Officers and Staff

The APPAM officers (ex officio voting), the APPAM Executive Director, and the Editor of JPAM (ex officio non-voting) comprise the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is also part of the Policy Council.

President

Kosali Simon
Indiana University
Serves through 2026

President-Elect

Cynthia Osborne
Vanderbilt University
Serves through 2026

Immediate Past President

Ingrid Gould Ellen
New York University
Serves through 2026

Vice Presidents

Sanya Carley
University of Pennsylvania
Serves through 2026

Johanna Lacoe
California Policy Lab/University of California, Berkeley
Serves through 2027

Treasurer

Lisa Gennetian

Duke University
Serves through 2026

Secretary

Jordan Matsudaira
American University
Serves through 2027

Chair, Committee of Institutional Representatives

Maria Fitzpatrick
Cornell University
Serves through 2027

JPAM Editor

Erdal Tekin
American University

Past Presidents

APPAM Staff

Executive Director

Tara Sheehan has served as the Association's Executive Director since 2010. In this role, she serves as the Chief Operating Officer and oversees all programs, services, and the strategic direction of APPAM. Her responsibilities include oversight of all meetings and conferences, including the annual Fall Research Conference, attended by more than 1,750 academics, practitioners, researchers, and students who present original research at 250-plus sessions each November. She also manages APPAM’s finances, website, publications, awards, member services, and all governance functions for the 2,000-member organization. During her tenure, APPAM underwent its first-ever strategic planning process, redesigned the website, established a social media presence, redesigned the logo, reduced the size of the governing board, increased the organization's budget by 20%, increased its membership, and made the organization more responsive to member needs.

Previously, Ms. Sheehan was the Director of Membership and Marketing at the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). Her responsibilities included managing the annual conference, creating website content, and managing a monthly magazine. Prior to RTDNA, Ms. Sheehan was the Membership and Marketing Director for the United Motorcoach Association (UMA), a trade association in Alexandria, VA. She has served in the number two staff position at both RTDNA and UMA and has a long history of association and non-profit management experience in the Washington, DC area.

Ms. Sheehan earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Politics from New York University. She received a Master of Public Policy degree, with a concentration in Transportation Policy, from George Mason University.

Deputy Executive Director

Samantha Oliver Thomason serves as the Deputy Executive Director for APPAM. In this role, she oversees all association events, membership, and administrative activities. She works closely with APPAM leadership to ensure that the organization remains at the forefront of innovation within the public policy field.

Samantha earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from East Carolina University and moved back to the DC area after graduation. She planned & executed over 300 events during her time as an event manager in Tysons, VA. These events ranged from large-scale galas to small-scale meetings and everything in-between.

Director of Programs and Conferences

Leslie Ofori joined APPAM in July 2017 and serves as the Director of Programs and Conferences. She is responsible for coordinating the logistics and providing support for all APPAM conferences and meetings. She helps ensure that all events achieve APPAM’s goals and objectives. She also oversees APPAM's Equity and Inclusion Fellowship Program. Previously, as part of APPAM’s partnership with the American Society of Health Economists (ASHEcon), she was responsible for coordinating ASHEcon’s Annual Conference, managing the awards submissions process, and coordinating membership and marketing efforts. She also served as the Managing Editor of the American Journal of Health Economics.

Prior to APPAM, Leslie worked as the Development Assistant at Jobs With Justice, where she provided administrative support to the Development office and participated in all institutional advancement activities, including donor and public relations, direct mail appeals, and special events coordination. Leslie moved to the District of Columbia after graduating from Loyola University in Maryland with a degree in communications. Prior to Jobs With Justice, she worked as a contractor with the Corporation for National and Community Service, the nation’s largest grantmaker, supporting grant application processing. She has also worked on campaigns to raise awareness of the impact of oil drilling in the Amazon, to help immigrants navigate the judicial system, and to address the high school dropout crisis. 

Communications Manager

Jackie Weisman joined APPAM in August 2025 as Communications Manager, where she develops the organization's overall communications strategy and leads content development. 

Previously, Jackie forged her career in association communications at the American Association for Public Opinion Research, the Maryland Association for Boards of Education, the BWI Business Partnership, and the Entrepreneurs' Organization. 

Jackie earned her Bachelor's in Communications with a focus in Event Management from Marymount University. 

Senior Manager, Membership Engagement and Partnerships

Michelle Avaroma joined APPAM in October 2022 as the Program and Conference Manager for the American Society of Health Economist (ASHEcon) before transitioning to her role supporting APPAM Membership Engagement and Partnerships.

Michelle previously worked as the Director of PeaceJam Mid-Atlantic, a regional affiliate of PeaceJam, an international education program that connects youth with Nobel Peace Prize winners. In her role, she was responsible for coordinating the annual conference featuring a Nobel Laureate. Prior to her role with PeaceJam, she served as the Communications Coordinator for the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, a statewide non-profit member organization supporting youth and families in crisis. Michelle earned her Bachelor’s in History & International Affairs and received a Master's in Public Administration, specializing in non-profit management, from Florida State University.