PA Connections

PA Connections

Mentoring and Networking to Thrive in Public Administration

Interested in Mentorship, Networking, and Leadership?

Join us at PA Connections


PA Connections was formed by ASPA NCAC members interested in leveraging mentorship and networking to become more effective in our jobs and more adept at managing our careers.

Led by Co-chairs Billy Leiserson and Pamela Foster, PA Connections was formed in late 2017 by members interested in leveraging mentorship and networking to become more effective in our jobs and more adept at managing our careers. The group has held several planning and organizational meetings, which in addition served as focus groups to learn what members would like to get out of NCAC membership in general, and from PA Connections in particular. Participants expressed interest in more (and better) networking opportunities for knowledge transfer and mentoring, as well as more programming oriented toward professional development.

We are always looking for members who are interested in working together to maximize networking resources at our chapter. Contact us at aspancacmentoring@gmail.com.

A list of upcoming events can be found here. We hope to see you there!


PA Connections Is Having an Impact on Networking and Mentoring

PA Connections and NCAC leadership have been working to improve networking opportunities, both in quality and quantity.

  • Programming events are being designed with networking in mind, for example by holding round-table discussions or allowing for informal discussions with invited speakers following the speaking portion of the event.
  • PA Connections has launched the Networking Registry (Beta version) to help connect members seeking career and professional advice with members who are interested in sharing their knowledge and experience.
  • PA Connections is establishing Shared Resources, an online resource to supplement person-to-person knowledge transfer. The value proposition for this resource is that it will be curated and annotated by members of the PA community.

Networking Registry

The Registry contains basic biographical information about members looking to connect. The Beta version is open only to PA Connections members, but it is our intent to open the Registry to all members of the chapter once we are satisfied that we have ironed out the kinks. If you are interested in joining the Beta version, email the PA Connections Team at aspancacmentoring@gmail.com. If you are interested in joining, email the PA Connections Team at aspancacmentoring@gmail.com.


Shared Resources

The Shared Resources Platform is an online curated compendium of useful resources for professional development. The goals of Shared Resources are: (1) To create a hub of information utilized by professionals who are exploring their career options or looking for career guidance; and (2) To provide information on a number of careers and sectors, while also connecting professionals for the purposes of forming inter/intra sector relationships. If you are interested in participating in the Shared Resources effort, email the PA Connections Team at aspancacmentoring@gmail.com.


What is the PA Connections group?

We are public servants interested in leveraging mentorship to become more effective in our jobs and more adept at managing our careers.


What is the Goal of PA Connections?

We formed the group to bring together people interested in learning, teaching, and sharing about mentorship. The group will provide a forum for discussion on topic of mentorship: what is its purpose? why should I seek mentors or mentees? how do I find mentors or mentees? what are some best practices for managing a mentoring relationship? While mentorship provides the focus, the group will also engage around other important tools for managing careers, such as networking and professional development.


Who should join PA Connections?

Anyone interested in furthering their careers and becoming more effective through better mentorship and networking. Whether you are new to the public administration workspace, a mid-career professional, or a seasoned veteran, this group is for you!


What does the group do?

Host speakers, provide forums for discussion, serve as a resource exchange, and much more. We envision that the programming will be tailored to the interests and needs of the group, but check out these talks to get an idea of the kinds of topics we find interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87qjIZRkkio; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02EJ1IdC6tE; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po-QOVodPhU.


How do I learn more, and how do I join?

If you want more information or would like to join, please email Billy and Pamela at aspancacmentoring@gmail.com.