Personal Statement
Thank you for your interest in my site, my name is Jim Shannon. I have recently completed my MPA at San Francisco State University and currently work as a management analyst in the public works department for the City of San Bruno, CA. Utilizing the knowledge and skills I have developed in the MPA program along with my previous work experience (please see my resume), I hope to emark on a career in local government that will ultimately result in the posting of a city or county manager position.
Policy-making happens at all levels of government, but it is often up to the municipalities and counties to put those policies into action. With local government, in other words, the name of the game is implementation. Unfortunately, because the crafting of policy garners much of the media attention and students are more attracted to policy development rather than its execution, an inadequate amount of attention is paid to the capacities of organizations and their leaders on the business of implementing policy.
I have made it my goal, then, to use my time at SFSU to learn, not only about public administration as a framework of study, but also about how best to directly implement policies to get the job done to serve both elected officials and the public interest. Please browse this site to view my work experience and education that has been maximized to meet these goals.