Dr. Leander is a human capital development expert with twenty-five years of exemplary results in organizational development, change management, and strategy in the United States and abroad. He is a recognized thought leader and strategist leading culturally intelligent DEI initiatives. Dr. Leander is a consultant supporting talent development strategy through succession planning, skills assessment, coaching, and mentoring. Brian also served as a church planter and leadership development consultant to nonprofit organizations and a range of church systems in North America.
In 2010, Brian began to explore the relationship between congregational leaders and the orientation of a growing number of churches towards diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation, which led to a doctoral dissertation and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University. The purpose of the study was to examine and explain factors relating to leadership in diversity-oriented churched (DOC) in the United States by obtaining quantitative results senior pastors and leadership team members in churches in the United States. The sixteen findings established significant relationships between leaders’ cultural intelligence, openness to diversity and leadership practices, and explained how they contribute to a positive organizational diversity climate in DOC.
With insights from his dissertation, he developed curriculum to advance cultural competency among Christian leaders in churches and in Christian higher education institutions including Goshen College, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and Evangelical Theological Seminary.
Brian served as a member of the Urban League of Long Island’s State of Black Long Island council, which published the seminal 2017 study, Empowering Black Long Island: How Equity is Key to the Future of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. In 2020, Brian was chosen as a member of Omicron Delta Kappa - The National Leadership Honor Society and receive the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recognition Award from the Nassau County Human Rights Commission, for building bridges for people of color in the community, developing impactful learning programs, helping them enter leadership positions in nonprofits and community organizations.
Currently, Brian serves a member of the Board of Directors of the Orchard Group, a church planting organization, and as an associate professor and director of intercultural leadership at Berkeley School of Theology.
My goal for teaching is to create a learning community that facilitates the kind of shared experiences that promote reflection, critical analysis, and forward thinking. It is an environment where people are encouraged to share insight, explore knowledge and then reexamine our understandings. The atmosphere in our learning community stimulates growth by valuing diversity of learning styles, life experiences, and cultures.
My teaching philosophy as a leadership scholar is to facilitate a learning community that models effective leadership. The goal of our learning community is to inspire participants to become members first, then facilitators of learning within their spheres of influence.
2606 Dwight Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 841-1905
