Dr. William Watson Purkey is Professor of Counseling and Development at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. An active writer, lecturer, researcher and leader, Dr. Purkey has authored or co-authored over 90 professional articles and nine books. His professional experience includes teaching in the public school system, as a university professor, a college administrator, and as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist in the United State Air Force. Dr. Purkey has keynoted hundreds of national and international conferences. His ability to invite others to the celebration of leading, learning, and living is reflected in his many awards for teaching, including the highest award for teaching given by the University of North Carolina University System, The Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Dr. Betty L. Siegel heads Kennesaw State University which has been cited as a "college on the move" by Jossey-Bass and labeled a "rising star" among regional universities in the south by U.S. News and World Report. KSU has received national recognition for its Freshman Year Experience programs, its new Living/Learning Communities, and its emphasis on leadership development for students, faculty and staff. Named Cobb County Citizen of the Year in 1996 and "Georgia Woman of the Year" in 1997, Dr. Siegel was inducted into the Atlanta Business Hall of Fame in 1999. She has been repeatedly cited among Georgia Trend magazine's list of 100 most influential Georgians. She has served on six corporate boards, and presently sits on numerous community service boards. A long time member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, she served as chair of the Board of Directors, and she is a long-time member of the Business Higher Education Forum. As a result of her leadership among state educators and commitment to community service, Dr. Siegel was appointed to the Governor's Delegation representing Governor Zell Miller at the 1997 President's Summit on America's Future. Governor Miller also chose her to represent the State of Georgia on the Southern Growth Policies Board's 1998 Commission on the Future of the South. As an internationally and nationally known lecturer and speaker on leadership, Dr. Siegel has delivered keynote addresses at hundreds of national, regional, and state conferences throughout the fifty states, Puerto Rico, and ten foreign countries. She has also served as a consultant to educational, business, not-for profit organizations, health services, government, and civic groups. In addition, she has lectured at more than 100 colleges and universities around the world.
