Margaret Hughes and Robert T. Golembiewski Professor of Public Administration
Professor of Public Administration and Policy
PhD Program Director, Department of Public Administration & Policy
Dr. Willoughby has spent the last 30 years teaching, conducting research, and consulting regarding public management, budgeting, and finance. She has internationally recognized expertise in the legal foundations, use, and effects of performance budgeting on U.S. state management, budgets, and finances. Her 2001 book, co-authored with Dr. Kurt Thurmaier (Northern Illinois University), examines the relationship between budgeting and policy development on the part of analysts employed in executive budget offices in 11 U.S. state governments in the South and Midwest. She served as grading team leader of budget and financial management for two iterations of the Government Performance Project, a national research effort funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts that examined management in the 50 American states. Her 2014 book, co-edited with Dr. Marilyn Rubin (Rutgers), assesses revenues, expenditures, and debt management in state governments. Her sole-authored 2014 book, Public Budgeting in Context, examines budgeting at every level of government in the United States, compared to such practices in six other countries worldwide. Her most recent book, Public Performance Budgeting: Principles and Practice, co-authored with Dr. Elaine Y. Lu (CUNY) studies the use of this budget reform by juvenile justice agencies in states with performance budgeting law. Dr. Willoughby has taught graduate courses in public management, budgeting and finance, financial management, and research methods, as well as undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in public budgeting and finance. Dr. Willoughby has an extensive background in consulting with and training of numerous management, budget, finance, and other government officials from around the globe regarding budgeting and management best practices. Dr. Willoughby is also a National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) fellow.