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- Podcast creator and host. Available on all major platforms including Spotify, iTunes and Podbean: #advancingwomenpodcast
Kimberly DeSimone is a tenured Full Professor, gender equity expert, leadership scholar, and scholar-creator with over twenty years in higher education and a decade of Fortune 500 leadership experience. Widely recognized for research, scholarship, and thought leadership focused on women’s advancement, workplace equity, leadership, organizational behavior, and educational policy. Creator and host of the globally followed Advancing Women Podcast and an award-winning educator, speaker, and executive coach committed to translating scholarship into meaningful organizational and societal impact. Proven record of developing innovative programs, frameworks, and initiatives that advance inclusive leadership and sustainable organizational change.
Leadership Scholar + Gender Equity Expert + Public Intellectual/Scholar-Creator
Highlights
- Tenured Full Professor with an 20+ -year record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. Consistently achieve top ratings on student and advisee evaluations.
- Successful decade of Fortune 500 global leadership.
- Gender equity expert and published scholar.
- Executive experience serving as President of the local chapter of NY State Women Inc. Appointed by the University President to advise on university-wide DEI initiatives as co-chair of the President’s Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (2020–2023).
- Dedicated researcher with numerous peer-reviewed publications and presentations on gender bias, advancing women in leadership, organizational leadership, diversity equity and inclusion, gender socialization, feminist theory, role conflict, power distance, and privilege.
- Highly sought speaker, panelist, and thought leader: leadership, the executive leadership pipeline, gender equity, organizational equality, diversity, equity, & inclusion, power, and privilege.
- Creator and host of The Advancing Women Podcast (National and Global Followership with listeners in 6 continents and 150+ countries)
- Creator: 4 Ps Advancement Model™
- Creator of the DeSimone Harris Scholar-Creator Model™
Professional Experience
St. Bonaventure University Faculty | 2006 – Present Tenured Full Professor, Director: Master of Leadership Program
Doctoral Instruction: Leadership & Policy; Equity & Inclusion; Educational Leadership & Policy, Leadership Ethics
Master’s Instruction: Leadership & Values, Leadership Diversity, Organizational Leadership,
Leadership in the Digital Era, Leadership Performance Assessment, Graduate Field Work, Strategic Communications. Have mentored numerous master’s and doctoral students’ capstone and dissertation projects.
Undergraduate Instruction: Consumer Behavior, Management, Marketing, Digital Media, Advertising, Global Marketing, New Product Development, Advertising, and Sports Marketing.
University Service: Serve on various committees, including:
- President’s Advisory Committee on Promotion & Tenure, Graduate Council, Professional Development, Academic Standards, Honorary Degree Council, & Fulbright Scholarship Committee.
- Selected by the University President to Co-Chair the President’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commission. Created the mission and role of the commission and assembled the commission.
- Created and lead diversity change initiatives engaging, advising, and informing key internal & external stakeholders and delivering change strategies and plans that meet organizational goals and drive desired outcomes. Created annual reporting on organization-wide initiatives.
- Selected by the Dean to head the Diversity task force for ACEJMC accreditation and then as the Diversity Advocate for the Jandoli School of Communications (2018 – Present).
- Created the Jandoli School Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 5-year plan (2018 – 2023).
- Graduate Council (2018 – Present).
Co-chair, University Presidents Commission on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Fall 2020 – Fall 2023)
Led Commission (15 members) providing thought leadership, recommendations, and assessment of DEI priorities and strategies university wide. Collaborate with each of the five academic schools to implement departmental DEI initiatives through curriculum, training, development, and programming. Consult with university departments and divisions on DEI initiatives, ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion are integrated throughout all university touchpoints and the academic pipeline from student recruitment to faculty retention and alumni relations. Report progress and results directly to the University President monthly.
Diversity Advocate, Jandoli School of Communications (2018 – 2025)
Audit syllabi to ensure curricular DEI objectives and assessments are met. Created and maintain diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency resources in an online repository. Actively research and recommend departmental diversity and cultural competence professional development training opportunities to enhance best practices. Liaise with diversity and inclusion experts including Damietta Center for Multicultural Student Affairs coordinator to plan frequent workshops. Serve on faculty search committees to ensure DEI best practices. Audit Jandoli School of Communication’s physical and digital environment. Devise strategies and assets to adapt environments to facilitate awareness, acceptance, and celebration of DEI.
Honors & Awards
- 2023 Buffalo Business First Women of Influence Award Honoree: Inspiration Category Recognizes business acumen and community spirit and contributions of 25 women selected from more than 175 nominees. “The panel chose these women based on their ability to rise above a very talented pool of competitors” said Business First. .
- 2021 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Justice Award Winner: Honors a university community member who - through their work, research, service, community organizing, nonviolent direct action, and/or leadership - advance the cause of social justice. As Dr. King was committed not only to racial equity, but justice for the poor and other marginalized populations, honorees embody the deeply Franciscan definition of justice, respecting the dignity that is due each individual. The award is given to one faculty member annually.
Academic Publication: Best Paper Awards
- 2025 The Academy of Business Research Fall Conference Marathon, FL, USA Title: Credibility in the Classroom: Student Perspectives and the Scholar-Creator Model™
- 2023 The Academy of Business Research Spring Conference New Orleans, LA, USA Title: Move Over Scholar-Practitioners; Make Way for the Scholar-Creator™.
- 2021 The Academy of Business Research Fall Conference San Antonio, TX, USA Title: Trust in organizational diversity initiatives and reinforced gender binaries.
- 2020 Academy of Business Research Spring Conference New Orleans, LA, USA Title: “Mansplaining 101”: Male/Female Miscommunication Among Undergraduate Students
- 2018 Academy of Business Research Spring Conference Boston, MA, USA Title Mediating Corporate Gender Bias and Queen Bee Syndrome through Mentorship Tied to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Additional Experience
- Podcast Host/Creator: Advancing Women Global Podcast (June 2021 – present) presenting evidence-based, research-driven gender equity and leadership topics (150+ episodes) with listeners in over 150 countries on 6 continents.
- Invited Member of the Editorial Board: The World Journal of Women and Sustainable Development (WJWSD). The WJWSD aims to promote top-quality international research, ideas, and information about the role of Women in achieving Sustainable Development across the world.
- Executive Coach, Consultant & Speaker: Leadership, Advancement, Gender Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (2018 – Present) Strategic Marketing & Communication (2004-present)
- Fortune 500 Marketing Manager, Fisher-Price Inc. (1996-2004)
- Blogger, Power of Working Women, Working Mother Magazine (2012-2019)
Publications
- DeSimone (2025). Adam as the First Failed Leader: A Feminist-Epistemological Reframing of Genesis Through Leadership Theory Conference Proceedings: Academy of Business Research Fall Conference Marathon, FL, USA.
- DeSimone, K., Harris, H. (November 2025). Credibility in the Classroom: Student Perspectives and the Scholar-Creator Model™ Conference Proceedings: Academy of Business Research Fall Conference Marathon, FL, USA. Winner: Best Paper Education
- DeSimone, K. (March 2024). Ideal Leadership Traits: Big 5 Personality, Gender, and the Dark Triad. Conference Proceedings: The Academy of Business Research Spring Conference New Orleans, LA, USA. Winner: Best Paper Marketing/Management Track
- DeSimone, K. and Harris, H. (March 2023). Move Over Scholar-Practitioners; Make Way for the Scholar-Creator. Conference Proceedings: The Academy of Business Research Spring Conference New Orleans, LA, USA. Winner: Best Paper Marketing/Management Track
- DeSimone, K. (2021). Women perceive barriers to corporate advancement as self-imposed. Advancing Women in Leadership Journal, 40(1), 99-107.
- DeSimone, K. (2020). Beyond gender: Reconceptualizing understandings of work-life balance and the extreme work model for 21st-century high-potential top earners. Journal of Organizational Change. DOI (10.1108/JOCM-02-2020-0042).
- DeSimone, K., Harris, H. and Moore, E. (2020). “Mansplaining 101: Male/Female Miscommunication Among Undergraduate Students” Conference Presentation and Proceedings. Academy of Business Research Spring 2020 Conference Presentation and
Proceedings. New Orleans, LA, USA. Winner: Best Paper.
- Polka, W. (Ed.), Adelakun, O. (Ed.) and DeSimone, K. (Ed.) (2020). Fatal Attractions in the Digital Age: The Impact of Dire "High-Tech" and "High-Touch" Indiscretions in Our Digital Village. New York, NY: Linus Learning.
- Polka, W., Adelakun, O. and DeSimone K. [of Chapter 8] (2020). You're Not in ‘Flip Phone Kansas’ Anymore...Get Used to It! How to Remain Appropriately Grounded in the Digital World. In Fatal Attractions in the Digital Age: The Impact of
Dire "High-Tech" and "High-Touch" Indiscretions in Our Digital Village. New York, NY: Linus Learning.
- DeSimone, K. (2018). Mediating Corporate Gender Bias and Queen Bee Syndrome through Mentorship Tied to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Academy of Business Research. August 2018 Conference Proceedings. Winner: Best Paper, Management.
- DeSimone, K. (February, 2018). Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Modeling: Women’s leadership visualization study. International Journal of Business, Management and Commerce, 3(1), p.18-27.
- Gross, B., Marinari, M., Hoffman, M., DeSimone, K., & Burke, P. (2015). Flipped@ ɬ: Student Satisfaction and the College Classroom. Educational Research Quarterly, 39(2), 36.
- Case, Carl J., King, Darwin L. and DeSimone, K. (2009). Virtual worlds: An exploratory study of undergraduate behavior. Research in Higher Education Journal, 8, p. 106-11.
- DeSimone, K.A. (2008). Emotion and decision-making in achieving optimal sports performance. Business Research Yearbook, Global Business Perspectives, Volume XV, 2008, p. 141-146.
- DeSimone, K.A. (2008). The role of emotional intelligence in learning. Business Research Yearbook, Global Business Perspectives, Volume XV, 2008, p. 589-594.
Conferences and Presentations
- Invited Speaker (May 2026). Experienced Leader Pathway: Leading Without Losing Yourself, Boundaries, Balance, and Sustainable Leadership. WNY Women's Foundation Leadership Annual Summit.
- DeSimone, K. (2005). Adam as the First Failed Leader: A Feminist Epistemological of Genesis Through Leadership Theory. Academy of Business Research Fall Conference Marathon, FL, USA
- DeSimone, K., & Harris, H. (November 2025). Credibility in the Classroom: Student Perspectives and the Scholar-Creator Model™ Academy of Business Research Fall Conference Marathon, FL, USA
- DeSimone, K. (March 2024). Ideal Leadership Traits: Big 5 Personality, Gender, and the Dark Triad. The Academy of Business Research Spring Conference New Orleans, LA, USA
- Invited Keynote. University of Northern Alabama (October 2023). Advocacy and Allyship: Creating a Culture of Belonging.
- DeSimone, K. (October 2023). Casuistry and Social Category Bias. ɬ Diversity, Equity, & Inclusions Lecture Series (DEILS).
- Invited (paid) Everi Women’s Leadership Initiative (October 2023). Transcending Biases & Barriers.
- DeSimone, K. and Harris, H. (March 2023). Move Over Scholar-Practitioners; Make Way for the Scholar-Creator. Academy of Business Research Spring Conference New Orleans LA.
- DeSimone, K. (August 2022). The Broken Advancement Pipeline: It’s Not Your Fault but It Is Your Problem.
- International Conference on Women: Achieving a Secured Position for Women (online)
- DeSimone, K. (May 2022). A seat at the table is not a voice at the table. Invited Speaker, International Conference on Women Rights, Gender Equity and Empowerment Expo. Istanbul Turkey,
- Invited Keynote: Women of Mattel Speaker Series (July 2022). Women’s Empowerment in Corporate America. El Segundo CA
- DeSimone, K. (2021). Trust in organizational diversity initiatives and reinforced gender binaries. Academy of Business Research Fall Conference San Antonio, TX
- Invited (paid) conference speaker: American Battlefield Trust (July 2021) Virtual Teacher Institute. Presentation title: Teaching History with empathy and inclusivity.
- Invited keynote speaker and panelist: United Nations International Women’s Day Global Conference (2021): Women in Leadership, Achieving and Equal Future - sponsored by the World Association for Sustainable Development (WASD). Presentation title:
. London, UK.
- Invited Panelist: Dixon Schwable Advertising Webinar: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in Adversity, March 2021.
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Lecture Series (DEILS) (February 2021): Beyond Gender: Reconceptualizing the extreme work model for 21st Century Families.
- St. Bonaventure University Convocation (Fall 2020): Keynote: Creating a culturally competent campus focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Academy of Business Research Spring 2020 Conference (March), New Orleans. Topic: Mansplaining 101: Male/Female Miscommunication Among Undergraduate Students.
- Invited Panelist March 2019 St. Bonaventure University BonaBRAVE Diversity Event. Panel Discussion Topic: All Women are Defective.
- Invited Panelist October 2018 St. Bonaventure University BonaBRAVE Diversity Event. Panel Discussion Topic: Why is Feminism a 4-Letter Word?
- Mediating Corporate Gender Bias and Queen Bee Syndrome through Mentorship Tied to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Academy of Business Research Fall Conference in Boston, MA, USA August 1-3, 2018.
- Invited Presenter & Panelist, October 2017, International Society for Educational Planning (ISEP) Global Conference in Toronto, CA. Presentation Topic: Where are the women? Women’s under-representation at the highest corporate echelons.
Panel: Addressing Global Diversity Today.
- Invited Presenter, December 2017, Niagara University Annual Research Symposium. Presentation Topic: A research proposal: Corporate women’s perceptions in navigating the barriers in reaching executive level, top earner positions.
- Invited March 2015 Women of Promise Panelist, St. Bonaventure University: Women’s Workforce Issues.
- Invited May 2014 Keynote Speaker: Western New York Women in Business October, Topic: Powerful Women Consumers Unite: Rise of the “Sheconomy.”
- Presenter: Undergraduate business students Social Media usage; an exploratory study. WNY Business Research Consortium: April 2011, Brockport, NY
- Presenter: Business Relationships between the United States and China: Cross-cultural differences. WNY Business Research Consortium: April 2010, Geneseo, NY
- Presenter Emotion and decision-making achieving optimal sports performance. International Academy of Business Disciplines Conference: April 2007, Orlando FL
Invited Expert Commentary
- Invited Expert Guest: Rising Tide Podcast. Gender Bias: It’s not your fault, but it is your problem.
- Invited Expert Guest: Grace, Grit, & Getting it Done with Lisa Gillette. Dealing with Gender.
- Invited Expert Guest: The Simplifiers Podcast (featured in Forbes, Newsweek, HuffPost, Women of Influence, the BBC) Two-part series: How to tackle mansplaining in the workplace.
Invited Expert Guest: This Prof Life Podcast: Women of Color in Higher Education (Dr. Pat Sanders award-winning podcast) Diverse Leadership From Corporate America to Academia
Invited Women’s Advancement Training Seminar Facilitator (paid). Everi American Gaming Association Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) May 2022, and September 2023
Invited Panelist: Dixon Schwable Advertising Webinar: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in Advertising March 2021