DBA Chronicles Podcast Episodes

What if some of the traits commonly framed as deficits could also help drive creativity, opportunity recognition and entrepreneurial action? In this episode of DBA Chronicles, Dr. Kelly Burich and Dr. Valrie Grant welcome newly minted DBA, entrepreneur and researcher Dr. Jennifer Adelhardt for an insightful and deeply personal conversation about her doctoral journey and research at the intersection of ADHD, neurodiversity and entrepreneurship. Jennifer shares what inspired her dissertation, Di...

What can Broadway teach us about leadership, organizational culture, innovation, and inclusion? In this episode of DBA Chronicles, hosts Dr. Kelly Burich and Dr. Valrie Grant welcome Dr. Conwell Worthington III—Broadway management professional, educator, and newly minted DBA, for a fascinating conversation at the intersection of theater, business, and applied research. Drawing on more than two decades of experience managing Broadway and national productions, Dr. Worthington shares how working ...

What happens when the people dedicated to helping others begin to burn out themselves? In this episode of DBA Chronicles, we sit down with Dr. Jeff Frey, entrepreneur, healthcare executive, educator, researcher, and author, to explore one of the most pressing leadership challenges of our time: sustaining the people whocarry the weight of service, care, and impact. Drawing from more than three decades of experience across healthcare, technology, higher education, and entrepreneurship, Jeff shar...

Most organizations don't suffer from a lack of smart people. They suffer from too many handoffs, too many silos, too much duplication, and too many processes that nobody has stopped to question. In this episode of DBA Chronicles, hosts Dr. Kelly Burich andDr. Valrie Grant sat down with DBA candidate Stacy Falconer, Vice President of Healthcare and Commercial Strategy at Premium Label and Packaging Solutions and Founder & CEO of Jump Strategy. Stacy shares her journey from working inher family’...

What does it really take to build a psychologically safe workplace; one where people feel supported, not judged? In this episode of DBA Chronicles, we welcome back Dr. Steve Winkle, HR executive, leadership strategist, and mental health advocate, for a timely conversation during Mental Health Awareness Month. Steve shares insights from his DBA research on mental health disclosure in the workplace and what he found may surprise you. While many employees fear the consequences of speaking up, the...

What if building better systems starts with becoming better humans? In this powerful episode of DBA Chronicles, we sit down with Dr. Larry Clay Jr.—a design scientist, professor, and thought leader working at the intersection of innovation ecosystems, sustainability, and quantum thinking. From a childhood moment of curiosity (and a literal electric shock ) to designing flourishing cities and organizations, Dr. Clay shares a deeply personal and intellectual journey into how systems and people t...

In this episode of DBA Chronicles, we welcome Dr. Steve Winkel, Vice President of Talent and Engagement at Constant Contact, seasoned HR executive, and mental health advocate. With nearly two decades of experience in talent strategy and organizational development, Steve brings a rare and powerful perspective - one that sits at the intersection of research,leadership, and lived experience. As both a leader shaping workplace culture and an individual navigating mental health challenges, his work ...

What does it take to build a globally recognized DBA programthat stands the test of time? In this truly international episode of DBA Chronicles, we welcome the full leadership team from GEM Alpine Business School, one of Europe’s most established and globally respected DBA programs. With over 35 years of excellence and 700+ graduates worldwide, GEM’s DBA offers a compelling model of what it means to bridge academic rigor and real-world impact. Together, this dynamic panel explores the evolving...

Kimberly Bright is a Doctor of Business Administration candidate at the University of Rhode Island and a seasoned leader whose career spans public service, higher education leadership, strategic planning, and organizational change. Her work sits at the intersection of practice, policy, and scholarship, demonstrating the powerful role DBA research can play in addressing real-world challenges as they unfold. Holding a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Gov...

Dr. Helen Croskell is a seasoned global energy executiveturned scholar-practitioner. She is a 2024 graduate of the University of Rhode Island’s Doctor of BusinessAdministration program, recipient of the inaugural Dean’s Excellence Award. Her research bridges economics, policy, and sustainable development, focusing on innovative contract structures that support renewable energy in developingnations. With more than 30 years of global executive experienceacross companies such ExxonMobil, Amerada H...

With over 15 years at Disney, Dr. Katie Gottsch shares howher practitioner background shaped her DBA journey at Rollins College and how she transformed real-world organizational challenges into meaningful research.Her dissertation explored how customer feedback influences employees’ ability to deliver on the brand promise, using social media data as a longitudinal research source long before it became mainstream. Listeners will hear how Katie: Turned frontline operational challenges into a rig...

With decades of experience spanning engineering, innovation research, and academic leadership, Dr. Sebastian Fixson shares what inspired him to launch Babson College’s first-everDoctor of Business Administration (DBA) program and why the DBA is uniquely positioned to bridge the long-standing gap between academic rigor and real-world relevance. An internationally recognized scholar and founding Faculty Director of the Babson DBA, Sebastian reflects onhow applied research, entrepreneurial leaders...

In this powerful episode of DBA Chronicles, we welcome Dr. Jason Phillips, retired U.S. Navy Commander, educator, and social innovator whose work bridges military service, scholarship, and community transformation. After a 22-year Navy career with deployments to Afghanistan, Jason witnessed firsthand the challenges veterans face after service, particularly the loss of mission, community, and purpose. That realization became the foundation of his DBA research and the Veteran Urban Farm: Live–Wor...

In this uplifting episode of DBA Chronicles, we welcome Abby Brannen, career coach, marketing educator, and rising scholar in the UNC Charlotte Doctor of Business Administration program. Abby may be early in her professional journey, but she brings wisdom, intentionality, and heart far beyond her years. As a career coach in the Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University, a marketing adjunct faculty member, and now a first-year DBA student, Abby is building a path defined by pu...

Dr. Amber Yoo joins DBA Chronicles to move the AI conversation from policy warnings to pragmatic curriculum design. Amber explains how her clinical and entrepreneurial background shaped a practical approach to academicleadership and shares a clear curriculum blueprint: Intro → Ethics → Applied (domain-specific). She argues universities must empower non-technical students to critically evaluate AI outputs, protect core learning tasks from misuse, and partneracross units (instructional design, IT,...

Dr. Robert “Navy Bob” Roncska joins DBA Chronicles totranslate high-stakes military leadership lessons into every day, evidence-based practices for people-first leaders. From commanding nuclear-powered submarines (and carrying the nuclear football) to leading high-reliability teams in healthcare, Navy Bob explains why lead with loveis not soft — it’s strategic. We bridge lived experience and scholarship (Leader–Member Exchange / LMX), discuss measurable indicators of relationship-based leadershi...

Dr. Chaka Blackman-Lee joins DBA Chronicles to trace a lifeand career shaped by resilience, service, and purpose — from Panama and Brooklyn to nonprofit leadership, consulting, and a DBA at Fox School of Business, Temple University. Chaka explains why entrepreneurship for Black communities is far more than commerce: it’s social action, communitypreservation, and intergenerational legacy. She discusses the values that guided her research, the power of storytelling (and “excavating” hidden histori...

In this powerful episode Dr. Vince Hafeli takes us from thejobsite to the boardroom — and into the hard, honest work of healing. Vince shares a 40-year career in construction (starting 1985), his long journey to formal education (a bachelor’s completed after 16 years), rapid leadershipgrowth at Ajax (General Manager within a year of joining in 2002; VP in 2007; President in 2019), and why he pursued a DBA at the University of South Florida — the joke is partly so his kids would call him “Doctor,...

In this episode of DBA Chronicles, we welcomed and sat down with Dr. Alan Turovlin—Program Director of the UNC Charlotte DBA program to unpack the true return oninvestment of earning a Doctor of Business Administration. Whether you’re weighing the DBA against a PhD, considering a mid-career shift, or aiming to maximize the impact of your doctoral journey, Dr. Turovlin shares practical insights, real-world anecdotes, and actionable advice straight from the front lines of academia and industry. W...

Welcome to another engaging episode of DBA Chronicles!This week, Amy, Kelly, and Valrie sat down with the dynamic and multitalented Dr. Joseph Arrington—a healthcare professional, entrepreneur, athlete, researcher, and proud father. Dr. Arrington joins us from Utah, bringing his signatureenergy to share his unique academic path as a DBA holder. A proud Drexel graduate, Joseph takes us through his inspiring journey of merging business rigor with medical innovation. From impactful mentorship with...

What happens when a startup veteran with a passion foroperations decides to dive deep into academic research? In this episode, we’re joined by Sean Doherty, founder and CEO of Sierra Delta Advisors and current DBA student at Penn State University, who is also pursuing a masters in SupplyChain Management—simultaneously! From managing flight operations to scaling logistics forHelloFresh and Vineyard Vines, Sean brings a rare blend of real-world startup hustle and research rigor. We explore: Why ...

In this episode of DBA Chronicles, hosts Dr. Kelly Burch,Dr. Valrie Grant and Dr. Amy Horner sat down with two distinguished DBA graduates and musicians, Dr. Frank Dukes (VP, Finance Manager, Global Transaction Services at Bank of America) and Dr. Chris Richardson (Senior Manager, Supply Chain at Thermo Fisher Scientific). Both from Cohort 6 at UNCCharlotte, they dive deep into the evolving role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and share unique insights from their recent research. Key T...

In this heartfelt and insightful episode of DBA Chronicles , we turn the spotlight on our very own co-host—now proudly Dr. Kelly Burich. Fresh from crossing the stage at UNC Charlotte’s Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, Kelly steps into the guest seat to reflect on her transformative DBA journey and what it means to be Resilient on Purpose —a phrase that encapsulates not only her research focus but the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of doctoral life. With her trademark honesty and humor, Kell...

In this powerful episode of DBA Chronicles, we welcome ascholar, veteran, and visionary—Jevon Wooden, current DBA candidate at the University of Houston, founder of Bright Mind Consulting Group, and a dynamic force in empathetic leadership and community transformation. From nearly losing his future at 17 to becoming a decoratedBronze Star Army veteran and business leader, Jevon shares how lived experience shapes not just his personal journey but his mission to enable digital equity and social m...