Wynde Jones, PhD

Biography

Wynde Jones, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in the LSU School of Leadership & Human Resource Development. She brings more than three decades of experience in higher education leadership, organizational development, leadership education, and human development to her teaching and professional practice. At LSU, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership, team dynamics, organizational change, human resource analytics, and organizational development, using a practitioner-informed approach that connects theory and research to the realities of organizational life.

Prior to joining LSU, Jones spent 25 years at The University of Southern Mississippi, where she held progressively senior leadership positions, culminating in Assistant Vice President for Student Connections. Throughout her career, she has designed and led initiatives focused on leadership development, organizational culture and change, employee and student development, inclusion and belonging, and the development of effective teams and organizations.

Jones earned her PhD in Human Capital Development from The University of Southern Mississippi, where her doctoral research examined the influence of emotional intelligence training on college student employees. Her current scholarly interests focus on how people develop, connect, and thrive in organizations, with particular interests in organizational belonging and culture, leadership and human development, emotional intelligence and interpersonal effectiveness, team development, and organizational change. She is particularly interested in translating HRD research and theory into practical strategies that strengthen people, relationships, teams, and organizations.

An experienced educator, facilitator, curriculum designer, and speaker, Jones has developed and delivered leadership and professional development experiences for students, educators, organizational leaders, professional associations, and nonprofit organizations. Her teaching and professional practice are grounded in the belief that learning is most powerful when rigorous ideas become accessible, relevant, and applicable to the challenges people face in their everyday work.