Since ELGL is not a big fan of icebreakers and since we would rather not know what animal you want to be, this blog feature will serve as a means of introducing new members. While you won’t learn about their favorite animal, you will learn about their ideal Sunday morning, which dead people would they FaceTime with, and which song best describes their life.
Name: Geoffrey S. Wullschlager 
Email: [email protected]
Current Position: Financial Aid Administrator, PSU Office of Student Financial Aid and Budget Analyst, PSU Center for Public Service
Education: Hatfield School of Government (Portland State University), M.P.A. (in progress), Public Policy & Local Government Administration; Twin Oaks Flight School, Private Pilot / Instrument Pilot, Flight; and University of Oregon B.S., Environmental Science
Experience: Legislative Committee Chair, OASFAA; Staffing Manager, Robert Half International; and Litigation support specialist, Sidley Austin
LinkedIn: Profile
Q&A
Tell us about three projects that you are working on.
I am currently involved in a budget and data analysis of emergency services delivery. As municipal revenues become stagnant or are in decline for many local government units, service delivery can be adversely affected. The goal of the proposal is to investigate alternative instruments and program delivery designs as a cost saving and efficiency measure.
I am also working on a project that puts the concept of local food systems, markets, and urban agricultural at the focal point of policy design. The concept is to not only to view access to nutrition as a means of increasing public health outcomes, but as a conveyance to larger public issues such as socioeconomic and cultural divisions.
In my current role outside of scholarship, I am a principal agent in an evolving program to bridge financial and access gaps between community college and university education.
(Complete the sentence) Before I die I want to…
know that my life’s work has been meaningful and has made a measurable impact.
Describe the inside of your car:
That’s a really good question. I take TriMet every day so I really don’t know what it looks like currently. I haven’t been in there for a while; maybe it’s time to check.
Your mentors:
There have been many throughout my life, but as a collective I would assign the most credit to several educators that have deeply impacted my life. They have all been instrumental in developing my perspective that a career without service at its core would never allow me to fulfill my potential.
Most recent concert:
My Morning Jacket
If you could only visit five websites for the next year, which ones would you choose?
This is a bit tough but I think I can round it out: CQ Roll Call, Oregon State Legislature, Flipboard as it aggregates a lot of the news sources I follow, Lumosity, and Netflix (hey we all need our guilty pleasures).
Proudest career/school accomplishment:
Being asked by a member of the Oregon Congressional delegation to consult and participate in the markup of a proposed bill. It was one of those validating moments when you realize your contributions have been noticed and appreciated.
What song best describes your life?
“In My Life”: The Beatles
If you could FaceTime or Skype with three people either dead or alive, who would they be?
Thomas Jefferson
Clarence Darrow
Joan of Arc
Suggest two or three topics for the ELGL annual conference.
Rethinking emergency services delivery models
Interagency collaboration
Demographic shifts between urban cores and suburban municipalities
Favorite thing to do on a Sunday morning:
Catch up on periodicals and newspapers
Government is…..
necessary and the means to delivering the tenants of democracy.
ELGL is….
an organizational opportunity for those interested, and those involved, to bridge the gap in securing the continued success and development of local government.
What’s the meaning of life?
Obviously a subjective question; of which there are many opinions.
What question(s) should I have asked you?
Well I am sure that the list is endless, but you might consider asking new recruits to describe their level of exposure to, or experience with local government to date. Or additionally, why they’ve chosen this career path.
Previous Profiles
- Dylan Digby, City of West Linn Public Improvement Specialist
- Joshua Allen, Program Manager at Umatilla Basin Watershed Council
- Jeremy James, Cosgrave Vergeer Kester, Attorney
- Michael Rizzitiello, Beaverton Economic Development Coordinator
- Pavel Gubanikhin, Eugene Senior Budget Analyst
- Aaron Bogle, City of Beaverton, Neighborhood Program Project Specialist
- Scott Pingel, Dayton City Manager
- Rob Caballero, Willamette University MBA
- Melanie Cutler, Oregon Department of Revenue
- Stephanie Tripp, Oregon Health Authority, Public Affairs
- Andrew Spaeth, Oregon State Master of Public Policy
- Carlos Soriano, Business & Employment Specialist at State of Oregon
- Ellen Currier, Lane Council of Governments
- Eric Battles, University of Southern California
- Michelle Tagmyer, City of Beaverton Public Information
- Evan Fransted, University of Colorado-Denver School of Public Affairs
- Ben Patinkin, Patinkin Research Strategies
- Emma Williams, Oregon Metro
- Nick Herrera, State of Oregon
- Lauren Stott, Village of Montgomery, IL
- Beth Otto, City of Lake Oswego and PSU MURP Student
- Bradley Olin, California State University, Office of the Chancellor
- Adam Hackman, Drake University MPA Student
- Tamara Richards, City of Eugene
- Scott Aycock, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council
- Dan Blue, City of Gresham
- Michael Parkhurst, City of Gresham
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