Gina Gettings, PhD

I attribute my success to perseverance, curiosity, and the people who believed in me when the path ahead felt uncertain. My professional journey has never been defined by a straight line. Along the way, I earned a doctorate while balancing career growth aspirations, navigating unimaginable grief after losing my infant daughter Nora in 2022, and then learning how to continue moving forward when life required me to pause. Some of my most important lessons came not from achievement, but from overcoming adversity. The loss of Nora fundamentally changed me. It taught me that strength is not the absence of grief, but the willingness to continue loving, growing, and contributing despite it. That experience reshaped my perspective on leadership, relationships, and what truly matters. I am also incredibly fortunate to have a family who has never stopped believing in me. My husband, parents, and three-year-old son (who is truly my miracle baby) remind me every day why meaningful work matters. Professionally, I have benefited from remarkable mentors who invested in my growth. @Dr. Latazia (DoctorTazz) Stuart challenged me to think more deeply as a scholar and leader. Debbie Robins, PMP, ACP helped me discover my voice and confidence as a consultant. Karen J. Kost continues to champion my development and encourage me to reach beyond what I think is possible. Also, I am beyond grateful to work for a company, @Cornerstone Advisors, that has been incredibly supportive and invested in my growth for several years. Success, for me, is not a destination. It is the cumulative result of resilience, lifelong learning, meaningful relationships, and the courage to keep moving forward.

The best career advice I received was simple: “Believe in yourself, trust your own abilities, and don't feel intimidated.” Many opportunities arrive before we feel fully prepared for them. If I had waited until I felt completely ready, I would never have pursued leadership roles at a young age, earned a doctorate, transitioned industries, or focused my dissertation case study around organizational change management. Growth rarely happens inside the boundaries of certainty. More often, it happens when we say "yes" to challenges that stretch us and trust that we will learn along the way. I’ve learned that confidence is often the result of action, not the prerequisite for it.

First, do not underestimate the value of your voice. Too often, women wait until they feel perfectly qualified before speaking up, pursuing opportunities, or sharing their ideas. Some of the most impactful contributions come from people who are willing to ask thoughtful questions and offer a different perspective. Second, find mentors, and just as importantly, find champions. Mentors offer guidance, and champions advocate for you when you’re not in the room. Their support can change the trajectory of your career (I've been blessed to have Dr. Latazia Stuart as a mentor early on in my career, Debbie Robins as a current mentor, and Karen Kost as a champion within my organization. Third, understand that setbacks do not disqualify you from success. Life will inevitably bring challenges, disappointments, and moments when progress feels painfully slow. Those experiences do not diminish your potential; they often deepen it by broadening your perspective. And finally, remember that success is not measured solely by titles, degrees, or accomplishments. True success is building a life that reflects your values, contributes to others, and allows you to be fully present for the people you love. Your career is important, and so is your humanity. Never sacrifice one entirely for the other.

One of the greatest opportunities and challenges in organizational change management today is the rapid integration of artificial intelligence. Organizations are understandably focused on technology, but successful transformation has never been primarily about systems. It has always been about people. AI is fundamentally changing how we work, learn, communicate, and make decisions. The challenge is ensuring that organizations don’t simply implement technology, but help people understand it, trust it, and successfully adopt it. What excites me most is that change management is becoming even more important in this environment. We are moving beyond managing projects and processes toward helping organizations design human-centered systems where people and technology can thrive together. The future belongs to organizations that can balance innovation with empathy and efficiency with humanity.

The values that guide me most are integrity, compassion, resilience, and continuous learning. Integrity means doing the right thing even when it is difficult or invisible. Compassion means recognizing that every person carries challenges we may never fully see. Some of the most important leadership lessons I’ve learned have come from personal loss and understanding how much grace people often need. Resilience is the belief that difficult experiences can shape us without defining us. It is the ability to continue growing while carrying both joy and sorrow. Finally, I believe deeply in lifelong learning. Whether through formal education, professional development, mentorship, or simply listening to others' perspectives, I strive to remain curious. Growth begins when we acknowledge there is always more to learn. At the end of the day, I hope to be remembered not only for what I accomplished, but for how I treated people along the way.