Alumni Interview: David Bruce

 Alumni Interview with David Bruce

Risk Manager for Great Parks of Hamilton County

Please discuss your current employment position.

At this time, I am the Risk Manager for the Great Parks of Hamilton County, and this means I have a job that involves me being in a park every day.  In this role, I manage all the insurance and safety programs for the 21 parks and preserves we protect.  Insurance and safety is not all that fun to talk about, but I do get to visit all the parks and participate in our activities.  Some exciting things that I have done include controlled burns where we light prairies on fire to create healthier ecosystems, visit other park systems across the country, and test new fitness programs before they become public.  

What has been your biggest inspiration in your career?

The biggest inspiration in my career has been my desire to protect people and nature, and being a risk manager is one of the few ways to do both. It is rewarding to work in a park system that does such a great job of connecting people to nature and keep them safe as well. 

How has your time in the MPA program contributed to your career? 

My time in the MPA program has put me in a position to manage projects that a normal risk manager would not be considered to lead.  My capstone project involved the creation, implementation and evaluation of a parking program that generated $5,000.00 in direct revenue, and nearly $50k of indirect revenue.  This was money that was used to support our conservation, recreation and education programs. 

Why did you choose the MPA program at NKU?

 There are a few MPA alum at Great Parks, and the program was highly recommended.  Real recommendations mean a lot to me, and it was very reassuring to have so many people I respected recommend this program.  I also liked the idea of attending in person classes where I could network with other professionals in the public and non-profit sector.  After meeting with some of the faculty I knew NKU was the best place for my MPA.

What advice do you have for current or future MPA students?

The best advice I could give is not to be a wallflower, and to build a network!  Many of my classmates were already accomplished and well respected in their career fields, they were great sources of real world experience.   If you allow it, the MPA program will give you both useful skills and a solid network in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region.