Global Leadership and Followership for Our Polarized World: Theory, Methodology, and Practice

Gretchen Alther, Leadership Program Senior Manager, East-West Center. 

Gretchen Alther is Senior Manager of the Leadership Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, where she runs professional development programs across the Asia-Pacific focusing on equity and community resilience. She holds academic credentials in international studies, natural resources management, peacebuilding, and leadership, and is pursuing a PhD in Leadership and Change. Gretchen is an advisor to the Institute for Climate and Peace and chairs the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, and Common Security.

Alec Balasescu, PhD, anthropologist at large.

Alexandru (Alec) Balasescu is an anthropologist, writer, and occasional curator. He obtained his Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of California, Irvine in 2004, with an emphasis in Critical Theory. Between 2011 and 2014 he was the executive director of Romanian Cultural Insitute in Istanbul where he initiated a series of artistic collaborations in contemporary art. Alec’s most recent book, Climate Change in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Nature, Culture and the Politics of Technology will appear in June at Springer Nature Publishing House. 

He teaches at Royal Roads University, Victoria, Canada.

Borna Jalsenjak, Ph.D., Professor of Ethics and Leadership, Luxembourg School of Business, Luxembourg.

Dr. Borna Jalsenjak is an educator specializing in leadership, business ethics, and critical thinking. He teaches at the Luxembourg School of Business. Also, he regularly lectures in the U.S., Italy, and Croatia. His research explores ethics, CSR, and leadership through a philosophical lens. With a PhD in philosophy and training as a certified coach, he brings academic rigor and practical insight to his work in business education and ethical leadership.

Alapaki Luke, Ed.D., Professor of Hawaiian Studies, Honolulu Community College, University of Hawaiʻi System.

Dr. Mark Sung Alapaki Luke is a Professor at Honolulu Community College and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Alapaki teaches Hawaiian Studies, Geography, Curriculum Studies, and Hawaiian Language. Dr. Luke is an alumnus of the EdD Leadership and Innovation at NYU and his research focused on increasing the Native Hawaiian Capacity at the University of Hawaiʻi. He is also a STEMS2 Master’s and Geography/Hawaiian Studies alumnus at UH Mānoa. Alapaki participated as an East-West Center Degree Fellow (2001-2003). He plants kalo (taro) in Kahana Valley on the island of Oʻahu and enjoys sharing the experience with his students, community groups, and international communities. He has worked with numerous private/public schools and community groups with Native Hawaiian Culture, instilling a sense of place and Native Hawaiian Culture/Language within their curriculum.

Mark E. Mendenhall, Ph.D., J. Burton Frierson Chair of Excellence in Business Leadership, Gary W. Rollins College of Business, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and Partner in The Kozai Group.

Mark E. Mendenhall holds the J. Burton Frierson Chair of Excellence in Business Leadership at the Gary W. Rollins College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. He has co-authored/edited 33 books and numerous research publications on global leadership, international human resource management, and leadership. Mark is a partner in The Kozai Group, a consultancy specializing in global leadership identification, assessment, and development, and is a past president of the International Management Division of the Academy of Management.

Julia Puaschunder, Professor, Department of Economics & Finance, International University of Monaco.

Julia Puaschunder is a trained economist, legal scholar and psychologist currently at the Department of Economics and Finance of the International University of Monaco. Julia was a Fulbright Scholar and Max Kade Foundation Scholar at Harvard University. As a Prize Fellow in the Interuniversity Consortium of New York, she researched, taught and studied at The New School, Princeton and Columbia University. Julia Puaschunder authored 14 books on ethics, climate justice, behavioral economics and resilient finance.

Ronald Riggio, Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology, Claremont McKenna College.

Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D. is the Henry R. Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology and former Director of the Kravis Leadership Institute at Claremont McKenna College. Dr. Riggio is a social/personality psychologist and leadership scholar with more than two dozen authored or edited books and more than 250 articles/book chapters. He was co-editor (along with Ira Chaleff and Jean Lipman-Blumen) of The Art of Followership. His most recent co-authored (w/ Alexander Negrov) is Leadership in Ukraine: Studies During Wartime.

Harriet L. Schwartz, PhD, Professor of Relational Practice and Higher Education, Graduate School of Leadership and Change, Antioch University.

Harriet L. Schwartz, PhD, is a Professor of Relational Practice and Higher Education in Antioch University’s PhD in Leadership and Change program. Her scholarly interests include teaching as relational practice, emotion and teaching, and qualitative research methods, particularly critical incident technique and grounded theory. The author of Connected Teaching: Relationship, Power, and Mattering in Higher Education (Stylus, 2019), Harriet is a leader in applying Relational Cultural Theory (RCT) in education.

Arwa Shurab, Leadership Coach.

Arwa Shurab is a Palestinian leadership coach, speaker, and founder of HERVOICE, an NGO dedicated to empowering women in leadership. With a master’s degree in Global Leadership and certifications in life coaching, Arwa supports women and marginalized communities through advocacy, coaching, and education. Based in North Vancouver, she is also the co-founder of BCMAP—BC Muslim and Arab Professionals. Arwa is a passionate voice against Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism, committed to justice and transformative change.

Aleesha Towns-Bain, Ph.D. Candidate.

Aleesha Towns-Bain is the President & CEO of the Bristol Bay Foundation, which supports Alaska Native students in pursuing educational opportunities while promoting and preserving the cultural heritage of the Bristol Bay region in Alaska. Born in Seattle with family roots in Pilot Point, Alaska, Aleesha is a former journalist and editor who has spent the past 18 years working with foundations. She is dedicated to advancing education outcomes for Indigenous students and preserving Native languages for future generations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and Native American studies from the Evergreen State College and a Master of Arts in journalism from University of Missouri-Columbia. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Leadership & Change from Antioch University.

Ajay Viswanath, Leadership Coach & Consultant, TAO Consulting Pvt Ltd. 

Ajay is a seasoned learning professional and consultant with TAO Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., with over 24 years of experience. He has facilitated 500+ programs covering 15,000+ participants across industries. An alumnus of Royal Roads’ MAGL course, Ajay’s expertise lies in designing and delivering leadership development, assessment centers, and change management initiatives. An ICF-PCC Leadership Coach, Ajay coaches CEOs and senior leaders, integrating his Bharatanatyam background and understanding of body work to unlock leadership potential.