Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Policy
Dr. Combs’ research looks at the impacts of state and local finance policy on the distribution of educational resources across school districts and regions. Some of his current research projects involve the role of property assessment quality in education finance inequality, the redistribution of local option sales tax for educational expenditures, and the budgetary response of colleges to state subsidies. Dr. Combs is a first-generation college student who earned his Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Kentucky. Prior to graduate school, Dr. Combs worked as a nonprofit management consultant, organizing nationwide philanthropic efforts and designing educational curricula for members, staff, and volunteers.
