Susana Fernandez
Biography
Susana Fernández currently works as a faculty member for Florida Atlantic University
and for the University of Maryland University College, where she teaches at both the
undergraduate and graduate levels in the areas of Leadership, Management, Human Resource
Management, and International Business. For Florida Atlantic University, she teaches
for both the College of Business and the College of Education, and for the University
of Maryland University College, she teaches leadership and management. Previously
she has taught at Nova Southeastern University, Lynn University, and at Barry University.
She has a professional background in public relations and broadcast journalism, as
well as 14 years of experience in various academic and administrative areas of higher
education. Prior to pursuing teaching full-time, she served as Director of Alumni
and Parent Relations at Lynn University, in the Office of Development. Previously,
she had worked at Barry University, where she founded and directed the Center for
Commuter Student Affairs. At Barry, she also worked in the Andreas School of Business
coordinating study abroad programs, internships, and faculty exchanges. She also
worked as Coordinator of International Student Services, where she oversaw visa procedures
and the social involvement and integration of international students; and as Coordinator
of Special Events in the Division of Institutional Advancement, where she handled
major events for the university as a whole as well as those for the Office of the
President.
Her journalistic background spans print and broadcasting both in the United States
and Europe, where she collaborated in a news and culture magazine show with the EFE
agency that was broadcast regularly throughout Latin America. Her print contributions
have been featured in one of the Chicago Tribune’s subsidiary newspapers. Her work
in public relations and advertising firms allowed her to work with clients from all
over the world in a variety of projects.
Academically, she holds Bachelor’s degrees in Broadcast journalism and Public Relations,
and a minor in French. She also has a M.B.A with a concentration in Marketing, and
earned her Ph.D. from Barry University in 2003 with concentrations in Leadership and
Human Resources Development Administration. She has also completed certifications
in Situational Leadership at the Center for Leadership Studies in Escondido, California,
and in Effective Negotiation from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School
at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Dr. Fernández was brought up tri-culturally. She was born in Caracas, Venezuela,
and grew up between Venezuela and Spain--from where her family originates--while attending
a bilingual school led by American and British nuns. In 1989 she finally went back
to Madrid to attend college and later transferred to the United States to complete
her studies.
She serves as a corporate speaker and trainer in all aspects of leadership, and is
very interested in aspects such as leadership development, women and leadership, children
and leadership, authentic leadership, communication styles, power, cultural aspects,
and leadership responsibility at the personal and organizational levels.
Education
- PhD (2003) Leadership & Education (Double Specialization: Leadership & Human Resource Development), Barry University
- MBA (1997) Marketing, Barry University
- BA (1994) Communication: Public Relations & Broadcast Journalism, Barry University
- (1991) The College of International Students (Madrid, Spain)
- (1989) Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Intellectual Contributions
- Fernandez, Susana. (2022). March’s foolish views on leadership, or how to fail optimistically, pursue ethical authenticity, choose mindful resilience and enable ambiguous innovation, Journal of Management History, 28(1), doi.org/10.1108/JMH-01-2021-0010
- Fernandez, Susana. (2021). Why is tolerance useless in developing a leader’s cross-cultural competency and a meaningful cross-cultural organizational strategy?, Academy of Business Research 2021 Fall Conference
- Fernandez, Susana; Barnes, B; Mujtaba, B; Preziosi, R. (2013). Executive perceptions’ comparison with Gen X and Gen Y values in the workplace, Academy of Business Journal, 19(1)
- Fernandez, Susana. (2012). The sacred cow at Lunix Corporation: When getting rid of an incompetent employee becomes risky business; [Selected one of the Top Five Best Case Studies Published in 2012 by the Journal. Translated into French as well.], International Journal of Case Studies in Management, 10(3)
- Fernandez, Susana. (2009). Peter Drucker's leap to faith. Examining the origin of his purpose-driven life and its impact on his views of management., Journal of Management History, 15(4), 404-419
- Fernandez, Susana. (2009). Re-discovering Barnard: The functions of the…leader? Highlighting Chester Barnard’s contributions for the 21st century business executive, Journal of Management History, 16(4), 468-488
- Fernandez, Susana. (2003). Parents' ratings of resilience and leadership scores recorded on the Roets Rating Scale for Leadership by girls in grades 6 through 8 (Ph.D. dissertation, Barry University - Adrian Dominican School of Education, United States -- Florida, 2003), Dissertations & Theses (Publication No. AAT 3305579)