BYU professor Robert Christensen, a member of the Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics in the Marriott School of Business, has been named a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow. Christensen is one of 42 public administration leaders selected to the 2025 Class of Academy Fellows and is the only representative from Utah, and the first from BYU to be named to the list.
Being named a NAPA Fellow is a rare distinction and Christensen joins an elite company of prominent scholars, former cabinet officers, members of Congress, governors and executives. He and other newly named Fellows were honored at the Academy’s 2025 National Conference in Washington D.C. earlier this month.
“I’m grateful for this honor and for what it represents for our students and the Romney Institute,” Christensen said. “Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve guides everything we do, and this recognition highlights the commitment of our students and faculty to public service. My hope is that it creates even more opportunities for our graduates to contribute to institutions that, in turn, serve their communities.”
Christensen is the George W. Romney Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management. He has worked at BYU for the last 10 years, including as department chair and MPA director. His research on public and nonprofit employees and organizations has produced several books and over 75 articles in top journals. He has served as president of the Public Management Research Association and chair of the Academy of Management’s Public and Nonprofit Division.
“I am so pleased to welcome Robert Christensen to the Academy’s 2025 class of Fellows,” said James-Christian Blockwood, President & CEO of the Academy. “It is an incredibly important time to honor excellence in public service. Our Academy Fellows are nationally recognized and respected for their expertise and contributions to their country. Rob exemplifies everything we ask public servants to be.”
Selection of a Fellow involves a rigorous evaluation of an individual’s contributions to public administration and policy. The existing Fellows come from all around the world, providing a variety of perspectives to address challenges presented to the National Academy of Public Administration.
