Congratulations to Celena Snoddy (Spring ’18) and Josh Houston (Fall ’18), both are Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) Finalists that recently graduated with their MPA from Public Administration and Policy, in the School of Public and International Affairs!

The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). It is a highly selective, prestigious training and development program. Each year, candidates apply to the program in efforts to be selected as Finalists. Finalists are then eligible for appointment as Presidential Management Fellows (Fellows; PMFs).

Celena Snoddy

Celena Snoddy is a recent May 2018 graduate from the MPA program. During her time as a student, she was a graduate assistant in the Office of Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives, working on recruitment efforts and supporting graduate students through special programs at the university. Specializing in public policy, she also had the opportunity to intern at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy in Lexington, KY working on higher education policy and criminal justice reform projects. Prior to joining UGA, Celena graduated with her BA in English from Claflin University in 2015 and worked at the nonprofit agency Hope Center for Children as an Administrative Assistant. She is currently working full-time as a Project Coordinator in the Business Services Office at Clark Atlanta University. She is responsible for coordinating Title III grant-funded renovation projects, overseeing the procurement process, and monitoring activity budgets. As a PMF Finalist, Celena is excited to continue her passion for public service and grow her leadership potential through a career in the federal government. She hopes to join a large federal agency to hone her skills in project management, policy, and finance as a Management and Program Analyst or Contract Specialist in the Washington, D.C. or Atlanta, GA area.

Josh Houston

Josh Houston is a Fall 2018 MPA graduate originally from Madison, Georgia.  He graduated from George Washington University in 2009 with a B.A. in International Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies. While an undergraduate, he studied abroad in Morocco and Egypt.

Following graduation, Josh commissioned as a U.S. Army officer and spent the following seven years serving on active duty.  He was stationed in Germany, Oklahoma, and Texas, and deployed to Afghanistan, Jordan, and Kuwait.  His last assignment was commander of a field artillery battery, where he was responsible for 187 soldiers.  He left the Army in December 2016 and moved to Athens in order to begin his MPA at UGA.

Josh concentrated in Public Budgeting & Finance in the MPA program. He participated in the Seoul Case Study course last summer, and previously served as a graduate assistant within the department. In September 2017, Josh began a full-time position with the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government’s Safety and Risk Administration.  He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the government’s property and liability insurance programs, assessing risk, and conducting statistical analysis.

Josh is pursuing opportunities within the PMF program while he continues his career with the local government in Athens. He is married to Lisa and they have (several) cats and dogs. They enjoy walking their dogs around Athens, cooking, and traveling.