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Benoy Jacob
Senior Fellow

Benoy Jacob is the Director of the Community Development Institute, at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Division of Extension.  Benoy’s research focuses on the growth and governance of cities; in particular, he explores issues of public finance, state and local relationships, and social diversity and equity.  Benoy’s work has been featured in the Urban Affairs Review, the National Tax Journal, and Public Administration Review.  Benoy also serves on the Executive Committee for ASPA’s Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management and sits on the editorial board for the State and Local Government Review.

Benoy’s work has been supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, ASPA’s Center for Accountability and Performance, and he also served as Research Fellow for the ICMA.

Benoy earned his PhD in Public Administration in 2008 from the University of Illinois – Chicago. While completing his PhD, he worked as a Summer Associate at RAND and was also awarded a Lincoln Institute of Land Policy dissertation fellowship. Benoy has also worked as a land-use planner for Rockland County, New York, and as a development consultant for Ferrandino & Associates, a small consulting firm in the New York Metropolitan Area.

Before joining UW in the summer of 2020, Benoy served as an Associate Professor at UNLV in the School of Public Policy and Leadership where he was also the interim (inaugural) Director of the MGM Public Policy Institute.  Benoy also served as an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado, Denver (from 2010 – 2016) where he was also the Director of the Local Government Center at the University of Colorado, and their Certified Public Management Program. Prior to that, Benoy was an Assistant Professor at the School of Politics and Economics at Claremont Graduate University (2008-2010).

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Doug LinkhartPresident Matt LeighningerVice PresidentDirector, Center for Democracy Innovation Ibrahim BazyanProgram Manager Anna CorningProgram CoordinatorHealthy Democracy Ecosystem Map Jennifer CostaSpread the Vote My’Easha GreenSpread the Vote Kathie HamiltonDirectorOperations and Finance Mike McGrathDirectorResearch and Publications Christine Lopes MetcalfeDirector, Local Democracy Engagementand Managing Director, Local Policy Lab Coleman StallworthCoordinatorCommunications and Events Mikayla TownsendProgram Manager Rebecca TroutSenior Director, Programs and PartnershipsDirector, All-America City Award Nick VlahosManaging DirectorCenter for Democracy Innovation Emma WisniewskiSpread the Vote Laura WoodDirector, Local Democracy Strategyand Vice President for Democracy, Local Policy Lab Jillian YoungbloodDirector, Deliberative Democracyand Executive Director, Civic Genius Carolyn LukensmeyerCo-DirectorHealthy Democracy Ecosystem Map Kat CalvinSenior Advisor, National Civic League Scott WarrenSenior AdvisorCo-Founder, Local Policy Lab Peter ZahnAdvisorCo-Founder, Local Policy Lab Gretchen Armijo, AICP, LEED APSenior FellowFounder & President, Equity Policy Solutions, LLC Rick GarciaSenior FellowRetired Government and Public Policy Expert Joseph Hoereth, PhDSenior FellowDirector of the Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement (IPCE) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Mike HugginsSenior FellowRetired City Manager Benoy JacobSenior FellowDirector, Community Development Institute, University of Wisconsin - Madison Angela LawsonSenior FellowCouncilwoman, Aurora, CO Lindsay M. MillerAssistant Editor, National Civic ReviewSenior Fellow Kimberly L. NelsonSenior FellowProfessor of public administration and government at the School of Government Larry SchoolerSenior FellowMediator, Facilitator, Public Engagement Consultant, and Educator
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