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February 11, 2026
ASPANet.org | PA TIMES.org
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Annual Conference Registration Rates Increase February 21
Time is flying by! ASPA's 2026 Annual Conference, March 20-24 in Hollywood, is now only six weeks away. Excitement is building and plans are coming into focus. Now, all we need is you!
Our current registration rates ($579 for members) expire next Saturday, February 21* (student and new professional member rates will not change between now and the conference). If you are planning to join us in Hollywood, register by the end of next week to make sure you receive the lowest rates available.
We continue to roll out announcements about plenary speakers, Presidential Panel topics and symposia themes, but perhaps the most important information was released last week: our line-up of concurrent sessions is online!
Searchable by session title or presenter name, viewable by date or within tracks, these pages share current details about who will be sharing their knowledge and research at the conference (and on what topics).
This information will change as our presenters update their availability—right up until the conference. Please be patient as the schedule shifts.
This conference is public administration's largest gathering of the year. We are expecting more than 900 speakers and more than 1,200 attendees throughout the five days. This year's convening will help us all begin building the bridge we need to take us from today's environment to what comes next. It is up to us to share our knowledge, build our networks and be ready to help our communities, our workforce and our teams be more efficient, effective, economical, ethical and equitable. In short: Be resilient. We are living in a time of change and uncertainty; now is the time to plan for renewal.
Hotel rooms are available via our host hotel, the Loews Hollywood. Book online now; reservations are first come, first served. ASPA's room block expires on February 24—just two weeks from now—after which time rooms and rates are not guaranteed.
We look forward to seeing everyone in Hollywood this March!
*ASPA registration rates expire at midnight eastern time on the date listed. Rates do not include extra fees that apply for special events. Individual registrants may pay increased rates to add programming to their registration.
ASPA Launches Critical Take-Aways
ASPA has launched a new publication series, Critical Take-Aways, designed to help practitioners, scholars and students stay informed and engaged on the most important issues for our profession.
Each edition offers insights into a recent ASPA e-learning program: what it covered, why it matters and how it relates to the public service community. Whether you're familiar with the topic or looking to learn more, Critical Take-Aways offers a quick starting point and a link to the full webinar on ASPA's website.
Our inaugural release looked at "The Power of Performance Audits." Key points included:
- Performance auditing asks whether government programs actually work and serve people fairly.
- Audits do more than identify problems. They help provide the facts to address them.
- Taking steps to make audits visible to the public—in ways they can actually see them—is key.
- Independence is essential for auditors to drive meaningful change and maintain trust.
- Real-world impact comes from engaging the public and holding agencies accountable over time.
Ever wonder who is really keeping an eye on how your local and state governments spend your money and wield their power? Most people hear "audit" and think of accountants with calculators at the ready. But there is a whole different breed of government watchdog that digs much deeper—performance auditors—and our recent "Power of Performance Audits" webinar provides a peek behind the curtain while the panel makes a strong case for why these under-the-radar overseers matter.
If you missed this in your inbox when it was first released, use the links below to access the various resources. We hope you make the most of this new publication series.
Read the summary here
Access the webinar here.
Project 2025 Implemented: A Five-Part Series
Project 2025. Dominating news headlines for more than a year, it has been at the center of heated political debate and public scrutiny. As we see this policy blueprint rolled out in real time and at breakneck speed, a real focus on its implementation and administration has been overlooked. Until now.
ASPA has been hosting Project 2025 Implemented, a five-part series examining how the Trump administration has—or has not—implemented Project 2025. Focusing on good governance themes like professionalism, accountability, ethics and equity, speakers will discuss what we've seen so far, what we can expect moving forward and what lies ahead for public administration impacts and outcomes.
Our final program takes place tomorrow, February 12. Review the details below and register to join us for this discussion. These webinars are free and open to all participants (ASPA member or not); recordings are being posted to our website after each episode takes place.
Social Equity in the Crosshairs: Examining the Equity Consequences of Federal Policy Reform
February 12 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Our final episode in this series examines the potential impacts of proposed reforms on historically underserved and marginalized communities. This webinar will explore how structural and ideological shifts in federal and state governance will reshape the landscape of equity-focused public service, with attention to the potential rollback or elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies and service delivery; specific risks to equity in education, housing, health care and other essential services; and the role of public administrators and civil servants in protecting equitable access amid political and institutional pressure.
ASPA President Remarks on the Merit System Published in PAR and ARPA
ASPA President John Bartle delivered remarks in summer 2025 reflecting on the changes to the U.S. federal government and advocating for the merit system. These remarks have been published in The American Review of Public Administration and Public Administration Review and are open-access for review and sharing.
ASPA 2026 Class of Founders' Fellows Announced
The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) recently announced its 2026 class of Founders' Fellows, ASPA's premier program that recognizes the exceptional accomplishments and promise of the next generation of public servants in both the academic and practitioner communities. Following a rigorous review process, Founders' Fellows present their scholarship during the ASPA Annual Conference, receive substantial professional development and networking opportunities, and are paired with a seasoned scholar or practitioner who serves as their mentor for their Fellowship year. This year's 35-member cohort represents the most diverse class to date in terms of gender, ethnicity, age, professional focus and scholastic merit.
This year's Fellows are:
- Ruba Abukhdeir (University of Baltimore)
- Afsana Alam (University of Massachusetts—Boston)
- Nina Alvandipour (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)
- Selina Ayittah (Georgia Southern University)
- Sheldon Brennemann (University of Nebraska at Omaha)
- Juwon Chung (Indiana University Bloomington)
- Joseph S. Conteh (University of New Mexico)
- Riley Crain (CSU Channel Islands)
- Jan Manuel Cubero Jiménez (Roberto Sánchez Vilella Graduate School of Public Administration)
- Charita Dailey (University of Nebraska at Omaha)
- Clement Damoah (Arizona State University)
- Ofek Edri-Peer (University of Haifa)
- Ranya El Alaoui Moad (Abdelmalek Essaadi University)
- Shernica L. Ferguson (Jackson State University)
- Calaia Jackson Franco (University of Delaware)
- Canyu Gao (Rutgers University—Newark)
- Liliana Deyanira González Viveros (National Autonomous University of Mexico)
- Areeba Hashmi (Pace University)
- Meri Hovsepyan (Florida State University)
- Sina Jangjoo (Florida State University)
- Amy Kang (Carnegie Mellon University)
- Christopher Kaplan (City of Colorado Springs)
- Stephanie King (University of Central Florida)
- Rebekah Lankford (University of Georgia)
- Alyssa Taylor Lavalle (University of La Verne)
- Steve McKnight (Missouri State University)
- Eloy H. S. Oliveira (University of Texas at Austin)
- Heather Shurtliff (University of Kansas)
- Tomas Soto-Jara (Rutgers University—Newark)
- Ana Luiza Ferreira Terra Pinto (Florida International University)
- Rylyn Williams (University of Massachusetts—Amherst)
- Lin Xu (University of Hong Kong)
- Isaac Kwabena Yeboah (Virginia Commonwealth University)
- Mashal E-Zehra (University of Illinois Chicago)
- Zane Zupan (University of Vermont)
"ASPA's Founders' Fellows program is a meaningful way for public administration students and early-career practitioners and scholars to expand their networks, participate in groundbreaking work and learn from some of the most significant names in the field," said ASPA Executive Director and CEO Bill Shields. "We are pleased to introduce the 2026 cohort as one of our most dynamic and diverse classes yet. We look forward to their year ahead in this exciting program and hold great expectations for their future impact on the profession."
The 2026 Founders' Fellows will receive a complimentary 2026 Annual Conference registration, a year-long mentorship with a seasoned practitioner or senior scholar and professional development opportunities throughout their year as a Fellow.
Advertise at the Annual Conference!
ASPA's 2026 Annual Conference is the premier event of the year for the public administration community and a prime branding opportunity for any organization looking to be known in our space. We attract more than 1,200 attendees from across government levels, universities, think tanks, research organizations and more.
If you have not signed up to advertise your brand at this year's event yet this is your final chance to do so. Contact us right away so you can reserve your spot by the end of the week. Remaining placements include:
Conference Pocket Guide Full-Page Ad
The conference pocket guide is the only printed resource and a prime opportunity for your branding. Priced at only $900, an ad in this guide offers tremendous brand exposure and will be viewed by all 1,200 attendees at this year's event.
Conference App!
ASPA's conference app is where attendees will find all of the materials and information they need to participate fully in the conference. If you are looking for an affordable option with excellent branding, reserve an ad for only $500 and be in the palm of everyone's hand!
Pop-Up Ad
For those looking for the "go big or go home" model, these pop-up signs are for you. Only $1,100, and sized at almost 7 feet high, your brand will be visible to everyone as they walk the hallways of the hotel. (Note: organizations that paid for this advertising in prior years cannot reuse it in 2026. New advertising must be purchased for this year's conference.)
Conference advertising options only happen once a year. Don't miss out! This is how to show your support for ASPA and demonstrate to your peers that you matter in the discipline. Contact us to book your reservation now!
Becoming a 2026 All-America City
Each year, the National Civic League honors 10 outstanding communities with the All-America City Award, celebrating excellence in local innovation, civic engagement and cross-sector collaboration. This prestigious award highlights the remarkable potential within communities to address critical issues and drive meaningful change when residents, businesses and nonprofit and government leaders work in concert. As the nation marks 250 years since its founding, we reflect on the ongoing journey to fulfill the promise of a government by, for and of the people. The 2026 All-America City Award will recognize communities that are bringing these founding ideals to life by ensuring that the power to shape the future resides with the people. The award will spotlight communities across the country that are creatively engaging residents in collective efforts to create thriving and welcoming places where trust and belonging are abundant. Optional letters of intent are due by January 5, 2026; applications are due by February 26. Click here for more information.
Harvard Kennedy School Releases 2026 Program Guide
The Harvard Kennedy School has released its Executive Education Program Guide for the year. This year marks the program's 50th anniversary; the program guide features programs offered on its historic Cambridge campus, as well as online, to prepare future leaders for the next phase of their leadership journey. If you're a leader who wants to strengthen your skill set, generate new solutions to current problems and make the world a better place, an online or on-campus program at Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education can offer you a unique opportunity to make a difference. Find all executive education offerings via their website's program finder.
Tips, Resources and Updates
Signals of a Slowdown: What Federal Employees Should Do with Their TSP Right Now
With some economic signs raising the caution flag, now is a key moment for federal employees to take a calm, strategic look at how their Thrift Savings Plan portfolio is positioned. The goal is not to panic, but to respond intelligently.
More Students Are Going to College. Affordability and Workforce Training Are Factors
College enrollment in the U.S. continued to rise last fall, surpassing prepandemic levels, new figures released show.
Could This Be True?
An influx of federal retirees due to the Deferred Resignation Program and other separation programs has led to a litany of new questions on how to receive retirement benefits.
Lessons in Decency
"Decency is having a moment," writes John Baldoni, who offers four ways to stand up for decency in our own lives and workplace.
New Heritage Guidance Shows Tension in Federal Oversight of Higher Ed
Building on the higher education policies outlined in Project 2025, the new report urges more state involvement in holding colleges and universities accountable.
In the News
Today's headlines contain plenty of news coverage of some of our nation's most pressing public administration challenges. ASPA has curated some of the most important stories from recent weeks. If you have not seen these yet, make sure you read them now!
Infrastructure
Public Finance
Public Service
Most news related to federal workforce changes by the current administration are being reported in Federal Workforce in Turmoil. Bridge subscribers have been automatically subscribed to that publication; contact us if you need to check about your ASPA email subscriptions.
Social Equity
Members in the News
David Bilger/Keystone State Chapter:
MPA Student Receives Outstanding Student Award from American Society for Public Administration
J. Paul Blake:
Citizens’ Silence Is Complicity
Don Kettl:
Broken Policy Breaks Budgeting Even More
Texas A&M University:
Texas A&M Cancels Graduate Ethics Class in Ongoing Course Review
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Around Public Administration
Here are the most recent updates from across the profession. Did we miss you? Send us your news and we'll include it in the next round!
Upcoming Events:
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2026 COMPA Conference
North Carolina Central University | February 22-25, 2026
Theme: Building Futures by Bridging Divides: Public Servants Charting the Course for Tomorrow’s Governance
The Call for Proposals is open
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2026 PATNet Conference
New Delhi, India | February 26-March 1, 2026
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2026 ASPA Annual Conference
Hollywood, California | March 20-24, 2026
Theme: Building a Bridge to Resilience and Renewal
Registration is open
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2026 NAPA SELC
Newark, NJ | May 28-30, 2026
Theme: Leading and Learning toward a Future for All—A 25th SELC Anniversary Celebration
Call for Proposals is open
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Seventh World Conference on Remedies to Racial and Ethnic Economic Inequality
University of Minnesota | August 3-5, 2026
Theme: Partnerships, Pathways and Pipelines: Cross-Sector and Interdisciplinary Collaborative Strategies for Human Prosperity
Call for Papers is open
Calls for proposals, calls for nominations and other updates:
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SPOD Annual Scholarship 2026 Call for Nominations
ASPA's Section on Professional and Organizational Development (SPOD) is accepting nominations for its annual Scholarship 2026. SPOD will award four $300 scholarships and a one-year SPOD membership to each award recipient. Scholarships are open to masters and doctoral students in public administration, public policy, nonprofit management or closely related fields who are committed to careers in the public or nonprofit sector. Preference may be given to students whose papers have been accepted for presentation at ASPA's 2026 Annual Conference. All nominations must be submitted by February 20, 2026. Recommendations must come from a current or retired faculty member. Please submit a nomination letter and CV via email to the SPOD secretary.
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SCNS Award Call for Nominations
ASPA's Section for Complexity and Network Studies (SCNS) is pleased to seek nominations for the 2026 Sam Overman Best Paper Award. To be eligible for the award, papers must be published or presented in the 2025 calendar year by an SCNS member. Self-nominations are welcome and emerging or junior scholars are especially encouraged to submit for the award. Those interested in submitting who are not members may join. Evaluation criteria include contribution to network or complexity literature, relevance to public administration and research quality (theoretical, methodological). Nominations are to be submitted by email to Kate Albrecht and include a one-page summary that highlights the research contribution and relevance, and a PDF file of the paper. Nominations are due by February 23. The award will be announced at the 2026 Annual Conference.
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Call for Papers: Special Issue on Accounting for What Matters (Financial Accountability & Management)
Public sector organizations are navigating economic instability, climate crises, inequities and political pressures, often forced to balance financial sustainability with the equally vital goals of social sustainability and equity. This special issue invites research that rethinks public sector accounting and accountability, not only as tools for fiscal management but also as frameworks that foster inclusion, fairness, resilience and long-term public value. Editors welcome conceptual, empirical and comparative studies addressing how accounting can better embed social sustainability, manage value trade-offs, strengthen organizational resilience and challenge existing power dynamics. Case studies, longitudinal analyses and critical perspectives across diverse contexts (health care, education, social services, etc.) are encouraged. Click here for more information. Submissions are due June 30, 2026.
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Call for Papers: Public Money & Management (PMM) Theme
For this theme issue the publishers are looking for disciplinary eclecticism. They seek contributions that bring together insights from several disciplines including law, social sciences, public management and the study of politics. Traditionally public management has not engaged in "constitutional’ conversations." However, the rise of what has been identified within the political landscape as "populism" calls for a cross-disciplinary perspective to understand whether, and how, it is impacting public management and administration. Contributions of 8,000-word research articles, 1,000-word debate pieces and 3,500-word new development articles are asked to consider, but are not limited to: are we facing the limits of traditional thinking in public management? Is there a problem, incipient or actual, facing public managers if they are becoming answerable to politicians (1) with a value set that is antagonistic to the values of public management (if such exist); (2) antagonistic to the liberal, law-based state; (3) who may be poised to break the law—or make decisions that are likely to be challenged in courts? What is "extremism"/populism? Do public managers observe/answer to a code that protects them against orders (short of law-breaking)? How far do existing doctrines of accountability accommodate answerability for extremist policies? What lessons could public managers learn from international and comparative perspectives from the rise of populism in different political systems and architectures? The publishers are seeking both conceptual and case examples to address the questions above. All submissions should follow the PMM author guidelines and be submitted via ScholarOne. Find more information online. All submissions are due October 1, 2026.
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Citizen Engagement Survey
ASPA member and former Frederickson Center for Social Equity graduate assistant Robert Waller is completing his dissertation and has requested ASPA member participation in his survey. He has provided the following information: The focus of the study is citizen engagement and decisionmaking through the evaluation of fiscal stress and structure/unstructured budgetary processes. The evaluation will be conducted through implementing an online budget simulation upon a participating citizenry. This research seeks to contribute to the body of literature as both a research document and practical evaluation tool for the public sector organizations and decisionmakers. While there are many public sector entities that have integrated technology into the budgetary decisionmaking process, few have evaluated participatory decisionmaking center on a university campus (simulated or factual). This research may result in a better understanding of how to develop a budget, and advance knowledge and research in the following by providing information on how budgetary decisions are made as fluctuations in revenue or expenditure allocation, measuring the impact of and participation in budgeting decisions by the citizenry based on behavioral financial theory, and evaluating the integration of software solutions and data analytics into the budgeting process and providing officials (and citizens) with critical insights needed for informed decisionmaking. Participation in this research project is completely voluntary; IRB guidelines have be complete and provided; participation will take 10-15 minutes. Participants will be asked to do the following procedures: Engage in the budget simulation; agree to consent/information statement; upon reading the prompt, the participant will enter the budget simulation; address a $30 million dollar budget deficit through the selection of financial determinants; and conclude by providing demographic information. Click here to participate.
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Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration Articles Collection
The Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration maintains a special collection of articles that examines various questions regarding public service motivation in the public sector. This article collection has two goals. The first is to advance theoretical and practical perspectives on public service motivation across regions. The second goal is strengthening contributions about non-Western scholarship by leveraging contextual and regional distinctions. Find this special collection online here.
PA TIMES Online
Here's a selection of current pieces on PA TIMES Online, covering a range of issues within the profession. We accept individual articles on a rolling basis; if you have a piece you think would fit our publication, submit it to [email protected] for consideration. (Please review our submission guidelines in advance!)
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