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SPA's PhD curriculum is designed to provide doctoral students with the skills to effect immediate impact.

With expertise spanning public management, global health governance, regulatory policy and more, our PhD candidates bring the research competency and academic rigor to their respective fields and educate the next generation of public affairs leaders.

Public Administration PhD Students

Brittany Blizzard Adjunct Instructor

Brittany Blizzard is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Public Administration and Policy. Her research interests include U.S. immigration policy, program evaluation, and mixed methods.

  bb3685a@american.edu

Michelle Castleberry

Neko Michelle Castleberry is a doctoral student in the Department of Public Administration and Policy. Her research interests include Reproductive and Sexual Health, HIV/AIDS, Women’s Healthcare, and …

  mc0837a@american.edu

Kari Dalane Adjunct Instructor

Kari Dalane is a PhD candidate in the Department of Public Administration and Policy. Her research focuses on equity in K-12 education. Prior to enrolling at American University, Kari worked in school…

  kd5010a@american.edu

Anita Dhillon Adjunct Instructor

Anita is a PhD Candidate and Charles Levine Fellow in the Department of Public Administration and Policy. She researches organizational behavior and its relationship with social equity outcomes in pub…

  ad3679a@american.edu

Xiaoyang Xu Adjunct Instructor

Xiaoyang Xu is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at American University. Her research interests include representative bureaucracy, public management, and gend…

  xx0266a@american.edu

Justice, Law & Criminology PhD Students

Recent PhD Job Placements

James Wright and Meghan Doughty

James Wright II is a 3rd year Doctoral Candidate. His research explores how different institutional and organizational behaviors impact goals and outcomes, primarily for people of color. He also studies the ways in which organizations/managers in various sectors tackle internal and external pressures related to collaboration, representation, performance, and accountability. In the Fall, James will be joining Florida State University's Reubin O'D Askew School of Public Administration and Policy.

Meghan Doughty will be joining the faculty at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in the Fall of 2018. She is excited to continue her research on the effect of public administration and policy on vulnerable and marginalized populations under the auspices of Evergreen's Master of Public Administration. Evergreen's MPA program focuses on training students to be the change they wish to see in the world with three concentrations in tribal governance, public and nonprofit administration, and public policy. Meghan will be teaching Ethics in Public Service and team-teaching The Context of Public Administration PNAPP in the Fall Quarter.