Lisa A. Kelleher, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor
Biography
Lisa A. Kelleher completed her doctorate in higher education at UNLV May 2011 while working full-time in UNLV Athletics. She earned progressive leadership positions over her 25+ year athletics career, dedicated to her commitment to student-athletes. She created, managed, and implemented innovative programs promoting student-athlete health and wellness, gender equity and diversity, and academic and career development. These programs assisted student-athletes to achieve in the classroom, earn degrees, and win competitive championships.
Upon retirement in 2017, her stellar years of campus and community service were recognized as she was granted Deputy Director of Athletics, Emerita status. Since she loves mentoring students, she pursued and accepted a part-time instructor position where she teaches first- and second- year seminars, and leadership, development and engagement certificate courses.
Kellher is currently a visiting assistant professor, teaching COE 202 and managing the first- and second-year seminar program for the College of Education. Adding to her teaching repertoire and applying her sport expertise, she also teaches courses in the Graduate Intercollegiate and Professional Sport Management Program.
Research Expertise
Dr. Kelleher’s expertise in civic engagement, leadership development and sport innovation complement her teaching and service emphasis. Her dissertation research emphasis focused on a qualitative study with Alumni Relations: An Investigation using Relationship Marketing Principles (RMP). She studied ways alumni relations officers use relationship marketing principles, concepts, and bonds to strengthen the ties between alumni and their alma maters. Dr. Kelleher found, in addition to RMP used in a business setting, emotional and intellectual bonds apply in the university setting to strengthen ties binding alumni to their alma maters. She uses these bonds in her teaching to better engage her students.