IU Public Policy Institute
719 Indiana Avenue
Walker Plaza, Ste. 302
Indianapolis, IN
46202
Biography
David Swindell joined the O’Neill School in August 2025 as both a professor and as the sixth director of the IU Public Policy Institute.
Prior to joining O'Neill and PPI, David spent 12 years as director of the Center for Urban Innovation in Arizona State University’s School of Public Affairs where he developed public-private and public-nonprofit partnerships in pursuit of innovative solutions for local and state governments around the country. While there, he also received more than $20 million in grants and contracts to support research on issues including recruitment of veterans into local government management careers, state preemption of local governments, financing sports facilities, projecting school enrollments for state legislative planning, alternative police responses to non-emergent 911 calls, and more. Since 2018, he has been the principal investigator overseeing the AmeriCorps program Legacy Corps for Veterans and Military Families to provide respite care for caregivers.
David’s research focuses primarily on community and economic development—especially public financing for sports facilities—and how sports facilities contribute economically to urban areas. His most recent work on the role of Congress in the sports market came out in 2024’s Homefield Advantage: Congress and the Politics of Sports from Routledge. He also published in a range of public administration and policy outlets. He has testified to federal, state, and local legislative bodies on a range of issues related to community and economic development.
Education
- Ph.D., Public Policy, Indiana University
- B.A., Philosophy, University of Texas at Arlington
Professional Experience
- Director, Center for Urban Innovation, Arizona State University, 2013–25
- Associate Professor, School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University, 2013–25
- Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2003–13
- Director, Ph.D. in Public Policy Program, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2005–12
- Director, MPA Program, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2003–06
- Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Clemson University, 2001–03
- Director, MPA Program, Clemson University, 1999–2003
- Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, 1998–2001
Highlights
- Chair, Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management, American Society of Public Administration, 2024–26
- Project Design Team, working with practitioners, academics, and professional associations on building a national research agenda to aid local governments, 2022–26
- Principal Investigator, Legacy Corps for Veterans and Military Families, 2018–present
Selected Intellectual Contributions
- "Chapter 9: How to Fan the Flame for Public Service Through the MPA Capstone Experience,” Engaged Learning in the Public Service Classroom. Routledge (2025).
- "Homefield Advantage: Congress and the Politics of Sports," with E. Heberlig. Routledge (2024).
- “Veteran Status and Job Candidate Assessments in U.S. Local Governments,” with J. Stritch, U. Jensen, M. Allgood, and A. Fullerton. Review of Public Personnel Administration (2023).
- “Local Government 2030: Reshaping How We Advance Democracy,” with L. Rose, M. Caron, L. Henty, C. Owens, T. Ange, and J. Novak. PM Magazine (2023).
- "Policymaking During COVID-19: State Interventions and the Factors Influencing Policy Implementation Success,” with S. Choi and M. Allgood. Public Performance Management Review (2022).
- “State Preemption and the Ghost of Judge Dillon,” with J. Svara, and C. Stenberg. Cooperation and Conflict Between State and Local Government. Rowman and Littlefield (2021).
- “The Immediate Effects of Changes in Life Circumstances on Volunteering Decisions in the USA,” with W. No and H. Hyunrang. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations (2021).
- “A Closer Look at Recruiting and Hiring U.S. Military Veterans into Local Government Employment,” with J. Stritch and U. Jensen. PM Magazine (2021).
- “Experimenting with Public Engagement Platforms in Local Government,” with S. Cho, K. Mossberger, and J.D. Selby. Urban Affairs Review (2020).
- American Cities and the Politics of Party Conventions, with E. Heberlig and S. Leland. SUNY Press (2017).