VOLCKER ALLIANCE 2024 ANNUAL REPORT
“There can be no greater satisfaction than dealing first-hand with the most important issues of our time, with no other purpose than serving the public interest.”
— Paul A. Volcker
Founded by former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul A. Volcker in 2013, the Volcker Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing his vision of an empowered public sector workforce. We promote innovation in public service education, empower leaders to build the democracy of our future, connect talent to city, state, and federal government jobs, and inspire others with the story of Mr. Volcker’s commitment to public service.
STATEMENT FROM OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Not so long ago, common values buttressed our national discourse and fortified our democratic institutions: public service, integrity, civility, accountability, and compromise. Paul Volcker embodied those values. Today, we find ourselves in a far different place.
Though a healthy skepticism about government is part of the American political character, democracy is threatened when that skepticism becomes corrosive cynicism about the ability of government to meet our shared challenges. The pervasive denigration of our nation’s public servants not only trivializes the contributions of millions of hard-working citizens—real people, with real families, who go to work every day to serve all Americans—but is a stark manifestation of how much trust in our government has eroded and of a growing neglect of values our nation once revered.
The Volcker Alliance upholds integrity, service, civility, and inclusivity in our public discourse and governance. Our work aims to instill these timeless values in the next generation of government leaders, empowering them to leverage their passions and skills to strengthen government service delivery. We must always honor our nation’s public servants and lift their vital role in keeping our nation healthy, prosperous, and safe.
Bill Bradley, Chairman
Thomas W. Ross, Vice Chairman
Sara Mogulescu, President
Anthony J. Dowd, Treasurer
Sheila C. Bair
Thomas M. Davis
T. Eloise Foster
Anthony Foxx
Shirley Clarke Franklin
Francis Fukuyama
Candice C. Jones
Karol V. Mason
Stephanie A. Miner
Norman J. Ornstein
Jennifer Pahlka
William Rhodes
James P. Volcker
Antonio Weiss
What Does Public Service Mean to You?
We asked our partners to reflect on what public service means to them. Here are some of their incisive and timeless responses.
“Public service means a career that focuses on improving the community around me. Public servants should be engaged in protecting the rights and interests of people in the world around them as well.”
Doug Goodman, School of Public Administration, University of Central Florida
“Public service offers the opportunity for a livelihood committed to something bigger than oneself. For me, this has meant a commitment to increasing access to higher education, ensuring that universities are doing work that serves the public and communities, and preparing students to do impactful work in service of others.”
Carissa Slotterback, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh
“Public servants work tirelessly behind the scenes not seeking or requiring attribution or recognition; tackle head-on societal complexities and human tragedies without hesitation; have skills mastered through experience and training; and sacrifice time that could be spent on themselves or with family to achieve a public good or undertake public service. They understand the power of sacrifice and the importance of engaging with humility and empathy.”
Angela Evans, former deputy director of the Congressional Research Service and dean emerita, University of Texas, Austin
“Public service is about leadership driven by empathy, accountability, and a commitment to building a more inclusive, responsive world. It’s about creating a better future for everyone.”
Yudidt Nonthe Sanchez, NextGen Service student
“Public service means giving back to others. The act of coming together as a community to push forward during times of uncertainty helps define what public service looks like to me.”
Efren Trejo Pantaleon, NextGen Service student
“Being a part of the solution.”
Brian Whittaker, Humans of Public Service
“Public service is ‘We the People’ in action. ‘We the People’ includes everyone. Public service is the manifestation of ‘We the People’ proudly forming the most perfect union possible through our policies, institutions, and individual actions in order to enable the common good.”
Susan T. Gooden, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University
“Public servants are the cornerstone of a thriving democracy, as they are central to executing the will of the people. Public service is the rent we pay for living in a free and fair country.”
Christopher Koliba, School of Public Affairs and Administration, University of Kansas
“No matter the job, public servants strive to make a difference for others. Public servants put others above themselves. Public servants understand that good government is the bedrock of a democratic society.”
Stacey Swearingen White, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, University of Illinois Chicago
“Public service is the unselfish concern for the welfare of society and others. Public service is democracy.”
David C. Wilson, Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley
“Public service is a calling that transcends backgrounds and reflects a commitment to a better society. The beauty of public service is that it includes any activity or work that benefits society as a whole.”
Patria de Lancer Julnes, School of Public Administration, University of New Mexico
“Public service embodies the ability to lead and make a positive difference.”
Ethan Fragoso, NextGen Service student
“Public service is a commitment to creating a better, more just world. Through acts of service, we send ripples of hope that inspire others to join us in our shared struggle for freedom, equality, and justice.”
Garima KC, The Volcker Alliance
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years on this planet, it’s that the happiest and most fulfilled people are those who devoted themselves to something bigger and more profound than merely their own self-interest.”
John Glenn, late senator and astronaut, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University
“Public service is an invitation and commitment to serve my community and recognize our shared humanity.”
Brian Yslava Molina, NextGen Service student
“Public service is about serving the American people. When I worked at the US Office of Personnel Management, we helped the next generation of public servants find challenging and meaningful jobs in government, provided millions of federal employees and their families with access to good health insurance, ensured millions of federal retirees had access to their hard-earned retirement benefits, and so much more.”
Margot Conrad, former deputy chief of staff for the US Office of Personnel Management
Our Initiatives
Public service anchors our efforts at the Volcker Alliance. Our work aims to instill the values articulated by our partners in the next generation of government leaders, empowering them to leverage their passions and skills to strengthen government service delivery and drive change.
The Constructive Dialogue Curriculum Initiative supports fourteen schools of public service that are implementing innovative curricula to prepare the next generation of public service leaders to bridge ideological divides and work collaboratively across differences.
The Deans Summit was founded out of a belief that broadening the reach and impact of public service education requires ingenuity and collaboration. Through the Deans Summit, over seventy deans and directors of the nation’s schools of public service shed competitive posture in favor of collective action to propel innovation among schools and the field of public service education writ large.
Future Leaders of Schools of Public Service is a mentorship program designed to create more inclusive leadership in schools of public service. Participants in the initiative—BIPOC faculty members who are interested in exploring academic leadership—engage in programming, have access to networking opportunities, and learn from the experiences of an impressive roster of dean mentors.
Next Generation Service Corps (NextGen Service) programs introduce undergraduates from all majors to public service values and build practical, collaborative leadership skills. Approximately 1,200 students from a variety of academic disciplines are enrolled in NextGen Service programs across the country. The programs are positively changing young people’s attitudes toward government and building a more representative bench of public sector talent.
Tech to Gov connects technology professionals to mission-critical jobs in the public sector through virtual job fairs and networking events. As a core member of the Tech to Gov coalition, the Volcker Alliance has connected over 6,000 job seekers to federal and state government employers.
The Paul A. Volcker Government Internship Award opens the door to careers in public service for students looking to gain vital skills to better serve their communities and nation. The award provides funding to undergraduate students participating in internships with local, state, or federal government.
The Paul A. Volcker Public Integrity Award, supported by Ray and Barbara Dalio, pays tribute to an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions to exemplary conduct in public service, leading the way for accomplishing significant programs or projects benefiting the general public.
Service to Service, a partnership between the Volcker Alliance and We the Veterans, helps schools of public service connect veterans and military family members with public service education pathways and propel them into stable and impactful careers in public leadership upon graduation.
Special Briefing is a series of webinars and podcasts, hosted in partnership with the Penn Institute for Urban Research and Planning, bringing government leaders together with prominent researchers, economists, and investors to reflect on today’s most critical public finance issues.
Transformers in the Public Sector drives the implementation of skillsbased talent practices in the public sector. Through this collaboration with Opportunity@Work, state governments are filling critical hiring needs and expanding opportunities for more Americans to serve.
STAFF
Sara Mogulescu
Melissa Austin
Hamelin Batista Camilo
Veryl Clark
Maya Corrin
Graham Dowd
Will Fabian
Idalis Foster
Randi Gamble
William Glasgall
Garima KC
Yesenia Martinez
Maggie Mello
Peter Morrissey
Kate Nicoletti
Chandler Nutall
Claudia Tjong
Anna Wallman
Noah Winn-Ritzenberg
