Allison Leigh

About Allison Leigh

When I am creating content to present and teach, I always imagine a hostile audience. For most of my career, the presentations, events, retreats, workshops, and talks I have given have mixed audiences-some that are required to be in the room and some that chose to be. The question I ask myself is \"how can I make them want to come?\"\"How can I make them excited to be here, even the biggest doubter in the room?\" I am driven by figuring out how I can make material interesting, accessible and fun. Whether it is the current work I do with faculty and staff around mission and identity at a Catholic and Marianist University, or the dozens of workshops I have led on the Enneagram assessment tool, or even sharing my passion for traveling to see the amazing birds of the world, I want people gathered to have a great time, learn something, and leave wanting more. So you will never see boring slides from me or a presentation that goes over the time allotment. I know how to build in breaks, and make workshops interactive. My background in art, and the work I have done in graphic design, along with my studies of adult learning and pedagogy mean I know how to prioritize information, and tell a story in words and images in a method appropriate for my audience. I am comfortable writing clearly and quickly, and my dissertation gave me lots of practice in receiving constructive feedback. I love a good metaphor, a good story, and a good question prompt. When I am not dreaming up new programs and initiatives in my work, I am traveling the world adding to my life list of birds I have seen (currently over 800), trying to get amazing photos of these birds, and learning as much as I can about the habitat, culture, and food of each place I visit. I may always imagine a hostile audience, but in all my years, and in all the places I have been, I have yet to encounter one.

Experience

1. Director of Marianist Strategies

   University of Dayton

   Sep 2016 — Present

   Planning and facilitating professional development opportunities for UD employees in all areas related to UD\'s Catholic and Marianist Mission. This includes creating programs with engaging learning experiences, such as workshops, presentations, events, and professional retreats.

Education

• University of Dayton

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Higher Education/Higher Education Administration

  2011 — 2016

• Xavier University

  Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Graphic Design, Drawing, Painting

  1998 — 2002

• University of Dayton

  Master of Arts (M.A.), Pastoral Ministry/Theology

  2003 — 2005