PHD, Kent State University, 2020, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The purpose of this research study was to develop a grounded theory that identifies how undergraduate male-identifying students pursue leadership positions. Specifically, this grounded theory sought to answer the following questions: (1) How do undergraduate male students perceive leadership and (2) What is the process in which undergraduate male students decide to pursue leadership positions while in college? Nineteen diverse male-identifying students who had all held university-funded leadership positions at a large state university located in the northeastern United States participated in interviews. The study participants were asked about their leadership pursuit journey, as well as how they perceived leadership through the utilization of a semi-structured interview format. Male-identifying students identified that they perceived leadership in four distinct ways: leadership as a way for personal advancement, leadership as a vehicle for altruism, leadership challenges self-esteem, and through the negative perceptions of leadership by peers. This study found that male-identifying students pursue leadership while in college through the process of Connecting Leadership Identity and Motivation; this was also identified as the core category of this substantive theory. Connecting Leadership Identity and Motivation encompasses six sub-processes that were identified to take place in a progressive step process, starting with step one and moving through step six. The six fundamental processes identified are Being Encouraged Toward Leadership (Step 1), Internalizing Belief in Leadership Ability (Step 2), Developing a Positive Leadership Self-Concept (Step 3), Identifying Motivations for Leadership (Step 4), Pursuing Leadership (Step 5), and Reinforcing Leadership Self Concept “Snowball Effect” (Step 6).

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.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2005, Secondary Education

Male leaders are viewed as more effective than female leaders as reported in the vast majority of research studies (Eagly & Johnson, 1990; Thompson, 2000; Vecchio, 2002). Research also supports the concept that supervisors of male and female leaders, if all else is equal, rate them equally effective (Eagly & Johnson, 1990; Powell, Butterfield, & Parent, 2002). With over 800 million (Schneider, 2001) spent on leadership development, training, and education in colleges, universities, and corporations the need and importance of quality and gender neutral curricula is increasingly important. The dollars spent on education and the disparity of perceptions of leader effectiveness precipitates the need to continue to examine the bases of these perceptions. The results of these examinations assist in the development of targeted leadership training and development. This study looked at both leader effectiveness and leader attributes of male and female leaders as perceived by male and female observers (peers and direct reports) and male and female supervisors. Using the Leader Effectiveness Index (LEI) and the Leader Attributes Inventory (LAI), this study examined the effectiveness and attributes of leaders in business and industry. Each leader in this study had a matching pair of male and female observers who provided their perceptions of leader effectiveness and attributes to determine the presence of gender bias. The study found that female leaders were viewed as more effective leaders than male leaders by both male and female observers while male and female supervisors found male and female leaders equally effective. Female leaders were perceived at having higher ratings on 17 out of 37 attributes and female observers and female supervisors rated both male and female leaders higher on selected attributes. Finally this study found that except for nine attributers where female leaders were rated higher, male and female supervisors rated male and female leaders equally on th (open full item for complete abstract)

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)

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership Studies, Xavier University, 2022, Leadership Studies and Human Resource Development

This study assessed a linkage between father-nurture or lack thereof and the development of leadership capacities through the lens of Bowlby's (1969, 1988) Attachment Theory. The constructs of father-nurture or lack thereof, which was theoretically grounded in Bowlby's key parental attachments of Secure, Anxious-Resistant, and Anxious-Avoidant, were measured by the five constructs of Safe, Fearful, Parentified, Distant, and Dependent relationship with fathers or father-figures during childhood and adolescence, delineated from Michael and Snow's (2019) Adult Scale of Parental Attachment. The leadership capacities were measured by the aspects of cognitive, moral, and social-emotional development that have been emphasized from well-established leadership theories—Authentic, Charismatic, Servant-Leadership, and Transformational/Transactional. In a sample of 38 adult participants, multiple linear regression models provide evidence that 1) those with a lower level of feeling Safe with fathers or father-figures exhibit a significantly lower level of leadership capacities from the aspects of cognitive and moral development, and 2) those with a higher level of feeling a Distant relationship with fathers or father-figures are significantly more likely to show a lower level of leadership capacities from the aspect of cognitive development. This study signifies the roles of fathers or father-figures during childhood and adolescence in the development process of leadership capacities from the aspects of cognitive and moral development.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2018, Leadership and Change

This study developed a set of scales to measure building student leadership capacity in high schools. Student leadership is defined here as students working collaboratively to affect positive change in their educational environments with support from adults and mechanisms in the school. Fostering student leadership in schools has the potential to improve student development and academic achievement. The three scales are organized into three capacity building dimensions: personal, interpersonal, and organizational. Within each scale, items reflect leadership competencies of critical awareness, inclusivity, and positivity. Eight mechanisms identified from the student voice literature were also embedded in the items: radical collegiality, pedagogy, research, relationship, consistency, governance structures, group makeup, and recognition. The research involved two phases. In Phase 1, 280 students from nine schools took a survey that measured their perceptions of opportunities to build leadership in their schools. The results were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Several models were tested including a set of items intended to measure personal, interpersonal, and organizational leadership capacity building as well as a three-factor, Overall Student Leadership Capacity Building Scale. All demonstrated acceptable model fit scores. T-tests, ANOVAs, and metric invariance tests found significant differences for: urbanicity and year in school. Mean scores on items reflecting student leadership competencies and mechanisms were compared to determine if there were significant differences by school. In Phase 2, students and teachers participated in focus groups and provided feedback on the instrument and discussed how the survey results could help inform efforts to build student leadership capacity in high schools. This set of scales will inform future research and educational leadership programming, equipping students with the tools to lead (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2018, Educational Leadership

The booming economic development and access to modern education are the key drivers that have recently changed the position of women in Qatari society. Research shows that increased motivation among women to pursue a career and enhance their skills and capabilities is helping the economy of all GCC nations. Despite the upcoming drastic increase in women's participation in the workforce, women still hold few leadership positions in the GCC. This study examines the experiences of women in educational leadership in Qatar in the field of higher education to further explore the ways they maneuver their leadership roles in the light of Islamic leadership theory and practice. Specifically, the intent was to understand the unique leadership narratives of three Qatari female leaders in higher education. To illuminate female leaders' experiences in Qatar, this study employs interpretivist narrative research methods. Interviews and meetings' observations helped construct detailed stories of leaders' lived experiences. While findings partially reiterated existing literature, this study shed light on several unique contributions to Muslim female leadership and embedding Islamic leadership in leadership roles resulting in implications for practice and research.

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2023, Education

Background: Equine facilitated learning (EFL) leadership programs have recently gained recognition as a novel approach to teaching leadership but are not widely known or researched. Methods: A study was conducted from the text of 13 selected EFL leadership program websites using qualitative thematic content analysis. Program characteristics, missions, values, and program goals and objectives were researched. Also investigated were program leadership themes listed on the 13 websites, their relationship to authentic, servant, situational, and transformational leadership theories, evaluation tools used by those theories, and how leadership incorporates into programs. Results: Program characteristics were inconsistent and may be confusing to potential participants. Programs do not specifically tie to leadership theories when teaching their classes, do not appear to be training leadership in specific ways, and lack evidence regarding how they, and their evaluations, relate to authentic, servant, situational, and transformational leadership theories. Conclusions: More consistency among programs and further research is recommended.

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

This study is aimed at understanding how youth leadership development programs can be more inclusive and promote a broader range of leadership values, qualities, and behaviors by focusing on young people who have been disaffected by leadership development programs. The study design was intended to provide a creative space for youth to engage in meaningful conversations about their evolving concepts and expectations of leadership. Using critical youth participatory action research to engage a group of youth, cohort members co-created a new youth leadership development program while addressing their identified challenges and needs. Findings from this study highlight the importance of adults in youth programs and provide insights toward an ecosystem approach to youth leadership development. Practitioners, funders, and community leaders can create more inclusive and meaningful youth development opportunities and programs by understanding the youth program's ecosystem. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu/) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Doctor of Organization Development & Change (D.O.D.C.), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Organization Development

This study explores the lived experiences of Black women as they navigate(d) their corporate careers with aspirations of reaching senior leadership positions within their companies. Through this research, we sought to understand and characterize the barriers that exist to ascension, and what the consequences are for individual Black women. According to Becker (1970), we must understand how an individual perceives the situation as well as the obstacles she believes she faces. Through the study, we learned how some women achieved success, others' successes were derailed, and still others diverted to alternative paths, or are still striving. Such an internal or emic approach brought greater depth to the research with its detailed accounts of Black women leader experiences. The study aimed to explore evidence-based support for the challenges and impact of barriers to senior leadership ascension for Black women, and how Black women experienced the phenomenon at the intersection of their race and gender (intersectionality). The implications from this study encourage organizations to decrease barriers in a coordinated manner to help Black women leaders achieve their highest levels of success.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2022, Leadership and Change

The purpose of this concurrent mixed-methods study is to explore the use of student engagement and cocurricular student philanthropy education as an approach to awareness raising and as a mechanism for creating a culture of philanthropy among college students. This dissertation is a synthesis of the review with a consensus that student engagement and cocurricular student philanthropy education create greater awareness, learning, and intentions around philanthropy and prosocial behavior, as well as increased instances of making charitable contributions and civic engagement. The study concludes that student engagement and cocurricular philanthropy education are effective mechanisms for creating a culture of giving. Therefore, emerging from this study is a call for college and universities to consider the use of cocurricular student philanthropy education as an approach to life-long engagement and giving. 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, 2021, Business Administration

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to understand the experiences of dual leadership for African American women. The research question for the study is: What are the lived experiences of African American women leaders in ministry and the workplace? The homogenous sample consisted of nine study participants from the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States of America. The participants represented four generations ranging in age from 21-76. The participants had an average of 16 years in ministry leadership and 20 years in the workplace. Data collection involved face-to-face interviews using a video conferencing platform with an average interview time of 55 minutes guiding the data collection process. Eight principal themes containing subthemes relating to codes materialized from the data: leadership styles, experiences of microaggressions, systemic sexism, health impact, culture, perception of religiosity and faith, business and leadership relationship, and dual leadership. The study utilized the software instrument ATLAS.ti to organize systematically, code, identify and link research themes, and assist with data analysis.

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2018, Arts and Sciences: Communication

The purpose of this study was to better understand of women are discussed in conjunction with neo-charismatic leadership theories to illuminate whether these theories are written about in ways that lead to gendered understandings of leadership and power. Specifically, this study examined the linguistic construction of narratives of male and female neo-charismatic leaders vis-a-vis business press texts to uncover the gender discourses within these texts. Two research questions guided this study to examine 1) how women leaders are depicted in extant neo-charismatic leadership literature, and 2) how discussions of neo-charismatic leaders in extant neo-charismatic leadership literature are specifically gendered. The language used to describe the narratives of male and female neo-charismatic leaders were coded and analyzed through an open, iterative coding method to identify larger linguistic themes within the narratives. Results revealed 6 linguistic themes used in these narratives. A comparative analysis of how these themes applied to narratives of male and female leaders, using the Ashcraft and Mumby's (2004) feminist communicology as a theoretical framework, revealed a potential gendering of discussions of neo-charismatic leaders, alluding to broader gender discourses. Implications for writers and consumers of these texts, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2018, Educational Leadership

Since the inception of the role of school principal, the responsibilities of the position have evolved and changed. Early principals were managers; however, over time social issues and the accountability movement led to state and national policies that have impacted the role of the principal to include instructional leadership. Literature on the topic of school leadership has identified a relationship between instructional leadership and student achievement. However, little information on how to develop instructional leaders has been studied. Therefore, the purpose of this explanatory, mixed-methods case study was to determine to what extent a principal development program fostered perceived instructional leadership skills in secondary school principals who have five years or less experience in the role. The case study was conducted in a large, Midwestern, suburban school district that implemented a Principal Academy in the fall of 2015 in order to equip principals to lead the implementation of district-wide instructional goals. This study focused on early career secondary principals as I hypothesized that they would be more likely to perceive an influence from the professional development experience. Qualitative data was gathered via interviews with five principals and their supervisor. Quantitative data was gathered from an online survey of teachers in the buildings whose principals qualified for the study. One overarching question and four sub-questions guided my study. The overarching questions was: To what extent has District X's Principal Academy strengthened the five identified instructional leadership behaviors of school principals with five years or less experience? The four sub-questions were as follows: • To what degree do early experience secondary principals perceive an improvement in their instructional leadership skills over time? • To what degree do early experience secondary principals who participate in job-embedded professional devel (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2018, Leadership and Change

On the surface, caring and the military appear to be opposites. The stereotypical image of the military giving and obeying orders does not conjure up images of leaders caring for their subordinates. In reality, caring for subordinates and caring for the mission could help leaders form stronger relationships with subordinates, because subordinates may have confidence that their leaders will not recklessly send them into harm's way. Subordinates may develop confidence in their leaders based on their leaders' care during non-combat environments. Yet, empirical studies of caring in the military are sparse. This study investigates how Air Force retirees characterize “great bosses” care for them and care for the mission. A mixed method study of 12 qualitative interviews with Air Force retirees, followed by a quantitative survey study of 226 Air Force retirees revealed that caring actions cluster into four themes: Caring for Subordinates Personally, Caring for Subordinates Professionally, Caring for the Mission with a Focus on Mission Execution, and Caring for the Mission with a Focus on Empowering the Unit. This study also examined how these subordinates responded to those bosses that cared for them through Stronger Job Performance and Stronger Relationship with the Boss. The dissertation findings operationalize caring, demonstrate correlations between caring actions and self-reported increases in performance and boss-subordinate relationship quality, and detail actions that an authentic, caring leader can take to pursue the flourishing of subordinates and mission success simultaneously. 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/

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2013, College of Education

This dissertation is a study of the leadership development process of community mental health center (CMHC) executive directors in Ohio. CMHCs are tasked with providing services to individuals struggling with complex mental and emotional diagnoses. In Ohio these centers are nonprofit organizations that offer a multifaceted array of services paid for by a variety of third party funding sources. Many executive directors of Ohio CMHCs begin their careers as clinicians and must acquire the skills necessary to effectively lead their organization. In this study six Ohio CMHC executive directors who began their careers as clinicians were interviewed to discover the clinician-to-director developmental process. The data revealed two primary themes each with subthemes that describe the phenomenon experienced by the directors.

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2012, College of Education and Human Services

Adult learners can develop leadership skills and competencies such as conflict management and negotiation skills. Virtual simulations are among the emerging new technologies available to adult educators and trainers to help adults develop various leadership competencies. This study explored the impact of conflict management tactics as well as learning styles on the efficacy of virtual leadership development training. In this quantitative study, participants (n=349) completed electronic versions of both the Power and Influence Tactics Scale (POINTS) and the Kolb Learning Styles Instrument (KLSI). Results of participant scores for both instruments were compared with scores from a virtual leadership simulation. Performance within a virtual leadership simulation was not found to be significantly impacted by diverse learning styles, indicating that virtual simulations can be effective for adult learners with any learning style. Statistically significant correlations were found between all seven conflict management tactics and key virtual leadership simulation scores, indicating that virtual leadership simulations can be effective tools for practicing multiple conflict management tactics. Experiential learning techniques are becoming commonplace and the use of technology is growing within the field of adult and leadership education. This study elucidates the effectiveness of new technologies such as virtual simulations as tools for leadership development. This study contributes to leadership education best practices by exploring the effectiveness of virtual simulations as a method for training leaders that will allow educators to incorporate emerging best practices into their repertoire of methodologies.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2011, Counseling Psychology

Despite the recent increase of women as leaders and managers, women remain underrepresented in key leadership roles in the United States (Barreto, Ryan, & Schmitt, 2009; Catalyst, 2008; Center for American Women & Politics, 2009; Eagly, 2007). Researchers claim that women are underrepresented in leadership because they face a “labyrinth path” towards leadership (Eagly & Carli, 2007). This study examines women's interests and goals for leadership to extend the research on women's leadership development. Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) is used as a framework to examine a complex path model that includes person input variables (conformity of feminine norms, conformity to masculine norms, feminine personal attributes of leaders, and masculine personal attributes of leaders), contextual influence variables (perceived lifetime sexist experiences and race-related stress) and the key social cognitive variables of women's leadership self-efficacy, women's leadership outcome expectations, women's leadership interests and women's leadership goals. Path analysis was used to examine the fit of the data for all female, college student participants (N= 224) and for only ethnic minority, female college student participants (N= 170). The proposed models for all participants and for only ethnic minority participants were not a good fit for the data, but there were several significant correlations between the primary variables that did fit within the SCCT model. An examination of the correlations between variables revealed most notably a lack of significant correlations for the moderator variables of perceived lifetime sexist events and race-related stress and the primary variables. Thus, an exploratory model was tested for all participants and only ethnic minority participants that included all the primary variables, but trimmed these moderator variables. These exploratory models for all participants and for only ethnic minority participants were a (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2012, Educational Leadership

Critics of business school education cite a widening gap between scholarship and practice, and suggest both are necessary to both educate and inform the other (Bennis & O'Toole, 2005; Mintzberg, 2004; Pfeffer & Fong, 2002, 2004; Tushman, O'Reilly, Fenollosa, Kleinbaum, & McGrath, 2007). By generating rigorous, relevant research and helping corporations integrate theory into practice, executive education and other business school leaders can lessen the gap, increase the impact, and mend the relationships between corporations and the institution (Tushman et al, 2007). This research on the leadership behaviors of women executives addresses a gap in both research and practice (Helgesen, 1990; Kanter, 1977; Levitt, 2010; Marshall, 1995; Rosener, 1990). The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) and a brief demographic questionnaire were completed by 320 executives (director, vice president or above) in a metropolitan Midwestern region of the United States in 2007-2008. The results determined that the frequency with which women executives demonstrated 29 of the 30 leadership behaviors did not differ from their male counterparts. Executive women reported that they used one leadership behavior, “find ways to celebrate accomplishments” significantly more frequently than executive men. Additionally, individual follow-up interviews were conducted with ten women and two men in executive level roles. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using the grounded theory method. From the data, ten theories emerged as the essential leadership skills women need in order to be successful in an executive level role. These are a) Develop self awareness, b) Get results, c) Value relationships, d) Recognize and reward performance, e) Foster collaboration, f) Take risks, g) Be resilient, h) Learn to assimilate, i) Value lifelong learning, j) Find balance This research may be valuable for current and aspiring women executives, their sponsoring corporations, and the executive educati (open full item for complete abstract)

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

This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the leadership experiences of Black birth workers (BBWs), revealing critical insights into leadership dynamics within maternal healthcare. Through a theoretical framework integrating African feminism, Black feminism, and anti-racist feminism, the research examines how BBWs conceptualize and enact leadership through embodied, relational, and liberatory approaches. This study addresses a significant gap in leadership literature, particularly regarding generational knowledge and practices of BBWs, which remain understudied despite their vital role in Black maternal healthcare. This study reveals distinct leadership perspectives and methodologies through in-depth interviews with eight BBWs and a detailed interpretive analysis. The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of leadership in complex maternal healthcare settings and broaden conventional leadership models by centering the voices and practices of historically marginalized Black birth worker leaders (BBWLs). This dissertation is available in open access at (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).