Addressing Governance Challenges: Effective Public Management and Social Sector Leadership in Latin America

Crown Family School faculty member Alan Zarchtya, PhD ushers in new conference

Crown Family School Faculty member Alan Zarchyta, PhD, co-organized the inaugural Latin American Conference on Subnational Governance (LACSUG), providing an essential platform for 41 scholars from across Latin America, Europe, and the United States to discuss key issues in public administration, policy and development at the regional, state, and local government level.  

Held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, at the University of the Andes Caribbean Campus LACSUG focused on providing a platform for discussing critical issues and laying the groundwork for future collaboration and innovation in governance across Latin America. The conference featured eight panels, with 33 research papers presented by scholars on topics such as decentralization, corruption, fiscal policy, and street-level bureaucracy.  

A key aim of LACSUG was to explore the social sector and public administration in Latin America. As a co-organizer, Professor Zarychta developed a conference schedule exploring the collaborative thought leadership and research work on several components of public administration and local government including, policy implementation, fiscal policy and public finance, and administration capacity and performance, supported by the Crown Family School, The Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Development, and the Provost’s Global Faculty Award. 

While examining a mix of current issues in public administration across the Latin American region, conference participants offered insights into pressing challenges and solutions for improving public management at the subnational level. The conference also included contributions from prominent keynote speakers: Alberto Martinez M., Cartagena’s Secretary of Education, and Darío Indalecio Restrepo, Director of Colombia’s Mission on Decentralization. 

Through his work with LACSUG, Professor Zarychta has demonstrated the Crown Family School’s commitment to addressing global challenges in social development and social sector leadership. Future LACSUG plans include producing special journal issues on subnational governance, establishing an ongoing network of scholars, and organizing biannual conferences, with the next one scheduled for 2026 in Mexico City. The biannual conference will continue the effort to connect scholars and advance research on effective public management in Latin America, while strengthening collaborations between academics, policymakers, and practitioners both within the region and internationally.