First State Insights

Two senior leaders from Harvey, Hanna & Associates—a full-service commercial and industrial real estate development company based in Newport, Delaware—speak with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration. Vice President of Marketing, Ryan Kennedy, and Vice President of Environmental and Governmental Affairs, Bill Lower, covered topics includin...

Sean O'Neill, Policy Scientist at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA) speaks to Dionna Sargent, Vice President of Community Development at Cinnaire, about affordable housing, community development, and the Black Lives Matter Movement. Dionna shares her personal and professional background as well as her experiences and perspectives from working in the world of af...

Mark Kennedy, Founder of SusuBean, speaks with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration, about his entrepreneurial journey. Stops covered along the way span from growing up the son of Caribbean immigrants in New York City and working in the financial services industry, to relocating to Delaware and building SusuBean—a fintech startup focusing...

Mark Rucci, Senior Fellow with the Recover Delaware initiative at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), speaks with Troy Mix, IPA Associate Director. Mark defines venture capital, outlines seven elements of successful startup ecosystems, and speaks to the role of physical space in nurturing regional innovation and entrepreneurship. This episode is part two of an i...

Mark Rucci, a University of Delaware Biden School alumnus with degrees in public policy and public administration, speaks with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), about his summer 2020 appointment as a Senior Fellow advising IPA's Recover Delaware initiative on inclusive economic development. Topics covered in this first of two ep...

Sean O'Neill, Policy Scientist at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA) speaks to Dr. Stephen Metraux, PhD, Director of the University of Delaware's Center for Community Research and Service (CCRS), Mimi Rayl, a Ph. D. student at CCRS, and Julia O'Hanlon, Policy Scientist at IPA, about housing insecurity and affordability in Delaware. Steve, Mimi and Julia provide...

Patrick Callahan, Founder and Managing Partner of CompassRed, speaks with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration, about the role of innovation and adaptation for Delaware's recovery from the economic and social impacts of COVID-19. Topics covered include adapting to the necessity of remote work, learning from career setbacks, and creating t...

Don Haldeman, an experienced Circle Keeper and professor of criminal justice, restorative justice, and sociology talks with Alex Southerst, a Graduate Research Assistant in the Conflict Resolution Program at the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration, about the applications of peacemaking circles in both educational and professional settings. The episode was recorded on May 1...

Veronica Vanterpool, Chief Innovation Officer of the Delaware Transit Corporation, speaks with Phil Barnes, a staff member at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration, about the need for and role of innovation in transit and the critical social justice role that investments in public transit play. This interview was recorded on June 18, 2020. To learn more about the Delawar...

Kim Gomes, Partner, ByrdGomes lobbying firm, talks with Julia O’Hanlon, Policy Scientist at the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration, about the evolving art of lobbying. The conversation covered changes in the way lobbying is conducted in Delaware; influences and contributions of contract lobbying to the public policy process; how the pandemic changed policy making during f...

Frank Ingraham, an experienced mediator for the Delaware Center for Justice and The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), talks with Danielle Metcalfe, a staff member in the Conflict Resolution Program at the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration, about the benefits of using mediation to resolve conflicts in our communities. The episode was recorded on May 4, 202...

John Collins, Co-Founder of the First State Fintech Lab and Partner with FS Vector, speaks with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), about definitions of fintech, economic opportunities for Delaware, and potential roles for financial services innovation in the response to and recovery from COVID-19. For more information on fintech...

Rachel Lindeman, Commercial Real Estate Relationship Manager at M&T Bank and co-chair of the ULI Delaware Council talks with Sean O'Neill, AICP, Policy Scientist at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration, about the Delaware commercial real estate market, the potential impact of the COVID-19 recession on the market, her involvement with the ULI Delaware Council and Delawar...

Joseph Kane, Senior Research Associate and Associate Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, speaks with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), about his research on the nation's infrastructure workforce and IPA's ongoing study of workforce development needs and opportunities associated with infrastructure...

Jeffrey Zygler, Partner with Dermody Properties, speaks with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), about the basics of warehouses and distribution centers; current and emerging trends in the logistics sector; and Dermody's development of a new Amazon fulfillment center on the site of GM's former Boxwood Road plant in Delaware. This...

Richard Hernandez, Vice President of Transportation and Warehousing at Perdue Farms, speaks with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), about his role at Perdue Farms, the unique supply chain challenges associated with getting Perdue’s products to market, and how he and his colleagues have been weathering the challenges of COVID-19....

Dot Foods' Marc Snyder, Director of Transportation, and Brian Sylvester, Transportation Manager, speak with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), about Dot Foods' new Delaware facility, including the current status of operations and short- and long-term plans for growth. This episode is a special #FreightFriday edition of First Stat...

Leann Moore, a staff member at the Conflict Resolution Program (CRP), speaks with Dabney Brice, a new alumna of the Biden School's Master of Public Administration program and IPA graduate public administration fellow, about how to have conversations with difficult people. View CRP's "Nine Difficult Personalities" handout for additional tips for communicating with each type: https://www.bidenschool...

Brett Saddler, Executive Director of the Claymont Renaissance Development Corporation (CRDC), speaks with Phil Barnes, a staff member at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration, about the past, present, and future of Claymont, Delaware. This interview was recorded on May 11, 2020. CRDC is a nonprofit organization promoting strategies for Claymont's economic development and...

Garry Johnson, founder and director of First Founder’s Accelerator, speaks with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), about his background and motivations for starting the Accelerator, the current status of and future plans for the program, and the climate for entrepreneurship in Delaware. First Founder's Accelerator is Delaware’s f...

Susan Getman, Executive Director, Mid-County Senior Center, talks with Julia O’Hanlon, Policy Scientist at the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration, about the importance of social connections for older Delawareans, particularly during COVID-19. The episode was recorded on May 1, 2020. For more information about the Institute for Public administration visit www.bidenschool.u...

Lindsay Naylor, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences within the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and co-owner and co-founder of Musings Fermentation Underground, talks with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), about the state of craft beverage production, challenges...

Connie Holland, AICP, Director of the Office of State Planning Coordination (OSPC), and David Edgell, AICP, Principal Planner, OSPC, talk with Sean O'Neill, AICP, Policy Scientist, at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration, about the history and mission of the OSPC in Delaware and their recent update to the Delaware Strategies for State Policies and Spending. This intervi...

Delaware Prosperity Partnership representatives, Kurt Foreman, President and CEO, Charles Madden, Director of Talent Acquisition, and John Taylor, Director of Economic Research, talk with Troy Mix, Associate Director at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration, about economic development in Delaware, with a focus on the response to and recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Thi...

Christina Stauffer, Assistant Director for Student Engagement and Assessment at the University of Delaware and Alanna Mozeik, Policy Lead and Technical Advisor at the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services talk with Sean O’Neill, Policy Scientist at the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration, about the Census 2020 Complete Count effort in Delaware and at the Univer...