Faculty

RATNA OKHAI, PH.D.
Assistant Professor

Contact:
Email: okhair@usf.edu
Office: SOC 395

Links:
Curriculum Vitae
LinkedIn
X/Twitter

Specialty Areas:
Emergency Management
Local Government
Interorganizational Networks

Courses Taught:
PAD 3003: Introduction to Public & Community Service
PAD 6060: Public Organizational Theory & Leadership
PAD 6934: Emergency Management

Bio:
Ratna Okhai is Assistant Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of South Florida. She obtained her PhD in Public Affairs with a focus on Governance and Public Policy from the University of Central Florida. Her primary research expertise is on local government management issues, emergency management response, and interorganizational networks. Her work has been published in Natural Hazards, Public Administration Quarterly, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, and others, as well as in edited volumes of books. She has studied topics ranging from planned vs. implemented disaster response networks, public alert and warnings, hurricane preparedness perceptions, gender and leadership in public service, and smart and connected communities.

Dr. Okhai is a member of several academic and practitioner associations including the Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA), the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), and the Public Management Research Association (PMRA). She is a member of several committees for these professional organizations, and won the Raymond C. Sittig Academic Scholarship in 2021. She is also a 2023-2024 ASPA Founders Fellowship awardee.