Staci Zavattaro

Staci Zavattaro, Ph.D., is a Professor and Public Affairs PhD Program Coordinator at the University of Central Florida (UCF), affiliated with the School of Public Administration within the College of Community Innovation and Education. She also serves as a Research Associate at UCF’s Center for Public and Nonprofit Management and Editor-in-Chief of the Administrative Theory & Praxis journal. Her work focuses on public sector branding, death management in governance, qualitative research methods, and urban policy.

Dr. Zavattaro holds a dual bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Journalism from the University of Florida, and completed her graduate studies at Florida Atlantic University. Her research explores intersections of public administration with social equity, crisis management, and place identity. Key themes include municipal branding strategies, ethical challenges in deathcare systems, and innovative pedagogical approaches in doctoral training.

Her publications span over two decades, with recent emphasis on pandemic responses, qualitative methodological rigor, and the evolving role of public administrators in managing death-related services. She has authored/co-authored multiple books, including Cities for Sale (2023) and Social Media to Government: Theory and Practice (2023), and frequently examines how digital tools reshape citizen-state interactions.

Zavattaro’s work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing participatory governance and systemic justice. She has advised numerous institutions on branding strategies and crisis communication, while advocating for reflexive academic practices through collaborative autoethnography.