
Amy Auton-Smith is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Service of NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. She is also a UK-qualified attorney and former Chief Legal Officer for a UK Government company. She is a long-time diversity champion and has been active in campaigning for global human rights, particularly for women and girls. Amy worked with the United Nations to design a gender-equal leadership selection process as part of the Secretary General's 50-50 by 2020 goals.
In her early career Amy was an attorney in private practice in London and Bristol and then moved in-house with municipal and central (federal) government departments and agencies in the UK. Amy has spoken at conferences and seminars on human rights, equality and organizational process design.
Amy received her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Southampton, UK, her Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Law, UK and her Master of Public Administration from NYU Wagner. She is admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
Together we will look at gender in the context of politics and leadership and consider how to take a practical stance in identifying both problems and solutions on the path to greater gender equality in those spheres.
We will consider key concepts and look at gender, power and leadership in organizations and in the political sphere, examining the extent to which difference is rewarded or not, looking at some of the factors affecting talent pipelines. We will study behaviors, stereotypes, structures and cultures that support or inhibit gender equality at the top of organizations and political hierarchies, including considering the implications when more than one social characteristic (such as race/ethnicity, class/socioeconomic background and disability) intersect with gender.
New for this semester, we'll look at leadership during the pandemic and explore the dynamics of gender interactions via case study exercises.
Together we will look at gender and intersecting identities in the context of building an inclusive approach to organizational and/or political leadership. We will focus upon how to leverage research findings as we take a practical stance on identifying both problems and solutions on the path to greater inclusion.
This highly practice-based course will circle a core theme of gender-inclusive leadership, considering key concepts driving leadership behaviors and perceptions, and examining the extent to which ‘difference’ is rewarded or not.
We will study behaviors, stereotypes, structures, power, and cultures that support or inhibit building inclusive teams, workplaces and political cultures , including considering the implications when more than one social characteristic or identity (such as race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+ status, class/socioeconomic background and disability) intersect with gender.
You will complete this course having reflected upon your personal priorities for inclusive leadership and having explored how to apply research findings in designing for effective action.
Commentators have noted that the use of AI technologies in government and nonprofits is lagging and part of the reason for this could be that many public service leaders do not feel equipped to make decisions on the use of these technologies. This course aims to equip current and future leaders with an understanding of how emerging (or AI type) technologies are created and how they work and to provide a foundation for thinking strategically and ethically about their use in a variety of settings. This is a non-technical class: no coding knowledge is required.
This course will look at practical applications of AI technologies, with a broad focus on public service and nonprofit use-cases. We will have a focus upon equipping public service leaders to take an informed and strategic stance when considering the use of these technologies in their organizations. Students will have the opportunity to undertake independent study on an area of interest to them. We will start with a look at key concepts and the fundamentals of how AI works. We will take a detailed look at some main types of AI, how they function and how they can be used to deliver organizational goals.
Then we will move on to look at the wider societal implications of AI and dive into ethics, bias, and the future of public service work in an increasingly AI-driven world. Finally, we will take a high-level look at some of the challenges facing policy-makers and start to investigate how emerging technologies are managed and regulated across the globe.
Commentators have noted that the use of AI technologies in government and nonprofits is lagging and part of the reason for this could be that many public service leaders do not feel equipped to make decisions on the use of these technologies. This course aims to equip current and future leaders with an understanding of how emerging (or AI type) technologies are created and how they work and to provide a foundation for thinking strategically and ethically about their use in a variety of settings. This is a non-technical class: no coding knowledge is required.
This course will look at practical applications of AI technologies, with a broad focus on public service and nonprofit use-cases. We will have a focus upon equipping public service leaders to take an informed and strategic stance when considering the use of these technologies in their organizations. Students will have the opportunity to undertake independent study on an area of interest to them. We will start with a look at key concepts and the fundamentals of how AI works. We will take a detailed look at some main types of AI, how they function and how they can be used to deliver organizational goals.
Then we will move on to look at the wider societal implications of AI and dive into ethics, bias, and the future of public service work in an increasingly AI-driven world. Finally, we will take a high-level look at some of the challenges facing policy-makers and start to investigate how emerging technologies are managed and regulated across the globe.
Effective development, planning, execution and communication of special projects are critical to all types of public service organizations. Service organization, health providers and other institutions constantly pursue new initiatives – offering new services, developing creative approaches to service delivery, beginning new program components, opening new facilities, introducing new technologies – to address the demands of their constantly changing environment. Non-profit and government organizations face similar pressures are also rely on special projects to address them. This course offers an introduction to the basic concepts and methods for directing projects and provides students with tools that prepare them for success as a project manager.
Together we will look at gender and intersecting identities in the context of building an inclusive approach to organizational and/or political leadership. We will focus upon how to leverage research findings as we take a practical stance on identifying both problems and solutions on the path to greater inclusion.
This highly practice-based course will circle a core theme of gender-inclusive leadership, considering key concepts driving leadership behaviors and perceptions, and examining the extent to which ‘difference’ is rewarded or not.
We will study behaviors, stereotypes, structures, power, and cultures that support or inhibit building inclusive teams, workplaces and political cultures , including considering the implications when more than one social characteristic or identity (such as race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+ status, class/socioeconomic background and disability) intersect with gender.
You will complete this course having reflected upon your personal priorities for inclusive leadership and having explored how to apply research findings in designing for effective action.
Effective development, planning, execution and communication of special projects are critical to all types of public service organizations. Service organization, health providers and other institutions constantly pursue new initiatives – offering new services, developing creative approaches to service delivery, beginning new program components, opening new facilities, introducing new technologies – to address the demands of their constantly changing environment. Non-profit and government organizations face similar pressures are also rely on special projects to address them. This course offers an introduction to the basic concepts and methods for directing projects and provides students with tools that prepare them for success as a project manager.
Together we will look at gender and intersecting identities in the context of building an inclusive approach to organizational and/or political leadership. We will focus upon how to leverage research findings as we take a practical stance on identifying both problems and solutions on the path to greater inclusion.
This highly practice-based course will circle a core theme of gender-inclusive leadership, considering key concepts driving leadership behaviors and perceptions, and examining the extent to which ‘difference’ is rewarded or not.
We will study behaviors, stereotypes, structures, power, and cultures that support or inhibit building inclusive teams, workplaces and political cultures , including considering the implications when more than one social characteristic or identity (such as race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+ status, class/socioeconomic background and disability) intersect with gender.
You will complete this course having reflected upon your personal priorities for inclusive leadership and having explored how to apply research findings in designing for effective action.
Together we will look at gender in the context of politics and leadership and consider how to take a practical stance in identifying both problems and solutions on the path to greater gender equality in those spheres.
We will consider key concepts and look at gender, power and leadership in organizations and in the political sphere, examining the extent to which difference is rewarded or not, looking at some of the factors affecting talent pipelines. We will study behaviors, stereotypes, structures and cultures that support or inhibit gender equality at the top of organizations and political hierarchies, including considering the implications when more than one social characteristic (such as race/ethnicity, class/socioeconomic background and disability) intersect with gender.
New for this semester, we'll look at leadership during the pandemic and explore the dynamics of gender interactions via case study exercises.
Together we will look at gender and intersecting identities in the context of building an inclusive approach to organizational and/or political leadership. We will focus upon how to leverage research findings as we take a practical stance on identifying both problems and solutions on the path to greater inclusion.
This highly practice-based course will circle a core theme of gender-inclusive leadership, considering key concepts driving leadership behaviors and perceptions, and examining the extent to which ‘difference’ is rewarded or not.
We will study behaviors, stereotypes, structures, power, and cultures that support or inhibit building inclusive teams, workplaces and political cultures , including considering the implications when more than one social characteristic or identity (such as race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+ status, class/socioeconomic background and disability) intersect with gender.
You will complete this course having reflected upon your personal priorities for inclusive leadership and having explored how to apply research findings in designing for effective action.
Effective development, planning, execution and communication of special projects are critical to all types of public service organizations. Service organization, health providers and other institutions constantly pursue new initiatives – offering new services, developing creative approaches to service delivery, beginning new program components, opening new facilities, introducing new technologies – to address the demands of their constantly changing environment. Nonprofit and government organizations face similar pressures are also rely on special projects to address them. This course offers an introduction to the basic concepts and methods for directing projects and provides students with tools that prepare them for success as a project manager.