Wholey, Joseph S.

Ph.D. Philosophy, M. A. Mathematics, Harvard University; B. A. Mathematics, Catholic University.

Wholey is Professor of Public Policy and Planning at the University of Southern California. A leading authority in performance measurement and program evaluation, Wholey is Senior Advisor for Evaluation Methodology at the U.S. General Accounting Office. He is a former Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Health Measurement and Human Services; Director of Program Evaluation Studies for the Urban Institute; and President of the Evaluation Research Society. He also chaired the Virginia Board of Social Services, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Hospice of Northern Virginia, the Arlington County Board, and the Arlington Partnership for [Page 451]Affordable Housing. Wholey is a member of the National Academy of Public Administration.

In addition to his work on performance measurement, Wholey is one of the evaluation theorists exploring and explicating the idea of evaluability assessment. Recently he headed a review of the Government Performance and Results Act to be used by federal programs to help them improve the effectiveness of their services. His work has contributed to developing information for agencies that will encourage greater internal use of outcome information by making program improvements.

He is the author of Organizational Excellence; Evaluation and Effective Public Management; Evaluation: Promise and Performance; Zero-Based Budgeting and Program Evaluation; and Evaluation and Effective Public Management and coauthor of the Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation, Improving Government Performance, Performance and Credibility, and the federal evaluation policy.