John Bennett, Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. John Bennett is a professor of business and behavioral science and director of graduate programs for the McColl School of Business. He holds the Wayland H. Cato, Jr. Chair of Leadership. As director of graduate programs he leads and manages the school’s M.B.A. and M.S. in talent and organization development programs as well as the four concentrations and graduate certificates. As a faculty member, he teaches graduate courses in executive coaching, leadership, and interpersonal and group dynamics.

He has nearly 30 years of industry experience, including work as C.E.O. of an American Red Cross biomedical services division, where he led pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution operations, and the development and delivery of essential human services. He also has led mergers and turnarounds, new product development, and marketing and technology system designs and integrations. He served as C.E.O. of The Foundation of Coaching, a project of the Harnisch Foundation and as senior vice president and talent solutions director for Lee Hecht Harrison.

As an executive coach and consultant, Dr. Bennett helps individuals, teams, and organizations in a variety of industries prepare for and excel through change. He has written numerous articles about coaching, change, and use of self in professional practice as well as two books: “Leading the Edge of Change” and “The Essential Network.” He also co-authored “Coaching for Change” (Routledge). His consulting and executive coaching clients include for-profit and not-for-profit, organizations in government, biomedical, construction, education, defense, financial services, higher education, human services, insurance, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and professional services.

He holds several coaching certifications and is actively involved in multiple professional organizations. He is a past president of the Graduate School Alliance for Education in Coaching and chair of N.C. Industrial & Organizational Psychology. He was named a charter Fellow in The Lewin Center and a Founding Fellow of the Institute of Coaching, which is an affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

Education

Ph.D., M.A., Human and Organizational Systems, Fielding Graduate University
M.P.A., Public Affairs, University of North Carolina, Greensboro
B.S., Mars Hill College

Certifications

Professional Certified Coach, The International Coach Federation
Board Certified Coach, The Center for Credentialing and Education