Tanya Heikkila, PhD, a seasoned expert in public policy and a respected professor at the CU Denver School of Public Affairs, has been appointed a 2025 fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), a distinguished honor that recognizes her extensive contributions to the field.
With a 24-year career focused on public policy, Heikkila’s commitment to lifelong learning and impactful practices has paved the way for this achievement, joining a membership that consists of lawmakers, scholars, and notable leaders from various sectors.
Founded in 1967, NAPA is a nonprofit organization that provides vital resources and thought leadership in public administration, addressing issues pertinent to government entities at all levels.
Heikkila, who currently oversees the Master of Public Policy program at CU Denver, emphasizes the importance of fostering engagement and knowledge transfer in applied settings.
“It’s not just about our individual knowledge; it’s about creating specialty areas so that, when requests arise, there is a pool of experts ready to assist,” she explained.
Her research primarily explores policy processes and environmental governance, focusing on collaborative management of natural resources such as water and energy.
Additionally, Heikkila’s work addresses conflict mitigation among stakeholders and enhancing learning processes to improve policy outcomes.
“Environmental issues often span multiple jurisdictions,” Heikkila noted. “For instance, the allocation of water or the protection of endangered species entails collaboration among various parties.
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Heikkila’s journey into public policy began in her childhood in western Oregon, where she experienced firsthand the essential nature of land management through her family’s fishing background.
“I learned about healthy salmon habitats and the necessity of coordinated efforts by landowners, farmers, and water managers,” she shared.
She pursued her passion further by majoring in international studies at the University of Oregon, where she developed a keen interest in transboundary issues such as water management.
Her dedication to environmental matters led her to obtain both a master of public administration and a PhD in management from the University of Arizona.
Following her academic achievements, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Indiana University’s Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis, collaborating with Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom.
Before joining CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs in 2009, Heikkila served on the faculty at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
With her recent NAPA fellowship appointment, she joins the ranks of Distinguished Professor Mary E. Guy and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Christine Martell as the third faculty member from the CU Denver School of Public Affairs to achieve this status.
The selection process for NAPA fellowship includes a nomination, interview, and approval by existing members, all of which assess an individual’s significant contributions to public administration and policy.
Heikkila’s extensive career in the field has prepared her well for this honor, and she anticipates engaging in various opportunities within NAPA, such as contributing to panels and critical reports.
“This will be a valuable learning experience for me,” she said.
“I hope to bring innovative ideas into the classroom as a result of this involvement.”
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