Casey Harris-Pratt--Assistant State Budget Officer for NC

Casey Harris-Pratt

Can you tell us about your professional journey and current position?
I started my career in non-profit after receiving my MPA from App State in 2007 working for a small, regional non-profit located in central North Carolina that focused on small towns within Anson, Stanly, Richmond, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Davidson, and Rowan counties. I was drawn to the Small Town Area Revitalization Director opportunity with Central Park NC because it exposed me to small towns in North Carolina who had been negatively impacted by the loss of large scall manufacturing. The work of Central Park NC and its Small Town Area Revitalization program was to develop a strategy to create a new, more sustainable economy that sought to preserve the natural and cultural assets of central NC rooted in heritage, cultural tourism development and exploration through outdoor recreation. One of my projects included developing a strategic plan for the Town of Denton. My close work with small towns fueled my on-going passion to be a public servant; I joined the City of Greensboro as a Budget and Management Analyst in 2008 where I served as the analyst for public safety which included police, fire and the city/county joint emergency communications and managed a portfolio of over $450 million. Prior to accepting my new position with the State of North Carolina, I spent time working with the City of Durham as Business Manager for the Solid Waste Services department as well as the City of Raleigh’s Solid Waste Management department as Fiscal Supervisor. Both of these positions provided me exposure to the business that is refuse collection and the fiscal resources necessary to provide this service to communities. As of December 2020, I hold the position of Assistant State Budget Officer (ASBO) for the North Carolina Office of State and Budget Management (OSBM). OSBM serves as the primary fiscal advisor to the Governor and works with senior officials across the State to negotiate and identify evidence based recommendations to develop the Governor’s Recommended budget. In this executive leadership role, I oversee the Budget Execution section which provides oversight for all the areas of state government and works with all agencies and institutions on budget administration. A key responsibility of my role as ASBO is to ensure that consistency is applied across agencies as it relates to compliance with relevant laws and policies.

What contributed to your decision to pursue an MPA degree?
I discovered my interest in public service my freshman year in college at Elon University while taking a course in American government. From there, I was introduced to public administration and decided that I wanted to do work that had the potential to impact the communities that I lived, worked and played in. After completing my first internship as an undergrad with the Town of Wilkesboro (shoutout to App State alumni, Ken Noland) I started talking with my professors about what I should do post-graduation. The MPA program Appalachian State University was referenced and recommended to me multiple times and as they say, the rest is history.


How did the App State MPA program prepare you to work in government, nonprofit, or the private sector?
Through the App State MPA program I was exposed to meaningful education on fiscal and budget management, personnel management and local government management through traditional classroom work coupled with real world application from local government practitioners. The App State MPA network is amazing and through this network I had the opportunity intern with a MPA alum where I was able to see local government at work.


What advice would you give to individuals considering the App State MPA program?
I would advise anyone considering the App State MPA program to utilize the network that exist. There are so many alums working in local government across the state of North Carolina to learn from and lean on. I would also encourage individuals to think about the real world application of everything they are learning in the classroom and how they can use what they’re learning to become a better citizen and eventually, impact a community where they will one day live, work and play.


If hiring, what would you look for in new graduates of the App State MPA program?
I have the pleasure of having an App State MPA alumni on my staff now and it has brought my career full circle. As far as skillsets I would be looking for in a new graduate of the App State MPA program, I would be looking for someone who is able to think strategically and objectively; someone who is not intimidated to ask questions and challenge the status quo.