معرفی
Dr. Lisa DeFrank-Cole serves as Director of the Leadership Studies Program and the F. Duke Perry Professor in Leadership Studies at West Virginia University, teaching core courses including Leadership 301: Problems in Leadership, LDR 435: Women and Leadership, and LDR 551: Advanced Problems in Leadership since 2007.
Her academic credentials comprise:
- B.S. in Landscape Architecture from West Virginia University (1994)
- M.A. in Higher Education Administration from West Virginia University (1996)
- Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pittsburgh (2003), dissertation: 'An Exploration of the Differences in Female and Male Self-Perceptions of Presidential Leadership Styles at Colleges and Universities in West Virginia'
Her research centers on gender equity in leadership, investigating how women navigate and redefine leadership roles in educational and organizational contexts. This focus drives her curriculum development and scholarly output, emphasizing practical applications for advancing women's leadership pathways through structured educational frameworks.
Her scholarly recognition includes:
- 2022 Textbook and Academic Authors' (TAA) Most Promising New Textbook Award for 'Women and Leadership: Journey Toward Equity'
Externally funded initiatives feature a 2012 Fulbright Specialist Grant for teaching leadership to female students at Bahrain's Royal University for Women. Professional service spans executive direction of West Virginia's PROMISE Scholarship program, policy research for Governor Bob Wise, and roles at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Michigan, demonstrating cross-institutional leadership in educational policy and administration.
