Maggie Anderson (MPP ‘18) and Brian Williams, associate professor of public policy at Batten, met during the summer of 2020 when she reached out to him for assistance with the implementation of Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney’s Task Force on Reimagining Public Safety. Tensions were at a breaking point in the city following the murder of George Floyd. The mayor had entrusted Anderson with the creation of this initiative, with the goal of building reform and trust with the community. Williams believes the job was placed in the most capable of hands.    

“As a true public servant, Maggie is special and a great ambassador for her profession, for Batten and for UVA," says Williams, who nominated her for the prestigious National Public Service Award from the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA). Anderson was presented with the award on April 14 at the group’s annual conference, which was held in Minneapolis, MN.

“As someone who has worked with many local governments, Maggie certainly stands out,” says Williams. “She is a servant-leader who leads with her heart. She has eyes that see the humanity of all, engages in active listening with ears that hear the diverse concerns of her community, and the hands and feet that get the work done. As a humble and relatively quiet public servant, she speaks with her actions in a loud way that has caught my attention and the attention of others.”

Anderson says receiving this award was a shock given the list of people who have received it before her. “Being a younger woman in public service isn’t always easy, so it means a lot to be recognized for my contributions,” she adds.

Early Public Service Heroes

Growing up in rural Virginia on her family’s beef cattle farm, Anderson says she was inspired by her mom who was a public servant, working for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice for many years.  “I saw her work have a lasting impact. And at my core, I have always wanted to help people, and this started at a very young age.”

Anderson’s parents always encouraged her and her sister to be aware and informed about politics which was always part of family conversations. She highlights President Obama’s run for office in 2008 as a very impactful moment for her. As a high school student watching events unfold in the election, “a fire was lit.” As she went on to intern and work for Senator Mark Warner (VA) in Washington, DC, her career journey coalesced into public service.

Starting as a staff assistant in Warner’s office and later promoted to legislative correspondent working on various policy issues such as agriculture, environment, budget and appropriations, Anderson says she became more interested in economics and policy analysis, wanting to be able to find deeper policy solutions to current challenges. 

“I just had this deep desire to learn more,” recalls Anderson, who had several friends who attended Batten and loved it, so she began her research. She spoke with Professor Gerry Warburg, visited Grounds, and fell in love with the Batten School. “The leadership skills that I learned while at Batten - the unique approach Batten takes in balancing quantitative analysis with leadership development - really helped me grow into the position I am in so quickly.”

“Maggie was a top student at Batten and a natural leader,” says Warburg. “Her work as head graduate teaching assistant for the undergraduate ‘Public Policy Challenges of the 21st Century’ course had a positive impact on scores of students. Batten colleagues are delighted—but not surprised—to see the leadership roles she has played in public service since her time at Batten. The National Public Service Award is a fitting tribute to a wonderful public servant.”

Anderson highlights classes such as “Psychology of Leadership” and “Leadership in the Public Arena,” where students are challenged to think critically about issues from a leadership lens, as very helpful to her current role in leading policy development, implementation strategy, and communications for the mayor of a major city. She says her Batten MPP experience has helped her focus on the psychology behind decision-making, influencing change, making ideas stick and ultimately making things happen.

Dedicated to the Public Good

The National Public Service Award recognizes public servants whose “accomplishments are models of excellence for those dedicated to the public good. Recipients come from diverse backgrounds, but they share common attributes: They take risks to achieve positive and lasting change; make a profound difference to improve public services; achieve substantial savings in government operations; develop a cadre of government leaders; and contribute to the communities where they live. Numerous awards honor public servants, but only this one recognizes the contributions of public service practitioners across all sectors of government.”

Anderson manages the day-to-day of Stoney’s office and a team of nine professionals across various roles including communications, policy and administration. She continues to work on special policy initiatives for the mayor, culminating in the key part of her job which is ensuring his vision and goals for the city come to fruition.

She also works with all members of Stoney’s leadership team spanning economic development, to public safety, to operations, human services and budget development. As Anderson describes it: “You get to work on a bit of everything as the mayor’s chief of staff - no given day is the same and no issue is too small.”  

“I am immensely proud of Maggie for receiving the ASPA’s National Public Service Award,” says Stoney. “Public service isn’t easy. It takes grit, grace and empathy – all skills that Maggie has demonstrated throughout her time working for Richmond and as my chief of staff. I whole-heartedly believe she deserves this important recognition for going above and beyond the call of public service and for her work each and every day to help the residents of the great city of Richmond.”

When asked what her next steps might be, Anderson says she gets the question often with Stoney’s current term concluding at the end of this year; he has declared his candidacy for Virginia governor.

“I still have so much on my plate, so I will continue to keep my head down and serve the Richmond community.  We just rolled out the mayor’s last budget and there will be other ‘lasts,’ this year” says Anderson. “I believe in the work we’ve done in the city of Richmond. For example, we’ve reduced the poverty rate by 22% since Mayor Stoney took office, and recently Richmond was named the #1 place to live in Virginia according to Travel + Leisure. It means a lot to be part of that positive change. Richmond’s future is bright, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve this wonderful city.”