What continues to interest me is that the most pressing challenges facing agriculture and our communities are rarely technical problems alone. They are human problems.
Associate Professor and Extension Leadership Specialist
My research focus is leadership development. I have spent my career, both in academia and industry, studying effective leadership around the globe. What continues to interest me is that the most pressing challenges facing agriculture and our communities are rarely technical problems alone. They are human problems. Understanding how people develop the capacity to lead others through critical issues is work that never stops being interesting.
When I recall my undergraduate experience, I realize I did not always understand the importance of the human dimensions of work. Later, as a manager leading teams, I came to understand how critical those dimensions are to success. I teach because I want learners to make that connection earlier than I did. I am passionate about helping learners recognize that leadership and the human dimensions of a project are central to whether the work succeeds.
My passion is helping individuals develop their own leadership capacity and empowering them to serve as leaders in their organizations and communities. I believe in an applied approach to teaching, one that integrates behaviorist, experiential, and constructivist philosophies to provide an environment where everyone can learn and make meaning.
Fundamentally, I want learners to develop the skills and the confidence to translate what we cover in the classroom and apply it in the real world, whether they are leading a team, an organization, or a community.