Dr. James Agbodzakey Honored for Leadership Among Public Administrators

Dr. James Korku Agbodzakey, Director of the UNT Dallas SERCH Institute at UNT Dallas and a professor of Public Leadership, recently received an extraordinary honor from the Conference of Minority Public Administrators (COMPA). 

Dr. Agbodzakey was recognized with the 2024 Public Service Award at COMPA's national conference in New Orleans. The accolade represents his work in the Dallas community and his contributions to public administration and service worldwide.

COMPA describes the Public Service Award as its highest honor, awarded to an academic or practitioner in recognition of an exemplary public service career. It is presented to an academic or practitioner with a history of mentoring and supporting students and young professionals. The award is named after the founder of COMPA, Dr. Gwendolyn A. Williams Bullock-Smith.

Dr. Agbodzakey has taught in areas such as General Public Administration, Public Policy, Organizational Studies, Budgeting and Finance and Nonprofit Management. 

His research covers areas such as healthcare/HIV and AIDS, public policy, public administration/bureaucracy, collaborative governance, nonprofit management, succession planning, public procurement, crime mapping and forecasting, oil/gas sector governance, education reform, housing, and sustainable development. 

Dr. Agbodzakey's public management and health services research, using the collaborative governance framework, has helped shape policies and strategies to promote the health and general well-being of target populations at the local and regional levels across the U.S. 

He studied at the University of Ghana, Ohio University and Florida Atlantic University. His professional association membership and service cut across local, state, regional, national and international levels.

UNT Dallas is proud of Dr. Agbodzakey's achievements and his recognition in receiving this award.