Deborah Humphreys

Deborah has worked in senior academic posts across a number of UK and international higher education establishments for over 16 years and is based in the School of Leadership and Organisational Development within Liverpool Business School. She is an experienced academic having held senior positions in both the private and public sectors. As senior lecturer in Leadership her research is practice-based and is positioned around an individual’s understanding of the leadership they are experiencing and implications for practice and their organisations. Her transition into the theory, post-graduate teaching and research of leadership was in parallel to her doctoral research into what constitutes ‘effective’ leadership. It is her belief that leaders have a social, ethical and educational responsibility. Her current research interests draw upon critical approaches which provide ways of thinking about behaviours and leadership activities that individuals undertake and the resources they draw upon in workplace settings in order to be effective leaders.

Paul Lees

Paul has worked within the higher education sector for the past ten years. Paul joined Liverpool Business School in February 2020. He has a background in teaching in both the UK and overseas. Improvement projects led to Paul’s interest in further study and he holds a Master’s degree in education and leadership. Immediately prior to joining LJMU, Paul was a senior educationalist at the Royal College of Physicians. Paul led on the flagship RCP Chief Registrar programme and taught on a number of CPD and postgraduate programmes.

Paul’s research interests encompass both a business and education perspective. He is currently exploring the relationship between action learning and organisational development. He has experience of engagement with private, public and third sector organisations.

Rachael Woodcock

Rachael is a Senior Lecturer in OB/HRM at Sheffield Hallam University. She is the Course Leader for the MA Leadership in Practice and the Senior Leadership Apprenticeship programme. Rachael teaches at undergraduate and post-graduate level, specialising in the areas of leadership and management and human resource development. Rachael is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD), a Fellow of the Higher Education Authority and is currently undertaking her PhD with the University of Bath, exploring the lived experiences of leaders and their development.

Prior to joining the university Rachael established an independent consultancy business specialising in employee/organisational development. Her expertise in both teaching and professional practice is in the field leadership development and she has supported many organisations within both public and private sectors in developing their leadership and talent management strategies. Her previous work experience also includes working as a business adviser for Business Link South Yorkshire and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, Training and Enterprise.