BA, Western Connecticut State University
MA, University of Massachusetts Amherst
PhD, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Melinda R. Tarsi-Goldfien is a 2018 winner of the Presidential Award for Distinguished Teaching, and specializes in the field of American politics, with research interests in public opinion, local government and public administration. Dr. Tarsi-Goldfien is also the Chair of the Master of Public Administration Program. Her work has appeared in Journalism Practice; Armed Forces and Society; Politics, Groups, and Identities; Social Science Quarterly; and the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics, among others. Her research has also been featured in the media on Salon.com, Bloomberg.com and the Washington Post鈥檚 blog, 鈥淭he Monkey Cage.鈥� Dr. Tarsi teaches courses on American politics and public administration. In addition to her academic work, she is also a member her town's finance committee, Past President of the Association of Town Finance Committees for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a member of the MA Municipal Association's Fiscal Policy Committee, and the co-editor of the MMA/ATFC Finance Committee Handbook.
Public administration, public finance, public opinion, local government, American politics