The National Academy of Public Administration

"Our society has reached a point where its progress and even its survival depend on our ability to organize the complex and to do the unusual."

--James Webb second NASA administrator and a principal founder of the Academy.

The National Academy of Public Administration is a non-profit, independent coalition of top public management and organizational leaders who tackle the nation’s most critical and complex challenges. With a network of more than 600 distinguished Fellows and an experienced professional staff, the Academy is uniquely qualified and trusted across government to provide objective advice and practical solutions based on systematic research and expert analysis. Established in 1967 and chartered by Congress, the Academy continues to make a positive impact by helping federal, state and local governments respond effectively to current circumstances and changing conditions.

Federal agencies, Congress, state and local governments, academia, and foundations frequently seek the Academy's assistance in addressing both short-term and long-term challenges-including budgeting and finance, alternative agency structures, performance measurement, human resources management, information technology, devolution of federal programs, strategic planning, and managing for results.

The Academy's most distinctive feature is its membership of 550 Fellows. They include current and former Cabinet officers, members of Congress, Governors, Mayors, state legislators, diplomats, business executives, local public managers, foundation executives, and scholars. They form the heart of the Academy's studies-from inception through implementation-serving on project panels and guiding other major activities.

Individually, Fellows provide unparalleled insight and experience. Collectively, they are the Academy's primary vehicle for addressing emerging issues and contributing to intellectual and popular discourse on issues of governance. Fellows elect new members of the Academy each year. The principal criterion for selection is a sustained contribution to the field of public administration through public service or scholarship.

The Academy's Board of Directors provides overall guidance and leadership. Virtually all Academy activities are conducted through panels composed of Academy Fellows and others with expertise in the specific study topics. Projects are supported by the Academy's executive, administrative, and research staffs. In addition, the Academy has five Standing Panels that provide input to the Academy's agenda of studies and serve as collegial forums for Fellows to exchange ideas and to interact with experts outside the Academy, including senior government officials.