Dr. Franzel is the Managing Director of MissionSquare Research Institute, formerly the Center for State and Local Government Excellence at ICMA-RC (SLGE), having served in other positions with SLGE since 2007. In this role, he oversees all aspects of the Institutes’ research and outreach, stakeholder engagement, and operations. He also serves as research project director, subject matter and research methods expert, and principal investigator, while representing the Institute at practitioner and academic events and to the trade and mainstream media.

Previously he was director of policy research for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Prior to his time with SLGE and ICMA, he served as a Presidential Management Fellow with The International Trade Administration and The White House Office of Management and Budget, and worked for both the Delaware and Florida Legislatures.

His publications and research have focused on state and local government retirement plans, financial wellness, public workforce demographics, health care financing, public health, public finance, infrastructure, and government innovation. Franzel has taught graduate level courses on state and local government and urban policy at American University in Washington, DC. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration (& Policy) from American University.