Antioch University Graduate School of Leadership and Change

Graduate School of Leadership and Change alum Dr. Lejla Bilal recently transitioned from her role as Organizational Change Manager to Senior Advisor, Leadership Development Programs and Strategy with the Talent and Organizational Development Department at Catholic Relief Services. Learn more about Dr. Bilal and read her dissertation here:

Teaming at a Distance: The Work Experience on Global Virtual Teams Global Virtual Teams (GVTs) enable organizations to become more flexible, and to adapt and react to turbulent, complex and dynamic environments. These teams span boundaries such as space, time, and geography, working collaboratively to achieve a shared ...

Graduate School of Leadership and Change alum Dr. Kirk Adams was recently honored with the prestigious recognition of a 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. The international Award recognizes individuals with disabilities who have demonstrated significant accomplishments and dedication to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities and the overall disability community.

https://at.antioch.edu/kirk-adams-dissertation-fb

Journeys Through Rough Country: An Ethnographic Study of Blind Adults Successfully Employed in American Corporations Blind and visually impaired people in the United States face a dire employment situation within professional careers and corporate employment. The purpose of this research study was to gain insights into the phenomenon of employment of blind people thro...

Dr. Mitch Kusy, Professor of Organization Learning and Development, will be the keynote speaker at the national conference of the Association of Occupational Health Professionals, September 4, Dallas-Ft. Worth. Dr. Kusy will co-present with Steve Wiesner, MD, former Medical Director for the Healthcare Organization, Kaiser Permanente.

The title of their keynote address is, "Conducting Difficult (and Courageous) Conversations: From Avoidance to Successful Outcomes" and based on their work together in building more successful physician leaders with a focus on personal well-being, team performance, and organizational effectiveness. Conference attendees will include physicians and nurses specializing in occupational health, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and healthcare leaders. Learn more about his work here:

Mitch Kusy, PhD › Antioch University Home › Faculty Directory › Mitch Kusy, PhD A 2005 Fulbright Scholar in Organization Development, Dr. Mitchell Kusy is a full professor in the Graduate School of Leadership & Change at Antioch University. A registered organization development consultant, Mitch has consulted with hundreds of organ...

PhD in Leadership and Change alum Dr. Sue McKevitt recently presented the findings of her dissertation entitled, “What Keeps Them Going: Factors that Sustain US Women’s Lifelong Peace and Social Justice Activism" to Stanford University student/staff activists along with current student activists attending the Multigenerational Student Activist 50th Reunion. Read her full dissertation here:

What Keeps Them Going: Factors that Sustain U.S. Women's Life-Long Peace and Social Justice Activism This dissertation is a mixed methods sequential study on the factors that sustain U.S. women's life-long peace and social justice activism. The specific cohort of women sought for this study was those who entered their social justice activism during the...

Graduate School of Leadership and Change alum G. Funmilayo Tyson-Devoe, PhD published her dissertation entitled, Her Voice Matters: Life Histories of Black Women Teachers’ Working Conditions.

Read the full dissertation here:
https://at.antioch.edu/tyson-devoe-dissertation-fb

As we continue celebrating , check out Developing More Equitable and Critically Conscious Organizations: Testimonios and Critical Platicas with Black and Latino/x LGBTQ+ Male CHRD Leaders Authors, a dissertation published by Mario Burton, a 2024 graduate of Antioch’s PhD in Leadership and Change:
https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/1002/

PhD in Leadership and Change alum Dr. Lucy Barbera has published "The Avatar: Masks of Hope and Healing" in the new book entitled The Expressive Use of Masks Across Cultures and Healing Arts (Routledge 2022).

Dr. Barbera is a New York State Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, whose clinical work spans the medical, psychiatric, and special education settings, as a Creative Arts Therapist, Art Teacher, and Special Education School District Administrator.

You can learn more about Dr. Barbera here:
https://www.arttherapycertificate.com/about-dr-barbera

Cherice Bock, a 2024 graduate of Antioch’s PhD in Environmental Studies, recently published her dissertation titled Ecotheology in Context: A Critical Phenomenological Study of Graduates of Environmentally Focused Seminary Programs in the United States of America.

Dissertation Watch: Intersecting Religion and Environmental Studies Amidst the Climate Crisis - Common Thread Cherice Bock, a 2024 graduate of Antioch’s PhD in Environmental Studies, recently published her dissertation titled Ecotheology in Context: A Critical Phenomenological Study of Graduates of Environmentally Focused Seminary Programs in the United States of America.

Stephanie Fox, an alum of the PhD in Leadership and Change program, originally began her academic journey as an English major, but after learning about the high turnover rate in the mental health sector, she took the leap and allowed her curiosity to turn into a profession. She wondered -- how can we prevent this?

After spending more than a decade of practice in different clinical settings, she looked beyond her own experiences and confronted her question yet again, this time as a student through the Graduate School of Leadership and Change.

“One of the things that has been meaningful to me is continuing to come back to education and learning more,” she says. “That’s kept the work very dynamic.”

Read more about Stephanie's work and her dissertation, “What does it Look Like for Mental Healthcare Organizations to be Healthy Places to Work?” here:

Advancing Healthcare for the Common Good with Stephanie Fox - Common Thread Sitting in a lecture hall in 2007, one thing Stephanie Fox didn’t want to hear when she started studying to be a therapist was that many people leave the field after 18 months. “I experienced that as quite shocking,” she says. Just a few months into a three year program, the math wasn’t addi...

Commencement is just around the corner!

As we countdown to graduation, we're resharing Dean of the Graduate School of Leadership and Change Dr. Laurien Alexandre's commencement speech from 2023:

Antioch University Graduate School of Leadership and Change Commencement Address 2023 by Laurien Alexandre, PhD This is "Antioch University Graduate School of Leadership and Change Commencement Address 2023 by Laurien Alexandre, PhD" by Antioch University on Vimeo,…

PhD in Leadership and Change alum David E. Lawrence, Ph.D. is the new superintendent of the Dayton Public School District. Out of the 615 school districts in Ohio, he is one of eight Black men who are superintendents

“I’m a believer in this idea that being in education, in leadership, you have to be really, really progressive and liberal. Understanding that the conditions that you work in are not the fault of the individuals that you deal with.”

Check out this insightful article on David and his perspectives on what it takes to lead a school district effectively:

David Lawrence Named Dayton Public Schools Next Superintendent - Common Thread “Two days ago, I made a decision to send 15,000 people home,” says David Lawrence. There was a tornado on the horizon, but still, calling off class for an entire school district was a hard decision to make. Lawrence, a graduate of the PhD in Leadership and Change program and the new superintende...

Alumni member Atim Eneida George will participate in Indiana University’s Institute for Advanced Study.

With funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, she will attend the Summer Institute entitled, Content Warning: Engaging Trauma and Controversy in Research Collections, to be held in Bloomington, Indiana in July 2024.

The Summer Institute will convene an interdisciplinary group of participants and faculty who will gather to learn with each other how to engage traumatic and/or controversial memories and histories connected with archival or museum collections. Together, they will seek to develop practices that can help others understand and heal historical harms.

ICYMI: The application deadline for the PhD in Leadership and Change is tomorrow, May 1.
If you have any questions, please contact our Admissions Team as soon as possible at [email protected].

If you'd like to double check what materials you need to complete your application, visit https://www.antioch.edu/academics/leadership-management/phd-leadership-change/

Dr. Mario Burton, a 2024 graduate, has published his dissertation entitled, "Developing More Equitable and Critically Conscious Organizations: Testimonios and Critical Platicas with Black and Latino/x LGBTQ+ Male CHRD Leaders Authors."

His dissertation takes an in-depth look at what leaders can learn from Black and Latino/x LGBTQ+ men when establishing equitable and critically conscious organizations. Burton has spent the last 17 years working with various marginalized communities.

You can read more about Burton and his dissertation here:

Dissertation Watch: Developing More Equitable and Critically Conscious Organizations - Common Thread Mario Burton, a 2024 graduate of Antioch’s PhD in Leadership and Change, has published his dissertation entitled Developing More Equitable and Critically Conscious Organizations: Testimonios and Critical Platicas with Black and Latino/x LGBTQ+ Male CHRD Leaders Authors.

Graduate School of Leadership and Change Teaching Faculty member Yulia Tolstikov-Mast, PhD, recently lead a workshop on context and language in international followership studies and a discussion about global followership as a force for global change at the Global Followership Conference at the University of Strathclyde.

Antioch University's PhD in Leadership and Change is finalizing enrollment for this year.

If you plan to begin your doctoral journey this summer please submit all materials by our final deadline, May 1 and contact our Admissions Team as soon as possible at [email protected]. We are looking forward to connecting with you!

If you'd like to double check what materials you need to apply, visit https://www.antioch.edu/academics/leadership-management/phd-leadership-change/

Alumni member Ronnie Hagerty, PhD has been reappointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to the OneStar National Service Commission. The commission promotes volunteerism in Texas and oversees the administration of the AmeriCorps programs for the state.

Hagerty is assistant vice president of community relations and talent management for United Way of Greater Houston. She is an adjunct professor at the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University and former lecturer at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. She serves as a board member for The Rose and as an advisory committee member for the Houston Arts Alliance, Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, Career Gear, and University of Houston Downtown master’s in nonprofit management program. She is a member of the PowerTools for Nonprofits Advisory Board and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Houston.

Learn more about Hagerty and read her dissertation Role of Foundations in the Changing World of Philanthropy: A Houston Perspective: https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/110/

Dr. Janet Dewart Bell recently joined Tavis Smiley on his podcast, The Tavis Smiley Podcast, to discuss her new book entitled, Blackbirds Singing: Inspiring Black Women’s Speeches From the Civil War to the Twenty-First Century.

You can listen to the podcast episode here:

‎Tavis Smiley: Janet Dewart Bell joins Tavis Smiley on Apple Podcasts ‎Show Tavis Smiley, Ep Janet Dewart Bell joins Tavis Smiley - Feb 1, 2024

As we wrap up , we want to take a second to recognize two inspirational women in our program.

Highlighted in our Women's History Month Common Thread Round Up is PhD in Leadership alumni members, Carol Isom-Barnes and LaTanya White. These women are champions in their respective roles as they work to leave a positive impact on others and foster change where we need it most. They're just a small glimpse into how many empowering women we have representing GSLC in their careers, communities, and industries!

Visit https://commonthread.antioch.edu/celebrating-womens-history-2024 to read more about Antiochian women and their achievements.

Heidi Sampson, a 2024 graduate of Antioch’s PhD in Leadership and Change, recently published her dissertation titled, An Internal and External Contextual Autoethnography of a Single Mother's Experience as it Intersects with Misogyny, Patriarchy, and Hegemonic Masculinity.

Pulling from robust research and her own encounters, her dissertation focused on the internal and external challenges of single motherhood. A divorced single mother who once had a violent partner, Sampson's dissertation is a personal, contextual approach to stigma, stereotypes, and institutional obstacles.

You can learn more about Sampson and read her dissertation here:

Dissertation Watch: A Single Mother's Experience as it Intersects with Misogyny, Patriarchy, and Hegemonic Masculinity Heidi Sampson, a 2024 graduate of Antioch's PhD in Leadership and Change, recently published her dissertation titled, An Internal and External Contextual Autoethnography of a Single Mother's Experience as it Intersects with Misogyny, Patriarchy, and Heg...

Human rights education specialist and GSLC alum Dr. Elana Haviv was recently a featured guest at The University of Wisconsin's "A Community Café Conversation" a cross-cultural conversation focused on topics relevant to both the global and local communities. Additionally, Dr. Haviv joined the Jewish Museum Milwaukee for a special Teacher Meet Up to explore the concept and complexities of peace through words and experiences of youth in post-war and post-genocide countries.

A Community Café Conversation with Human Rights Education Specialist Elana Haviv - Institute of World Affairs Join UWM’s Institute of World Affairs and Kim Khaira of HOME for a global café-style conversation series featuring guests from around the globe.

It's .

When communities have proper access to water, there is a ripple effect that influences public health, food security, sustainability, and economic productivity. Stability within a society relies on a well-preserved water cycle.

Larry Bingaman, who is pursuing his PhD in Leadership and Change, shares his thoughts about equal access to high-quality water in this Antioch Voices essay.

The Need to Ensure Everyone has Access to Water - Common Thread larry bingaman Water is one of the most basic human needs and should be something everyone can have access to. However, reliable, high-quality water service is not guaranteed. Epic drought, record flooding, infrastructure failure, water contamination, and climate change are straining our nation’s ...

In 2018, Dr. Chante Meadows, a 2023 graduate of the PhD in Leadership and Change program, stood on a TEDx stage to address a problem: why isn't mental health in Black communities treated as being equally as physical health?

Just two years later, the national mental health crises only worsened following the pandemic, the death of George Floyd, and many other traumatic events. Each and every one of us were deeply affected by these occurrences -- including therapists, counselors, and mental health practitioners -- and we're just now stopping to catch our breath years later. Meadows' work recognizes the connection that shared experiences and trauma can offer a foundation for healing, understanding, and connection -- a model currently lacking in the counseling field.

“It is easier, a little bit, as a Black woman to be able to have these harder conversations. I can exist in multiple worlds,” she explains. “I am the person who can say it because I have had to navigate all the isms - poverty, sexism, racism,” she says. “And it gets easier when you can say, I've been there, and I'm still in it.”

You can read more about Dr. Chante Meadows' and her mission here:

With Collective Traumas Becoming More Common, One Leader Studies Their Impacts on Black Mental Health Practitioners In 2018, Chanté Meadows stood on a TEDx stage and addressed a problem that's central to her career: why isn't mental health treated as being equally important as physical health? In this instance, she was speaking specifically about how this pattern aff...

Congratulations, Class of 2023! We can't wait to see what you've yet to accomplish, bringing the tools learned at Antioch with you.

While the past two years have been disrupted by the pandemic, GSLC is excited to continue the tradition of hosting a mini-residency and alumni convening at the International Leadership Association (ILA) conference. The upcoming in-person conference entitled, “Cultivating Leadership for a Thriving Future” will be held in Vancouver, October 12-15.

Learn more here:

PhD in Leadership and Change to Host Alumni Convening and Mini-Residency at ILA Conference - Common Thread Antioch University's PhD in Leadership and Change's long-standing relationship with the International Leadership Association (ILA) means they have been involved with annual conferences in various ways since their inception in the mid-90s. This year they...

On a university level, transformative change is a slow-moving process. Oftentimes, this type of change relies significantly on those in middle-management roles, such as deans, department chairs, and division heads; these individuals may not be accustomed to making major decisions in leadership roles, which can hold back progress.

In an effort to help overcome these challenges, GSLC partnered with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to design and deliver a workshop series specifically for mid-level leaders in AASCU institutions.

Read more here:

GSLC Partners with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to Provide Workshop In the wake of the George Floyd murder in 2020, college campuses were quick to issue statements decrying racism and supporting efforts to promote racial justice. In most cases, these statements led to little structural change, however. Deep, transformat...

Al Guskin, a Distinguished University Professor of the PhD Leadership and Change program, recently celebrated his newly published memoir, Dancing with Change: My Life as a Pragmatic Idealist.

In celebration, a book signing event was held in May, where Guskin shared thoughts and stories from his time at Antioch University, where he held many roles -- including Chancellor of Antioch University from 1994 through 1997.

Learn more about Al's book here:
https://blog.antioch.edu/al-guskin-book-fb