Kathleen Stephenson

Kathleen Stephenson is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Change and Leadership in the Department of Management and Organization at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam's School of Business and Economics. She serves as the coordinator of the Leadership and Change Management MSc Program and directs the Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations Knowledge Hub at the VU. Previously, she was a lecturer in Human Resource Management at the University of Liverpool Management School and earned her PhD from VU Amsterdam in 2019.

Dr. Stephenson's research explores the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), leadership, and organizational change. As an ethnographer with humanities training, she applies unique spatial and temporal lenses to management scholarship. Her work has been published in top journals including the Academy of Management Annals, Journal of Management Studies, and Journal of Organizational Behavior. Her research consistently examines how spatial arrangements, temporal rhythms, and organizational contexts influence leadership practices and change processes.

Her recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward understanding how organizational contexts shape leadership behavior, particularly in fostering inclusion during disruptive times. The research shows increasing focus on practical applications of spatial and temporal theories to real-world organizational challenges, with growing emphasis on sustainability and regeneration.

Dr. Stephenson has received notable recognition including the Best Junior Faculty Paper award (2024), was a finalist for the Grigor McClelland Award (2020), and earned the Outstanding Reviewer designation from the Academy of Management Review (2024). She also secured significant research funding including the AbbVie Research Contract (2020) and the NWO-KIC Grant: TASICI (2025).

She actively contributes to the academic community as the European Representative-at-Large for the OMT division of the Academy of Management and serves on the editorial review board for the Academy of Management Review. Her professional activities include consultancy work such as the Code-V Report and Workshop (December 2024). Dr. Stephenson teaches multiple courses including Leading Change and Projects, Leading Organizational Change, and Perspectives on Organizational Change for the 2024-2025 academic year.