Doctoral Research Addresses Real-World Workplace Challenges

Research with real-world impact

Kiosha F. Mitchell, DBA '12, '19, '26 chose to pursue a doctorate because she saw an opportunity to address issues in her workplace. Mitchell enrolled at UMGC because she was already comfortable with the learning environment, having received her bachelor's and master's degrees in cybersecurity from the university.

Mitchell noticed a retention gap in her former workplace where high-performing junior employees were leaving the organization due to burnout instead of pursuing leadership opportunities. This left less experienced employees to advance into these positions. She explained this can create what are known as fragile organizations that lack enough experienced and confident leaders. Mitchell researched human-centric leadership to help organizations become anti-fragile.

She currently serves as a chief master sergeant and was recently assigned to Scott Air Force base, where she is using findings from her dissertation to address training challenges and empower regional leaders to thrive in complex environments.