Faculty and Staff

As assistant dean for programs, Alycia Inserra oversees the programs division and supports the associate dean for finance and operations in leading the strategic direction of the division. 

She rejoined the School of Government in 2018 as director of programming serving clients in law and finance before being named to her assistant deanship. She previously worked at the School as a program manager. Prior to joining the School, Inserra Alycia worked in corporate retail sales for Judith...

Colt Jensen is an assistant professor of public administration and government at the School of Government. His expertise and research on local...

Evan Johnson is a teaching assistant professor at UNC–Chapel Hill. He previously served as a research fellow at the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees in public policy from the University of Wisconsin and the University of North Carolina. His research focuses on firm innovation and public policy, with specific foci including energy innovation, climate stabilization and the impacts of Federal R&D funding on high-tech firms. His published...

Robert Joyce is an expert on elections law, public employment law, local government law, and the law of governmental transparency.

He joined the Institute of Government in 1980. Previously, he practiced law with Chadbourne & Parke in New York and with Barber & Joyce in Pittsboro, NC.

Joyce is a past member of the executive committees of the Education Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and the North Carolina Council of School Attorneys. He has served as...

Clare Kilmartin joined the School of Government as program associate in 2022. Previously, she worked in community organizing and program management.

Kilmartin earned a bachelor's degree from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Ambica Knecht is the director of budget and finance for the School of Government. In this role, she works with the assistant dean for business and finance to provide financial planning, analysis, and budget management for the School. Knecht is responsible for developing, managing, and monitoring budgets for the School, each individual initiative and program, and providing standard and ad hoc financial reports. She joined the School in 2024.

Previously, Knecht served as an...

Joseph Laizure is an assistant professor of public law and government at the School of Government. In this role, Laizure works with court officials, court staff, and attorneys in the areas of civil procedure, the enforcement of judgments and supplemental proceedings, court-ordered attorney fees, order drafting, and the conduct of hearings and trials. He joined the School in 2024.

Before joining the faculty, he worked as the staff attorney at UNC School of Law Clinical Programs,...

Sofia Lawrence joined the School of Government in 2025 as a program associate for the Management, Administration, and Leadership group. In her role, she supports continuing education programs by managing event logistics, coordinating with faculty, and ensuring excellent client support.

Previously, she served as the staff and wellness director for Rockbrook Camp, a crisis response advocate for the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, and as research assistant for UNC-...

Cindy Lee joined the School of Government in 2007. She worked as a program manager and director of programs for 15 years, primarily assisting District Court judges. In addition, she also worked with Superior Court judges, magistrates, clerks of superior court, public defenders, and district attorneys. Prior to joining the School, she was a program manager at Kenan-Flagler School of Business. Lee earned her bachelor's degree from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Caitlin Little joined the School of Government in 2016 as a Legislative Reporting Service (LRS) attorney. Little's LRS duties included analyzing legislation and drafting bill digests for daily publication during sessions of the North Carolina General Assembly. She also assisted the LRS Director in publishing the Daily Bulletin. Beginning in 2017, Little also worked in a research and support role for faculty with short- and long-term projects during legislative interims. Joining the Knapp...

Adam Lovelady is an expert in land use law and community planning.

As a faculty member at the UNC School of Government, he teaches, researches, and advises on topics such as zoning, land subdivision, historic preservation, resilience, and related topics. In 2025 Lovelady was named Albert and Gladys Coates Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government. 

Markham joined the School of Government faculty in 2007. His area of interest is criminal law and procedure, with a focus on the law of sentencing, corrections, and the conditions of confinement. He was named Albert and Gladys Coates Distinguished Term Associate Professor for 2015–2017. Markham earned a bachelor's degree with honors from Harvard College and a law degree with high honors, Order of the Coif, from Duke University, where he was editor-in-chief of the Duke Law Journal. He is a...

Sonja Matanovic is the associate dean for strategic communications for the School of Government.

She joined the School of Government in 2013. Previously, Matanovic served as director of communications at the International Center for Journalists in Washington, an organization that provides training and support to journalists around the world. Her prior experience includes marketing the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS); promoting philanthropic...

Emily B. McCartha serves as a Research Associate at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC-Chapel Hill. She conducts healthcare workforce research, primarily focused on the state of North Carolina C but also nationwide. She formerly served as a Senior Program Evaluator for the North Carolina General Assembly in the program evaluation division, a non-partisan research group. She led evaluations related to public...

Tracy Miles is an independent consultant in nonprofit management, operational excellence, strategy development, and human-centered continuous improvement. In a career that includes private, public, and nonprofit-sector experience, from Fortune 100 companies to grassroots nonprofits, the common thread has been connecting, developing, and managing relationships and strategies for organizational success. Tracy’s work focuses on leading teams and empowering individuals of diverse backgrounds...

Kara Millonzi is the Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government at the School of Government. She is an expert on local government finance law, general county law, school finance, utilities finance, development finance, and incorporation. 

As a faculty member, she administers the Coates’ Canons Local Government Law Blog and has authored well over 100 posts on issues related to local government law and finance. Millonzi also administers NC...

Jonathan Q. Morgan is a professor of public administration and government at the School of Government. He teaches, advises public officials, and conducts applied research on economic development. Morgan's research has focused on industry cluster-based development, the role of local government in economic development, business incentives, development impact analysis, and innovative, homegrown approaches to job creation. Morgan directs the School's Basic Economic Development Course, which is...

Shannon Morris joined the School of Government in 2021 as program assoiate before being named program manager. She helps manage programs for law and finance officials.

Previously, she worked as a reservationist for UNC-Charlotte. Morris earned a bachelor's degree from UNC-Charlotte.

Tyler Mulligan is the David M. Lawrence Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government at the School of Government. He counsels state and local government officials and their partner organizations regarding community economic development, affordable housing, public-private partnerships for development, and revitalization efforts.

Mulligan launched and directed the School's Development Finance Initiative (DFI), which assists local governments...