Steve Adami of PACE's Alumni Spotlight-Archive

Executive Director of The Way Out
Master of Public Administration in Public Policy/Criminology, 2014

"After spending over two decades in and out of jails and prison, my life changed. My recovery and transformation started in a pair of handcuffs. The MPA Program was the start of my new life." 

Transformation and Achievements 

After spending over two decades in and out of jails and prison, Steve's life changed dramatically. His recovery and transformation started in a pair of handcuffs. In 2014, he earned his MPA from San Francisco State University, where he was inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha, the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration, and received the Barbra Jordan Award for Academic Excellence.  

In 2014, Steve was hired by the San Francisco Adult Probation Department as a Reentry Services Coordinator. He was promoted to a managerial position in 2017 and was appointed Director of the Reentry Division in 2020. In this role, he designed and managed a portfolio of $22 million of reentry and recovery services, designed over 50 programs that are still operational, and managed San Francisco's Reentry Council and Community Corrections Partnership.  

In May 2023, Steve was appointed the Executive Director of The Way Out, a recovery-focused homelessness initiative of The Salvation Army and has recently received a well-deserved pardon from Governor Newsom. Steve's professional goals are to create opportunities for those who have been marginalized by the juvenile or criminal justice system by designing robust prisoner reentry programs, community-based alternatives to incarceration, and residential treatment centers for those for whom the consequences of addiction, alcoholism, and incarceration have impeded their ability to succeed.   

Program Impact and Career Advancement 

The MPA program was a pivotal point in Steve's life, serving as the starting point for his trajectory towards success. Steve credits the MPA program’s curriculum for equipping him with the technical skills he needed to achieve success and points to courses in research methods, program design, program evaluation, policy analysis, and budgeting. He now applies everything he learned in the program on a daily basis in his career. 

Calling the experience transformative, Steve credits the MPA program for uniquely preparing him to tackle the challenges and trends in his field, as he was able to design over 50 programs that are still operational today. 

Networking and Advice for Prospective Students 

During his time in the program, Steve built strong relationships with his professors and classmates. These connections broadened his perspective and helped advance his career. The MPA alumni network has been invaluable in his career, as he has been able to collaborate with his former colleagues and leverage their expertise. As an alumnus himself, Steve regularly provides opportunities and advice for SF State students. For example, while at the San Francisco Adult Probation Department, Steve hosted Willie Brown Fellows to help create a career path to public service for them.  

Steve's advice to prospective students considering the MPA program is simple: if you are either trying to find a career path or advance your current one, the MPA program will provide you with the skills and support necessary to be successful. He firmly believes that his success in his professional career started in the MPA program, and he encourages others to take advantage of the program's resources and opportunities.