CTSI Pilots Leadership Development Program
Health science and research organizations depend on leaders to provide guidance and direction to their teams to advance the field. CTSI is providing in-house coaching and career guidance for emerging leaders via the Leadership Development Program (LDP), a modular, intensive, and fully tailored program for early career researchers and staff.
Internal Leadership Development
“There can be gaps in both training and experience when it comes to a new leader’s roles and responsibilities, especially in the academic world,” said CTSI Co-Director Karen Wilson, MD, MPH. “The Leadership Development Program is helping us address that at the institute level with our own internal leaders and the Translational Science Scholars we support.”
The LDP is led by John Cullen, PhD, professor of Clinical and Translational Research and Strategic Director of Population Health in the CTSI.
“There are few leadership pathways for early career researchers,” Cullen said. “Often, they are expected to figure out being a leader on their own without much guidance and support. This program is purpose-built for the academic translational research environment and is integrated with several tools and assessments to benefit the participants.”
A Plan for Success
At the start of the program, participants work with their coaches to co-develop a Personal Leadership Strategic Plan, which includes goals the pair will strive for over the course of the coaching experience. These goals will guide the monthly one-on-one coaching sessions.
Guided workshops and seminars will cover topics including setting personal mission, vision, and values, change management, managing complex teams, managing academic finances, and more.
Strengths-based assessments help determine potential areas of focus and offer guidance to the coaches. The program will employ “360-degree” evaluations of the participant with feedback from their peers, supervisors, and teams.
“This is a relatively low time-commitment for both coaches and participants, but we maximize the time we spend together through an integrated cycle of growth,” Cullen said. “We have the assessments, the one-on-one meetings, the group seminars and workshops, and the continual, back-and-forth communication to ensure we are building up the participant as a leader in the way that best suits them.”
Multiplying Impact
Cullen and Jane Tolbert, PhD, senior director of CTSI Administration, are presently enrolled in a coach training program, with the goal to build sustainable internal coaching capacity by training six additional CTSI-affiliated coaches over the grant period.
For the first cohort, CTSI will prioritize CTSI faculty and staff who are already in leadership roles, followed by its own Translational Science Scholars and trainees for inclusion in the program. The LDP may expand in the future to support faculty applying for their first R-level award, staff, and other early career faculty.
“While other medical universities have mentoring and coaching programs, this one is unique,” Wilson said. “We are seeing more interest among our peer CTSIs and would be glad to answer questions about the program for those interested in developing their own.”
For more information about the program, please contact Karen Wilson or John Cullen.
Jonathan Raab | 8/4/2026
