Jodi Benenson

Jodi Benenson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Associate Director of the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO). She also chairs the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program and serves as Reviews Editor for the Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration. With a background in social policy and nonprofit management, her research focuses on civic engagement, nonprofit organizations, social equity, and policy evaluation. Benenson has held leadership roles including Academic Director of the U.S. Department of State’s YSEALI Institute on Civic Engagement (2017–2023) and a Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Governance at the University of Ottawa (2023–2024). Her teaching includes courses on policy analysis, strategic planning, and social equity in the MPA and doctoral programs.

Education: B.S. & M.P.A. from Indiana University; M.A. & Ph.D. in Social Policy from Brandeis University’s Heller School. Professional service includes founding UNO’s Women and Public Policy Week, co-founding Nebraska’s Scholars Strategy Network chapter, and roles with ARNOVA, ASPA, and the Big Ten Democracy Working Group. Awards include the 2021 JPAE Outstanding Article Award and 2024 Faculty Excellence in Engagement Award.

Key grants include leading an AmeriCorps-funded project on civic mobility in the Heartland. Her research bridges academia and practice, emphasizing equity and collaboration. Over 20 years of experience spans public service, nonprofit work, and teaching, with a focus on amplifying marginalized voices in policy and civic participation.