Todd L. Ely is an associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver where he directs the Center for Local Government Research and Training. Driven by the desire to improve financial stewardship, his research and teaching focus on the financing of state and local public services, municipal debt, education finance and policy, and public and nonprofit financial management. He is the coauthor of “Essentials of Public Service,” an introductory public administration textbook. Ely received his PhD in public administration from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Prior to academia, Ely worked in management consulting and higher education administration.