History
The History of CPPH:
Dr. Deric Kenne, Professor in the College of Public Health at 5XÉçÇø, currently serves as the Center’s director. Dr. Kenne assumed the role of Center Director in 2023, following nearly 20 years of success under the direction of Dr. John Hoornbeek. Located in the College of Public Health at 5XÉçÇø, the Center benefits from the support of KSU faculty, staff, students, and affiliates (see Faculty and Staff and Affiliates). Utilizing these resources and external partners, the Center engages in research independently and through collaborations with other academic institutions and community organizations locally, nationally and internationally.
The Center was originally situated in Kent State’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship and later transitioned to the College of Arts and Sciences’ Political Science Department. It was founded in the late 1970s by Dr. James Tinnin as the Center for Public Administration and Public Policy (CPAPP). Originally, CPAPP’s focus was to provide continuing education, technical assistance, and research targeted towards local governments in Ohio. CPAPP’s primary emphasis in those days was on providing quality continuing education opportunities for local government officials. For a number of decades, Dr. Tinnin and his staff provided numerous training programs for elected and appointed officials at the local level, including training programs for Municipal Clerks, Mayor’s Court Clerks, and new Elected Officials. During this time, CPAPP developed a reputation as a quality source of education and assistance among local government leaders across Northeast Ohio and the state.
Dr. Tinnin retired in 2004 and was succeeded by the Center’s current director, Dr. Hoornbeek. Under Dr. Hoornbeek’s leadership, CPAPP continued some of the training work it performed historically, but a greater emphasis was placed on public policy research and technical assistance efforts. During this time, CPAPP began building a reputation as a source of knowledge and assistance on issues related to intergovernmental collaboration and water-related environmental policy. Major projects completed by CPAPP from 2006-2011 include (all of CPAPP’s publications and reports from this time period are available in the publications library).
In 2012, the Center transitioned from the Political Science Department to the College of Public Health. As a part of this transition, the Center was renamed the Center for Public Policy and Health (CPPH). Despite its new position within the university and the name change, the Center continued to focus on its core functions of public policy research and technical assistance.
The Center continues to be a source of assistance and knowledge for public, nonprofit, and private sector organizations in Northeast Ohio and beyond.