National Academy of Public Administration President & CEO Terry Gerton Will Step Down from Role at End of 2024

Post Date: March 25, 2024

For Immediate Release

March 25, 2024

Contact: Matt Hampton mhampton@napawash.org

National Academy of Public Administration President & CEO Terry Gerton Will Step Down from Role at End of 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Academy of Public Administration announced today that Terry Gerton, President and CEO, will step down in December 2024. Gerton has served as the Academy’s President since January 2017; she is the longest-tenured President in the Academy’s history and only the second woman to hold the position full-time.

“Leading the Academy, home of so many accomplished public administrators who are passionate about effective government, has been a great honor,” said Gerton. “The Academy is a national treasure, doing important work to make sure every level of our government operates at its best. As our country faces increasing challenges in delivering government programs, it will be even more important. While I’m stepping down from leading the organization, I’m looking forward to being an active Fellow and I’m excited about the role a new leader can play in the Academy’s future.”

Under Gerton’s leadership, the Academy articulated the 12 Grand Challenges in Public Administration, creating a decade-long agenda that continues to elevate the field of public administration as central to solving the large and complex challenges facing our government. She also established the Agile Government Center and the Center for Intergovernmental Partnerships in support of the Grand Challenges agenda to expand and deepen the Academy’s integration into the public administration practitioner community.

She strengthened the Academy’s financial foundation, growing its annual revenue by more than 50% and net assets by nearly 300%, while also establishing an endowment to sustain the organization for the future.

Gerton tirelessly focused on internal improvements as well, modernizing the Academy’s infrastructure, business practices, and philanthropic capacity. She led the organization through the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic while leveraging the shift to remote work to fully engage geographically dispersed Fellows in the Academy’s work.

Her focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging transformed the Academy’s staff, diversified the Fellowship, and improved the Academy’s ability to address similar challenges in its client organizations.

“Terry’s commitment to the Academy has been extraordinary,” said Janet Weiss, chair of the Academy’s Board of Directors. “Her leadership has transformed the Academy, expanding its capacity to carry out its mission and enlarging its impact. We are deeply grateful for her service and are confident that her work will benefit the Academy for many years to come.”

The Academy has engaged Koya Partners to partner with the Search Committee of the Board to identify and recruit its new President & CEO. Koya Partners is an executive search firm with an exclusive focus on recruiting CEOs and other senior leaders to mission-driven roles. The Position Profile is expected to be finalized in early May 2024 and will be accessible on the Koya website as soon as it is available.

If you have questions, comments, or would like to express interest or provide recommendations, please reach out to the Koya team directly at napa_ceo@koyapartners.com. The Academy expects to have a new President & CEO in place by January 2025.

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About the National Academy of Public Administration:

The National Academy of Public Administration is an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization established in 1967 and chartered by Congress to assist government leaders in building more effective, efficient, accountable, and transparent organizations.