Area of Expertise

Public- and private-sector labor management relations; conflict management and alternative-dispute resolution; productivity and employee satisfaction

Additional Information

Robert Tobias, Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at SPA’s Department of Public Administration and Policy, and is the Director of the Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation. The Institute brings together members of Congress, political appointees, career federal executives, union leaders, consultants, and academics to address complex public policy implementation issues. Tobias teaches courses in public sector leadership in the Key Executive Leadership Programs at AU’s SPA, and facilitation and team development, conflict management and alternative dispute resolution, and managing labor management relations. He was nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate as a member of the Internal Service Oversight Board in 2002 and continues to serve in the position. In 2002, Tobias, collaborating with the Partnership for Public Service, launched the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government survey, the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government survey. Tobias is a recipient of numerous awards including the Paul P. Van Riper Award from the American Society for Public Administration “In recognition of his outstanding contributions to both the theory and practice of public administration” and the Warner Stockberger Award from the International Public Management Association for Human Resources for “outstanding contributions in the field of public sector personnel management at the federal level.” He has been elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. In 2004, Tobias was selected by Thomas Ridge, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security, and Kay Coles James, Director, Office of Personnel Management to the Human Resource Management System Senior Review Advisory Committee. In 2001, Comptroller General David Walker appointed Tobias to the congressionally created Commercial Activities Panel. Tobias is a frequent contributor to Federal Times, Government Employees Relations Report, and Government Executive magazine on current federal sector public policy implementation issues.