McColl School of Business Announces Launch of New Center for Leadership and Executive Education

The McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte has announced the formation of the Center for Leadership and Executive Education, a strategic consolidation of its key leadership programs. The new Center combines the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI), the School Executive Leadership Academy (SELA), and the Office of Leadership Initiatives (OLI) into a single, comprehensive unit dedicated to developing strong leaders across the community and within its graduate programs.

The creation of the Center for Leadership and Executive Education is designed to position the McColl School for significant growth in the graduate and executive education space, strengthening its market position as a hub for leadership excellence.

“We believe we have an incredible opportunity to expand in the graduate and executive education space, and we are committed to shaping the landscape for future professionals,” said Denise Rotondo, Ph.D., dean of the McColl School of Business. “The vision is to build on our expertise in leadership programming for practitioners and strengthen our ability to serve graduate students, organizations, and new groups of professionals seeking to hone their leadership skills.”

William Sparks, Ph.D., has been appointed as the executive director of the new Center for Leadership and Executive Education. An accomplished author and researcher, Sparks is widely recognized for his work on leadership and self-awareness, which includes the Amazon #1 Best Seller “Actualized Leadership: Meeting Your Shadow & Maximizing Your Potential.” He designed the Actualized Leader Profile assessment, and his expertise has been featured in several media outlets, such as The Washington Post and NPR, and highlighted in his popular 2018 TED Talk, “The Power of Self Awareness.” He will focus on business development and growth, including the creation of new programs to bring the Center’s leadership development capabilities to more and different audiences across the region.

“I’m honored to lead the Center for Leadership and Executive Education,” said Sparks. “This strategic consolidation gives us an incredible opportunity to leverage our combined strengths – from graduate student initiatives to external executive development – and truly expand upon the McColl School’s stellar reputation as the preeminent hub for leadership excellence in the region.”

The Center’s leadership team will include:

• Elizabeth Rohan, associate director, focusing on program design, project management, and client relations
• Jane Williams, assistant director, supporting academic leadership initiatives and managing executive coaching engagements for clients and graduate students
• Nicole Priestly, director of the School Executive Leadership Academy (SELA)
• Alexandra Bertuch-Wallace, will continue as the program coordinator

The Center’s launch follows the previously announced retirement of Paul Joyce, who served as the executive director of the ELI for ten years.