Jeffrey Hallin, MPA 2005

Analyst, Department of Management and Budget, City of Hartford

After working in the private sector for five years as a manager of a technology company in California, Jeff Hallin made the decision to pursue a Master of Public Administration at the University of Connecticut. Jeff was looking to switch to a career in the public arena.

Since completing his degree in 2005, Jeff has been working as an analyst for the City of Hartford’s Department of Management and Budget.  The Department’s mission is to "Provide budget process leadership, research and analysis and consultation services to enable sound resource allocation decisions and help Departments operate more effectively and efficiently." On a day-to-day basis, Jeff works in collaboration with a number of city departments to fulfill this mission. He also conducts special projects as they arise.

Jeff participated in two internships during the MPA program that prepared him for his current position and fueled his interest in local government.  Jeff interned for Kathleen Eagen, the Town Manager of Farmington, CT.  During this internship, one of his many projects included compiling research and developing a process for how the city would fund donation requests from non-profit organizations. Jeff also worked for Barry Feldman, an adjunct faculty member of the MPA program, and Town Manager of West Hartford, CT. In this position, Jeff rotated to different departments, including Public Works, where he had the opportunity to work in the field with a number of crews to get an in-depth understanding of the many services local governments provide.

Now in Hartford, Jeff particularly enjoys working to continually provide better services to citizens.  He admits that providing the quality services citizens desire, at the low tax price citizens want, can be difficult. He said, “It is a constant challenge for our office. The City continually strives to provide better services that citizens want, while doing it more efficiently, and at a lower cost to the citizens. Doing it better for less is an enormous challenge and always will be.”