Maddy Institute interim director

Vera Guerrero Kennedy has been appointed to serve as the Interim Executive Director of the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at Fresno State .

Kennedy is a Fresno State graduate, receiving her master's degree in Public Administration in 1999. Since that time she has worked as the associate director of the Central California Center for Health & Human Services, Director of Research and Development for eWorldAg Corporation and most recently as Community Research, Evaluation, Grant Development and Training Consultant for Kennedy Consulting.

She replaces Jeanette Ishii, who resigned to accept a position with Fresno County .

The Maddy Institute was funded by a $1 million endowment from the California Legislature in 1999 and named to honor Senator Ken Maddy, a Fresno State graduate and respected public servant who represented the Valley in the California Legislature for nearly three decades. The Senator died in February 2000.

The institute's mission is to elevate citizen participation and government performance at all levels through leadership education for public service.

The search for a permanent Maddy Institute executive has begun.