Dana H. Born (Co-Director, Center for Public Leadership (CPL); Faculty Chair, Senior Executive Fellows (SEF) Program; Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government) is a retired Brigadier General with 30 years of service in the United States Air Force. Prior to coming to Harvard, from 2004- 2013, she served two terms as the Presidentially appointed Dean of the Faculty at the United States Air Force Academy where she was also the Professor and Head of the Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Department. Previously, Dana served as an Exchange Officer with the Royal Australian Air Force, Assistant Director for Recruiting Research and Analysis for the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Management Policy), Deputy Chief of the Personnel Issues Team for the Department of the Air Force (DC/Staff Personnel), Aide and Speech Writer to the Secretary of the Air Force, Squadron Commander for 11th Mission Support Squadron at Bolling AFB, DC and in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
A graduate with distinction of the United States Air Force Academy, Professor Born received her B.S. in Behavioral Sciences (1983), M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Trinity University, TX (1985), M.A. in Research Psychology from University of Melbourne (1991) and Doctorate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Penn State University (1994). She received Penn State’s Alumni Fellow Award in 2012 and an Honorary Doctorate from Simmons College in Humane Administration in 2007.
Born has been the recipient of a number of senior level military awards including the Secretary of the Air Force’s Eugene M. Zuckert Award for Outstanding Management Achievement, Air Force Association’s Hoyt S. Vandenberg Award for outstanding contributions to Aerospace education, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Active Duty Service Women Veterans Award. She has been honored with the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Teaching Awards 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 as well as the HKS Innovation in Teaching Award in 2017.
Dr. Born is a Trustee on the United States Air Force Academy’s Falcon Foundation – serving on the Strategy, Governance and Scholarship Committees; President of the Massachusetts Women’s Forum; member of Council on Foreign Relations; Senior Consultant for the Authentic Leadership Institute (ALI); Peer Evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission; member of Women Corporate Directors and the International Women’s Forum; Council Member on Boston Mayor’s Pay Equity Workforce; Advisory Board Member on “A Child’s Guide to War” documentary, Senior Officer for Mission: Readiness; PastPresident of the American Psychological Association (Society for Military Psychology) and previous Director on Board of the Apollo Education Group having served on Compensation, Audit and Litigation Committees.
