The School of Public Affairs unveils new Academy for Local Elected Officials

The Academy for Local Elected Officials (ALEO) is a new program within the Institute for Innovative Governance at the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. Established this year by the School of Public Affairs at San Diego State University, ALEO provides resources to support leadership for local elected government officials.

ALEO will serve as a forum for officials to share their experiences and acquire knowledge and skills that can help them address San Diego’s most prominent issues efficiently and competently. 

"We will provide networking opportunities with elected officials, access to policy experts in the School of Public Affairs and across the university, and an opportunity to connect with regional leaders working to address the most pressing challenges that we face in San Diego,” said Dominika Bukalova, an assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs and a member of the ALEO coordinating team. 

The Conference for Newly-Elected Officials is one of the core aspects of ALEO’s mission..

Designed to foster connection and networking, the conference will consist of two, half-day modules. 

"We hope (newly elected officials) join us to build relationships, learn, and acquire the tools to support collaborative governance in the San Diego region,” Bukalova said. “Our mission is to provide local elected officials with an ongoing forum at the university, through both the conference and future workshops at the academy."

Module one of the conference, “Mastering Local Governance,” will focus on campaign politics versus governing, ethics in governing, and local government structure, as well as looking to the future of government in San Diego.

Module two, “Regional Agencies: Stakeholders and Key Issues,” will focus on intergovernmental relations, regional agencies, the influence and interaction of stakeholders in government, and strategies for success to meet the needs of a city.

The two-day conference will be held on Jan. 9 and Jan. 16, 2025, at SDSU in the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center.

The full ALEO coordinating team includes:

• Rod Colvin, Director of the School of Public Affairs
• Megan Welsh Carroll, Director of the Institute for Innovative Governance in the School of Public Affairs
• Dominika Bukalova, Assistant Professor, School of Public Affairs
• Darrell Pugh, Professor, School of Public Affairs
• Aimee Faucett, Advisory Board Member, School of Public Affairs
• Julie O’Connor-Quinn, Administrative Coordinator, School of Public Affairs
• David Richards, Director of Public Works for the city of El Cajon
• Madison Ruffin, Graduate student/assistant, School of Public Affairs

For more information and to register visit spa.sdsu.edu/research/aleo.