Gloria Hess

As both a university career services leader, and as a board-certified career coach with a private practice, I have assisted numerous job seekers who have encountered barriers to gainful employment. Whether they were post-graduate experienced-hire professionals, conventional students, nontraditional adult learners, or pro bono clients from disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, they shared some similar stories of discrimination, displacement, and difficulty in sustaining employment and economic independence. I was frustrated by what I heard, as even a single instance of workplace discrimination is one too many. So, I dedicated myself to the pursuit of a doctorate that could help me in my career mission to better address issues of employment sustainability. Supported by an immersion in adult learning theory and transformative learning, one of my goals of that mission is to help shape formal, non-formal, and informal education to combat discrimination within the workplace. More broadly, though.... As a strategic leader and administrator, I specialize in the development and delivery of programs and services that address the needs of a constituency. By applying a collaborative leadership style and an ability to build relationships, I effectively and efficiently manage staff and lead teams to meet those needs, and have done so within both highly regulated metrics-driven and mission-driven environments. Bottom line, either as a department head, a team leader, or an independent contributor, I welcome opportunities where I can help individuals achieve their career and professional goals, or lead groups and teams in achieving their organizational goals—all in the spirit of making the world a more just and sustainable place. SKILLS: Higher Ed Administration, Career Coaching, Career Development, Professional Development, Systems Thinking, Needs Assessment, Strategic Planning, Project Management, Process Improvement, Operations Management, Program Development, Program