Kathe Newman

 expertise: urban politics, community development, community building

KATHE NEWMAN, Lecturer at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy completed her doctorate at the Graduate School and University Center at the City University of New York in 2001. Dr. Newman's research interests include urban politics, community development and the intersection of race, ethnicity, gender, and class. She has worked extensively in the community development field, most recently focusing on the public role of faith based institutions.

Working with the Rutgers Community Outreach Partnership Center (RCOPC), she conducts research and provides technical assistance to community organizations in the West Side Park neighborhood in Newark's Central Ward. Specific projects include working with community organizations to develop a revitalization plan for their Olmsted designed park, conducting a feasibility study for a community health center, developing a neighborhood technology network, and increasing access to data for neighborhood planning using interactive GIS.

While Dr. Newman completed her doctorate, she worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Howard Samuels State Management and Policy Center at the City University of New York. Dr. Newman coordinated two major studies. The first examined the role of community participation in the implementation of the Federal Urban Empowerment Zone program. The second explored the relationship of community development corporations to the development of social capital in neighborhoods in Atlanta. Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Dr. Newman is co-author of an article on the Federal Urban Empowerment Zone program, which appeared in Urban Affairs Review as well as numerous other reports that examined community participation in the implementation of the Federal urban Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community Program and the relationship of community development corporations to their neighborhoods.

knewman@rci.rutgers.edu