News
Kirk Boone Retires After Three Decades in Property Tax Education
August 26, 2026
Kirk Boone, associate teaching professor of public finance and government and property assessment expert, retired from the UNC School of Government in August 2026.Read More
Once in a Lifetime: Celebrating Cheryl Howell's 34 Years of Service to North Carolina Family Law
August 26, 2026
For more than three decades, Cheryl Howell has been one of North Carolina’s leading experts on family law. As an educator, scholar, and advisor, Howell has been an essential resource, trusted counselor, and valued friend to the state’s district court judges and other judicial officials.Read More
Mission Moment: Kirsten Leloudis’s County-by-County Commitment to Public Health
August 20, 2026
Kirsten Leloudis calls herself a public health nerd. North Carolina has 86 local health departments serving 100 counties, and Leloudis has made it her personal goal to visit them all. At thirty-eight stops on her road to reach them all, it's hard to argue. She documents each visit with a selfie, hanging the photos on the door to her office to track her progress—but there's a rule. “I can only take photos with departments I've actually worked with," Leloudis said. "That means I have to have advised that county, held a program for them, or had their staff in one of my School of Government-based programs.” As a faculty member at the UNC School of Government, Leloudis specializes in public health law and advises the employees of local health departments on the complex legal questions that arise in their day-to-day work. Serving North Carolina's health departments isn't just a professional obligation. It's a commitment she takes literally, one county at a time.Read More
UNC MPA: Continuing the Legacy of Intentional Admissions
August 12, 2026
The School of Government's Master of Public Administration program is proud to be ranked among the top 20 programs nationally for public affairs, 9th in public management, and 2nd in local government by U.S. News & World Report. This recognition is built upon a deeper purpose: preparing public service leaders whose work transforms organizations, communities, and lives across North Carolina and beyond.Read More
Explore the School's Impact Across All 100 North Carolina Counties
July 27, 2026
The UNC School of Government is pleased to announce our impact website has been updated with FY25 data. The site includes an interactive map displaying our work in all 100 counties across North Carolina. Hover over the map to see how the School has worked with each county, and click on a county to pull up a printable fact sheet.Read More
After Nearly Four Decades of Service, Rob Shepherd Retires from the NC City & County Management Association and the UNC School of Government
July 17, 2026
Rob Shepherd, a fixture of North Carolina local government for nearly 40 years, retired July 1, 2026, from his post as executive director of the North Carolina City & County Management Association (NCCCMA), closing out a career that touched nearly every city and county manager in the state.Read More
Serving with Purpose: New Faculty Reflect on Their First Year at UNC’s School of Government
July 10, 2026
For many, the first day of work brings jitters paired with anxious thoughts. Those of us in higher education may also ask bigger questions: What kind of impact will I have in this role? How can I make the most of this moment? At the School of Government, a place built on public service and civic education, these questions carry particular weight. We caught up with faculty members Colt Jensen, Julie Beasley, and Dylan Russell to hear how they navigated their first year as faculty members and what they learned along the way.Read More
The School of Government Hosts Bipartisan Congressional Chiefs of Staff Retreat
July 6, 2026
Earlier this spring, the United States Congressional House of Representatives Chiefs of Staff traveled to Chapel Hill for a bipartisan retreat focused on strengthening leadership, building relationships, and creating space for reflection.Read More
The Legislative Reporting Service: An Invaluable State Resource
June 30, 2026
Founded in 1935 by the UNC School of Government, the Legislative Reporting Service (LRS) gives anyone in the state, including legislators, state and local governments, and individual citizens, access to the information they need to understand what’s happening in the General Assembly in real time. That work is especially important this week as the General Assembly will consider a budget and finish up other pressing matters as the short session winds down.Read More
Building the Workforce Local Governments Need: A.R. El-Khattabi on Teaching the Next Generation of Urban Planners at UNC-Chapel Hill
June 24, 2026
Across North Carolina, local governments are being asked to make increasingly complex decisions about housing, transportation, infrastructure, and economic development—often while facing limited staff capacity and constrained resources. Meeting those challenges requires professionals who can turn data into action and help communities plan for an uncertain future.Read More
As AI Accelerates, Kristi Nickodem Helps Public Officials Weigh its Promise and Peril
June 18, 2026
When Kristi Nickodem has a free moment, you can probably find her reading. The UNC School of Government faculty member might be immersed in a memoir or novel—but more often than not, she's catching up on the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI).Read More
Rooted: Jonathan Q. Morgan
June 9, 2026
Jonathan Q. Morgan joined the UNC School of Government in 2003 and is now a professor of public administration. He teaches, advises public officials, and conducts applied research on economic development.Read More
