Rev. Dr. Thomas Lynch

Board Member

Dr. Lynch is Professor Emeritus, Louisiana State University (LSU), and presenting teaching for Hawaii Pacific University in its Masters in Public Administration program.

He began his teaching career at the Maxwell School, Syracuse University and has also taught full time at Mississippi State University, Florida International University, and Florida Atlantic University.

He received his MPA and PhD at the Rockefeller College, Albany University and his BA from the University of Idaho. In the 1960s and 1970s he worked in the New York State’s budget office and at the national level for about five years primarily in budgeting at the Maritime Administration and the Urban Mass Transportation Administration. In 1968 -1969, he was a Public Administration Fellow in the federal government.

He has been very active in the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and served as its national president in 1992/93. He has written or edited about 20 book of which Public Budgeting in America is most notable which is in its 6th edition and has been a leading textbook the that field for 40 years.

He has also written about 100 referred articles and book chapters. His most recent textbook was written with Rev. Dr. Cynthia E. Lynch and is titled Ethics and Professionalism in the Public Sector (2019).

Since arriving in Hawaii in 2014, he has served the nonprofit community. He is currently serving on the Board of TIAH and was its past Treasurer. He also served two years as Treasurer of First Lap, which is dedicated to helping former male prisoners adjust to normal life.

Currently he is chair of the O’hana Interfaith of Hawaii, which conducts interfaith events during the month of February in celebration of the United Nations call for Interfaith Harmony. Finally, he is the Treasurer of the Hawaii Chapter of ASPA, which encourages professionalism in the public service.