Cody Haddad ’20: Putting the pieces together

Some careers follow a straight path. Others come together one piece at a time. For Cody Haddad ’20, each experience, connection, and opportunity added another piece to a puzzle that gradually revealed a clear picture of his future in public administration. Along the way, mentors, hands-on learning, and a willingness to explore new possibilities helped shape the career he continues to build today.

“I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do, but after a few political science and history classes and taking it over with my advisor, Shannon Jenkins, I started to think about a career in public administration,” Haddad said.

He explored the workings of municipal government through an internship with the town of Dartmouth. When UMass Dartmouth added a public administration degree, he became one of the first students to enroll in the new major, and more pieces began to fall into place.

With a strong academic foundation and experience, Haddad's career path began to take shape. Rather than gravitating toward a single area like finance, he discovered that what interested him most was how all the pieces of town government fit together to serve the community. “Being immersed in the actual job, plus the foundational education I was receiving helped me differentiate between political science and public administration,” he said. “I realized that public administration was the field I wanted to pursue.”

Haddad graduated in 2020 with a BS in public administration and a BA in political science and parlayed his internship into a role as an administrative analyst/acting energy manager in Dartmouth.

Mentors and experiences add pieces

Each new opportunity added another piece to the puzzle of his career, with mentors helping place many of the most important ones. One of those mentors was Jenkins, who connected him with an internship that opened the door to local government. There, and later in a full-time role, Haddad found another influential mentor in former town administrator Shawn MacInnes.

These mentorships helped shape his career. When the director of community and economic development position opened, MacInnes recruited Haddad for the role. He worked closely with the town administrator on finances, collective bargaining, economic development, and implementing new election regulations in 2020. As his responsibilities grew, so did his role, eventually leading to his appointment as assistant town administrator.

“The pieces of the puzzle fell into place for me, with a lot of hard work and determination,” he said. “But I wouldn’t be where I am today without the educational foundation from UMass Dartmouth, the internship experience, and my mentors.”

Making an impact locally

Last year, after serving as town administrator in Halifax, Mass., Haddad returned to Dartmouth where he now finds himself in the center of the puzzle as the town administrator with 26 different departments reporting to him, from the chief of police to IT to youth services.

“With Shawn’s mentorship and support, I was able to jump into it pretty quickly,” he said. “He gave me the tools to excel.”

Haddad finds motivation in knowing that he is making a difference for all who live, work, and visit the town of Dartmouth.

“I feel good about knowing that I am actually accomplishing things with my team and making a difference,” he said. “Local government has that effect. There isn’t a single person who lives in the Town of Dartmouth whose life we do not impact.”

Seeing the big picture

Haddad learned early on through his coursework and internship that the ability to approach work with a broad perspective was critical to seeing results. Today, that forward-thinking mindset is one of the reasons for his success as a town administrator. With responsibilities encompassing every aspect of town government, planning for the future is essential.

“My job is not to focus on any one single department or area. I have to look at that big picture of what's going on in town and consider long-term outcomes.”

Haddad encourages students to explore public administration as a career path for those who enjoy getting things done, making a difference, and a variety in their work.

His advice to students, regardless of their academic program: “Get out, meet people, be social. Those skills are important and you’re also building a support system and network that you can tap into your whole life.”

“I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do, but after a few political science and history classes and taking it over with my advisor, Shannon Jenkins, I started to think about a career in public administration,”