Jeffrey Padden
About
Jeffrey D. Padden, the founder of PPA, brings a rich and unique combination of legislative, administrative, and private-sector experience to public policy, positioning him to provide valuable strategic consultation and pragmatic advice to PPA’s clients.
He has assembled a talented team of researchers and supported their growth to build PPA into a nationally recognized leader in public policy research, development, and evaluation. Since founding PPA in 1991, he has led multiyear, multisite evaluations for clients such as the U.S. Department of Labor, the Ford Foundation, and the James Irvine Foundation. Mr. Padden has designed and led technical assistance and training programs for public agencies and nonprofits. At the state and national levels, he has guided clients in the development of new strategies, policies, and initiatives.
Mr. Padden has directed and conducted respected research in economic development, education and workforce development, criminal justice, health care, and philanthropy. He is considered a national expert in strategic planning, performance benchmarking, and evaluation, and has hosted and addressed numerous conferences, seminars, and workshops dealing with a wide range of public policy issues and innovations. Mr. Padden has also written many nationally recognized reports and publications.
Mr. Padden has more than 35 years of experience in the public policy arena, including 10 years as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, where he chaired the House Corrections Committee. In addition, he served as deputy director of the Michigan Department of Commerce and director of the Governor’s Human Investment Project. To each of those roles, he brought a strong focus on research and data-driven decision making.
Education
Master’s degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University.
Also notable
Mr. Padden served as president of the Michigan Association for Evaluation from 1999 to 2003.
