Kevin D. Ward

Kevin D. Ward is a Professor and Director of the Public Affairs Program at Seattle University, housed in the College of Arts & Sciences' Department of Public Affairs and Nonprofit Leadership. His research focuses on nonprofit advocacy, public policy, and national service programs like AmeriCorps. He holds a PhD in Public Affairs from the University of Colorado Denver (2011), an MPA (2006), and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois (2002). His work examines nonprofit-government collaboration, lobbying strategies, and public service motivation among board members and volunteers.

Research interests include nonprofit lobbying regulations, advocacy methods, and the role of national service in cultivating public service motivation. He has published widely in journals like Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly and Policy Studies Journal, analyzing topics such as IRS 501(h) election determinants, FEMA interagency collaboration, and AmeriCorps' long-term impact on disaster response behavior.

He teaches courses in policy analysis, public administration, and nonprofit leadership, emphasizing problem-solving and policy formulation. His op-eds on national service appear in the Seattle Times and Huffington Post.