ABOUT US
Overview
Employers today are facing unprecedented challenges related to the unstable economic environment, changing customer demands, technological innovation, and investor expectations. To address these issues leaders need to develop new competencies, refine existing practices and create cultures that foster continuous improvement. At the same time, demands on resources are making it increasingly difficult to fund high-quality continuing education. Customized leadership development programs, while desirable, are often too costly for many employers. Through the ILD, companies will be able to take advantage of affordable customized leadership development programs delivered by top quality consultants.
The ILD is privileged to receive a grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to extend our leadership development efforts to support the Diocese.
ILD Mission
The mission of the Institute for Leadership Development at Siena College (“ILD”) is to develop and administer cost effective leadership training programs for organizations in the Capital District and beyond. The programs are designed to help organizations and individuals lead with integrity and ethical responsibility.
Dr. Erik R. Eddy
Professor of Management;
Executive Director, Institute for Leadership Development
518.782.6761
215 Colbeth Hall, Siena College
Biography
Erik Eddy is an Professor of Management at Siena College. Erik’s primary teaching areas include strategic planning, human resource management, and organizational development and change. Erik also conducts research on a variety of topics including mentoring, leadership, and employee participation in personal business (e.g., personal e-mail, conversations with colleagues) during work hours.
Erik received a bachelor of business administration from James Madison University in 1990, master degrees in business administration and organizational development from Bowling Green State University in 1993 and a doctor of philosophy from University at Albany (SUNY) in 1997.
Prior to joining the Siena College faculty in 2004, Erik worked from 1995 to 2004 at a local management consulting firm – The Group for Organizational Effectiveness – first as a consultant then as a project leader. Erik worked to support organizations in their organizational development, change management, management/employee development, and knowledge management efforts. A few sample projects included facilitating strategic planning to build managerial talent at Core Staffing Services; helping guide a team of internal experts at Tiffany & Co. to develop a certification program for their sales and operations professionals; facilitating working sessions with U.S. Air Force fighter pilots to identify the “Mission Essential Competencies” required to be successful; and researching the requisite characteristics of successful mentoring programs at the U.S. Navy.
David S. Liebschutz, JD/MPP
Visiting Assistant Professor of Business
518.783.4193
435 Siena Hall
Biography
David S. Liebschutz is a visiting assistant professor of business at Siena College, where he currently teaches seminars in leadership and law and economics and introductory courses in micro and macroeconomics.
In addition, he was a long-term public service professor at the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs, where he taught both undergraduate and graduate classes in leadership and financial management.
In addition to his work on campus, he is also the principal of DSLeadership, LLC, a consulting and coaching firm specializing in leadership development and strategic planning for a variety of organizations. He has served in several leadership roles on local and national volunteer boards in the Jewish and larger communities.
He is a board-certified executive and life coach and has degrees in economics from Yale and law and public policy from Duke.
2023 Facilitators
Father Louis V. Iasiello OFM
Biography
Father Louis V. Iasiello, OFM has been appointed a Siena College Franciscan Scholar in Residence. Father Louis retired from the Navy as the 23rd Chief of Navy Chaplains (Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard) in 2006 with the rank of Rear Admiral (2 Stars). For the past two years he filled an additional post as the Executive Director of the Josephinum Diaconate Institute, a national program providing online intellectual formation and graduate programs in theology in English and Spanish for dioceses throughout the United States and overseas.
Father Louis holds a B.A. in History from Saint Bonaventure University, an M.S. in Education from Niagara University, he is a distinguished military graduate of the Naval War College where he earned an MA degree in National Security and Strategic Studies, and was awarded a Ph.D. in the Humanities from Salve Regina University.
Melinda Costello
Biography
After earning a B.A. in English from SUNY Cortland and coursework in printing technology at R.I.T., I worked for General Electric as a sales representative, production manager, trainer, and training department manager. I left my 13-year corporate career for an M.S. in Education and Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Syracuse University. I taught nine years at U.N.C. Asheville before moving to Albany to teach at Siena College.
I recently retired from Siena after 19 years teaching communications, organizational behavior, and leadership classes in the Management Department. In every class my goal was to create a sense of community to engage students and facilitate learning. For six of those years I took an art class every semester, and I am within three classes of a B.A. in Visual Arts - which I still hope to finish. My research publications were focused on pedagogy, power dynamics, and teamwork.
Michael Hickey
Biography
Michael Hickey has over 30 years’ experience as a senior executive in industries such as high performance materials, automotive, software, clean energy and economic development. Serving in roles as CEO, President, COO and Executive Vice-President for such companies as Allied Signal (Honeywell), Mapinfo and Pitney Bowes.
In 2008, Mike was named to Tech Valley’s Hot 10 list of executives and government officials who make things happen in Tech Valley. In 2012, Hickey was invited and participated in the Clinton Global Initiative to help work on solutions for entrepreneurship in America. Hickey served as Chairman of the Board of the Center for Economic Growth and the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce.
Hickey is a member of NYS Governor Kathy Hochel’s Capital Region Economic Development Council Executive Committee where he also served as co-chair of the Upstate Revitalization Initiative advisory committee, chair of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative advisory committee, co-chair of the Technology and Innovation committee and chair of the Special Projects committee. In 2012 Hickey founded the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Siena College where he now serves as its executive director.
Beth DeAngelis
Biography
As a consultant and educator with twenty years of experience in corporate and higher education settings, I have the honor of supporting people to reach their potential using a body, mind, and spirit approach that is well-researched and practiced. In addition to my consulting work, I am an adjunct professor in the School of Liberal Arts at Siena College, where I teach emotional intelligence, yoga, and mindful meditation.
I have a Doctor of Education, Northeastern University (2023) and am certified in Spiritual Direction, Yoga, Mindful Meditation for Stress Reduction, and EQ-i 2.0, the Emotional Intelligence Assessment.
Paul Thurston
Biography
Paul Thurston is the Department Chair and Professor of Management at Siena College where he teaches courses in Decision Making, Leadership, Leading Change, Management, Organizational Behavior, Project Management, Research Methods, and Strategic Planning. Paul has also served as the Director of Academic Integration for the Center of Academic Community Engagement and the Coordinator for the Siena College Core Curriculum.
He received his doctorate in Organizational Studies from The University at Albany, State University of New York in 2001. His research interests include organizational engagement and effectiveness, mentoring, leadership, business strategy, organizational justice and organizational policies. He is a retired Air Force officer and formerly worked as a Director for The Group for Organizational Effectiveness, Inc.
Jami Cotler
Biography
Jami Cotler is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Siena College with a research and teaching focus on teamwork, emotional and social intelligence, career readiness, accessibility, UX Design, and empathic software design. She holds a Ph.D. in Informatics from the State University of Albany and has over 27 years of experience in academia and industry.
Dr. Cotler's research interests lie at the intersection of computer science and human-computer interaction. Her work focuses on preparing future software engineers to work in Agile Scrum teams to develop software and systems that are accessible to all users, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. Concepts of design thinking, leadership, collaboration, innovation, empathic UX design, and emotional and social intelligence are used to engage in the analysis and development of complex technological solutions.
Suzanne O'Connor
Biography
Suzanne O’Connor has served as Associate Director in the Siena College MacDonnell Career and Internship Center since 2002. She works with both students and alumni in guiding them through the self-assessment, career exploration and job/internship search process. In addition to individual career coaching sessions, Suzanne partners with faculty members in Business, Liberal Arts and Science to develop classroom presentations on career-related issues. To that end, she co-founded a campus wide career readiness initiative based on findings of the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Suzanne is also a certified MBTI practitioner. She was recognized by students as the Administrator of the Year in 2021 for her service to the campus community. Suzanne is principal of SuzanneO Services, LLC in which she offers career coaching and professional development to individuals. Her area of focus is guiding young adults in finding their way after college. As an ordained minister from One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, she celebrates Life Cycle Ceremonies including weddings, baby blessings, memorials and more.
Suzanne earned her Master of Science in College Counseling from The College of Saint Rose and her Bachelor of Arts in English/Communication Arts from the College of New Rochelle.