Leilani Carver-Madalon, Ph.D.

Leilani Carver-Madalon, Ph.D., is a professor, keynote speaker, and writer based in Saint Louis, Missouri, where she has spent seventeen years shaping the field of higher education. She currently serves as a Full Professor of Strategic Communication, Leadership and Marketing at Maryville University, where she also directs the undergraduate and graduate communication programs and teaches within the John E. Simon School of Business. Before dedicating herself to academia, she spent nearly a decade working across industries such as banking, consulting, and mobile technology, including a stint in corporate training at Sprint Telecommunications, and she also taught English abroad in China. Though she never set out to become a professor, a mentor's encouragement during her graduate studies led her to pursue her doctorate, a decision that redirected the entire course of her career. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Carver-Madalon has built a reputation as a sought-after voice on communication, executive presence, and leadership. She has delivered a TEDx Gateway Arch talk titled "Scripts that Ignite Your Power," was selected as a speaker for the U.S. State Department, and lent her expertise to organizations such as the Fempreneurs program supporting women entrepreneurs in Sicily. Her insights have been featured in major outlets including Forbes, USA Today, Fast Company, and the Huffington Post. Through her consulting practice, Carver & Company Consulting, LLC, she works as an executive coach and strategist, drawing on years of research and real-world experience to help individuals and organizations communicate more effectively and lead with greater authenticity. She is currently writing a book on practical leadership strategies, informed by interviews with accomplished female executives from around the world. Dr. Carver-Madalon's work is grounded in a deep commitment to mentorship, empowerment, and self-compassion, values reflected in her recognition as a Missouri Athletic Club Woman of Distinction and a two-time honoree of Maryville University's Woman of Distinction and Academic Spotlight awards. An avid traveler who has visited forty-eight countries, she weaves her global experiences into her teaching, research, and public speaking, believing firmly that leadership is not defined by title but by the ability to help others recognize the possibilities within themselves. Whether mentoring students, coaching executives, or advocating for greater representation of women in academic leadership, she continues to champion the idea that everyone deserves the chance to build their own table when one doesn't already exist for them.