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Kevin D. Ward, PhD — Faculty ; Professor and Director, Public Affairs ; Department of Public Affairs and Nonprofit Leadership , College of Arts & Sciences ; Areas of Expertise: Public Policy | Public Affairs .
Professor
Kevin Ward is a Professor and Director of the Public Affairs program at Seattle University.
Biography
Expertise - Kevin Ward is Professor of Public Affairs at Seattle University, where he teaches and conducts research on public policy, nonprofit organizations, and civic engagement. His work focuses on the intersection of the public and nonprofit sectors, examining how nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and policymakers collaborate to address complex social challenges and create lasting public value.
Biography - Kevin’s commitment to public service began with two years of service in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), an experience that shaped his professional and academic interests. Following AmeriCorps, he worked with several nonprofit organizations in Colorado before pursuing graduate studies in public administration and public policy.
In addition to his academic work, Kevin has contributed to research projects supported by major grants through the RAND Corporation and the Urban Institute. He holds a Ph.D. and Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Illinois.
Education
- Ph.D., Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, 2011
- Master of Public Administration (MPA), University of Colorado Denver, 2006
- B.A. Economics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2002
Courses Taught
- Bachelor of Public Affairs (BPA) program courses: Policy Analysis and Senior Synthesis.
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) program courses: Policy Process and Capstone in Public Service.
"I teach courses that emphasize the process of defining problems, formulating or considering solutions, and making recommendations. In every class, I am energized by the issues that students choose to explore, and ultimately the solutions they propose. My students give me hope because I know they are working to address some of the most pressing issues facing our communities."
—Kevin D. Ward
Publications
- Ward, K.D., Grasse, N., & Lecy, J. (Forthcoming). Examining the Association between State Lobbying Regulations and Nonprofit Lobbying Expenditures. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.
- Ward, K. D., Mason, D. P., Park, G., & Fyall, R. (2023). Exploring Nonprofit Advocacy Research Methods and Design: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 52(5), 1210–1231. Exploring Nonprofit Advocacy Research Methods and Design: A Systematic Review of the Literature - Kevin D. Ward, Dyana P. Mason, Gowun Park, Rachel Fyall, 2023
- Ward, K. D., & Miller-Stevens, K. (2021). Public Service Motivation Among Nonprofit Board Members and the Influence of Primary Sector of Employment. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 50(2), 312–334. Public Service Motivation Among Nonprofit Board Members and the Influence of Primary Sector of Employment - Kevin D. Ward, Katrina Miller-Stevens, 2021
- Grasse, N., Ward, K. D. and Miller-Stevens, K. (2021). To Lobby or Not to Lobby? Examining the Determinants of Nonprofit Organizations Taking the IRS 501(h) Election. Policy Studies Journal, 49(1), 242-267. To Lobby or Not to Lobby? Examining the Determinants of Nonprofit Organizations Taking the IRS 501(h) Election
- Ward, K. D. (2019). Suited to Serve: The Antecedents and Perceptions of Public Service Motivation in National Service. International Public Management Journal, 22(1), 71-98. Suited to Serve: The Antecedents and Perceptions of Public Service Motivation in National Service
- Miller-Stevens, K. & Ward, K. D. (2019). Nonprofit Board Members’ Reasons to Join and Continue Serving on a Volunteer Board of Directors: Understanding Motives to Improve Organizational Effectiveness. Journal of Nonprofit and Public Sector Marketing,31(1), 61-83. Nonprofit Board Members’ Reasons to Join and Continue Serving on a Volunteer Board of Directors
- Ward, K. D., Varda, D. M., Epstein, D., & Lane, B. (2018). Institutional Factors and Processes in Interagency Collaboration: The Case of FEMA Corps. The American Review of Public Administration, 48(8), 852–871. Institutional Factors and Processes in Interagency Collaboration: The Case of FEMA Corps - Kevin D. Ward, Danielle M. Varda, Diana Epstein, Barbara Lane, 2018
- Ward, K. D., Epstein, D., Varda, D., & Lane, B. (2017). Measuring Performance in Interagency Collaboration: FEMA Corps. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy, 8(3), 172-200. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy | PSO Journal | Wiley Online Library
- Ward, K. D. (2014). Cultivating Public Service Motivation through National Service: A Longitudinal Study. Public Administration Review, 74(1), 114-125. <em>Public Administration Review</em> | ASPA Journal | Wiley Online Library
- Ward, K. D. (2014). Tapping the AmeriCorps Pipeline: Using Secondary Data to Test the Public Service Motivation Construct. Public Personnel Management 43(2), 240-258. Tapping the Americorps Pipeline: Using Secondary Data to Test the Public Service Motivation Construct - Kevin D. Ward, 2014
- Ward, K. D. (2014). Does Service Beget Service? Examining the Impact of Participation in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps on Disaster Relief Activity Later in Life. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy,4(2), 110-127. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy | PSO Journal | Wiley Online Library
- Miller-Stevens, K., Ward, K. D. & Neil, K. (2014). Motivated to Serve: A Public Service Motivation Perspective on Nonprofit Board Membership. Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership,4(2), 162-178.
- Davis, L.M., Pollard, M., Ward, K. D., Wilson, J., Varda, D., Hansell, L., Steinberg, P. (October 2010). “Long-Term Effects of Law Enforcement’s Post-9/11 Focus on Counterterrorism and Homeland Security.” RAND Corporation Monograph.
Publications and Media
Kevin’s research interests include nonprofit lobbying and advocacy, national service programs such as AmeriCorps, and motivations of public and nonprofit employees. His research has appeared in Public Administration Review, Policy Studies Journal, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, American Review of Public Administration, International Public Management Journal, and several other top public administration journals. His Google Scholar profile can be found here. His essays and op-eds on national service have appeared in the Seattle Times and Huffington Post.