Publication Date

Fall 12-2025

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Monica Galloway Burke

Degree Program

Educational Leadership Doctoral Program

Degree Type

Doctor of Education

Abstract

This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of women leaders as they integrated professional and personal roles before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Although leadership during crisis has been widely studied, limited research has explored how women leaders across diverse sectors negotiated organizational change while sustaining worklife integration. Guided by the Haddon et al. (2009) model of work-life integration and informed by role conflict, conservation of resources, and intersectionality theories, this study sought to capture the essence of women leaders’ experiences navigating unprecedented disruption. Data were collected through semi-structured virtual interviews with twelve women leaders representing healthcare, education, corporate, and nonprofit sectors, supplemented by contextual analysis using the American Time Use Survey (ATUS). The findings revealed a nuanced portrait of leadership under crisis, characterized by systemic organizational challenges, adaptive strategies, and personal transformation.

Results extended gendered organizational theory by illustrating how crisis conditions exposed, reshaped, and reinforced existing inequities. The study contributes to the understanding of postpandemic leadership and offers practical recommendations for policymakers and organizations seeking to advance women leaders through flexible work structures, equitable policies, and inclusive leadership development initiatives that promote sustainable integration and well-being.

Disciplines

Education | Educational Leadership

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