Job Title
Professor of Strategic Communication and Leadership

Company/Organization
Maryville University of St. Louis

Speaker Biography
Dr. Carver is a practical professor who uses evidence and research to help improve your life. Leilani is an Associate (tenured) Professor of Strategic Communication and Leadership at Maryville University of St. Louis. Her expertise has been featured in Forbes, Huff Post, The Hill, PR News TLNT, the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor’s Leadership Program, Thrive Global, Authority Magazine, Small Biz Club, Life As Human, Parentology, Romper and Fox News. In December 2019, she was selected to deliver a TEDx Gateway Arch Talk titled: Scripts that Ignite your Power. You may find her articles and speaking samples at www.leilanicarver.com

Leilani has won awards including Maryville University’s Woman of Distinction Award and Maryville’s Faculty Academic Spotlight Award for empowering women at Maryville through her work creating a powerful Women’s Leadership Mentorship Program.

Before earning her Ph.D., Professor Carver worked for eight years in prestigious communication roles in Banking, Consulting and Mobile Technologies. Additionally, pre-pandemic, Dr. Carver has lived and worked abroad in both Taiwan and China and has taught university courses in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Switzerland, England, Australia, France and Italy. Post-pandemic, Dr. Carver will resume interviewing diverse female executives from around the world on practical leadership strategies and tactics. In January 2022, she has been awarded a sabbatical to begin podcasting and writing a book on these pragmatic leadership tactics and strategies. Her podcasts and book will be based upon her research findings, evidence-based practices and her own experiences and stories.