Jana Burch

Dr. Jana Burch is a Visiting Instructor in the Department of Business Administration at the University of West Florida’s Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business. She holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from Tarleton State University, an M.A. in Educational Psychology (Gifted Education and Talent Development) from the University of Connecticut, and a B.A. in Education from Piedmont College.

Her research focuses on creativity and innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, student engagement, and educational practices. She co-authored a meta-analysis on experiential learning outcomes that earned the top empirical paper award from the Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education (2016). In teaching, she emphasizes real-world applications in courses like business communications, ethics, management, and entrepreneurship.

Beyond academia, Dr. Burch is deeply involved in public service and historical preservation. She serves as a county chair for the Texas Historical Commission’s historical marker program and president of the Col. Joseph L. Bennett Chapter – Daughters of the Republic of Texas. She and her husband restored their 1846 family home in Texas, blending personal heritage with community preservation efforts.