Patricia M. Bombard, BVM, D.Min.

I attribute my success to curiosity and courage. I’ve always believed that true leadership begins with self-awareness and the willingness to evolve. My Catholic faith and my vocation as a Sister of Charity ground me in service and compassion, while my academic work continually challenges me to question, learn, and innovate. Currently, I serve as the Director of the Hay Leadership Project at DePaul University, where I have spent the past 17 years teaching and developing programs in leadership studies. My work integrates spirituality, ethics, and eco-feminist perspectives into leadership education, guiding individuals to lead with integrity, compassion, and purpose. My professional journey has taken me from journalism and nonprofit leadership to developing international leadership initiatives for women religious communities and nonprofit professionals. Each step has deepened my commitment to fostering transformative leadership rooted in justice, reflection, and meaningful connection.

The best career advice I’ve ever received was to let dissatisfaction become a catalyst for growth. My journey began when I became disillusioned with the dysfunctional leadership models I encountered in the late 1980s. Rather than walking away, I chose to study what makes leadership healthy, humane, and effective. Authors like Stephen Covey and Peter Senge profoundly influenced my thinking, helping me see how organizational leadership can be enriched by spiritual values. That insight led me to pursue doctoral research in spiritual leadership, where I explored how inner transformation supports external change. This perspective continues to shape my work today—reminding me that authentic leadership begins within and radiates outward through service, integrity, and compassion.

My advice to young women entering this field is to lead with integrity, stay rooted in your values, and nurture your inner life. The most effective leaders aren’t defined solely by strategy or ambition—they’re self-aware, compassionate, and grounded in a sense of purpose that transcends personal success. Leadership is not about volume or visibility; it’s about authenticity and the quiet courage to act with consistency and ethics. Never underestimate the ripple effect of steady, principled leadership—it can transform organizations and inspire others in ways that loud authority never could.

The biggest challenge in my field today is helping leaders balance mission with sustainability—particularly in the nonprofit sector, where passion often outpaces resources. Burnout, limited funding, and systemic pressures can erode even the most well-intentioned efforts. Yet within that challenge lies tremendous opportunity. We have the chance to redefine leadership through a more inclusive and relational lens—one that values collaboration, spirituality, and care for both people and the planet. I see an emerging generation of leaders eager to embrace this holistic approach, and that gives me great hope for the future of leadership and social transformation.

The most important values to me—both in my work and personal life—are service, integrity, and transformation. I believe leadership is ultimately about empowering others and fostering meaningful change rooted in compassion and justice. These values have guided some of my most fulfilling accomplishments, including creating a free online leadership course that has reached more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders worldwide, and designing a leadership formation program for Catholic sisters in East Africa funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. I’m also deeply proud of developing DePaul University’s leadership curriculum, which draws inspiration from the life and mission of St. Vincent de Paul, connecting his legacy of service to the pressing social and ethical challenges of our time.