People
Want to get in touch, but not sure who to contact?
Browse our directory to discover our team’s focus areas. You can also call our main line at (804) 828-2292 or email wilderschool@vcu.edu.
Team Directory
Jill Gordon
Acting dean, associate dean of faculty and academic affairs, professor
Expertise
- Corrections
- Correction officer culture and climate
- Safety in prison – correctional staff perspective; evaluation research
Jean Thomas-Banks
Executive assistant to the dean
Expertise
- Executive administration, communication and analytical support
- Office and project administration
- Scheduling and correspondence
Robyn Diehl McDougle
Associate professor, interim director of the Center for Public Policy, director of the Office of Public Policy Outreach
Expertise
- Police community relations
- Violent crime and program evaluation
Franklin Wallace
Director of operations
Expertise
- Political science and public policy
- Public management and finance
- Community engagement and nonprofit management
James Wasilewski
Director of development
Expertise
- Strategic fundraising
- Volunteer engagement and management
- Data analytics and reporting
Shajuana Isom-Payne
Director of student success
Expertise
- Cultural competency and multicultural counseling
- Professional identity development
- Self-efficacy and women in leadership
Nicholas “Nick” Garcia
Director of Undergraduate Academic Advising
Expertise
- Academic and leadership development
- Diversity, inclusivity, and equity in community enrichment
- Higher education and university policy
Denia Lee-Hing
Director of graduate studies
Expertise
- Developmental advising for adult learners
- Student retention
- Program evaluation
Susan White
Administrator for proposal and research development
Expertise
- Organizational culture and change management
- Project management
- Research methods
John Accordino
Professor
Expertise
- Commercial and neighborhood revitalization methods
- Impacts of community revitalization policies
- Comparative (U.S. and European) urban revitalization policies
Sarin Adhikari
Research economist
Expertise
- Regional economic development
- Metropolitan governance
- Formal modeling and GIS
Jay Albanese
Professor, chair - Criminal Justice Programs
Expertise
- Transnational crime
- Organized crime and corruption
- Professional ethics
Kristine Artello
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Youth, crime and mental health
- Law, crime and governmental legitimacy
- Crime, public narrative and policy
Ashlee Barnes
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Juvenile justice reform
- Risk assessment
- Racial and ethnic disparities
Randy Barrack
Instructor
Expertise
- Nonprofit and public financial management
- Advocacy
- Nonprofit governance, law and leadership
Mark Bittner, AICP
Instructor
Expertise
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Land use and infrastructure planning
- Transportation planning
Blythe Bowman Balestrieri
Associate professor, criminal justice undergraduate coordinator
Expertise
- Art and antiquities theft
- Inmate litigation
- Correctional law
Sarah Jane Brubaker
Associate professor, director of the Ph.D. in public policy and administration program and certificate in gender violence intervention
Expertise
- Sexual and domestic violence
- Reproductive and sexual health
- Intersectionality
James Burke
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Industrial psychology
Xueming (Jimmy) Chen
Associate professor
Expertise
- Transportation planning
- Transportation modeling
- Geographic information system
Hayley Cleary
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Police interrogation of juveniles
- Adolescent development in legal contexts
- Juvenile justice policy and practice
Amy Cook
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Juvenile justice and family court processes
- Policing
- Service learning opportunities for students
Christopher "Scott" Davis
Instructor
Expertise
- Public Policy
- Politics
- Local government administration
Nakeina E. Douglas-Glenn
Assistant professor, director - Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute
Expertise
Fabrizio Fasulo
Director - Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA) at VCU
Expertise
- Community development
- Urban and regional economic analysis and policy
- Economic and fiscal impacts
David John Farmer
Professor emeritus
Expertise
-
Governance, theory and practice
Susan Gooden
Professor
Expertise
- Social equity
- Program evaluation
- Research methods
Jill Gordon
Associate dean of faculty and academic affairs, professor
Expertise
- Corrections
- Correction officer culture and climate
- Safety in prison - correctional staff perspective; evaluation research
Stephen Gottfredson
Provost emeritus and university professor
Expertise
- Behavioral prediction
- Criminal justice decision-making
- Higher education policy and practice
Meghan Gough
Associate professor, chair - urban and regional planning/studies
Expertise
- Plan-making
- Civic engagement and collective impact
- Sustainable communities
Bryan C. Green
Instructor
Expertise
- Historic preservation
- Adaptive reuse
- Architectural history
Elsie Harper-Anderson
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Economic development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, social and economic equity
Kathryn Howell
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Affordable housing
- Community development
- Gentrification
Richard Huff
Assistant professor, chair - Master of Public Administration program
Expertise
- Government reform and transparency
- Human resource management reform and performance
- Organizational theory and behavior
Myung Hun Jin
Associate professor
Expertise
- Street-level bureaucracy and performance manangement
- Administrative theory and leadership
- Health services administration
Kim Hunter
Project director
Expertise
- Data management and technical assistance
- Quality assurance
- Database design and testing
Chelsea Jeffries, AICP
Instructor
Expertise
- Historic preservation planning
- Economic development
- Urban design
Mike Jones
Instructor
Expertise
- Emergency management
- Police management
- Architectural security design
James Keck
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Emergency preparedness
- Emergency operations planning
- Continuity of operations planning
Billy Kinsey
Instructor, assistant director of graduate studies
Expertise
- Academic advising
- Survey research and survey design
- Economic development and urban development
Saltanat Liebert
Associate professor
Expertise
- Immigration policy
- Civil service reform
- Comparative public administration
Patrick Lowery
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Juvenile justice
- Police use of force
- Police discrimination
Michael MacKenzie
Research associate
Expertise
- Housing policy and analysis
- Neighborhood revitalization
- Data analysis and visualization
Christina Mancini
Associate professor, criminal justice graduate coordinator
Expertise
- Criminal justice policy
- Sexual victimization
- Campus crime, sexual assault and law
Tara McGee, J.D.
Instructor
Expertise
- Administrative law
- Local government administration
- Public speaking
Mary Moore
Senior Research Director, Survey and Evaluation Research Laboratory
Expertise
- Public policy
- Survey research
- Program evaluation
Nancy A. Morris
Associate professor
Expertise
- Developmental criminology
- Cross-national study of crime, violence and terrorism
- Crime prevention and policing at places
Maureen Moslow-Benway
Assistant professor, homeland security and emergency preparedness assistant chair
Expertise
- Terrorism and counterterrorism
- U.S. intelligence community
- Human trafficking
Lesa Paylor
Consultant
Expertise
William Pelfrey Jr.
Associate professor, program chair - homeland security and emergency preparedness
Expertise
- Policing
- Terrorism prevention
- Spatial analysis of crime
Linda Pierce
Consultant
Expertise
- Organizational development
- Operational efficiency
- Organizational culture
Matt Pinsker
Adjunct professor
Expertise
- Constitutional law
- National security
- Criminal justice
Damian Pitt
Associate professor
Expertise
- Solar energy policy and planning
- Climate action planning
- Collaborative environmental planning
Candace Price-Stafford
Senior project manager
Expertise
Sarah Raskin
Assistant professor
Expertise
- The health care safety net
-
Race, class and the body
- Ethnographic, qualitative and mixed methods
Jennifer Reid
Senior research associate
Expertise
- Program evaluation
- Survey research methods
- Project management
Scott Reiner
Instructor
Expertise
- Evidence-based practices in criminal justice
- Juvenile justice
- Systems of care for behavioral health
Grant Rissler
Assistant Director, Office of Public Policy Outreach
Expertise
- Immigration policy
- Education policy
- Social Equity
Avrum (A.J.) Shriar
Associate professor
Expertise
- Environmental policy and planning
- Rural development and farming systems
- Cultural and political ecology
James Smither
Instructor
Expertise
- Urban design theory
- Urban design practice
- Urban design skills
Pamela Stallsmith
Director of communications and external relations
Expertise
- Strategic communications
- Public and media relations
- Event management
Nancy Stutts
Associate professor
Expertise
- Philanthropic foundation culture
- Community-driven change
- Nonprofit strategy
I-Shian (Ivan) Suen
Associate professor
Expertise
- Land use planning
- Planning support systems
- Applications of geospatial technologies for data analysis and visualization
Benjamin Teresa
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Real estate development and finance
- Community development and organizing
- Urban political economy
Niraj Verma
Professor
Expertise
- Urban planning
- Institutional analysis
- Public management
David Webber
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Psychology of terrorism
- Radicalization and deradicalization
- Existential threat
Christopher Whyte
Assistant professor
Expertise
- Interstate cyber conflict and non-state cyber operations
- U.S. cybersecurity policymaking
- Risk analysis and forecasting methods
Nelson Wickstorm
Professor emeritus
Expertise
- Vertical and horizontal intergovernmental relations
- Government and politics of metropolitan areas
L. Douglas Wilder
Distinguished professor
Expertise
- Virginia law
- Government and public affairs
- Social justice
Blue Wooldridge
Professor
Expertise
- State and local government finance
- Public and nonprofit financial management
- Social equity and workforce diversity
Chernoh Wurie
Instructor
Expertise
- Basic requirements of becoming a police officer
- Positive and negative perceptions of police officers
- Immigration and policing
Wenli Yan
Associate professor
Expertise
- State and local government finance
- Public and nonprofit financial management
- Regional economic development
Tina Braden
Human resources and building manager
Expertise
- Human resources
- Payroll
- Facilities management
Keith Caleb
Finance manager
Expertise
- Accounting
- Fiscal reporting
- Purchasing
Justine Coleman
Graduate programs assistant
Expertise
- Graduate course scheduling
- Graduation applications
- Course overrides
Lisbeth Dannenbrink
Graduate programs assistant
Expertise
- Admissions
- Advising
- Records management
Lindsey Evans
Senior research associate
Expertise
- Program evaluation and policy analysis
- Higher education policy
- Access and social equity
Nicholas "Nick" Garcia
Director of Undergraduate Academic Advising
Expertise
- Academic and leadership development
- Diversity, inclusivity, and equity in community enrichment
- Higher education and university policy
Ashley Harrison
Student success program coordinator
Expertise
- Student success programming
- Internship and career counseling
- Experiential learning
Leona Jones
Administrative assistant/travel coordinator
Expertise
- Travel coordination
- Purchasing
- Accounting
Laura Pond
Development Coordinator
Expertise
- Donor relations and stewardship
- Event coordination
- Data integrity
Shirley McDaniel
Director of events
Expertise
- Event logistics
- Vendor management
Erin McGhee
Academic Adviser
Expertise
- Holistic student-focused advising
- University policies and procedures
- Course planning
Sarah "Brianne" Morrison
Academic adviser, Undergraduate Academic Advising Office
Expertise
- Holistic student advising & development
- Course planning
- Conflict resolution
Tiffany Murray-Robertson
Public relations specialist
Expertise
- Content creation
- Strategic communications
- Project management
Frank Pitchford
IT analyst
Expertise
- Technology support services
- Customer service
- Technology deployment
Carolyn Patterson
Procurement officer
Expertise
- Purchasing for services, equipment, stationery and other goods
Sara Rozmus
Digital and print media assistant
Expertise
- Digital media
- Graphic design
- Brand management
Danielle Shutt
Finance officer
Expertise
- Financial management & accounting
- Grant finance management
- Fiscal policy
Pamela Spratley
Office services specialist/travel coordinator
Expertise
- Transporation and lodging accomodations
- Relocation services
- Conference room scheduling and reservations
Joseph Walton
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Expertise
- Wilder Graduate Scholar Fellowship Program
- Internship preparation and application process
- Student success programming
Susan Williams
Senior finance manager
Expertise
- Financial management
- Accounting and oversight
- Grant management and fiscal policy
Layla Alanzi
M.S., Industrial Relations and Human Resources; West Virginia University M.S., Global Human Resources Management; University of Liverpool
Expertise
-Human resources management in public administration
Timothy Bland
B.A., Political Science; B.S., Psychology; Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Public Management; M.P.A., Virginia Commonwealth University
Expertise
- Think Tanks
- Anchor institutions
- Political-Economics
Andrew Duggan
B.S., Biology; Hampden-Sydney College M.S., Environmental Science; Virginia Commonwealth University
Expertise
-MPO roles in regional transportation planning
-Predictive forecasting associated with continental U.S. DoD policy (e.g., BRAC)
Joseph Faulk
B.A., Political Science; Brigham Young University M.P.A.; Texas State University
Expertise
-Anti-terrorism policy development
Kevin Franklin
B.A., English Literature; M.S.W.; Virginia Commonwealth University
Expertise
-Education policy
-Education equity and access across income
Brittany Keegan
B.S., Marketing; Graduate certificates in Nonprofit Management and Gender Violence Intervention; M.P.A., Virginia Commonwealth University
Expertise
- Nonprofit organizations
- Refugee policy
- Gender-based violence
Victoria Mansfield
B.A., International Cultural Studies; B.S., Communication, Brigham Young University-Hawaii; M.P.P.A., Mississippi State University
Expertise
- Public health
- Health disparity and discrimination
- Health services/access policy
Jessica (Rossiello) Robertson
B.A., Sociology, Lynchburg College; M.S., Criminal Justice, Virginia Commonwealth University
Expertise
- Police, public and offender perceptions of the sex offender registry
- Effectiveness of sex offender registry
- Sexual deviance
Tammi Slovinsky
B.A., Psychology, Indiana University; M.P.A., James Madison University
Expertise
- Sex and gender-based discrimination and harassment
- Gender-based violence
Meagan Sok
B.S., Biology; Arizona State University M.P.H.; George Washington University
Expertise
-Health literacy
-Health disparities
-Fetal-maternal health issues
Joe Walton
B.S., Physics; M.P.A., Virginia Commonwealth University
Expertise
- Currency systems
- Third-party trust models
- Decision-making theories
Carolyn Naoroz
B.F.A., Fordham University and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; M.A., Criminology and Criminal Justice, Eastern Michigan University
Expertise
- Criminal Justice Police
- Policing
- Body Worn Cameras
Xi Zhang
B.S., City Planning; M.S., Industrial Design, South China University of Technology; M.D.S.E., Iowa State University
Expertise
- Public transportation
- Transportation health
- Environmental justice
Nathan Teklemariam
B.A., Political Science and International Relations, Marymount Manhattan College; M.A. Urban and Regional Planning, Virginia Commonwealth University
Expertise
- International Urban Policy
- Urban Planning in the Developing World
- International Development Planning
HyeonUk Bak
B.A., Public Administration and public policy; M.P.A., Sungkhunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea
Expertise
- Human resource development
- Local government
- Social equity
Mona Siddiqui
B.A., Foreign Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences; Juris Doctor, University of Maryland School of Law
Expertise
- Social Equity
- Migration
- Constitutional Law
Peter Jenkins
B.A., Government, Nicholls State University; M.P.A., Louisiana State University
Expertise
- Impact of policy on transgender and non binary people
- Improving data collection efforts
- Emergency Preparedness/Management