On December 15, 2016, DAPA elected a new board to serve the organization in a leadership capacity, each for a two-year term. Elected positions include council-at-large members, president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
President Gene Dvornick
Gene Dvornick currently serves as Town Manager for the Town of Georgetown. He has held this position since being appointed in 2007. Gene is active in the City Management Association of Delaware, Delaware Association for Public Administration, Delaware League of Local Governments, International City/County Management Association (ICMA), State of Delaware – Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, and Sussex County Association of Towns. Gene holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Accounting) from Shepherd University and a Master of Accountancy from Virginia Tech. He is currently enrolled in the MPA – C.E.O. Program at the University of Delaware.
Second Vice President Daniel L. Smith
Dan Smith is MPA Director and Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy & Administration at the University of Delaware. He is a member of the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC), and the Chair-Elect of the Association for Budgeting and Financial Management (ABFM). Previously he was Associate Professor and Director of the Finance Specialization in the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University. He earned his PhD from the University of Georgia, and his BA and MPA from the University of Delaware.
Secretary Leann Moore
Leann Moore is an Assistant Policy Scientist in the Conflict Resolution Program at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration. Leann worked for the Delaware General Assembly for two years, where she facilitated various Delaware task forces, legislative committees, and working groups. She is a trained mediator, focusing in education meditations between schools, districts, and parents. Leann is also a Delaware Court Appointed Special Advocate for youth in the state's foster care system. She has a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Psychology for the University of Delaware.
Treasurer Martin Wollaston
Martin Wollaston retired in January from his position as Policy Scientist in the Institute for Public Administration, University of Delaware, where he served as Manager of the Planning Services Group and Senior Planner for the Water Resources Agency.
At-Large Council Members
1) Fiona Mulligan. Fiona Mulligan is Grant Coordinator for YWCA Delaware. Hired in 2014, she works with governments, foundations, corporations, organizations and churches to support the needs of YWCA clients. She is a graduate of Wilmington University with a Masters in Management of Public Administration and a B.S. in Government and Public Policy. She also has an A.A. in Accounting from Delaware Technical Community College. Fiona has served as an AmeriCorps volunteer with the Ministry of Caring, working with homeless families and worked for U.S. Bankruptcy Court. She now dedicates her energy to raising awareness for homelessness, advocating for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and promoting women’s health issues. She has a large family and enjoys hiking and camping.
2) Julia O'Hanlon. As a Policy Scientist with the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA), Julia O'Hanlon is responsible for providing a wide range of project management, research support, and technical assistance to IPA staff, state and local government officials, and nonprofit organizations. Julia’s primary expertise involves state and local management, aging-related policy issues, intergovernmental relations, and public personnel management. Her recent public policy and research activities have focused on program evaluation and funding of senior centers, researching the impact of Delaware’s senior population on statewide transportation and mobility options, and working with Delaware local governments on healthy community initiatives. She is a graduate of the University of Delaware’s Master in Public Administration program (2003). Over the past decade, Julia has held various leadership roles with the Delaware Association for Public Administration (Delaware Chapter of ASPA) and served as the Editorial Board Chair of ASPA’s PA Times.
3) Debbie Pfeil. Debbie Pfeil is an Associate/Planning Manager for KCI Technologies, Inc. Ms. Pfeil manages the Planning Department and provides Planning services to several Delaware and Maryland Municipalities. These services include: Downtown Development District planning, Comprehensive Land Use planning, Zoning and Code Regulation updates, Code Enforcement assistance, Grant writing and administration, Private/Public Partnerships, Community Outreach and Education, Land Development Process and Review, Capital Improvement Plans, GIS Mapping, Municipal Administration assistance and Stormwater Master Planning. Ms. Pfeil proudly served in the United States Air Force prior to working for the Town of Georgetown, Delaware, for nine years. Debbie has been serving as a Planning Consultant for ten years and serves on the Delaware Chapter of the American Planning Association Executive Board as well as the Delaware Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies Executive Board. Ms. Pfeil is a member of the Lower Delaware-Maryland Building Officials and Delaware Building Officials Association.
4) Sarah Pragg. As a Policy Specialist II at the Institute for Public Administration, Sarah Pragg specializes in communications and marketing. She utilizes best practices for fostering public engagement with state and local government agencies. She received her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Geography (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, respectively) from Syracuse University, in Syracuse, N.Y. She also holds a certificate in Social Media Marketing Strategies. Sarah has served as an at-large council member for DAPA since Fall of 2014, during her time on council she developed DAPA's new website, set up online membership and event registration, and assisted with review and updates to DAPA's constitution.
5) Eli Turkel. Eli is a doctoral student at the University of Delaware’s graduate program in Urban Affairs and Public Policy and Public Administration Fellow at the Institute for Public Administration. Before his studies at UD, Eli worked in public service as a Legislative Assistant at the Delaware State Legislature and 2012 Campaign Coordinator for Congressman John Carney. Eli first joined ASPA in 2013. He has participated in regional conferences at the Northeast Conference on Public Administration and the ASPA Annual National Conference in Seattle. Eli has been nominated to participate in the Founders’ Fellowship for the 2017 ASPA Annual Conference in Atlanta. Eli regularly attends DAPA events including the Third Thursdays and Annual Awards Dinner.