COREY INCANDELA
MANAGEMENT aNALYST, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY
Tell us about your journey into the profession:
I attended St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin where I majored in Political Science. I had my first exposure to Public Administration when I took an Introduction to Public Administration class my sophomore year and after that, I knew I wanted to do something in local government/or the nonprofit sector. I also interned for a congressman during my time at St. Norbert and decided that politics was not the path I wanted to go down. During my junior year, one of my professors at St. Norbert introduced me to the Northern Illinois University MPA program and I started there in the fall of 2021 after my undergraduate degree was completed. While I was getting my MPA, I interned for the Village of Oswego and got to work on many different projects for multiple departments and saw first-hand the many benefits of a career in local government. I have been at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County since April 2024 where I have been working as a Management Analyst in the Finance Department!
Why is local government a good career path?
Local government is a good career path because there are so many different areas you can specialize in, and every day is different. I never imagined myself working for a Forest Preserve or even in a Finance Department, so there are many avenues one can take during the course of their career.
Fun fact about yourself:
I am not originally from Illinois. I grew up in Indiana and always wanted to go to school in Wisconsin since most of my family is from there. Unfortunately (for some), I am a fan of the Packers!
If you could give one piece of advice to future local government leaders, what would it be?
The one piece of advice I would give is do not be afraid to ask questions. I was fortunate enough to intern for a great Village in Oswego and was surrounded by numerous local government professionals who have been doing their jobs for many years. I would not have learned as much as I did, if I did not tap into their knowledge and ask questions when I was stuck or simply ask general questions about the profession during one-on-one meetings with my supervisor.
Shows/music/books you’re currently watching/listening to/reading:
- Shows: I just finished the Bear and now am watching Suits.
- Music: I love country music and have been listening to Zach Bryan’s new album “The Great American Bar Scene” a lot this summer!
- Books: I am a history nerd and recently finished “One Minute to Midnight” by Michael Dobbs. This book is about the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Hobbies:
Running/working out, reading, traveling, trying new breweries/wineries/coffee shops, and watching sports (mostly football, baseball and basketball)!
