk, and parks my kids play at are all something I can have a positive impact on every day. When I get to solve a problem for a resident, I get to help a neighbor. It can be incredibly rewarding to feel you have an active role in making your community a better place.”