Student Profile
Kofi Andoh Addison is a PhD candidate in public administration, serving as an instructor of record and a presidential fellow. He holds a Master of Science degree in international administration from Central Michigan University and a bachelor’s degree in social work and economics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Before joining the department, he worked as a benefits analyst for the State of Michigan working on unemployment benefits claims. His research interests include AI policy and digitization, public policy analysis, public economics and finance, nonprofit profits management, and organizational leadership.
Kofi is recognized and inducted as a member of Pi Alpha Alpha, a global honor society for public administration, public policy, and public affairs students, for his sustained academic and professional acclaim. He is also a member of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM).
Alejandro Barahona is originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, but moved to the United States in 2018 to pursue his college education. He successfully earned his bachelor's degree in economics (2022) and completed his master's degree in business administration (2023) at Mississippi State University. Throughout his college career he has been commended as the Presidential Fellow, Pi Alpha Alpha International Honors Society, Khi & Xuan Thai Scholar, LeRoy Collins Scholar, Secretary of ADSPA, and President of ADSPA.
Presently, he is a third-year Ph.D. student in Public Administration here at Florida Atlantic University. His research interests are organizational studies, critical theory, AI, economic development, and cybersecurity. Outside of academics, you will find him hiking and enjoying the outdoors
Michael Botwe is a Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University. He graduated from Central Michigan University with a Master of Public Administration (State and Local Government Concentration). Also, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Ghana. He did his National Service at the Legal Aid Commission of Ghana under the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Department, with sponsorship from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Additionally, he is a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) in the School of Public Administration.
He is an Instructor of Record of Public Management and Administration and Changing Environment of Society, Business, and Government. His research interests delve into Public Policy, Policy Processes, Policymaking, Policy Analysis and Policy Evaluation, Health Policy, Digital Health Interventions, Public Administration, Institutional Analysis, Economic Development, Poverty Alleviation, and Inequalities, and Good Governance mechanisms that foster trust and confidence in public institutions and citizen-centricity. Furthermore, his interests draw heavily on qualitative, quantitative, and innovative methods for action-based, results-oriented policy research to mitigate wicked problems and advance sustainability for current and future generations.
Tiphanee Brown-Francis is the Assistant Director of Emergency Management at Florida Atlantic University, where she oversees the institution’s comprehensive emergency planning program across all six of Florida Atlantic’s service areas. With more than a decade of professional experience in private security and emergency management, she is dedicated to advancing campus safety, resilience, and preparedness.
Miss Brown-Francis currently serves as Co-Chair of the Southeast Regional Domestic Security Task Force’s (SERDSTF) Campus Safety Functional Working Group and previously served as Co-Chair of the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association’s (FEPA) Higher Education, Research, and Practice Working Group. Through these leadership roles, she has contributed to strengthening collaboration and best practices across higher education and emergency management communities. Her research interests focus on bridging the gap between public administration and emergency management, with a specific focus on policy innovation and diffusion, and administrative burden. Her professional mission is rooted in ensuring that every student returns home safely to their families.
Jennifer Cudjoe is a Ph. D Candidate and a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the school of Public Administration. She received her Bachelor of Commerce (Management) and Master of Commerce in Management from the University of Cape Coast. She is an alumna of the University of Cape Coast where she was awarded a Dean's award of Excellence for producing an outstanding thesis in Management. Her thesis was titled " Organizational climate, psychological empowerment and job performance of star-rated hotels in the Central Region: The role of emotional intelligence".
Patt Gavin is currently a student in the Public Administration Ph.D program. He finished his Master’s in PA at FAU in December 2024. Outside of school Patt is a Senior Code Compliance Officer with the city of Fort Lauderdale. He has been a Code Officer for the last five years and has achieved all four certification levels through the Florida Association of Code Enforcement (FACE) as well as their highest certification, the Code Enforcement Professional. In addition to Code, Patt is also an expert in the state of Florida in the area of Business Tax. He is a member of the Florida Association of Business Tax Officials (FABTO) and has achieved their highest certification, the Master in Business Tax Official designation. He also teaches at their annual educational conference.
Patt is a two-time recipient of the LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy Scholarship here at FAU. He is currently concentrating in the area of Organizational Spirituality, allowing him to combine his post graduate studies with his undergraduate major in Religious Studies, which he received from the California State University Northridge. As a life-long learner and true gypsy, Patt has lived in eight different states and attended eight different colleges — so far. And he can unequivocally state that FAU is most definitely his most recent.
Beril Han Celik is a PhD student and a Graduate Assistant at the school of Public Administration. She received her BA in Economics from Bilkent University and MA in Design and Media Management from Miami International University of Art & Design. In her master’s thesis, “The Next Level for TV Broadcasting: Web TV,” she examined the impact and value of online television broadcasting for public service media. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., Beril worked at a public service broadcasting institution for 22 years, serving in various departments, including the Marketing and Sales Department, Media Management and Archives Department, Project Management Office, Television In-House Productions Department, and TRT World Ankara Office. After 22 years of public service experience, she retired and started pursuing a new exciting goal at Florida Atlantic University as a Ph.D. student.
She has received the Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher of the Year Award (2026), the LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy (LCPEA) Scholarship (2026), and the Jane Thompson Award (2025) from Florida Atlantic University’s School of Public Administration, as well as FAU’s Provost’s Certificate of Recognition for Publishing. Her research interests include digital governance, U.S. presidential policy on artificial intelligence, and public policy change.
Sabrina DeGoias, M.Ed., is a Clinical Support Specialist with the Florida Atlantic University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, where she leads Entendiendo el Autismo, the center’s Hispanic outreach initiative across its five-county region. She developed and manages Cafecito Social, a parent-to-parent support group that connects Spanish-speaking families with information, and community resources. Her work focuses on program development, outreach strategy, stakeholder engagement, and improving equitable access to autism-related services for diverse communities.
Sabrina earned a B.A. in Psychology from Florida International University and an M.Ed. in Special Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis from Florida Atlantic University. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Administration at FAU, with academic interests in disability policy, nonprofit and public program management, service accessibility, and culturally responsive public service delivery.
Cameron Floyd is a PhD student in the Public Administration program. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree and Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science, both from Florida State University. His research seeks to intersect government finance, social equity, and data-driven policy. Concurrent with his studies, Cameron serves as a Business Analyst in the Miami-Dade County Office of Management and Budget, managing over $380 million in operational funding and delivering financial analysis that guides county-level decision-making. His professional career spans roles in legislative affairs, housing and economic research, federal grant administration, and public procurement. As a McKnight Doctoral Fellow, his scholarship reflects commitment to equitable, evidence-based governance.
Keisha Jackson is a current Ph. D student in the school of Public Administration.
Pedro Macedo has been a Ph.D. student in Public Administration since 2022. He reconciles his part-time enrollment with the School of Public Administration with his full-time commitment to the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, where he is a program manager overseeing multiple essential administrative programs. Pedro's research interests include organizational theory and public policy. His years of experience as a government practitioner and in the health industry provide a special perspective on these two areas.
Pedro Macedo holds a master’s degree in health administration from Florida Atlantic University and a bachelor’s degree in communication from a Brazilian university, where he is originally from. During his program at the FAU School of Public Administration, Pedro has received multiple awards and scholarships, including the Rosalynn Carter Award in 2022, the Jane Thompson Award in 2023, the Khi & Xuan Thai Scholarship in 2024, and the LeRoy Collins Endowed Scholarship in 2026.
Trecia Myrie-Reid is a doctoral student in Public Administration and a seasoned finance and public service professional. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Technology, Jamaica, and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University. Her academic interests focus on fiscal sustainability and government debt management. Trecia has taught finance and business courses at the higher education level and currently leads the Treasury Department at Florida Atlantic University. Committed to community service, she is serving her sixth term on her city's Community and Budget Advisory Board and is a member of Pi Alpha Alpha, the national honor society for public affairs and administration
Bibi Parmar is a Ph.D. student in the School of Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and her Master of Public Administration from Baruch College. Her research interests include policy discourse and framing, organizational change and decision making, public service motivation, public policy impact on vulnerable populations, and emergency management.
With more than 18 years of experience in leadership roles in City and State government, Bibi has a strong passion for public service. During her career, she has led the business operations of the Senior and Disabled Renter and Homeowner Exemption programs for the New York City Department of Finance, which help vulnerable low-income citizens remain in their homes. Currently, she is the Director of Transportation Support for the Florida Department of Transportation Southeast region, where she provides executive leadership of the Administration, Procurement, and Finance units. Besides her professional life, Bibi loves spending quality time with her family and friends. She is an avid traveler and a foodie.
Alexandru “Alex” Pasarariu is a Research Coordinator for the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Eminent Scholars Office at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and a Doctoral Student pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Administration. Although currently majoring in Public Administration, Alexandru holds an Associate of Arts (AA), a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), and a Master of Accounting (MAC), and graduated from both the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College at Palm Beach State College and the Accounting Scholars Program at FAU. At FAU, Alex has worked on a range of interdisciplinary research initiatives focused on aging, mobility, and applied technology in public health. His work includes the In-vehicle Sensors to Detect Cognitive Change in Older Drivers project, which explores early indicators of Alzheimer’s disease through driving behavior analytics; Fit2Drive and Fit2Drive Online, projects which aim to develop accessible, low-cost screening tools to assess whether older adults require formal driving evaluations. Alongside his academic and professional pursuits, he currently serves in the Florida State Guard Aviation Response Squadron as the NCOIC of the squadron’s S-1 shop.
Matthew Patterson is a doctoral student in Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University and serves as Director of Contracts and Performance Management at Broward House, a nonprofit organization providing housing and supportive services to people living with HIV. He earned Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Social Work, and Master of Nonprofit Management degrees from Florida Atlantic University.
His research focuses on homelessness, HIV, substance use, and public policy evaluation, with particular interest in the relationship between housing stability and health outcomes. He has published peer-reviewed research on HIV housing policy and homelessness and serves as a reviewer for several academic journals. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, his work utilizes quantitative and participatory approaches to better understand and address the challenges facing vulnerable populations.
Emmanuel Sir Odoom is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University. He is a recipient of the Newell Doctoral Fellowship and Graduate Fellowship for Academic Excellence. He received a bachelor’s degree at the University of Ghana, Legon, and a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University (CMU).
His research interests cover Artificial Intelligence, Procurements, Public Policy Analysis, Business Management, and Local government, with a good background in organization compliance. In addition, He is serving as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, Instructor of Record and a recipient of the Dean’s Fellowship at FAU. He is also a member of the National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP), and Project Management Professional (PMI).
Jodie Ramirez is a Ph.D. student in Public Administration. She earned her Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Justice Policy Management from Florida Atlantic University in 1999 and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and Sociology from Rhode Island College in 1994. With over thirty years of experience, Jodie has worked at the Broward Sheriff's Office, focusing on compliance and accreditation throughout the agency. Currently, she serves as the Accreditation Manager for the Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Services.
Additionally, Jodie is a contractor with the Center for Public Safety Excellence, where she facilitates and advises on the strategic planning process for fire departments across the United States. She is currently conducting a study on public administration capacity and governance, which aims to contribute to the professionalization of the public sector, the civilianization of emergency services, and organizational performance. Her future research will specifically focus on accreditation in public service, particularly for fire departments.
Ms. Britney Roach is a first-generation college student, alumna, and doctoral student in the School of Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University. She holds both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of the Arts in Political Science, with academic interests in public procurement, e- systems, fiscal management, and digital governance. Her research examines how technology shapes transparency, efficiency, vendor inclusion, and decision-making impacts state and local government.
As a former instructor of American Government, Ms. Roach is committed to accessible and engaging teaching that connects political theory and administration to practice. She is active in the academic conference community, and currently serves as the School of Public Administration Ambassador. Ms. Roach is the current President of her chapter of the American Society for Public Administration and is an active member in several academic and professional organizations supporting scholarship and public service.
She is guided by her motto, “If there is a will, there is a way,” and is very dedicated to student success, mentorship, and expanding opportunities for underrepresented and first-generation students.
Glaydson Souza, is a Ph.D. student in Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University and an international attorney with a specialization in public-sector compliance and health policy. Glaydson’s research is focused on health policies, such as drugs price control mechanisms, policy theory, and public administration theory, with a particular emphasis on legitimacy theory, and on organizational behavior in the context of integrating new technologies and artificial intelligence in public management.
Prior to Glaydson’s academic career, he advised government agencies and multinational corporations on data privacy, procurement, and regulatory compliance in the healthcare sector.
Rick Stang is a veteran law-enforcement officer with over 22 years of experience working for municipal agencies in Florida and Arkansas. Rick has worked in positions of Officer to Captain, and overseen Patrol, Investigations, Support Services, Professional Standards, Accreditation, and Training. In 2021, Rick obtained a bachelor’s degree in public safety administration with an emphasis on disaster management from FAU, followed by a master’s degree in public administration from FAU in 2024. Throughout Rick’s career, he has gained the most enjoyment and satisfaction from teaching, coaching, training, and mentoring others. Therefore, Rick is seeking my PhD in public administration so that he can transition his career to teaching the next generation of law-enforcement officers and public administration officials, with the knowledge and experience he has obtained throughout his career.
Alessandra Tasca is a doctoral student in the Ph.D. in Public Administration program at Florida Atlantic University, specializing in community development, housing, civic engagement, interorganizational collaboration, and public sector capacity building. Her career spans multiple levels of government, where she has managed programs, grants, and strategic initiatives while contributing to innovations in strategic planning, administration, IT, and public finance. She is committed to strengthening institutional-citizen relationships and advancing community centered governance. Alessandra’s multicultural background and interdisciplinary training shape her approach to public administration, governance and policy implementation. She brings experience in International Relations, Project Management, Nonprofit and NGO partnerships, Public Finance, Grant Management, Economic Development, Housing Policy, and Community Services.
She holds a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations with minors in Geography and Foreign Languages, and an M.A. in International Economics: State Management and Humanitarian Affairs from the University of Rome – La Sapienza. Her work is guided by a leadership ethic grounded in service, integrity, and a commitment to improving community well-being.
RECENT School of Public Administration Graduates:
Dr. Julia Soondar Ph.D. is a recent graduate of the program and is an assistant professor at UMass Dartmouth. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of South Florida and a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems from Prescott College. Her research interests include public policy, food security, and narrative analysis. While at FAU, she has worked closely with several faculty members as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, been a course Instructor, and served as the Vice President for ADSPA.
Dr. Michael Turtz is the Director of Administration at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University. He is also an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Medical Education in the Department of Population Health. Academically, Dr. Turtz was the 2025 and 2026 Graduate Researcher of the Year in the School of Public Administration. He currently has 17 peer-reviewed publications on Google Scholar. His publications were included in the following journals: Emerald Publishing’s International Journal of Ethics and Systems, Springer Nature’s Journal of Transportation Security, and Wolters Kluwer Health Oncology Times. Dr. Turtz has also co-authored and mentored seven medical students. He is working on bridging the theoretical and practical gap between academic medicine, public administration, and public policy.
Professionally, Dr. Turtz provides administrative leadership for Clinical Affairs, Clinical Neurosciences, and Faculty Affairs in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.
Dr. Gorgin Mansourian Ph.D. is a recent graduate of the program and is a professor at Jacksonville State University.