Keon S Chi

Dr. Keon S. Chi was the editor-in-chief of The Book of the States, a premier reference book on American state governments published annually by The Council of State Governments (CSG).  Dr. Chi passed away in a tragic automobile accident on January 9, 2008. At the time of his death, he was also serving as the director of the newly created National Center for State Governance Transformation. After joining CSG in 1981, Dr. Chi served as a research associate, senior policy analyst, director of State Trends and Innovations, editor-inchief of Spectrum: The Journal of State Government, and a columnist for State Government News.

He was the author or co-author of more than 100 journal articles, monographs, book chapters, and columns dealing mostly with cutting-edge issues such as foresight, strategic planning, economic development and policy, and management innovations in state government.

Dr. Chi was a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society for Public Administration, American Political Science Association, and World Future Society. He had also been on the editorial or review boards of Public Administration Review, State and Local Government Review, American Journal of Public Administration, and Public Integrity. Dr. Chi served on several advisory committees for state and federal governments, including the National Conference of State Legislatures and the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

In addition, he served as a consultant or speaker on matters for numerous state agencies across the nation and for organizations of state officials and others interested in state politics, policies, program initiatives, and administration. In 2006, he spoke at the government auditors’ conference sponsored by GAO and the annual conference of the World Future Society. Dr. Chi held master’s and doctoral degrees in government from Claremont Graduate University in California and taught at Georgetown College in Lexington, Kentucky, for more than three decades.