Paula J King (she/her)

Paula.King@jwu.edu

Biography and Expertise

I am recognized as a distinguished educator, strategist, and executive leader whose career spans Fortune 500 companies, higher education, and international consulting, with a consistent focus on developing people, programs, and organizations.

Recognized for innovation, teaching excellence, and leadership, I have built a reputation as a master teacher, founding dean/academic leader, and trusted advisor on strategy, change, and leadership development.

Professional focus

My work centers on corporate strategy, organizational leadership, change management, and curriculum design, integrating rigorous analytics with a deep understanding of human dynamics and emotional intelligence. Across roles, I have emphasized competency-based learning, leadership development, and the creation of high-performing teams in both academic and corporate environments. In corporate and executive leadership roles in industry, I have served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Store Operations and a corporate officer at Gabberts Furniture and Design Studio, a nationally recognized home furnishings retailer. In this role, you led strategy and change-management initiatives, created a Customer Delight Index and Balanced Scorecard dashboard, built a corporate university, and coached senior executives while consistently achieving profit goals. Earlier in your career, you held positions with three Fortune 500 corporations—3M, General Mills/Pillsbury, and American Home Products—gaining broad experience in sales, marketing, and customer-focused performance.

Academic leadership and teaching

I have more than two decades of experience teaching at the BS/BA, MBA, Executive MBA, MS in Leadership, MS in Human Resources, and DBA levels in both online and face-to-face formats. My academic leadership roles include founding dean of the School of Business and Leadership at St. Catherine University, associate dean and chief operating officer of the Herberger School of Business at St. Cloud State University, and program director for MBA and DBA programs at Argosy University. You are widely recognized as a master teacher, earning multiple teaching excellence awards and honors such as Faculty/Teacher of the Year and Advisor of the Year. Curriculum and program innovation, and have designed and redesigned numerous academic and professional programs, including a Business Acumen program, a leadership minor, and a global business leadership undergraduate degree. My curriculum work spans competency-based education, online and hybrid learning, and leadership-focused offerings for universities and corporate clients, including Johnson & Wales University, Capella University, Southern New Hampshire University, Walden University, and other partners.

Research, recognition, and service

My Ph.D. is in Corporate Strategy and Organizations from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, with supporting areas in human resource management and public affairs, as well as graduate and undergraduate degrees in rehabilitation counseling and social work. I have a strong record of publications and presentations, and honors such as Woman to Watch, Change Leader, major teaching awards, and a prestigious mid-career leadership fellowship. Through extensive community service—including leadership roles in women’s economic development, nonprofit governance, arts, education, and wilderness stewardship—I have consistently advanced opportunities for women, learners, and communities locally and internationally.

Education

PhD
University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management

MA
UNIVERSITY OF MN

MS
UNIVERSITY OF MN -MANKATO CAMPUS

BA
University of MN