About Dr. Kimberly McGlonn
A Voice on Leadership That Shapes Culture
Dr. Kimberly McGlonn is a speaker, author, and executive advisor working at the intersection of leadership, design, and social impact. Her work challenges leaders to move beyond performance and toward purpose, responsibility, and systems-level thinking.
What She’s Built
Kimberly’s authority is grounded in execution. She is the founder of several bold innovations at the intersection of social entrepreneurship & social design. Her work demonstrates what it means to align business, culture, and impact in practice, not theory.
Grant Blvd
A sustainable fashion brand advancing economic justice through hiring, training, and employing formerly incarcerated individuals.
Blk Ivy Thrift
A curated retail concept honoring the cultural legacy of the Civil Rights Movement while reimagining thrift as a space for community, civic leadership, and economic inclusion.
Build It Boldly
A leadership platform rooted in inner work, daily practice, and collective responsibility. Helping leaders move beyond title to build with clarity, courage, and intention.
Advisory Work
Kimberly advises founders, executives, and leaders navigating high-stakes decisions.
Her approach is not coaching: it is offering strategic clarity under pressure.
Through offerings like The Executive Power Hour™, leaders:
Identify the real issue beneath complexity
Map power, risk, and internal dynamics
Align decisions with values and leadership identity
Leave with a clear strategic path forward
Access is limited and application-based.
Kimberly’s Writing & Ideas
Kimberly is the author of Build It Boldly: How Daring Business Leaders Can Gain Influence and Create Impact
She is also a columnist for Philadelphia Magazine, where her “Dear Kimberly” column explores leadership, identity, and navigating complexity with clarity.
Her work spans podcast platforms available on Apple & Spotify, as:
Co-host, The School for Disrupters
Host, Educator’s Playbook (University of Pennsylvania)
Leadership & Appointments
Vice President of Social Impact, Fitler Club
Executive Director, Fitler Foundation
Board of Directors, Philadelphia Mural Arts
Trustee, The Philadelphia Award
Academic Foundation
Ph.D., Curriculum & Instruction — Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
Kimberly’s academic work explored:
Race, education, and structural inequality
Sociocultural theory and learning
Urban systems and access
Her research background continues to inform her work in leadership and systems design.
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EDUCATION:
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction, Department of Educational Policy, Practice, & Theory December 2007
Major Advisor: Dr. Rita Culross
Dissertation: “Experiences & Expectations of Beginning Teachers of the Gifted”
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Ed.Specialist in Curriculum Theory, August 2003
Major Advisor: Dr. William Pinar
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction- Secondary English Education, August 2002
Thesis: “The Weight of Race”: An Exploration into Black Male Student Perspective on Minority Teacher Shortage
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
B.A in English-Literature, August 2001
Minors: Sociology and African & African-American Studies
PUBLICATIONS:
Article in Refereed Journal. McGlonn-Nelson, K. (2006) "Looking Outward": An Exploration into the Intersections of
Sociocultural Theory and Gifted Education. Journal for Secondary Gifted Education, Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development, Athens, GA.
BOOK REVIEW:
Piirto, J. (2004). Understanding Creativity. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potentional Press. In Roeper Review, 27(2), 123.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:
November 2004- 2008
“Experiences & Expectations of Beginning Teachers of the Gifted”
Doctoral Dissertation
Directed by Dr. Rita Culross
August 2001- August 2002
“The Weight of Race: An Exploration into Black Male Student Perspective on the Minority Teacher Shortage”
Master’s Thesis
Directed by Dr. Matthew K. McCurrie
May- August, 2000
“America’s Forgotten Garden: An Examination of the Formation and Perpetuation of Midwestern Urban Ghettos “
Directed by: Dr. Thomas Durant (LSU- Dept. of Sociology)ion
Work With Kimberly
If you’re building something that requires clarity, conviction, and leadership that holds weight, there are two ways to engage: