Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Policy
Dr. Combs’ research focuses on the impacts of state and local finance throughout the P-20 education pipeline with particular interest in competition for financial resources and human capital among jurisdictions or institutions. Dr. Combs’ current research projects involve the composition of state support for higher education, college student migration, and the interaction between school finance equalization and various property tax mechanisms in rural and non-rural communities. Dr. Combs earned his Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Kentucky where he worked as a research analyst with the Kentucky Center for Statistics to explore the effects of the opioid epidemic on educational outcomes. Prior to graduate school, Dr. Combs worked as a nonprofit management consultant, organizing nationwide philanthropic efforts and designing award-winning educational curriculum for members, staff, and volunteers.
