Joe Zhao

Joe Zhao, Ph.D., is an Adjunct Professor at ASU and a distinguished expert in state and local government, with over 17 years of experience in performance management, process improvement, management consulting, strategic planning, and policy research. He co-founded one of the nation’s first city nudge teams—the Mesa Behavioral Insights Team (Mesa Nudge Team). Under his leadership, the team has expanded its membership from 14 to 25 professionals, representing every public service department in the city, including Police, Fire, and Parks. The team collaborates closely with the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) to drive cross-departmental projects using behavioral science and the E.A.S.T framework.

Dr. Zhao has shared his expertise at prominent national events, presenting at the Workshop on Behavioral  Economics: Exploring Applications and Research Methods of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in July 2022 and the conference on Behavioral Economics: Policy Applications and Practical Guidance for State and Local Initiatives of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in March 2024, and in the Conference of National League of Cities in 2026

In his role, Dr. Zhao developed the City’s first AI Policy and is leading the efforts to partner with start-ups and tech companies, including AI firms to pilot cutting-edge technologies across city operations and public services. Those pilots have advanced municipal innovation, improved service delivery, and supported local job growth. Dr. Zhao holds AI certifications from Penn, Duke, Vanderbilt, Michigan and Johns Hopkins. 

Dr. Zhao is a highly dedicated local government professional with over 17 years of experience in performance management, process improvement, management consulting, strategic planning, and policy research. He has held various key roles, including positions in the City Manager's Office of Mesa, AZ, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer of Richmond, VA, the Mayor’s Office of Kansas City, MO, and the State Deputy Comptroller’s Office for New York City, NY, among others.

Joe is a Certified Public Manager, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and a Balanced Scorecard Professional specializing in Strategic Planning. He served as the Vice-Chair of Valley Benchmark Communities from 2022 to 2024 and co-founded the International Network of Asian Public Administrators – Arizona (I-NAPA AZ), where he currently serves as President