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Dr. Jodi Benenson Promoted to Associate Director of UNO’s School of Public Administration

Dr. Jodi Benenson smiles

Dr. Jodi Benenson Named Associate Director of UNO’s School of Public Administration

OMAHA, NE – The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) has appointed Jodi Benenson, Ph.D., as the new Associate Director of its School of Public Administration (SPA), an academic unit within the College of Public Affairs and Community Service to support SPA’s strategic and academic initiatives.

Dr. Benenson, an associate professor at the school, conducts research on civic engagement, social policy and nonprofit organizations. She is co-chair of the school’s Master of Public Administration program, and is also currently principal investigator for a $346,000 Americorps grant focusing on youth civic engagement and mobility.

“Beyond her new administrative role, Dr. Benenson has also served as a Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Governance and Public Administration at the University of Ottawa and the Academic Director of the U.S. Department of State Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Institute on Civic Engagement, further expanding her international influence in public policy and civic engagement.

Dr. Benenson’s community service includes volunteer and board roles with multiple community organizations. She has published extensively in top academic journals, played a pivotal role in connecting academic scholarship with real-world policy and nonprofit initiatives, and received extensive recognition for her contributions to the field. She aligns her educational philosophy with a commitment to excellence in public administration education.

Dr. Benenson is the recipient of several prestigious campus and community awards for her contributions and impact on civic engagement, equity, and teaching. In 2024, she received the inaugural UNO Faculty Excellence in Engagement Award. The UNO Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Gender Equity gave the Outstanding Achievement Award to Dr. Benenson in 2023. She also received the TOYO (Ten Outstanding Young Omahans) award by the Omaha Jaycees.

The College of Public Affairs and Community Service along with the School of Public Administration is pleased to congratulate Dr. Benenson on her expanded role and contribution as Associate Director.