Executive Director
Phone: 206-856-2646
Email: julia.carboni@wsu.edu
Julia Carboni, MPA, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Ruckelshaus Center, a joint effort of Washington State University and the University of Washington that helps people develop collaborative, durable, and effective solutions to complex public policy challenges. She leads statewide initiatives that improve policy outcomes, strengthen civic health, and increase the capacity for constructive engagement. A National Academy of Public Administration fellow, Dr. Carboni is also a full professor at Washington State University and a distinguished scholar at the University of Washington. Her prior roles include faculty positions at Syracuse University and Indiana University.
Dr. Carboni serves, or has served, on the boards of international, national, and local organizations. These organizations include the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), the University Network for Collaborative Governance, the Food Bank of Central New York, and the Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance. She also co-founded the Indy Food Council, a food policy council for the 15th-largest city in the United States. In addition to board service, she has extensive volunteer experience with organizations like United Way, Girl Scouts of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the League of Women Voters, and the Southwest Center for Economic Integrity. She mentors scholars and community leaders on how to navigate academia, community engagement, and work-life balance.