Kate McCain

Bio: Kate McCain is a Collegiate Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education at Virginia Tech. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership, including leadership theory, toxic leadership, and research methods. Her research examines the power of storytelling in shaping leader identity, supporting socialization, and navigating complex leadership challenges. Her work focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning within leadership education, with particular attention to high-impact practices such as narrative pedagogy and the sense-making of toxic leadership experiences. Dr. McCain is passionate about helping leaders craft and share their stories as a catalyst for meaningful leadership development.

Candidate Statement: I have been an active member of the Association of Leadership Educators since 2016, when I joined as a PhD student. Over the past decade, ALE has been central to my professional growth as a leadership educator and scholar. One of ALE’s greatest impacts has been the networking opportunities and collaborations fostered through the annual conference and through scholarly engagement, including publishing in the Journal of Leadership Education. I currently serve as co-leader of the Teaching and Pedagogy/Andragogy FAN, where I foster inclusive spaces for connection, idea sharing, and collaboration among members with shared teaching and learning interests. I also serve on the board as a Director-at-Large on the Marketing and Public Relations Committee. In this role, I support the promotion of ALE’s mission and initiatives, highlight outstanding members, and advertise events through organizational branding and social media outlets. Serving on the board for the past two years has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the needs and opportunities within our diverse membership. I would be honored to serve as ALE’s next Vice President. My goals include increasing member engagement, supporting strategic membership growth, strengthening connections with leadership practitioners, and expanding undergraduate student involvement in ALE.

Anna Whitehall

Bio: Anna Whitehall is a scholarly associate professor at Washington State University (WSU) and the Director of the Center for Transformational Learning and Leadership (CTLL). The CTLL provides experiential learning in communication, leadership, and career-readiness skills through academic courses, university programming and facilitating professional development workshops, programs, and fellowships. Anna teaches all the core classes in the WSU Leadership minor; which prior to this minor, WSU had not academic leadership program. Her classes include career readiness and communication class where students work on team projects to create podcast, a leadership theories class where student work as consultants to local leader, and a Leadership in the Community course where students take on leadership projects for local agencies through service-learning projects. She also has facilitated a graduate student leadership certificate course. Her involvement in Association of Leadership Educators has supported her in these endeavors.

Candidate Statement: I have been a member of ALE since 2018 when I attended my first conference with the encouragement of a colleague. I had the honor of presenting a Practice Application Paper at that conference and have presented at almost all conferences since then. My service to ALE has included reviewing mini grants, award applications, and conference proposals, serving as a member of the conference planning committee and chair of the conference concurrent sessions, and serving on the awards committee. In 2023 I joined the Board of Directors as a Director at Large with the Awards and Recognition processes and committee. I have enjoyed my time working with colleagues through ALE and am looking to continue my service to the organization in new and different ways. One of the things that I have appreciated about ALE is the ongoing efforts to push what is meant by leadership and I would love to be part of that effort so we could strive to expand our reach to new universities and organizations. I consider myself a servant leader and being part of the ALE Board of Directors would give me the opportunity to apply that service to the organization.

I. Dami Alegelegye

Bio: Dami Alegbeleye, Ph.D., is a faculty member at the University of Southern Maine, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership and organizational theory and coordinates a Leadership Pedagogy program. He holds a B.S. in Agricultural Education from Obafemi Awolowo University (Nigeria), an M.S. in Agribusiness Management from Tennessee State University, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Leadership Education from Virginia Tech. His research centers on three interconnected areas: followership, predictors of teamwork, and leadership pedagogy. Specifically, he examines how leadership and followership can be distributed or shared among team members and how this influences teamwork and team effectiveness. Over the course of his career, he has accumulated more than 15 years of professional experience across industry, secondary education, and higher education. He has also delivered more than 40 workshops, invited lectures, and award-winning research presentations at national and international conferences, including the Association of Leadership Educators (ALE). His work appears in the Journal of Management Development (JMD), the Journal of Leadership Studies (JLS), and the Journal of Leadership Education (JOLE).

Candidate Statement: I joined ALE in 2018 as a doctoral student and was immediately drawn to its welcoming community. Since then, I have grown within the association, building relationships that have supported my professional career. I have served as a mentor, concurrent session chair, award judge, awards committee member, and conference paper reviewer. Although I was nominated, I chose to put forward my candidacy because I believe I can meaningfully contribute to the association. I currently co-lead the Leadership Studies Research FAN, collaborating with others to advance ALE’s values of collaboration, curiosity, and rigor. In this role, I foster community and organize webinars to strengthen members’ research rigor. As a director-at-large, I hope to contribute to innovative programs and initiatives that enhance the teaching and research capacity of our members. ALE has grown substantially and continues to evolve, particularly in expanding and diversifying its membership. As a director-at-large, I aim to collaborate on programs that engage new and underrepresented demographics. Aligned with ALE’s value of a “supportive and inclusive community,” I am committed to initiatives that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, ensuring all members feel valued, heard, and respected.

Lauren Cline

Bio: Dr. Lauren Lewis Cline is an assistant professor and state Extension specialist in agricultural leadership at Oklahoma State University, with a 0.75 teaching and 0.25 Extension appointment. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in agricultural leadership and education. Her Extension work focuses on adaptive leadership, collaborative problem-solving, and leadership development across diverse audiences. Lauren earned her bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from Auburn University with a minor in agricultural leadership, a master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education and communications from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in agricultural education with an emphasis in leadership from Oklahoma State University. She previously served as Director of Agricultural Studies at Warner University and as undergraduate program coordinator in Auburn University’s College of Agriculture, where she taught agricultural leadership courses and led advising efforts. She has been at Oklahoma State University since 2017 as a graduate teaching associate, lecturer (2020-2021), and tenure track faculty member since January 2022. Lauren joined the Association of Leadership Educators (ALE) as a master’s student and has been a continuous member since 2015. She has served on a conference planning committee, is active in multiple FANS, and regularly presents at and attends ALE conferences. She lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma with her husband, Chad, and their two sons, and enjoys reading, gardening, and cheering on her kids in sports and creative activities.

Candidate Statement: I have been an active member of the Association of Leadership Educators since 2015, first joining as a master’s student and remaining continuously engaged throughout my academic career. As a doctoral student, I was honored to receive the ALE Founder’s Student Scholar Award, an experience that reinforced my commitment to the organization and to leadership education as a collaborative, interdisciplinary field. I have served on a conference planning committee, participated in multiple FANS, and regularly present at and attend ALE conferences. I am seeking a position on the ALE Board because I deeply value the culture of collaboration that defines our association and the way ALE intentionally builds our discipline through shared scholarship and practice. My teaching and Extension work centers on leadership development within specific contexts, and I hope to bring that perspective to board service. If elected, my goal is to serve the board by supporting members, strengthening interdisciplinary connections, and continuing to advance conversations about how the scholarship of teaching and learning in leadership can meaningfully inform and improve leadership practice.

Austin Council

Bio: Dr. Austin Council is a collegiate assistant professor of leadership studies in the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education at Virginia Tech. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate leadership courses, advises students, coordinates the Leadership and Social Change Minor, and serves as a liaison to the Leadership and Social Change Residential College, a living-learning program on campus. Dr. Council’s research interests include the intersection of humility and leadership, using multimedia (film, podcasts, etc.) as pedagogical practices to teach leadership, and the role of social media in modern leadership development among students. Dr. Council received all three of his graduate degrees, B.A. in History, M.Ed. In Social Studies Education, and Ph.D. in Agricultural Education and Communication. He lives in Christiansburg, Virginia but was born and raised in Bradenton, Florida.

Candidate Statement: I am seeking to serve as a member of the Board of Directors in the Association of Leadership Educators, an organization that has shaped my professional within the field of leadership studies since 2016. My first experience with ALE was at the annual conference in Charleston, South Carolina, which opened my eyes to the depth of scholarship within the field. I presented a poster with my former advisor, Dr. Matthew Sowcik, and doing so sparked an interest to pursue professional opportunities within the organization. In fact, ALE was one of the reasons I was promoted from instructor to collegiate faculty, because the conferences experiences influenced my line of research and scholarship. It also opened the doors to publishing opportunities with the Journal of Leadership Education and meaningful relationships I’ve developed with colleagues across many different college campuses. In terms of my involvement with ALE, I served on the conference planning committee for the 2024 conference in Minneapolis, I have been a manuscript reviewer, and I’ve twice volunteered with the Conference Connectors program in 2023 and 2024. I have a few ideas that I would like to share if I get the opportunity to be on the ALE Board of Directors. One would be potentially shifting the location of the annual conference to be hosted at individual universities and/or the college towns that they reside. I think this would give participants the chance to gain a more in-depth experience of leadership education by contextually examining a peer institution. I also think experiencing the traditions of different college towns would be a unique experience for attendees. The other idea would be to expand ALE’s reach, specifically with k-12 educators. I have worked with a high school leadership program in Virginia since 2023 and I think this is an area that ALE can tap into—and promote—for future conferences. Perhaps creating a separate, more abbreviated call for proposals for k-12 educators would be appropriate. I think it’s important that college-level leadership educators understand the curriculum similarities and differences within k-12 settings.

Lacey Grey Hunter

Bio: Lacey Grey H. Hunter, M.Ed., is Director of the President's Leadership Program at Christopher Newport University, where she leads an incredible team in the strategy, design, and delivery of leader development experiences for more than 1,000 students. With an emphasis on translating leadership theory into applied practice, students in the program have earned national and international recognition through leadership competitions. Beyond the university setting, she designs and facilitates leader development experiences for adult learners, including senior leaders and C-suite executives. She is a past co-Chair of the Global Followership Conference, contributing author to Moving the Needle: What We Know (and Don't Know) About Developing Leaders, developed the curriculum for LEAD Higher (an advanced leader development partnership with the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce), and has been featured on podcasts exploring leading and following. She also enjoys serving her community as a volunteer with Impact 100 Greater Peninsula and PostPartum Support Virginia (PSVa). She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership & Change from Antioch University.

Candidate Statement: I am seeking to serve as a Member at Large with ALE because of ALE’s unique role in bringing together scholars and practitioners who are committed to advancing leadership education. My engagement with ALE since 2020 has primarily been through conference participation and continued connection to a community that values both inquiry and application of leadership theories and concepts. These experiences have reinforced my appreciation for ALE as a space where meaningful collaboration emerges across roles and contexts. In my current role, I lead a large-scale co-curricular undergraduate leader development program and serve as an adjunct faculty member within Leadership Studies. Beyond the university, I design and facilitate leadership training and leader development experiences for adult learners, including senior leaders and C-suite executives. I also contribute to institutional efforts to integrate leadership development across the student experience. If elected, I would focus on strengthening member engagement throughout the year and elevating practices that translate research into application. I am particularly interested in how ALE can continue to connect educators and practitioners across sectors and support the ongoing evolution of the field. I would value the opportunity to contribute to ALE’s continued growth and impact alongside other dedicated professionals.

Mary Ann Pearson

Bio: MaryAnn Pearson is a Professor of Communication and Leadership Studies at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. She teaches undergraduate students communication and public relations courses, and graduate students doctoral-level leadership studies courses. She has served as a dissertation chair for many PhD students since 2022. Before her work in the PhD Leadership Studies program, Mary Ann served as the Chair for Arts and Sciences in the Online Division of CBU, and from 2005-2012, she worked as the Director of Student Publications. Her professional work before joining the academy included nonprofit work, public relations and journalism roles, and teaching in the public school system. Mary Ann’s experiences have informed her research agenda in mentoring, followership, shared leadership, burnout, emotional intelligence, and resilience. Her passion for mentoring and leadership fueled her leadership in several formal and informal mentoring programs in the professional and academic world. Mary Ann holds an EdD in Educational Leadership and both a teaching and an administrative credential. She is accredited in public relations and holds the APR designation. She has served as Board President of the local PRSA chapter and as a board member for over a decade. She served as Chair for PRSA’s national Educators’ Academy. Mary Ann joined ALE over a year ago and was delighted to meet and get to know so many ALE members in San Diego at the 2025 conference. She hopes to use her extensive board experience to serve as a director for the ALE board.

Amanda Pacheco

Bio: Dr. Amanda (Mandy) Pacheco is a Lecturer in the Leadership Program at the University of Central Florida, where she oversees the major, minor, and certificate. With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, she specializes in building programs, relationship-centered online learning, and designing high-impact learning opportunities that connect theory to real-world practice across diverse student populations. She played a key role in expanding UCF’s leadership program to include nine tracks aligned with workforce needs, grew the major to nearly 200 students in less than two years, and developed state-recognized high-quality curricula that integrates Universal Design for Learning practices and emerging technologies. Her work reflects a commitment to access, engagement, partnerships, and preparing students for meaningful futures. Beyond academia, Mandy brings nearly three decades of nonprofit leadership experience as both a founder and board member. She has helped lead multiple successful nonprofits, serving as Membership Vice President of the Orlando Junior Chamber, founding a nationally recognized organization supporting infant health, and currently serving as Vice President and founding board member of an educational enrichment center. An active member of ALE, Mandy is committed to advancing the field through collaboration, service, and innovation. More information can be found at www.mandypacheco.com.

Candidate Statement: When my institution launched its Leadership degree in Fall 2024, I was eager to connect with others doing this work. That search led me to ALE in early 2025, where I quickly became involved as a proposal reviewer and conference presenter. I was struck by the authenticity, knowledge, and genuine kindness of this community. Since then, I have continued my involvement through another season of proposal reviewing and service on the 2026 conference planning committee. If elected, I hope to support initiatives that enhance connection and resource-sharing across the field, including a voluntary members-only repository of syllabi and program models and a centralized directory of leadership programs and co-curricular initiatives across institutions. I believe these shared resources can strengthen both individual programs and our collective impact. As a newer member, I understand what it feels like to find your place in a professional community and hope to help others feel connected, welcomed, and engaged in ALE. I would be honored to support the organization’s continued success, bringing a collaborative and strategic approach, an understanding of nonprofit management, and a strong commitment to thoughtful stewardship of the organization’s resources.

Jenn Smist

Bio: Dr. Jenn Smist is a Teaching Assistant Professor in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned a Ph.D. in Educational Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a master’s degree in College Student Personnel from the University of Maryland, and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Boston University. Dr. Smist previously held positions in leadership education and residential life in student affairs before shifting to a faculty position in 2018. She teaches over 600 students annually across multiple leadership courses in face-to-face, hybrid, and online formats. Her teaching and research focus on personal leadership development, interpersonal communication, collaborative leadership within complex organizations and systems, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. She currently serves as an Engaged Learning Fellow within the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Smist also serves as the academic advisor for undergraduate students in the Organizational and Community Leadership concentration in the ALEC major and coordinates the campus Minor in Leadership Studies. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, reading, and serving her local community.

Candidate Statement: I joined ALE in 2018 and am excited to support the association, scholars, and practitioners that have become my strongest professional community. As a Director-at-Large on the ALE Board of Directors, I will work to strengthen our supportive, inclusive community, foster collaboration, spark curiosity, and uphold rigor. I am a leadership educator committed to advancing the practice and scholarship of leadership education, and I will help ensure the sustainability of our work in our changing world. My ALE involvement includes presenting at the 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 annual conferences and earning the Outstanding Workshop Award in 2025. I have served on the Awards and Recognition Committee (2022 – present) and the Conference Planning Committee (2023 – present). I have also served as a reviewer for the Journal of Leadership Education since 2015. Furthermore, I have six years of experience serving on other non-profit boards, including as a past President of the Junior League of Champaign-Urbana and current Community Impact Chair on the United Way of Champaign County Board of Directors. My experience in non-profit board governance and operations will be a valuable addition to ALE as we support the current and future work of our association and leadership educators.