Dr. Julia Carboni

Julia L. Carboni, Ph.D., is an award-winning scholar and leader dedicated to fostering inclusive communities and advancing democracy. She is the Director of the William D. Ruckelshaus Center, a Professor at Washington State University, and a Distinguished Scholar at the University of Washington. With a Ph.D. in Management from the University of Arizona, Dr. Carboni has held faculty roles at Syracuse and Indiana Universities, where she advanced collaborative governance and civic engagement initiatives.
At the Ruckelshaus Center, she leads efforts to strengthen policymaking in Washington State, including the Project for Civic Health, a partnership to reduce polarization and enhance civic collaboration. She co-designed the Washington Collaborative Elected Leaders Institute, training over 300 elected officials in collaborative leadership.
Dr. Carboni’s research on governance and public management is widely published and funded by organizations such as the Gates Foundation and IBM Center for the Business of Government. A contributor to professional and community organizations, including ARNOVA, she has also co-founded initiatives like the Indy Food Council. Her work reflects a commitment to advancing democracy through research, leadership, and civic engagement.