Romney Institute Brings Aboard Familiar Faces

PROVO, Utah – Sep 20, 2013 – The Romney Institute welcomes new faculty members Brad Owens, Ty Turley and Chris Silvia. All three have BYU ties, impressive academic credentials and an ardent desire to influence and improve on the Romney Institute’s culture.

“After a very competitive hiring process, we were fortunate to get three great faculty members,” says David Hart, the institute’s director. “Chris, Brad and Ty are extremely competent at both research and teaching—we were lucky to get them. They will add tremendous value to the MPA program and the Marriott School.”

Brad Owens

Brad Owens, a native of Salt Lake City, comes to the Romney Institute after teaching at the University of Buffalo. Owens graduated with a bachelor’s degree in human development from BYU and earned a master’s degree in public administration from the Romney Institute in 2004. Owens went on to earn a master’s degree and doctorate in organizational behavior from the University of Washington.

Although joining the Romney Institute as a faculty member has been a long-term goal for Owens, his life could have been very different if he had not attended an open house as an undergrad.

“I was interested in becoming a family counselor,” Owens says. “I came to an MPA open house in the Tanner Building and felt very impressed by public service.”

Owens initially started his MPA to prepare for a career in city administration but changed his mind after taking Lori Wadsworth’s organizational behavior course. Wadsworth and other faculty members mentored Owens in his decision to specialize in their field and helped prepare him for his doctorate program.

“I became fascinated with the human side of business and the issues of leadership,” Owens says. “I knew I needed to get a doctorate in organizational behavior and teach at a university.”

Owens and his wife, Cathy, have four children, ranging from age 7 years to 3 weeks. The Owens enjoy visiting the park, reading and performing music. Cathy, an accomplished violinist, started teaching her two daughters to play the violin when they were 3 years old.

For the upcoming school year, Owens will teach business ethics to undergraduate students and strategy courses to students in the executive MPA program.

“Coming back to BYU has always been a special goal and aspiration for me and my family,” he says. “I’m excited to join my new peers in completing our lofty and important mission. I am grateful and excited to be here.”

Ty Turley

Ty Turley, a native of Mesa, Ariz., is returning to Provo as a faculty member after receiving his doctorate at the University of Chicago. Turley graduated from BYU with bachelor’s degrees in economics and Russian. After his undergraduate work, Turley earned a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics and a doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago.

With his extensive experience, Turley will teach economics for managers and developmental policy at the Romney Institute.

“I wanted to work with students who will make a difference in the management of public and non-profit organizations,” Turley says. “These groups typically control enormous budgets and not enough is done to ensure funds are used effectively.”

When not teaching or researching in his field, Turley is a sports enthusiast and avid outdoorsman. He loves rooting for the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Blackhawks. Now that he’s back in Utah, he plans on following Real Salt Lake and BYU sports, specifically football and volleyball. In addition to watching sports, Turley particularly enjoys staying physically active. He enjoys playing volleyball, tennis, racquetball, soccer and softball and spending time outdoors.

Since Turley has traveled so much for work, he relishes spending as much time at home as possible. While home, Turley loves sculpting and taking the time to attend various international/art house films. Turley also enjoys making films about his research projects.

Aside from a desire to return to Utah for its beautiful scenery and numerous outlets for outdoor adventure, Turley is ecstatic to interact with the high-caliber faculty and students at the Romney Institute.

“I came here to help students consider the consequences of credible impact evaluation and sound economic reasoning in the way they design programs and policy,” Turley says. “I love BYU as an institution. I believe in its mission and am very grateful to be back,” he says.

Chris Silvia

After spending the last three years as an assistant professor of public administration at Kansas University, Chris Silvia is headed to the Romney Institute. The Maryland native’s unconventional path back to Provo included two stints in the military.

After graduating from Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy, Silvia earned a master’s degree in public health at the University of Utah before working as an industrial hygiene officer for the Navy. Silvia then returned to Utah to receive his MPA from the Romney Institute.

After Silvia’s experience at BYU, he served in the Air Force as a hospital administrator. Silvia then enrolled at Indiana University to work on a doctorate in public affairs. Once Silvia’s post-graduate work was complete, he set his sights on education, becoming a professor at Kansas University teaching MPA courses in quantitative methods and interagency collaboration.

“I love it here at BYU,” Silvia says. “The Romney Institute is a great program, and I have a strong connection to the school.”

Silvia will teach quantitative decision analysis for first-year MPA students and a quantitative statistics course for undergraduate supply chain management students.

Married with three children, ages 6, 9 and 11, Silvia most enjoys spending time with his family. Although the family loves playing with their dog, competing against each other in games, and enjoying the great outdoors, the Silvias real passion is cooking. 

“Eating is fun,” quips Silvia. “My 9-year-old daughter got her third cookbook for her past birthday. It’s not like it was for an Easy-Bake oven, either. She really knows what she’s doing!”

After moving several times in the past decade for work and school, Silvia and his wife, Necia, are anxious to settle down in Provo. Silvia is especially anxious to utilize the resources available at the Romney Institute to contribute to his field.

“I’m so impressed with the Romney Institute, BYU and what they stand for,” Silvia says. “I love the fact that I can research subjects that interest me, making it a perfect place for me professionally.”