ASPA’s Section on Public Management Practice Conducts an In-Person Symposium at the ASPA National Conference on Sunday March 22, 2026
By: Dr. Howard Balanoff, Director, Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service & Chair, ASPA’s Section for Public Management Practice (SPMP)
On Sunday March 22, 2026, ASPA’s Section for Public Management Practice (SPMP) in cooperation sponsored a Symposium entitled, “Meeting the Professional Development and Educational Challenges of the next Decade” at the ASPA National Conference in Hollywood, California.
The Symposium was sponsored by Texas State University’s William P Hobby Center for Public Service and featured Dustin Haisler, Chief AI Officer & US GM for Darwin AI Former President of e.Republic and Publisher of Government Technology on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). In addition, the Symposium featured a panel about the Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program. The CPM panel included Bill Shields ASPA Executive Director, Howard Balanoff, founder of the Texas CPM Program, Aziza Zemrani and Marilyn Balanoff.
The keynote speaker at the Symposium Dustin Haisler, who delivered the featured presentation which was entitled, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Assessing its Current & future Impact on the Public Sector.
Dustin Haisler is shown delivering the keynote presentation at the Good Governance Worldwide Symposium
The Symposium also featured three outstanding panels, the first panel was Public Administration Professional Development and Educational Challenges and Opportunities in Morocco which was a continuation of 2-day Symposium sponsored by Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service which was conducted in Marrakesh, Morocco on January 23 & 24, 2025.
The second panel was The Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program: A National Model for Professional Development and Education in the US and around the World which discussed how the CPM Program could better meet the professional development needs of public and not for profit managers in the US and around the world. The panel was chaired by Dr. Howard Balanoff, Texas State University Professor & Former Director of the Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program.
Dr. Aziza Zemrani also presented on the topic of Governance, Public Policy, Politics and Public Administration in Morocco, Africa. Dr. Zemrani is a former ASPA National Council Member and Professor (Retired), University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Interdisciplinary Programs and Community Engagement and University Mohammed V, Public Finance Department, Morocco
The final event of the Symposium was a business meeting of the Officers and Board Members of ASPA’s Section for Public Management Practice and the Editorial Board members of Good Governance Worldwide (https://goodgovernanceworldwide.org) The group discussed the next steps for ASPA’s Section for Public Management Practice and its Good Governance Worldwide Journal/Website.
For additional information about the activities of ASPA’s Section for Public Management Practice please contact Dr. Howard Balanoff, Section Chair at hb02@txstate.edu
Certified Public Manager (CPM) Panel chaired by Dr. Howard R. Balanoff, Professor & Director of the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service. Panelists from left to right are Dr. Howard R. Balanoff, Ms. Marilyn K. Balanoff, Aziza Zemrani & Bill Shields.
Attendees at ASPA’s Section for Public Management Practice Symposium.