Announcing the 2026 SPAA Awards

The annual SPAA Awards recognize our graduating students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members who embody the values of the school and a commitment to public service.

Karen Perez (BA'26) is earning her bachelor’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Social Justice through the Honors Living-Learning Community (HLLC). She is deeply committed to mentorship and education policy.

SPAA Graduate Profile: Karen Perez (BA'26) >

Michael McCarty (MPA'25) is Deputy Director of the Somerset County Department of Health, where he has demonstrated democratic leadership, budget oversight, grant writing and evaluation, and human resource management.

SPAA Graduate Profile: Michael McCarty (MPA'25) >

Sidra Razzaq (MPA'26) is the Deputy Director of Communications for the Office of the Bergen County Executive.

SPAA Graduate Profile: Sidra Razzaq (MPA'26) >

Nicolás Lagos (PhD'26)'s research examines how automation and artificial intelligence are transforming public auditing and anti-corruption oversight, with a focus on discretion, legitimacy, and public management reforms.  

SPAA Graduate Profile: Nicolás Lagos (PhD'26) >

Ying Liu (PhD'26)'s research interests include public and nonprofit management, social equity, local governance, digital government, and accountability.

SPAA Graduate Profile: Ying Liu (PhD'26) >

Jill Segulin (MPA'26) is Executive Director at Refugee Assistance Partners NJ.

SPAA Graduate Profile: Jill Segulin (MPA'26) >

George Zapata (MPA'26) is Paralegal Specialist for the County of Hudson and First Ward Councilman for the Town of Kearny.

SPAA Graduate Profile: George Zapata (MPA'26) >

Dr. Suzanne J. Piotrowski is a Professor of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University–Newark's School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) and Director of the Transparency and Governance Center. Recipient of the 2026 Rutgers SPAA Faculty Teaching Award, she is recognized for engaging, high-impact teaching across undergraduate, MPA, online, hybrid, and PhD education. She developed and teaches Unlocking Open Government, a creative and applied course that invites students to explore transparency, accountability, participation, and access to information through real-world problems and hands-on learning. Across her teaching, she is committed to helping students connect theory and practice, build practical skills, and prepare for thoughtful public service. She is also a dedicated doctoral mentor, having chaired multiple dissertations and served on numerous dissertation committees, and previously served as Director of SPAA’s MPA program.

Dr. Diego Galego is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark. Dr. Galego's research examines how social movements shape the policy process, focusing on queering public policy, governance, and comparative public administration. His work emphasizes institutional, organizational, and citizen-driven approaches to policymaking in federal systems. His research has been published in Global Policy, Public Policy and Administration, Journal of Policy Studies, Latin American Policy, Journal of Gender Studies, Politics and Governance, among others. He is working on the "Queering Public Policy" book project, which analyzes LGBTQ+ policymaking in five federal countries, providing a novel framework for LGBTQ+ policy development. Dr. Galego is an active member of leading academic associations including IPPA, ASPA, and EGPA Group XIX and serves on the Early Career Researcher Board of Policy & Politics.  

Amina Bey (MPA'13) has spent her entire life in public service, building a career rooted in expanding opportunity, strengthening communities, and delivering resources to those most in need. Born, raised, and educated in Newark, New Jersey, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Stockton State College (now Stockton University) and her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University–Newark School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA). She remains actively connected to Rutgers–Newark, serving on the SPAA Advisory Board and previously as a Part-Time Lecturer and Adjunct Professor, helping to prepare the next generation of public service leaders.

Patria de Lancer Julnes (PhD'97) is an internationally recognized scholar in performance measurement and the first woman to graduate from Rutgers University–Newark with a PhD in public administration.

Richard W. Roper is a public policy consultant who has held senior level positions in local, state, regional, and federal government agencies and has had experience in nonprofit organizations, private consulting and in academic research, teaching, and administration. His many civic engagements have contributed to the development of the social, political, and cultural infrastructure of urban New Jersey, particularly Newark.

Shonda Levine-Ouji is the Assistant to the Dean in the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University–Newark. With nearly twenty years of senior-level administrative experience in higher education, she is a vital contributor to the Dean's Office, where she manages faculty tenure and promotion processes and leads various special events and initiatives.

Steven Paul Sala has been a steady and welcoming presence at Rutgers University–Newark for the past 17 years, including 11 years as the resident security officer at the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA).