Stenberg named ICMA Honorary Member

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School of Government faculty member Carl Stenberg has been named an honorary member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The award is given to individuals outside the local government management profession for distinguished public service and contributions to the improvement of local government.

“Carl has provided a lifetime of service to our profession,” wrote one ICMA member who nominated Stenberg for the award. “He’s a rare academic who understands the theoretical foundations of management and leadership, but who is also steeped in the practical aspects, especially at the local government level.”

Individuals named honorary members have included, but are not limited to, academic leaders, elected officials, and civic leaders. Since the inception of the award in 1924, only 77 honorary memberships have been granted by ICMA. Stenberg is the third School of Government faculty member to earn the honor, joining Warren Jake Wicker and Don Hayman.

In his award acceptance video, Stenberg said, “ICMA's commitment to public service, to professionalism, to ethics, to social equity and racial justice has really been critical to building community and to building capacity. I'm proud and I'm appreciative to be recognized for my contribution to improving and strengthening local government through an honorary membership.”

Stenberg is the James E. Holshouser Jr. Distinguished Professor of Public Administration and Government at the School. He works closely with North Carolina’s city and county managers and liaises with the North Carolina City/County Managers Association (NCCCMA). He led the creation of the School’s Public Executive Leadership Academy (PELA) and has written extensively in his areas of expertise, including serving as co-author of “Managing Local Government: An Essential Guide for Municipal and County Managers.” He has contributed to multiple ICMA textbooks and reports, acted as co-editor of “Managing Local Government Services: A Practical Guide,” and authored two Governmental Affairs and Policy Committee white papers for the organization.

“I've been engaged with ICMA for over 50 years in a variety of ways, including authoring research reports, books, and white papers; participating in the annual and regional conferences; and collaborating with the past three ICMA executive directors,” said Stenberg. “These activities and relationships have enriched my own professional development, and they've strengthened my teaching of current and future city and county managers.

Stenberg arrived at UNC in 2003 after serving as dean of the Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts at the University of Baltimore, director of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, and executive director of the Council of State Governments. He previously served as director of the UNC MPA program at the School from 2006 to 2011.

A fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and former president of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), he has also received the Donald C. Stone Practitioner and Academic Awards from ASPA for contributions to intergovernmental management.

Stenberg was named a 2020 honorary member alongside Philip C. Harris, district recovery manager for Broward County Public Schools in Florida.