2021 Annual Research Symposium Program

The theme of the 2021 Annual Research Symposium was responsive public service, exploring how public and non-profit agencies seek to identify the evolving needs and expectations of the communities they serve in a dynamic political, economic, and social environment. The evenr was held on March 18, 2021, 10:30 am – noon (Eastern).

Paper # 1
Title	Environmental nonprofits and institutional diversity: An analysis of diversity practices, demographics and implications for sustainability
Author	Taiwo Olanrewaju-Lasisi PhD Student, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
Author e-mail	togun001@odu.edu
Topic	The research analyzed the gender and racial composition and diversity practices of the board of directors and staff based on secondary data on GuideStar, one of the largest nonprofit databases in the world. The goal was to see how diverse their demographics are in terms of gender and race. This was achieved by looking through percentage data of racial and gender representation of the board of directors and staff and questions answered regarding their organizations’ diversity practices. The study gave conclusions and implications for coastal sustainability and public service based on findings.

Paper # 2
Title	How can we mitigate mass sheltering environments from the opioid and COVID-19 hazards?
Author	Michael A. Brown, PhD, CIP President/CEO, One World, One Way, Inc., Atlanta, GA   Denise C. De Varanez, MD
Author e-mail	oneworldonewayinc@gmail.com
Overview	Right now, there is no National framework or guidelines to address the growing problem inadequate mass sheltering facilities in the United States or its Territories.  More research is needed and more collaboration amongst some potential partners is needed during this critical time.  To resolve the issues of licit and or illicit use of class II drugs there is a need for specialists in pain management and pharmaceutical experts to join with public health and emergency managers to develop, design, and ensure the necessary safe and secure processes of a National Preparedness Mass Sheltering program and plan that helps to protect, prevent and mitigate against the “Ninja Hazards, e.g., opioid addiction, pandemics (COVID 19), and other medical comorbidities that threaten citizens’ health while in Mass Sheltering Environments.

Paper # 3
Title	The level of trust in U.S. governments : A comparative study in local, state, and federal governments
Author	Koffi Jean Narcisse Djaha MPA Student, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA
Author e-mail	koffdja@mail.regent.edu
Topic	The closer a government is to the people, the more trust that people have in it. Most Americans trust the local government more than they trust the state and the federal government because the local government provides the services that meet their immediate needs. This paper examines the different levels of trust that citizens have in the local, state, and federal governments in the United States of America.

Paper # 4
Title	Servant leadership and its effectiveness in promoting sustainable employee well being in a post-pandemic, virtual workplace
Author	Gary Roberts, PhD Professor/MPA Program Director, Robertson School of Government, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA
Author e-mail	garyrob@regent.edu
Overview	One of the greatest challenges of leadership and management is to promote sustainable organizational effectiveness while preserving employee well-being in a virtual environment. This presentation will describe the factors of servant leadership that promote employee well-being and success in the virtual workplace. Virtual employee well-being is a multi-dimensional construct, but for the purposes of this presentation, it is defined by the ability of the organization to achieve its mission while promoting the greater good and cultivating the welfare of employees over an extended period.