SEI Staff
Jim Colvard Formerly associate director of applied physics lab, John Hopkins University (1988-1991); served as deputy director, Office of Personnel Management. Formerly deputy chief, Naval Material Command; technical director, Naval Surface Warf are Center. Awarded DOD Distinguished Civilian Service Award and the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive. B.A. degree in Physics, Berea College; D.P.A. degree, University of Southern California.
Sonny Culverhouse Adjunct Faculty, Cooper Center for Public Service, U.Va., and city manager emeritus, Lynchburg, Virginia. Has a 37-year public service career as city manager, deputy city manager, and director of personnel and management services. Recipient of the 1996 ICMA Distinguished Service Award and the 1989 ICMA Clarence E. Ridley Award for In-Service Training. Served as trustee, Ferrum College; president, Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity; charter member, Senior Executive Institute Advisory Committee. Sonny received his education at RPI (now Virginia Commonwealth University) and Old Dominion University. He's also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and the charter 1985 Senior Executive Institute. Noted for his natural abilities in counseling as well as his keen interest in the development of others, he's an Accredited Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
Tony Gardner, Leadership Development Faculty, Cooper Center for Public Service, U.Va, served as County Manager of Arlington County, VA for over 10 years. For the last decade he has been teaching and consulting with local governments on the implementation of the High-Performance Organizations (HPO) Diagnostic/Change Model. He also directed the initial phase of a USAID partnership program in Poland aimed at developing new and existing innovative local government practices. Arlington was a two time recipient of the John F. Kennedy School of Government "Innovations in American Government" award during his tenure. B.A. degree, Fordham University; M.A. degree, State University of New York-Albany.
Melanie is a learning resource developer and imagineer for the leadership programs, SEI and LEAD. She brings a creative flair and a whole new mind, heart and soul approach to the leadership experience. Mel has developed many inspirational and educational videos on a wide range of leadership themes. She incorporates poetry and music into the SEI and LEAD experience.
Mel is also very involved with VLGMA and provides staff support for this Association.
Molly Harlow the program coordinator for the SEI Programs. Coordinating VLGMA Conferences and serving as staff to VLGMA are also a large part of her job. Molly has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Virginia.
Tierra Howard is a program assistant for Leadership Development. She has been with the Weldon Cooper Center for four years. Tierra graduated from University of Virginia in May 2009 with a major in sociology and a minor in urban planning. She is currently attending graduate school at UVA for urban planning.
Felicia Logan is the Director of Professional Development at the International City/County Management Association located in Washington, DC. She also serves as ICMA Team Leader for the Southeast and as liaison to the Innovations Group. A member of the first class of women to be admitted to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Felicia received both her B.A. and M.A. from that institution. Recent accomplishments include her 2003 graduation from the Senior Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Va and the Innovation Group sponsored School for Leadership and Change. In 1990, she graduated from the Covey Leadership Institute in Sundance, Ut, and from the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Va in 1987.
Professor and director, Senior Executive Institute (SEI), Cooper Center for Public Service, U.Va. Foundation director, Virginia Institute of Government (1994-95.) Recipient of the International City/County Management Association's (ICMA) Sweeney Award for contributions to the professional development of local government managers. Elected in 1998 as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. Has ongoing consulting relationships with local government managers and councils. Co-developer (with John Pickering) of the high performance government model. Formerly president of Ricker College; vice president, Kent State University; and director and senior professor, Federal Executive Institute. Ed.D. degree, Indiana University.
John Nalbandian Professor, Department of Public Administration, University of Kansas. Consults and teaches in areas of human resources management. Recent publication on Professionalism in Local Government. Recognized as honorary member of ICMA. Elected to term on Lawrence, Kansas city commission and served as mayor. Ph.D. degree, University of Southern California.
Robert J. O'Neill Executive Director of International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Former President of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), a nonprofit organization chartered by Congress to improve the design and management of federal, state, and local governments. Former Fairfax County Executive between 1997 and 2000. In 1999 , he launched a series of initiatives focused on performance and results management, including a pay system with variable awards based on performance. Bob's "reinvention" of the government of Hampton, Virginia as city manager between 1984 and 1997 was widely recognized by organizations such as the National League of Cities and Public Technology, Inc. and by writers such as David Osborne and Ted Gaebler, authors of Reinventing Government. B.A. degree, Old Dominion University, MAPA degree, Syracuse University
John Pickering President of the Commonwealth Center for High-Performance Organizations, Inc., a management consulting firm located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Serves as management consultant to federal, state and local governments, nonprofit and private-sector organizations. Specializes in large-scale organizational change, development of high-performance executive leadership teams, organizational diagnosis and attitude surveys, and integration of the continuous learning and improvement philosophy into organizational work cultures. Co-developer (with Bob Matson) of the high performance government model. Formerly deputy director and a senior faculty member, Federal Executive Institute. Ph.D. degree, Florida State University.
Deborah has ongoing consulting relationships with local and state government managers and officials; specializes in executive leadership, management, organizational development, and facilitation; certified Myers Briggs trainer. Certified in emotional intelligence training. Staffed the Governor's Commission on Ethics, Governor's Commission on Efficiency in Government, and numerous other projects. Developer of the "Delivering on Democracy" concept for public administration. Consultant to the National Commission on State and Local Public Service. Former staff member, Brookings Institution. Phi Beta Kappa, Ph.D. degree, Maxwell School, Syracuse University.
Carmie is the program coordinator for the LEAD (Leading Educating and Developing) program. She also provides program support for the SEI programs and the two annual VLGMA (Virginia Local Government Management Association) conferences.
Tyler St. Clair Faculty member, Cooper Center for Public Service, U.Va. Primary focus is on implementing a governance model that will assist councils and boards in providing collective, visionary leadership. Specializes in helping localities align leadership at the elected and staff level. Provides on-site assistance for localities that desire to build a change mechanism in their organizations, including the implementation of visioning, leadership work, strategic planning, team building, and other performance strategies. An Associate of the Commonwealth Center for High Performance Organizations, focusing on facilitative consultation and local government applications of the High Performance Organization (HPO) model. Worked eight years in Lynchburg city government as an internal organization development consultant, working extensively with the elected body and staff at all levels of the organization. Certified in the MBTI and Technology of Participation; B.S. degree, James Madison University.
Zin White recently retired as the Human Resources Development Specialist for the City of Norfolk. During his fifteen years of service, Zin was a member of the organization development team working hands-on with Norfolk’s departments to realize the city’s vision of high performance and a revitalized work culture. His motto continues to be: “We can make a difference, and it begins with me.” Zin has been a key participant of the forum on Creating High Performance Government, which fosters peer networking among lead internal change agents within local governments. He is a graduate of the Management Excellence Program. Zin’s professional career has included public school teaching, 21 years of military service, sales, consulting, public speaking and counseling. He is a graduate of Florida A & M University and the Command and General Staff College.