The TL Team

We might be biased, but we think we have the best team in the business. This vibrant community of current and former students is not just a group of excellent scholars, they are outstanding people. We continue to be proud of the impacts they are making in their communities near and far.

The Faculty

Jackie Bruce, PhD (jackie_bruce@ncsu.edu)
Associate Professor with Tenure
Instructor of leadership at the undergraduate and graduate levels, researcher, Co-Director of The Oaks Leadership Scholars at North Carolina State University. The daughter of a staunch union member and chair of local political party, Jackie grew up running snacks and water to caucus participants and taking notes during local union 1335 meetings. Those experiences indelibly shaped her world view, and her lifelong commitment to both equity and policy. She is an educator; in equal parts transformative leadership scholar, teacher of organizational behavior, nurturer of educative environs, advisor of students, colleague of leadership practitioners, mentor of qualitative researchers, editor of The Journal of Leadership Education, and relentless reader. Most importantly, however, she wife to Danny, mom to Ainslee Mae and kibble provider to Maggie and Klaus.

Katherine McKee, PhD (katie_mckee@ncsu.edu)
Assistant Professor
Instructor of leadership at the undergraduate and graduate levels, researcher, Co-Director of The Oaks Leadership Scholars at North Carolina State University. Her passion for leadership education grew out of her involvements in social movements for voting rights, health care, and LGBTQ+ equality. She believes that a strong understanding of theory can support the essential work of practitioners for justice and equity. She is a tireless advocate for students inside and outside of the classroom and gives a mean motivational speech that includes references to dinosaurs, baseball, and believing in yourself. When she is not working toward greater equity in and out of the classroom, she is making up songs for her daughter Vanessa, watching the Mets with her husband Jonathan, and bringing carrots to Phinny her wonder horse.