An interview with Christina Ingle (Butler County)
Name: Christina Ingle
Title: Management Analyst
Employer: Butler County
Graduation Year: December 2016
What advice do you have for current MPA students looking to pursue a career in local/county government?
As someone who was starting
their career while beginning the MPA program, I recommend branching out as much
as possible to see what type of position is the best fit for you. I started in
the nonprofit sector and could not have seen myself doing anything else until I
was chosen for a local government internship that I had applied for just to get
academic credit. Join as many professional organizations as you can to network
and to give yourself opportunities. I did a fellowship in the Chicago area
through the International City Management Association (ICMA), which
significantly boosted my career in local government and expanded my network
significantly. It is difficult to secure a job in local government when you are
just starting out, so be willing to put yourself out there to meet more people
in the field who can help you.
How
has your time in the MPA program contributed to your career?
I initially decided to pursue
an MPA because my career goal was to become a director of a nonprofit in
Guatemala that I had visited during an internship there. While completing an
internship with the City of Cincinnati my first semester in the program, I
realized that I actually belonged in local government. Taking some local
government classes in the program and doing a few more internships in townships
and cities proved to me that my new career path was the right fit for me. The
professors and guest speakers that I met through the program proved to be
valuable resources for me not only as mentors, but as connections when I began
job searching. I moved away for a local government position after graduating
from the program, and when I decided to move back to Cincinnati, the network I
formed through NKU helped me to more easily secure a job.
As
a Management Analyst in local government, what is a typical day (or week) in
this position?
As in most local government
positions, every day for me brings a new set of duties, challenges, and
opportunities. On a typical day, I work on multiple long-term research and
analysis projects to assist our County Commissioners in making policy decisions
for the County. I am currently working on establishing a Financial Trends
Monitoring System to annually evaluate the County’s financial health, which
will help us to gauge where we are and how we can improve certain indicators.
Strategic Planning is also a significant part of my position. I also have a lot
of opportunities to interact with other County departments to collect data,
gather input, and coordinate meetings to work
on any complications that arise.
Why
did you choose the MPA program at NKU?
NKU’s MPA program was simply
the best fit for me. Not only was it close to home, but the program’s staff
were very welcoming and helpful from start to finish. I did not even consider
getting my MPA from any other university.
