Master of Public Administration and Policy: Faculty

The online Master of Public Administration and Policy (MPAP) is spearheaded by American University’s School of Public Affairs’ highly regarded on-campus faculty and instructors. These academics do more than facilitate a learning experience online — they elevate the quality of instruction by incorporating their own real-world and practical experiences. Well-connected and influential, these leading scholars come from a variety of areas within public administration, public policy, and organization development.

American University professors bring more than just academics to the classroom—they bring years of experience as respected practitioners, resulting in valuable and applicable insights for students.

The expertise of the faculty made me feel like I was gaining real-world knowledge. Many of my professors also had day jobs in the very areas on which they were teaching, and I found their first-hand experience to be valuable.

– Stephanie Bream, Alumni, Master of Public Administration and Policy

Khaldoun AbouAssi

Khaldoun AbouAssi

Assistant Professor

Khaldoun AbouAssi’s research focuses on nonprofit and public management from a comparative perspective, examining organizational capacity, resources, and inter-organizational relations. His work has appeared in such scholarly journals as Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly...

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Anna Amirkhanyan

Anna Amirkhanyan

Professor

Professor Amirkhanyan’s research and teaching focuses on public and nonprofit management, public sector reform, organizational performance, social policy, research methodology, and intellectual history of public administration…

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Karen Baehler

Karen Baehler

Scholar in Residence

Professor Baehler brings ten years of experience teaching courses in policy analysis and the policy process at the doctoral, master’s, executive-training, and undergraduate levels in the U.S....

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Alison Jacknowitz

Alison Jacknowitz

Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Alison Jacknowitz is the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at American University and an Associate Professor. Her research interests focus on children’s well-being, particularly food insecurity, poverty, and food assistance…..

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Sonja Walti

Sonja Walti

Assistant Professor, MPAP Program Director

Professor Walti is an international scholar in public policy. Her fields of specialization include comparative public policy and public administration, policy...

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Vicky M. Wilkins

Vicky M. Wilkins

Professor, Dean of the School of Public Affairs

Vicky M. Wilkins is the Dean for the School of Public Affairs at American University. Her primary research interests include representative bureaucracy; bureaucratic discretion…

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Winfield Wilson

Winfield Wilson

Adjunct Professorial Lecturer

Winfield Wilson is an attorney and policy analyst specializing in environmental, natural resources, and labor issues. Wilson also teaches environmental law at the Washington College of Law. Wilson holds advanced degrees from American University...

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Ruth Zaplin

Ruth Zaplin

Executive in Residence

Dr. Ruth Zaplin is an Executive in Residence, School of Public Affairs, Department of Public Administration & Policy and Director of International Programs, Key Executive Leadership Programs at American University. Dr. Zaplin served as a senior advisor and project director…

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To learn more about American University’s online Master of Public Administration and Policy, request more information or call us toll free at 855-725-7614.