SMU is proud to have Public Policy and Administration (P.P.A.) faculty and a curriculum committee who are deeply committed to student success and focused on creating strong policy leaders through continually updated curricula and hands-on coursework.

Our faculty and curriculum committee members bring a diverse range of expertise to the program. They have extensive backgrounds in different areas of policy, including education and economics, and many hold leadership positions in their fields.

Connecting with our faculty members

In most cases, course instructors will respond to emails and messages within 48 business hours.

Faculty directory




Eva Chiang, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Faculty Lead and Program Director


Cassidy Cooper, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Senior Evaluation Associate, The Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University


Bethany Edwards, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Director of Research and Evaluation, Center for Transforming Lives


Molly K. Ellis, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Director of Strategic Initiatives, SMU Office of Faculty Success


Victoria A. Farrar-Myers, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Founder and Executive Director, Nexus Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership


Novin Ghaffari, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Statistician, Bureau of Transportation Statistics


James McGuire, J.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Partner, Holland and Knight LLP


William McKenzie

P.P.A. Faculty

Senior Editorial Advisor, George W. Bush Institute


Justine Morina, MBA

P.P.A. Faculty

Senior Policy Director, Teacher & School Policy, ExcelinEd


Kim Nelson Pryor, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Director of Student Affairs Assessment and Analytics, SMU Office of the Senior Vice President


Phil Ritter, J.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Owner, Ritter Advisory Services, LLC


Martin Stegemoeller, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Master Teaching Chair, St. Mark’s School of Texas


Amy Bantham, DrPH, M.P.P., M.S.

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Faculty


Ashraf Hegazy, M.P.P.

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Faculty


Christine Kendall, DrPH, M.S.

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Faculty


Sherine A. Powerful, DrPH, M.P.H.

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A. ) Faculty


Amanda Taffy, DrPH, J.D., M.P.H.

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Faculty Lead and Program Director


Brett Turner, DrPH, MA

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Faculty


Avi Chavda, MD, MP

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Faculty


Mea Ahlberg, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Faculty

Curriculum Committee Member

Senior Lecturer, SMU Department of Economics


Thomas Osang, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Curriculum Committee Member

Associate Professor of Economics


Meredith Richards, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Curriculum Committee Member

Associate Professor of Education Policy


Anne Wicks, MBA

P.P.A. Curriculum Committee Member

The Don Evans Family Managing Director, Opportunity and Democracy at George W. Bush Institute


Matthew Wilson, Ph.D.

P.P.A. Curriculum Committee Member

Kairo Endowed Director of the Center for Faith and Learning

Associate Professor of Political Science


Jill DeTemple, Ph.D.

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Committee Member


Shane Goodwin, Ph.D.

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Committee Member

Associate Dean, Cox School of Business and Professor of Practice


Thomas Wm. Mayo, J.D.

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Committee Member

Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor and Professor of Law


Seema Mohapatra, J.D., M.P.H.

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Committee Member

M.D. Anderson Foundation Endowed Professor in Health Law and Professor of Law, SMU Dedman School of Law


John Phillips, FACHE

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Committee Member


John Potter, MA

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) Committee Member