Dr. Ricardo A. Bello-Gomez Selected to Participate in Two National Leadership Development Initiatives for Academic Year 2026-2027
Dr. Ricardo A. Bello-Gomez, associate professor and MPA director at the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA), has been selected to participate in two national leadership development initiatives focused on preparing the next generation of academic leaders in public service education during the next academic year: the 2026–2027 NASPAA NEXT cohort and the Volcker Alliance’s Future Leaders of Schools of Public Service program.
NASPAA NEXT is a yearlong leadership development program that brings together early-career faculty from NASPAA member institutions to strengthen leadership skills, foster collaboration and mentorship, and contribute to conversations about the future of public service education. The Future Leaders of Schools of Public Service initiative, led by the Volcker Alliance, seeks to strengthen racial and ethnic diversity in academic leadership by connecting emerging faculty leaders with current and former deans and directors and providing opportunities for mentorship, professional development, and peer learning.
Through both programs, Dr. Bello-Gomez will engage with public affairs and public service scholars and academic leaders from across the country on issues including the future of public service education, inclusive academic leadership, and the evolving role of schools and programs in preparing students for careers in public service.
Dr. Bello-Gomez studies public management, intergovernmental relations, and comparative public administration. His overall research agenda explores the institutional, organizational, and individual factors affecting government performance as well as executive and citizens’ perceptions, often focusing on the provision of social services in Latin America. His research has been published in Public Administration Review, Public Management Review, Journal of Public Policy, Public Administration, and Review of Public Personnel Administration, among other outlets. His recent book, Handbook of Latin American Politics (Edward Elgar Publishing), co-edited with Claudia N. Avellaneda (Indiana University Bloomington) and Nathalie Méndez (Universidad de los Andes, Colombia), provides a timely and comprehensive exploration of the evolving actors, challenges, institutions and dynamics shaping governance and democracy in contemporary Latin America.