Susan Gooden, Ph.D.

Wilder School Dean and Professor

EXPERTISE

• Social equity
• Program evaluation
• Research methods

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Political Science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University

M.A., Political Science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University

M.A., Political Science, Virginia Tech

B.A., English, Virginia Tech

A.A.S., Natural Science, Patrick Henry Community College

Teaching

Public policy and administration, social equity and public policy analysis, research methods, social welfare policy

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Gooden has conducted several research studies for MDRC, as well as for other national research organizations

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Susan T. Gooden, Ph.D., is dean and professor of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is an internationally recognized expert on social equity. Gooden is an elected fellow of the congressionally chartered National Academy of Public Administration and is past president of the American Society for Public Administration and past-president of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). Her books include Teaching Social Equity (Routledge); Racial Equity: COVID-19, and Public Policy: The Triple Pandemic (Routledge, 2023); Global Equity in Administration (2020, Routledge); Why Research Methods Matter (2018, Melvin and Leigh); Race and Social Equity: A Nervous Area of Government (2014, Routledge); and Cultural Competency for Public Administrators (2012, Routledge). Her research has been funded by several organizations, including the Russell Sage Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation, the Smith Richardson Foundation, MDRC, and the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.

Gooden has received several awards and honors including a Fulbright Specialist Award to Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; the VCU University Distinguished Faculty Service Award; the Best Academic Paper Award presented by the Northeast Conference on Public Administration; the Jewel Prestage Pioneer Award presented by the Conference of Minority Public Administrators; the Joan Fiss Bishop Leadership Award presented by the American Society for Public Administration; the Herbert Simon Best Book Award presented by the American Political Science Association; and the Philip J. Rutledge Award presented by the Standing Panel on Social Equity in Governance of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Gooden was appointed to the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation, the accrediting arm of the Network of Associated Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration and served previously as an elected member of the national policy council of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.  She was appointed to the Virginia Community College System board (2016-2020) by Governor Terence McAuliffe. Most recently she has been appointed by Governor Ralph Northam to the Virginia Retirement System Board (2020-2024). She also serves as a board member of MDRC, MDC, and The Virginia Home. Gooden earned an A.S. in Natural Science from Patrick Henry Community College, a B.A. in English from Virginia Tech, and an M.A. in Political Science from Virginia Tech. She received her doctorate from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.