From USC Price staff reports
Recently elected California State Treasurer John Chiang met with master of public administration students at the USC Price School of Public Policy in Sacramento on Feb. 6, sharing his expertise and experiences as a public leader.
The visit was part of the PPD 500: Intersectoral Leadership class, taught by Paul Danczyk.
“What an exciting opportunity to have Treasurer Chiang visit our master students,” noted Janet Denhardt, director of the USC Price School in Sacramento. “The treasurer’s insights on contemporary realities illustrate impacts and opportunities for public service leaders.”
Chiang, who served as the state controller from 2007 through 2014, spoke on a variety of topics, all in response to student inquiries. General themes included understanding organizational culture through staff lenses, taking a technical-leadership approach, creating open and accountable systems, and using cycles to help inform future decisions.
For the last few years, Danczyk has worked with Chiang and his office on the Asian Pacific State Employees Association’s “Navigating Leadership” series, which brings a comprehensive approach to public service leadership. Chiang is a regular keynote presenter at the biennial symposium. In November 2014, the program included core presentations from agency secretaries and state executives, with more than 250 mid-level and senior state employees in attendance.
The Intersectoral Leadership course is a core class across multiple USC Price masters degrees. It is taught in Sacramento in an intensive format, allowing students from Los Angeles and other locations to be active learners.
To learn more about opportunities at the USC State Capital Center, visit www.usc.edu/sacto.