Date of Conferral

7-23-2026

Date of Award

July 2026

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Andrew McCart

Abstract

The problem addressed through this study is that current leadership development programs for global humanitarian aid sector (GHAS) leaders fail to adequately address the unique circumstances of humanitarian aid work. Grounded in trauma-informed care and adaptive leadership, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore GHAS leaders' perceptions of the essential components and opportunities for improving leadership development programs, as well as their recommendations on how to address the unique contexts of humanitarian aid workers. Semistructured interviews with eight GHAS leaders who had at least 10 years of sector experience were conducted. Through qualitative content analysis with a priori and then open descriptive coding, the following three themes emerged: (a) humanitarian leadership requires trauma-informed, relational, and adaptive competencies beyond technical or task-focused expertise; (b) structural barriers, organizational dysfunction, and sector-level geopolitical disruption constrain both humanitarian organizations' capacity to invest in leadership development and leaders' preparedness to navigate an increasingly complex and destabilized sector; and (c) contextually responsive leadership development programs should integrate experiential learning, relational modalities, and trauma-informed content to prepare GHAS leaders for the unique demands of their work. Findings suggest that designing trauma-informed, resilience-focused leadership development programs might have the potential for positive social change by strengthening leadership development practices and psychologically safe organizational cultures, better equipping GHAS leaders to sustain compassionate care for the people who depend on humanitarian aid.

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