Benjamin Eikey
Manager, State Training and Development
“I loved talking to him about anything relating to the class or politics. Super funny, laid back also. Loved his teaching style. Ben is overflowing with passion for policy … I am honored to have taken a class with him & can’t wait to see all the great things he does.” – A student’s feedback from a public policy university course evaluation Ben helped to teach.
Ben Eikey is the Manager of State Training and Development at the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy. When a coworker introduced him at an event, she quipped that he “does a little bit of everything” at the Levin Center. There might be some truth there, but his primary responsibilities include helping to build the State Oversight Academy by developing quality programming for the state legislative audience and the public. He does this through state legislative oversight workshops for a national audience, short podcasts on a specific oversight topics called FAST Classes, and state-specific content including workshops at state capitols across the country.
Ben helps equip legislators with the tools and best practices needed for bipartisan fact-finding, and to empower legislators to see differences in perspective as an advantage when seeking facts together. Whether it is how to ask better questions in a hearing, how to leverage a department budget to secure a reporting requirement for a government program or service, or how to build an oversight plan when approaching a long-term investigation, Ben is always ready to assist legislators through the State Oversight Academy to help fulfill the legislature’s role as the “eyes and ears” of the people.
“Our members and policy staff were pleased to invite the Levin Center in to learn new and better ways to effectuate oversight in the legislative process. The members and staff enjoyed lively conversation and collaboration with Ben and left the meeting with new ideas and better insight into other states’ and congressional oversight efforts. I recommend the Center’s Oversight workshop to any legislative member or staffer looking to beef up on their examination, inspection, and supervision of the executive branch.” – A state legislative policy office director’s feedback on an oversight workshop.
M.P.P., Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
B.A., University of Michigan
