We are excited to offer the “Geeking Out” series as part of the Institute’s alumni programming. The faculty are public service leadership scholars who are nationally recognized for their work.
August 14, 2025 Employee Resilience in Government: The What and How Jessica Sowa, PhD | Professor – University of Delaware
Building the resilience of employees has been argued as a path toward navigating these kinds of working environments, but there is a lot of ambiguity about what resilience is, how to identify it, and—most importantly—how to nurture or develop it in employees.
September 19, 2025 Optimism & Gratitude in Public Service Leadership | Glenn Fox, PhD (Professor: University of Southern CA & Former Tuolumne County Resident)
We’ve all heard the phrases “you should be grateful” or “you should be optimistic.” But what does the science say about these two common topics? As it happens, both topics are linked to profound benefits in well-being, resilience, happiness, and performance. However, how they go about creating these benefits is an interesting and intricate study of the human mind. In this session, Dr. Glenn Fox, a neuroscientist and professor of entrepreneurship, will dive into the nitty-gritty of these two concepts to help explore what they actually mean, whether they live up to the hype, and how they can be involved in our everyday lives and workplaces.
October 10, 2025 Navigating Change in Local Government Sara McClellan, PhD | Assistant Professor, University of Virginia & Former HR Director, Amador County
This interactive workshop equips local government leaders with practical tools and strategies to navigate organizational change amid shifting demands, evolving technologies, and complex stakeholder landscapes. Through Socratic dialogue and small-group engagement, participants will examine key change drivers, explore promising practices, and draw on the collective insights of their peers. Rather than one-size-fits-all solutions, the session offers adaptable, evidence-informed approaches for diverse organizational contexts.
November 14, 2025 Uncommon Strategies for Complex Problems Jay Rickabaugh, PhD | Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University
Some of the thorniest problems facing local leaders today share common characteristics that can point us towards collaborative, evidence-based interventions. The workshop will use a mix of interactive, practical techniques and draw upon a variety of complex problems.