Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2016, Educational Administration (Education)

The purpose of this study was to explore the organizational culture of two high schools in Ghana, examine the unique influence of cultural components on the schools' outcomes, identify the exceptional contributions of the schools' subcultures, investigate the emergent leadership styles of the schools' leaders, and determine how these approaches promoted their work. This qualitative dissertation examined the various ways that the schools defined culture; how the schools' subcultures participated in school governance; and how school leaders approached school governance. The description of the cultural components focused on the physical structures, symbols, behavior patterns, and verbal expressions, beliefs and values; and expectations. These descriptions were based on Edgar Schein's diagnosis of the levels of culture. Efforts to improve school outcomes have not considered school culture, as a strategy in Ghana, neither has any educational research focused on the organizational culture of schools. This study was based on the premise that the inclusion of the cultural approach to school reform produces more sustainable results than the technical or political approaches, used in isolation. The sample size for this study was 26 and comprised two school leaders, six teachers, two PTA chairpersons, two alumni, and 14 students. The study employed the case study tradition and garnered data through one-on- one interviews, focus group interviews; observation at morning devotions/assembly, Sunday church services, classrooms, dining halls, orientation, sports festival, staff and academic board meetings, and the physical environment; and review of relevant documents. Results indicated that although the Ghana Education Service managed both schools, and the schools were similar in some ways, they each demonstrated some unique characteristics. The major factors that influenced the achievement of school outcomes included the tangible and intangible cultural components; the in (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2025, Educational Leadership

Higher education is undergoing a profound transformation, shaped by demographic shifts, economic pressures, and evolving workforce demands. As institutions expand online learning and professional education to adapt, deep tensions have emerged between administrators, faculty, and other stakeholders. These tensions – rooted in questions of governance, institutional mission, academic labor, and the role of the university in the 21st century – have created fractures that often impede progress and erode trust. This dissertation interrogates these tensions through the lens of my lived experiences as a leader navigating the complexities of online learning and professional education in higher education. Using a narrative research approach, I employ Curriculum Fragments (Poetter, 2024), Teacher Lore (Schubert & Ayers, 1992), and narrative points-of-entry (Schultz et al., 2010) to examine key moments of leadership, conflict, and institutional change. Through a series of vignettes, I critically reflect on the struggles and challenges inherent in leading systemic change within a complex and often resistant institutional culture. These narratives are analyzed through multiple theoretical lenses – Adaptive Leadership Theory (Heifetz, 1994), Culture-Based Leadership Theory (Quantz, 2007), Conflict Theory (Collins, 1975), and The Abilene Paradox (Harvey, 1988) – to illuminate the power dynamics, structural constraints, and cultural forces that shape decision-making in higher education. Findings from this research emphasize the necessity of approaching institutional change with cultural awareness, shared governance, and a deep understanding of resistance as a signal rather than an obstacle. The analysis reveals that leadership in higher education must move beyond technical solutions and toward adaptive work – work that engages stakeholders as co-creators of change rather than passive recipients of top-down directives. Further, this study highlights the ways in which facu (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2020, Leadership and Change

This single, exemplar case study explored the context and social processes that shape person- and family-centered culture in a long-term care (LTC) home, using grounded theory and situational analysis for the data collection and analysis. Findings revealed one core dimension: needing to be heard, valued, and understood, and five key roles: personal support workers (PSWs), executive director (ED), senior leadership, nurse managers, and residents and families, which informed five dimensions, each focused on enhancing care for residents: (a) attending to residents' daily care needs (PSWs), (b) advocating strategically (ED), (c) translating vision into programs and policies (senior leadership), (d) ensuring quality of care on the unit (nurse managers), and (e) seeking social connection and meaningful stimulation (residents and families). These interactions left PSWs with little autonomy, feeling rushed, focused on tasks, and prevented from building relationships with residents. The PSW perspective was often missed in decision-making, as decisions were made for this group rather than with them. A complex theoretical model of the interactions and the systemic blind spot they have unintentionally created is presented in the discussion. The results suggest that empowering PSWs is pivotal to improving quality of care in the LTC sector. Further research is needed to determine which methods of empowerment are most meaningful and effective. Future studies could also explore LTC homes of different sizes and with different types of governance, the competencies required by the different roles to foster a person- and family-centered LTC culture, and the criteria for relational practice and leadership in LTC. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/, and is accompanied by one supplemental file.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2014, Leadership and Change

Organizational storytelling was used within Tri Fit, a Canadian health promotion and fitness company, to explore relational leadership practices. Through 27 confidential one-on-one interviews and an interview of the four-person leadership team, the research attempted to examine how relational agility, a new leadership construct, exists, how it is defined, and to describe its organizational impacts. Two hundred and forty unique stories were shared through this process, out of which nine storylines emerged. The distillation of these revealed three cultural themes: a culture of relational connection; a culture of nice and a culture that values positivity. Demonstrations of transformational leadership, authentic leadership, aesthetic leadership, emotional and social intelligence, servant leadership and stewardship were frequent amongst many of its members. Four leaders were described by their colleagues as being relationally agile, as demonstrated through the application of a unique collection of relational qualities. This research has also established evidence that relational agility can be learned, and when present, confers positive benefits to the organization including enhanced loyalty, commitment and productivity. Developing relationally agile leaders will therefore likely serve organizations as they navigate change. Furthermore, this may be the first empirical description of relational leadership as a triadic experience where the relationship is personified as a unique product of leader and follower co-development that ultimately serves the higher purposes of the organization. The electronic version of this dissertation is at OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd . This dissertation is accompanied by two mp4 video files

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2025, Leadership and Change

As schools increasingly adopt restorative practices, a parallel shift in leadership is occurring, challenging traditional leadership models like servant and transformational leadership. While research has largely focused on student outcomes, there is a critical gap in understanding how restorative practices influence school principals' leadership. Given their central role in sustaining and expanding restorative initiatives, this study aimed to address that gap by developing a definitional framework for restorative leadership, grounded in the experiences of women school leaders in grades 5 to 12. Using sensemaking theory, the research examined how leaders conceptualize and apply restorative values in practice. Key questions included how restorative leadership is understood, how it shapes leadership identity, and how it is enacted in practice. A mixed-methods design was employed, integrating survey data (N = 52) and semi-structured interviews (N = 12). Findings revealed that while 51.92% of participants recognized the term “restorative leadership,” many were already practicing it without labeling it as such. Restorative leadership emerged as a dynamic process of knowing, being, and doing, rooted in self-awareness, relational repair, participatory decision-making, and collective well-being. It challenges hierarchical paradigms and fosters inclusive school cultures, with the potential to disrupt inequitable systems, improve school climates, and promote leader well-being. Based on these findings, several key recommendations for action are proposed: establishing Restorative Leadership Intensives (RLIs) to deepen principals' engagement with restorative practices, integrating restorative leadership into leadership development programs and professional certifications, advocating for gender-equitable leadership models that emphasize relational strengths, and embedding restorative practices into school policies to create inclusive cultures. These actions a (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2025, Leadership and Change

Imagine a workplace where supervisors centered the dignity of each unique individual and sought to honor each person in their wholeness. This type of work environment moves beyond a toxic culture to a space that fosters flourishing, growth, and inclusion. Given that supervisors play an integral role in the experiences of staff members, this study explored the experiences of supervisors in promoting workplace dignity across cultural differences within higher education. With a focus on relational practices and a positive framing, this research sought to develop a nuanced understanding of dignified leadership across social identity differences. Leveraging a constructivist grounded theory methodology, it explored how supervisors identified as exemplars by their direct reports fostered dignity in the workplace. Insights from this study contributed to a theory of workplace dignity that provided practical and ethical guidance for supervisors, highlighting the integral role of leadership in cultivating a positive organizational culture and sustaining flourishing employee relationships across social identity differences. This dissertation is available in open access AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Leadership and Change

The persistent tension and power struggle between healthcare executives and physicians is a prevalent issue in healthcare organizations, often leading to a culture of organizational mistrust. This dynamic stems from perceived conflicting goals: executives are frequently seen as primarily focused on financial outcomes, while physicians are viewed as resistant to change. This study explored how physician fulfillment is experienced at work, with the ultimate goal of identifying potential interventions to bridge the gap between these groups. There is vast research and literature available regarding burnout in healthcare; this research focused on understanding what physicians find fulfilling in their work and identifying actionable factors healthcare system leaders can address to enhance their fulfillment. Key factors identified from the literature include meaningful patient contact, quality of professional relationships, and organizational decision-making input. At the same time, challenges such as administrative burden and loss of autonomy were noted as detriments to fulfillment. After conducting and transcribing semi-structured phenomenological interviews with physicians, the data were coded for meaning, resulting in 169 codes. The prevalence of these broad themes varied concerning each research question, reflecting the complex and multifaceted nature of physician fulfillment. By identifying patterns and connections in the physicians' experiences, this study highlighted the importance of addressing both systemic and individual factors to enhance professional fulfillment. Key findings of the study include the importance of humanizing healthcare goals and several directions for iv healthcare organizations: addressing moral injury, improving patient outcomes, obtaining and utilizing physician input consistently, fostering a supportive culture, and creating time and space for peer support. Targeted interventions to enhance physi (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

One of the challenges faced by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) has been frequent turnover in crucial executive leadership positions. As of 2022, there were 99 HBCUs; two-year and four-year private and public institutions (NCES, 2024). In the fall of 2023, at least 18% of the HBCUs in the country were without a permanent president, institutions were being led by either an acting or interim president (Moody, 2023). Specifically focusing on HBCUs, this explanatory sequential research design was used to evaluate the organizational morale, climate, and culture of middle-management or what Lipsky's (2010) describes as, Street-Level Bureaucrats (SLB). In any organization in need of positive transformational change, effective and efficient communication from a place of cultural humility and servant leadership, could be beneficial. Using mixed-methods research, data were analyzed, and themes were identified; communication critical for effective collaboration among university members and communication and organizational direction from leadership. Through the findings, the THINK Communication Framework (Brown, 2023) was developed as the action plan/intervention to assist in strengthening the university's communication.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Leadership and Change

The study sought to ascertain whether introducing democracy has adversely impacted Indigenous cultural practices in Ghana or whether the path to democracy has enhanced, shaped, or strengthened aspects of the country's Indigenous culture. The study sheds some light on the realistic, symbolic, and pervasive threat(s) that transitional or Indigenous societies like Ghana undergoing the process of democratization face and must deal with. More specifically, the study provides some insights into how traditional societies, where Indigenous values and practices are held with some reverence and esteem, can be integrated into liberal democratic institutions to potentially ameliorate cultural tension and political discord that often accompanies the process of democratic and electoral transitions. The study also provides a rich context to explain and dispel some of the pernicious stereotypes and perceptions about countries that strive to build a suitable system of governance by combining aspects of their Indigenous culture and liberal democratic tenets. The primary scholarly contribution of the study is a greater understanding of how Indigenous cultural norms, as informal institutions, shape the trajectory and consolidation of democratization in sub-Saharan Africa. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2024, Business

Personality psychology is well established in business and organization theory and praxis, so it would seem to require no introduction. Whereas personality psychology is established in these areas, there is benefit from interrogating how it has been situated. A textual analysis of the introduction section of the top 50 most-relevant, academic papers identified using the keywords personality and business provided a basis for generating insights and implications as to how personality psychology has been “introduced” within business contexts, as examined academically. This mixed-methods, textual analysis produced words of merit, bigrams of merit, and AFINN-based sentiment scores. Among the results, the words stress and conflict, and the bi-grams of unintended consequences and whistle blowing stood out as topics of focus. The results suggest no statistically significant difference in sentiment between articles frequently referencing the business-related terms and those frequently referencing students, with each group having a slightly positive, average sentiment. Combining the bigrams and words of merit with the sentiment analysis facilitated the identification of common themes that informed understanding and suggested action. These insights and implications suggest a need for further collaboration in this area with a focus on enacting positive change to organizational practices.

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2024, College of Education

This study describes two Midwest congregations and how their lead pastor budgets and promotes giving according to an ecclesiological understanding of identity, mission, and ministry. Data was collected through an interview with each lead pastor, an interview with two leadership board members, interviews with three congregants, and participant observation at each congregation. The findings show that these two congregations use their congregational finances differently and they develop unique, opposing cultures of money based at least partially on the differing ecclesiologies of their leaders. When a leader's ecclesiology, use of congregational finances, and the congregational culture of money are complementary, congregation members trust their money is being used for good. When there are conflicts within these three areas, it can lead to confusion and congregational finances not being used to their full potential.

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

Public school education faces a critical challenge as a growing number of teachers are choosing to leave the profession every year, leaving school districts struggling to recruit and retain qualified teachers. Existing literature reveals that negative school culture is a significant contributor to teachers' job dissatisfaction, which is among the primary reasons behind teachers' decisions to leave and dissuades others from joining the profession. The role of principals in shaping and maintaining a healthy school culture is explored, with transformational leadership identified as a key factor in their effectiveness. This study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing teacher attrition. Using a mixed-methods design through Q-methodology, the researcher examined the perspectives of 22 former K–12 public school teachers on their reasons for leaving the teaching profession. The participants had taught in K–12 public schools located in rural, suburban, and urban school districts. Data was collected using Q-Method Software. Results indicate that despite having positive relationships with colleagues and reasonable organizational arrangements and opportunities for learning, most participants had negative perceptions of their leadership, citing a lack of positive interactions, feeling undervalued, and a perceived absence of support from their principals. For school districts looking to foster a stable and resilient education system, the results of this research hold the potential to inform policy decisions and educational practices aimed at creating a more conducive and supportive environment for teachers.

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2023, Business Administration

Organizations rely on their employees to collaborate to achieve their strategic goals. This study identified the critical leadership characteristics for creating a collaborative culture from employees' perspectives. There is limited literature on employee perspectives regarding the leadership characteristics essential to creating a collaborative culture. The study used a mixed-methods exploratory sequential design, soliciting participants from a public agency to identify the critical leadership characteristics necessary to create a collaborative culture to assist in allocating limited resources. The overarching research question was, “What are the key leadership characteristics for leaders in developing a collaborative culture in a small public water agency from the employees' perspective?” The researcher utilized a qualitative survey instrument, structured interviews with managers, and a quantitative survey requesting employees to rank critical leadership characteristics. The qualitative and quantitative surveys focused on managerial and non-managerial employees at the research site. The structured interviews were with managerial employees. This study was limited to one organization, but it will be helpful for other organizations to understand how their leaders can create a collaborative culture and allocate their resources effectively. The study fills the gap in the literature on employee perspectives regarding the leadership characteristics essential to developing a collaborative culture. The findings provide insight to leaders on their role in building a collaborative culture from the employees' perspective.

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

Guided by cultural competency and inclusive leadership frameworks, the study aimed to explore the lack of effective Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) work in social services. A case study was conducted at one developmental disabilities' organization, specifically. The study appropriately utilized participatory action research through a critical lens due to its emphasis on equity and justice. Ten interviews were conducted with participants to gain information regarding the organizational culture in an effort to address the lack of EDI. Led by the research question, the interviews revealed an overall lack of awareness, absence of leadership commitment, lack of value, and environmental concerns that create barriers in developing and sustaining effective EDI work. An action plan was devised to address these concerns.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Leadership and Change

The following autoethnographic dissertation examines my personal experiences of trauma, abuse, and violence. Drawing on journals, memories, and artifacts from my life, I use self-reflection to illustrate the impacts of trauma on my childhood and adulthood. My traumatic experiences of sexual abuse, childhood violence, and emotional abuse are situated within broader sociocultural contexts of masculinity, Hispanic culture, and social norms. This study illuminates possibilities for healing and transformation for myself and others with shared traumatic backgrounds. It calls for trauma-informed education, masculinity, and resiliency. Evocatively sharing my traumatic life events provides an accessible window into often silenced experiences, bearing witness to injustice while offering empathy, connection, and hope. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu/) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu/).

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2023, Business Administration

This research deployed a predictive model to determine the influence of the factors of communication, culture, leadership, assessment, and innovation on successful implementation of an integrated institutional effective (IE) plan. Increasingly, accrediting agencies are requiring higher education institutions (HEIs) to implement integrated IE plans; however, this tends to be the greatest area of failure in accreditation reviews. The research relied on literature to establish the five characteristics of administration in HEIs that aid in creating a successful IE plan. The study examined HEIs as complex adaptive systems (CAS) that integrate the independent variables toward achieving an integrated IE plan. Using multivariate logistic regression, the study examined the relationship between and among communication, culture, leadership, assessment, and innovation and their combined effect on implementing IE plans. This survey-based quantitative research created a predictive model for the successful implementation of an integrated IE plan in higher education. The study demonstrated that there is a statistically significant relationship between the combined independent variables of communication, culture, leadership, assessment, and innovation and a positive outcome on an IE plan implementation. The analysis also revealed that not all variables contributed equally with the variables of leadership and assessment not statistically significant within the model.

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2023, Business Administration

The aim of this study was to explore Property & Casualty insurance executives' views of innovative and disruptive technologies' influence on organizational culture, leadership, and change management as the Property and Casualty business environment is rapidly evolving and changing. The insurance industry faces competition from new entrants and long-time competitors. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a significant disruptor of the traditional business models. Customers have shifted their expectations to online and mobile options to interact and conduct business. This study will use a qualitative phenomenological descriptive approach to address the research question and five sub-research questions. The study's conceptual framework incorporated disruptive innovation and change management theories to guide the study. The study population consisted of fifteen leaders at a director or officer level, and a criterion sampling strategy was utilized in finding the study's participants. The participants were interviewed via Zoom technology and asked open-ended questions to provide in-depth responses regarding their views of innovative and disruptive technologies' influence on organizational culture, leadership, and change management. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed for major themes. NVivo software was used for the coding analysis of the collected data. The research could lead to a broader review of disruptive innovations' impact on the internal and external environments that affect the US P&C industry's business models, drive change management, and foster and develop innovative cultures.

Honors Theses, Ohio Dominican University, 2023, Honors Theses

Business is a vital part of American society, and the decisions made by businesses affect more than just the economy. Conscious Capitalism (CC) recognizes this important role, and it challenges businesses to operate in a responsible manner. That being said, CC understands the need to make a profit in order to succeed in a competitive market. This practice claims that by following four tenets of conscious business—conscious leadership, conscious culture, stakeholder orientation, and higher purpose—businesses attract customers and will experience increased profits over time. This study found that, while the gross profit margins of companies who practice CC were similar to those of their non-conscious counterparts on a year-to-year basis, CC companies did experience a greater increase in their gross profit margins over time.

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2023, Business Administration

Leadership styles and traits are well-researched across multiple industries and countries. Still, limited studies exist on the impact of these behaviors on job satisfaction and, ultimately, on organizational culture for technology professionals. Leaders within technical disciplines have generally been promoted through the ranks, possessing vast specialized knowledge but seemingly lacking transformational leadership skills and awareness of organizational culture. Job satisfaction is a culmination of leadership skills and external influences. The critical drivers for creating and sustaining cultural norms are behaviors, systems, and symbols. How these drivers are developed and passed down to employees can impact job satisfaction, engagement, and organizational commitment. This qualitative study will explore the divergence between what is currently understood and what is still largely unknown about transformational leadership traits, organizational culture, and job satisfaction among technology professionals in the United States. The research question to be answered is: RQ: What transformational leadership traits enhance U.S. technology professionals' job satisfaction? In addition, interviews with current technology professionals will allow participants to share their occupational experiences and opinions on leadership and organizational culture. This research will fill a gap in the literature regarding leadership behaviors, organizational culture experiences, and job satisfaction among U.S. technology professionals.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Leadership and Change

When curious, we admit we do not know. With the contemporary workplace emerging through increased complexity, leaders are compelled to shift mindsets and practices from more traditional methods to those more in service to the uncertainty of the day. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to generate an integrated theoretical framework for curious leadership, a validated scale for its measurement, and practical methods for engaging differently in the context and practice of leading. Drawing from the literature review of relational leadership, adaptive leadership, complexity leadership, growth mindsets, and curious behavior, and from my practice, 12 sub-constructs were identified as possible scale components of curious leader behavior. A mixed-methods approach was taken with three differently composed focus groups who reviewed the 12 sub-constructs and honed them to four based on their intersections in Phase 1 of the study. In Phase 2, a survey was thereby developed identifying 66 items for further subsequent appraisal. A finalized survey was undertaken with 274 respondents. From principal and confirmatory factor analysis, four sub-scales were eventually identified: Encourage Emergence, Enable Openness, Engage Experiments, and Honor Humanness resulting in the development of the Gick Curious Leader Capacity Scale. The scale's application and future implications for research and practice are discussed. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, https://aura.antioch.edu/, and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu.