Dr. Joseph “Dallas” Breen serves as Executive Director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development and as an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Mississippi State University. His expertise spans local and state government, human resources management, demography, survey research, and statistical analysis, reflecting a career dedicated to the intersection of scholarship, public service, and applied research.

Through his work, Dr. Breen focuses on strengthening communities and improving quality of life across Mississippi. His contributions to public administration and civic leadership have earned significant recognition, including the 2024 Donato J. Pugliese Distinguished Senior Member and Public Service Award from the Southeastern Conference for Public Administration. He was also honored with Mississippi State University's 2014 Zacharias Distinguished Staff Award in recognition of his outstanding service and leadership. Breen successfully coordinated the professional staff review and rewrite of the performance audit process as chairman of the faculty/staff task force on performance management at Mississippi State University. The task force ultimately created a new approach to performance management and evaluation for MSU employees.

Dr. Breen has extensive experience across a wide range of policy and research areas, including leadership development, disaster recovery, elections, public health, and state and local governance. As principal investigator, he has led numerous applied research grants, contracts, and policy studies for the State of Mississippi and other organizations. His commitment to civic engagement extends beyond research through partnerships with community and nonprofit organizations that promote civic education throughout the state. He also provides annual training for newly elected officials through association meetings and professional development programs conducted across Mississippi.

A respected leader in the field of public administration, Dr. Breen currently serves as President of the Southeastern Conference for Public Administration, Vice Chair and President-elect of the Mississippi Certified Public Manager Program Advisory Board, and President of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration. His professional service also includes past leadership as President of the Consortium of University Public Service Organizations and long-standing service as chair of the SECoPA Collins Award Committee. In addition, he contributes to the advancement of scholarship as a peer reviewer for academic journals in economics, political science, public policy, and public administration. His research can be found in journals such as American Review of Public Administration, The Energy Journal, Public Organization Review, and the Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.