Maxwell School News

The President’s Medal, awarded to Thomas Lauth ’76 Ph.D. (PSc), is one of the highest honors given by the University of Georgia and is bestowed on individuals in recognition of their support for students and academic programs, as well as their contributions to advance research and enhance the quality of life for Georgia citizens through their community leadership. 

Phoebe Ambrose, a sophomore majoring in citizenship and civic engagement at Maxwell, and food studies at the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, has been named a 2020 Mount Vernon Leadership Fellow.

"We are grateful to receive the recognition of our peers, at the same time we recognize with deep appreciation the excellence and hard work of our colleagues and friends at institutions around the country,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “Collectively our work has never been more important as public-service oriented professionals around the world are mobilizing in response to the coronavirus pandemic."

Doug Davis ’94 B.A. (PSc) has won a Grammy Award for his role in the making of the Brian Lynch Big Band album, “Omni-American Book Club,” which won in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category.

Jonathan Schwabish ’02 M.A. (Econ)/’03 Ph.D. (Econ) discusses strategies researchers can use to communicate their work in both traditional and digital media in his new book "Elevate the Debate."

Kishauna Soljour ’16 M.A. (Hist)/’19 Ph.D. (Hist) has received a distinguished dissertation award from the Council of Graduate Schools/ProQuest. Soljour’s dissertation analyzed the dissonance between French policies of acculturation and the lived and embodied experiences of Afro-French residents since the conclusion of the World War II.

Michael Crow ’85 Ph.D. (PA), who was appointed president of Arizona State University in 2002, was recognized for his long-time commitment to increasing environmental sustainability within higher education by the National Council on Science and the Environment (NCSE).

Edward Uechi ’08 MPA has written Public Service Information Technology: The Definitive Manager’s Guide to Harnessing Technology of Cost-Effective Operations and Services (Productivity Press, 2020). Uechi's book explores the complex intersections between various areas of information technology management.

Judy Douglas ’77 B.A. (AmSt)/’81 M.P.A. was given the Industry Executive Leadership Award by the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council. Douglas received this award in recognition for contributions to ACT-IAC, her mentorship, and her work strengthening government-industry relations.

John Zogby ’74 M.A. (Hist) is a senior partner at John Zogby Strategies, and widely recognized as one of the most accurate pollsters in the world today.

Having spent more than 19 years in public finance, Kelly Flannery ’00 B.A. (IR) currently serves as the chief financial officer for the City of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The award, now in its 22nd year, recognizes and empowers the future leaders of Central New York by highlighting their accomplishments across the region. As part of this program, each honoree will participate in a community volunteer project with a local nonprofit organization.

Carl Frederick (Terry) Kaelber ‘87 MPA has been named an Encore Public Voices Fellow by Encore.org. The fellowships are granted to people and organizations that help experienced private-sector employees transition into careers of public service.

Maidel De La Cruz '15 M.P.A. is the current chief of staff for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's Office of City Legislative Affairs. 

Marshall Spevak ’10 B.A. (PSc) was named one of New Jersey’s most influential millennials. Spevak received this award as recognition of his extensive work as a political operative at the New Jersey Statehouse.

Kenneth Meier, a distinguished scholar in residence in the School of Public Affairs at American University, received the Duncombe Award in 2019. The award honors former Maxwell professor of public administration William Duncombe.

Jode Millman ’76 B.A. (Soc) has released a thriller novel titled "The Midnight Call." Millman currently co-hosts and co-produces the Backstage with the Bardavon podcast, a series that invites listeners backstage for conversations with musicians and other performers. When not writing, Millman has worked as a lawyer specializing in copyright, trademark, matrimonial and real estate law.