ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

Profesora de Economía y Coordinadora de la Maestría en Política Publica,
Universidad Iberoamericana
Mexico City

Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City July 2016 – present
Tenure Professor of Economics.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate students within the Economics Department of the Jesuit University of
Mexico City. Manage and direct the Masters in Public Policy program by organizing public events, employ
professors, manage students and plan curriculum. Draft and publish academic articles. Represent MPP in news
media, TV, radio and newspaper reporting. Seek international accreditation and exchanges for students. SNI 2
• Principle Investigator, 3-year project ($20K US or $420,000 pesos) Strengthening the State’s Regulatory
Framework to control Mexico’s Subnational Debt/ El Control del Endeudamiento y la Debilidad Institucional
de los Municipios Mexicanos

Mexican Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM), Mexico City April 2015 – June 2016
Public Policy Lecturer.

George Mason University, Arlington, Virginia Sept. 2014–May 2015
Affiliated Researcher and Adjunct Faculty.

Mexican Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM), Mexico City August 2012 – Sept. 2014
Visiting Scholar.

Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE), Mexico City Sept. 2010 –June 2011
Fulbright Garcia Robles Fellow.

Florida International University, Miami, Florida Sept. 2007- Sept. 2009
Teaching and Research Assistant.

University of Wisconsin Madison, Political Science Dept, Madison Wis. Sept. 1997- Sept. 1999
Research Assistant.

Publications

BOOK PROJECTS

THE PATH OF PUBLIC DEBT: Strengthening the State’s Regulatory Framework to control Mexico’s
Subnational Debt (EL CAMINO DE LA DEDUA PUBLICA: El Control del Endeudamiento y la Debilidad
Institucional de los Municipios Mexicanos.) Palgrave Macmillan press series on Governance,
Development, and Social Inclusion in Latin America. Forthcoming.

Políticas Públicas Incluyentes en Mexico II / Inclusive Public Policy in Mexico II, edited with Irving
Rosales co-published Mexico City: Universidad Iberamericana and Instituto Belisario Dominguez,
expected 2018

PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS

English

“A Rational Partisan Explanation for Irrational Governmental Debt Decisions: Evidence from
Municipal Mexico,” with Allyson Benton, Journal of Latin American Politics and Society
(Revise and Resubmit).

“Administrative Structure, Financial Sustainability, and Local Capital Markets: A Comparison
Between Mexico, South Korea, China and US” with Sanghee Park and Liguang Liu, Journal of
International Public Administration (Revise and Resubmit).

“The Impact of Parties and Elections on Municipal Debt Policy in Mexico,” with Allyson Benton,
Governance. Vol. 30, No. 4, October 2017 (pp. 621 – 639).

“US Sub-National Governmental Response to the “Great Recession”: Implications for the Equitable
Distribution of the Costs and Benefits of Public Services,” with Blue Wooldridge,
International Review of Administrative Sciences Vol. 83, No. 3. September 2017 (pp. 425–
442). Translated into French “La réponse des gouvernements infranationaux américains à
la crise économique mondiale de 2008: implications pour la «répartition équitable des coûts
et des,” Revue Internationale des Sciences Administratives 83 (3), 433-452.

“The Role of Inter-Regional Governance and Administrative Capacity in Subnational Debt
Dynamics.” With Allyson Benton, Public Budget and Finance Vol. 37, No. 2, Summer 2017
(pp.58 – 82).

“Micro-Incentives and Municipal Behavior: Political Decentralization and Fiscal Federalism in
Argentina and Mexico.” with Keith Revell. World Development 77, 2016 (pp. 231–248).

“What Encourages Cities to Become Sustainable? Measuring the Effectiveness of Implementing
Local Adaptation Policies” with Edgar Ramírez de la Cruz, Journal of International Public
Administration, Vol 39, No. 10, March 2016 (pp. 718-728).

“State Building and Taxation in Latin America.” Latin American Research Review 49(3), 2014 (pp
256-262).

“Explaining Borrowing Patterns of Mexican Cities: The Case of the State of Guanajuato.” Economic
Alternatives, Issue 2, 2013 (pp 75-87).

“Cities as New Institutional Conduits for Diplomacy.” Public Administration and Review 73 (1), 2013
(pp. 211-213).

“Fiscal Federalism in Latin America: From Entitlements to Markets by Eduardo Wiesner.” Public
Budgeting and Finance, 28 (4), Fall 2008, (pp 111–113).

 

Spanish

“Aumento de la capacidad de toma de decisiones de los gobiernos locales: la búsqueda de
crecimiento económico de México” Trimestre Económico (esperado 2018)

“Inversión estatal en programas sociales a tres décadas de la descentralización y la reforma social
en México / State Investment in Social Programs after Three Decades of Decentralization and
Social Reform in Mexico,” with Anahely Medrano. Gestion y Política Pública, CIDE Aug-Dec.
2017 (pp. 157-189).

“Control del endeudamiento Subnacional y debilidad institucional: ¿Cómo funcionan las reglas
fiscales en México?” Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios Municipales (RIEM) No14, agostodiciembre
2016.

“Descentralización fiscal y capacidades administrativas locales. Un enfoque comparativo de
ciudades en México y Argentina.” Revista de Administración & Desarrollo (Colombia), Vol.
41(57), 2013 (pp 77-95).

“Endeudamiento público versus privado: una primera aproximación a los patrones de
endeudamiento de las ciudades mexicanas,” with Edgar Ramírez de la Cruz, Equilibrio
Económico, Revista de Economía Política y Sociedad (Coahuila, México), Vol 9 (2), 2013 (pp
139-177).

WORK IN PROGRESS

Municipal Debt Theme Articles
Comparative Path-dependent governance approach to Strengthen the Regulatory Framework of
Subnational Debt in Mexico.

Over indebted Subnational Mexico: Does political polarization affect debt policy decisions? with
Isabel Melguizo López.

Promoting Density of Cities for Environmental Impact, with Edgar E. Ramírez de la Cruz
Social Equity Theme Articles

The Teaching of Public Finance and Budgeting as an Indicator of the Quality of Public Service
Education in Mexico, with Irving Rosales and Gabriel Puron.

Developing Social Equity Competencies: Strategies for Public Budgeting and Finance Curriculum
with Blue Wooldridge.

CHAPTERS & POLICY BRIEFS

“Ley de Disciplina Financiera de las Entidades Federativas y Municipios y sus implicaciones después
de las elecciones del 2018,” with Carmina Jimenez Quiroga, chapter in Políticas Públicas
Incluyentes II.

“City Networks and Paradiplomacy as Global Public Policy” chapter in the Handbook on Global
Policy and Transnational Administration edited by Diane Stone and Kim Moloney, Oxford
Press 2019.

“Cómo incorporar la ética en el funcionario público: Criterios para mejor enseñanza de Finanzas
Publicas en México,” by Heidi Smith, Irving Rosales and Blue Wooldridge capítulo en
NASPAA-INAP Calidad en la Educacion del Servicio Publico. Published by Instituto Nacional
de Administración Pública (INAP) Ciudad de México, abril 2018 (ISBN: 978-607-9026-79-0).

“Why Opinions Matter for Financing Local Economic Development in Latin America: An Analytic
Survey on Incentives,” chapter in El municipio ante la crisis del federalismo mexicano,
published by the Red de Investigadores en Gobiernos Locales Mexicanos A.C, ISBN 978-0-
9970858-7-7.

“Autonomy and Interdependence: The Scope and Limits of “Fend for Yourself Federalism” in the
US.” (2015) by Paul Posner, Timothy Conlan, Heidi Jane Smith, and Matt Sommerfeld chapter
in Institutions of Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations: Challenges Ahead, OECD Fiscal Studies
Report, Paris France.

“And Now Public Debt in Mexico: Policy Lessons for the Effective Oversight of State and Municipal
Government Finances,” Woodrow Wilson Center Policy Paper, Dec 17, 2015, Washington DC.
“Managing Subnational Debt in times of Crisis: Lessons from Mexico” Hemisphere, Vol 24, 2015,
Miami Fl.

“El Proceso de Descentralización en México: Midiendo la Deuda Municipal” book chapter in
Evaluando las políticas públicas de la II Congreso Internacional en Xalapa, Colegio de
Veracruz, 2014, pg 95-124.

“La Trayectoria de la Deuda Pública: ¿Una Solución para la Vigilancia de las Cuentas Públicas en las
¿Ciudades Mexicanas?” in the book Monitoreo, Evaluación y Gestión por Resultados, edited by
C. Maldonado and C. Galíndez. México: CIDE-Centro CLEAR para América Latina, 2013.

“Energy Consumption: Challenges and Opportunities of Urbanization” Hemisphere, Vol 20 Spring
2011 pg. 33, Miami Fl.

RESEARCH & CONFERENCE REPORTS

Inter-American Development Bank. (2015). Governance, Performance, and the Best Reform Practices
in State-Owned Enterprises in Latin America and the Caribbean and Korea, Forum Report and
Proceedings. Edited by Heidi Jane Smith, Washington, DC: Inter-American Development
Bank.

Inter-American Development Bank. (2013). Evaluación del Fortalecimiento de los Sistemas
Nacionales de Control Externo a través del Desarrollo de las Capacidades de las Entidades de
Fiscalización Superior. Internal report edited by Heidi Jane Smith and Mariela Vallejo Paz,
Washington, DC: Inter-American Development Bank. September.

World Bank. (2013). Public options for financing Sustainable Infrastructure: Cases from Asia and
Latin America, Internal report edited by Heidi Jane Smith, Washington, DC: The World Bank,
July.

Inter-American Development Bank. (2013). Political and Fiscal Challenges of Decentralization
Policies: Forum Report and Proceedings. Edited by Heidi Jane Smith, Washington, DC: InterAmerican
Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank, May.

Global Energy Basel. (2013). Final Report on Sustainable Finances for Urban Infrastructure, Edited
by Susannah Fitzherbert, Ellen Upton, Heidi Jane Smith and David Schreiner, Switzerland,
January.

OECD. (2012). Mobilising Investments for Urban Sustainability, Job Creation and Resilient Growth
Issues Paper for the OECD Roundtable of Mayors and Ministers, 8 March 2012, Chicago,
Illinois, contributors Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, Alexis Rober, Heidi Jane Smith, Javier Sanchez,
and Olaf Merk, Paris, France, March.

Institute of Public Management and Community Service. (2008). Building Bridges, Creating Value,
with Allan Rosenbaum for the State of Florida Project on Good Governance and Democracy
in the Hemisphere. IPMCS Final Report: Miami, Florida. July 2007 – October 2008.

Organization of American States. (2000). Effective Local Governance: Innovative Approaches to
Improving Municipal Management Final Workshop Report, Montego Bay, Jamaica with Anne
Marie Blackman, Washington, DC: Organization of American States (UPD/OAS).

 

EDUCATION

2012 Ph.D. in Public Affairs, Florida International University, Miami, Fla Phi Phi Alpha Honors
Dissertation in Public Administration: Fiscal Decentralization and Development: An Analysis
of City Governments in Mexico and Argentina, 1980—2010. Full University Fellowship (tuition
and living stipend). Committee: Allan Rosenbaum, Meredith Newman, Keith Revell, David
Bray, Andrew Selee.

2002 M.P.P. with a focus on International Development Policy, American University,
Washington, D.C.

1999 B.A. in Political Science, Spanish and Latin American Studies, University of Wisconsin,
Madison, Wis.

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City
§ Advanced Statistical Methods for MPP students Spring 2018
§ The Public Policy Process for MPP Students Fall 2017, 2018
§ Capstone applied research seminar MPP students Spring 2016
§ Analysis of the Public Sector for MPP students. Fall 2016
§ Political Economy to Undergraduate Economics students. Fall 2016,17,18

George Mason University, Arlington, Virginia
§ Statistical Methods in Policy Analysis for MPP students. Spring 2015

Mexican Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM), Mexico City
§ Public Policy Qualitative Research Methods MPP Course Spring 2016
§ Statistical Methods in Policy Analysis for MPP students Spring 2015
§ Advanced Statistical Methods for MPP students Summer 2015
§ Urban Public Policy for undergraduate political science students Spring 2014

Florida International University, Miami, Florida
§ Applied Research Seminar for the MPA Students Spring/Sum08/Fall 09

 

PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT AND CONSULTING

Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD) Paris, France Jan.–June 2012
Urban Consultant.
• Drafted materials for the OECD Roundtable for Mayors and Ministers, Chicago, March 8-9, and side events at
the United Nations conference for Sustainable Development Rio+20, June 21-22, 2012.

Inter-American Development Bank, Washington D.C. Sept. 2012–January 2015
Fiscal Management Consultant.
• Evaluated regional auditing institutions, fiscal decentralization processes, public enterprises reforms, and
budgeting and planning systems for the Latin America and the Caribbean Expert Network on Managing for
Results. Produced written reports and edited volumes individually and with teams as an external consultant.

World Bank, Urban Development Unit, Washington, D.C. January -June 2013
Urban Consultant.
• Wrote report on infrastructure finance impediments in Mexican cities for the Urban Hub. Study included fiscal
analysis of six cities in Mexico and described the institutional design of the municipal debt market. Drafted
Global Finance Basel Annual Conference report for the Economic Cooperation and Development Division
(SECO) of the Swiss Government and the World Bank.

U.S. Department of State, Office of Western Hemisphere, Washington D.C. Oct. 2009 –Sept. 10
Econ Policy Advisor (Resigned to write Ph.D. dissertation).
• Wrote memos on Latin American tax and fiscal policy, municipal finances and home mortgage choices. Created
and designed the Sustainable Urban Development program with the Government of Brazil. Organized the
largest US delegation to the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Rio, 2010.

Inter-American Foundation (IAF), Arlington, Virginia Sept. 2001 – Sept. 2007
Public Affairs Specialist.
• Wrote a quarterly newsletter, maintained the Web site and organized the foundation’s public events. Funded
research projects and managed institutional grants and cooperative agreements.

Organization of American States (OAS), Washington D.C. March 2000 – Sept. 2001
Decentralization Consultant.
• Assisted senior specialist in developing the Decentralization and Citizen Participation program. Helped
organize the First Ministerial Conference on Decentralization Policy in the Hemisphere, La Paz, Bolivia in 2001.

 

ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS AND CONFERENCES

– American Society of Public Administration (APSA) Dallas 2008 (Chair and discussant), Miami 2009,
Baltimore 2011, Las Vegas 2012 (expert roundtable), Washington DC 2014 (paper), Chicago 2015 (paper),
Atlanta 2017(paper), Denver 2018 (paper).
– American Political Science Association (APSA): Washington D.C. 2010 (panel organized), Seattle 2011
(poster), New Orleans 2012 (accepted, conference cancelled) Chicago 2013 (paper), San Francisco 2015
(paper), Philadelphia 2016 (paper), San Francisco 2017(poster/panel), Boston 2018 (paper).
– Association of Budgeting and Financial Management (ABFM), Washington DC 2013, 2015, 2017, Seattle
2018.
H. Smith 7
– International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administrative Sciences (IASIA): Kampala, Uganda
2008, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2009, Paris 2015.
– Latin American Studies Association (LASA): Las Vegas 2004, San Juan 2006, Montreal 2007, Rio de Janeiro
2008, Toronto 2010, San Francisco 2012, Washington D.C. 2013, Chicago 2014.
– Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA): Chicago 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018.
– Public Management Research Conference (PMRC), Madison, Wisconsin 2013, Korea 2014, Singapore 2018

ACADEMIC MEMBERSHIPS

American Society of Public Administration (APSA)
American Political Science Association (APSA)
Latin American Studies Association (LASA)
Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA)
Inter-American Network of Public Administration Education (INPAE)

 

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

National Research System of Mexico Level 2 of 3 within Social Sciences, includes a monthly stipend of
US $1,000 for excellence in Research / Sistema Nacional de Instigadores (Gobierno Mexicano) Nivel 2
(área 5)

Fulbright-Garcia Robles Award, Mexico City

Tinker Field Research Grant

Pi Alpha Alpha Public Administration Honor Society Member

Gold Key International Honor Society Member

Hilldale Research Award to write undergraduate thesis Post Dirty War Argentina: Reconciling with
Tortures and Victims

Peer Reviewer for Public Administration Review, Public Administration and Development, Mexican
Sociology, American Political Science Review among many others.

SKILLS

Fluent in Spanish (reading, writing and speaking), Basic Portuguese (reading and speaking)
Quantitative Analysis: with knowledge of statistical programming SPSS, STATA, E-Views
Qualitative Analysis: Comparative Case Study Methods
Copy editing, photo editing, web layout and digital photography skills