Josie Gatti Schafer, Ph.D.
- Director
- Center for Public Affairs Research
Additional Information
Schafer joined the University of Nebraska at Omaha as the director of the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) in 2018, drawn to its strong history and reputation as Nebraska’s go-to source for expert data and analysis, particularly in their role as the Stata Data Center for the United States Census Bureau. In this role she has also focused on advancing the organization by growing the budget, fueled by cultivating community-engaged research projects, expanding community and professional development events, and committing to a communications strategy that aligns with CPAR’s action-oriented approach. CPAR focuses on three main areas of research, workforce access and equity, community and economic development, and data for policy and decision makers. Schafer works with the Planning Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature, responding directly to legislators' questions on a broad range of economic development topics — from housing to childcare — providing rigorous, evidence-based solutions. In 2024, she was called upon by the Governor of Nebraska, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry to deliver presentations to over 600 regional stakeholders, sharing data to drive their economic development strategies. Some other community engaged research projects include an exploration of the Nebraska’s Energy and Environmental Workforce, Entrepreneurship in Nebraska, a Nebraska Healthcare Workforce report, the Nebraska Community Foundation Rural Youth Survey, and the Omaha Young Professionals Survey for the Greater Omaha Chamber. Prior she was faculty at Kansas State University and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Education and Credentials
Ph.D., Public Affairs, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2012)
M.P.A., Appalachian State University (2007)
B.A., Communications, Appalachian State University (2005)
View Recent Projects in These Areas:
Peer Reviewed Publications
- Sampson, Carrie, Overholser, Amber & Schafer, Gatti Josephine (2019) “A Critical Paradox: The Politics of an Urban Community-Based Nonprofit In Expanding Educational Opportunities to Underserved Youth.” Leadership and Policy Studies. 18.2.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine (2019)“A Systematic Review of the Public Administration Literature to Identify How to Increase Public Engagement and Participation with Local Governance.” Journal of Public Affairs. 19.2.e1873.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine and Zhang, Zhiwei (2018) “Who is Engaged and Why? Testing an Instrumental Perspective on Stakeholder Engagement.” Journal of Public and Non-Profit Affairs. 5.2.
- Zhang, Zhiwei, Gibson, Bryan and Schafer Gatti, Josephine (2017). “Reexamining the Relationship Between Fiscal Stress and Outsourcing.” Public Performance and Management Review. 41, 1.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine and Gallemore, Caleb (2016). “Biases in Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis: The case of Environmental Planning in Southern Nevada.” Environment and Planning C: Governance and Policy. 34, 8.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine and Zhang, Zhiwei (2016). “The Role of Stakeholders in Municipal Contracting Out.” Public Administration Quarterly. 40,4 pg. 789-813.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine (2016). “The Mandate to Coordinate: The Case of the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act.” Public Performance & Management Review. 40, 1.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine (2015). “Making Role Playing Real.” Teaching Public Administration. 34, 2.
Additional Information
Schafer joined the University of Nebraska at Omaha as the director of the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) in 2018, drawn to its strong history and reputation as Nebraska’s go-to source for expert data and analysis, particularly in their role as the Stata Data Center for the United States Census Bureau. In this role she has also focused on advancing the organization by growing the budget, fueled by cultivating community-engaged research projects, expanding community and professional development events, and committing to a communications strategy that aligns with CPAR’s action-oriented approach. CPAR focuses on three main areas of research, workforce access and equity, community and economic development, and data for policy and decision makers. Schafer works with the Planning Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature, responding directly to legislators' questions on a broad range of economic development topics — from housing to childcare — providing rigorous, evidence-based solutions. In 2024, she was called upon by the Governor of Nebraska, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry to deliver presentations to over 600 regional stakeholders, sharing data to drive their economic development strategies. Some other community engaged research projects include an exploration of the Nebraska’s Energy and Environmental Workforce, Entrepreneurship in Nebraska, a Nebraska Healthcare Workforce report, the Nebraska Community Foundation Rural Youth Survey, and the Omaha Young Professionals Survey for the Greater Omaha Chamber. Prior she was faculty at Kansas State University and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Education and Credentials
Ph.D., Public Affairs, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2012)
M.P.A., Appalachian State University (2007)
B.A., Communications, Appalachian State University (2005)
View Recent Projects in These Areas:
Peer Reviewed Publications
- Sampson, Carrie, Overholser, Amber & Schafer, Gatti Josephine (2019) “A Critical Paradox: The Politics of an Urban Community-Based Nonprofit In Expanding Educational Opportunities to Underserved Youth.” Leadership and Policy Studies. 18.2.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine (2019)“A Systematic Review of the Public Administration Literature to Identify How to Increase Public Engagement and Participation with Local Governance.” Journal of Public Affairs. 19.2.e1873.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine and Zhang, Zhiwei (2018) “Who is Engaged and Why? Testing an Instrumental Perspective on Stakeholder Engagement.” Journal of Public and Non-Profit Affairs. 5.2.
- Zhang, Zhiwei, Gibson, Bryan and Schafer Gatti, Josephine (2017). “Reexamining the Relationship Between Fiscal Stress and Outsourcing.” Public Performance and Management Review. 41, 1.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine and Gallemore, Caleb (2016). “Biases in Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis: The case of Environmental Planning in Southern Nevada.” Environment and Planning C: Governance and Policy. 34, 8.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine and Zhang, Zhiwei (2016). “The Role of Stakeholders in Municipal Contracting Out.” Public Administration Quarterly. 40,4 pg. 789-813.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine (2016). “The Mandate to Coordinate: The Case of the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act.” Public Performance & Management Review. 40, 1.
- Schafer Gatti, Josephine (2015). “Making Role Playing Real.” Teaching Public Administration. 34, 2.