Work
Psychological Safety
In an era of rapid technological disruption and shifting higher education landscapes, the most resilient organizations are those that move from a culture of compliance to a culture of contribution. Drawing on the seminal work of Dr. Amy Edmondson and my own research, I implement frameworks for Psychological Safety as a rigorous strategic tool.
My approach centers on the "Team Sport" of leadership—recognizing that institutional innovation only occurs when faculty and staff feel safe to "fail forward," voice dissenting opinions, and experiment without the fear of social retribution.
Recent Publication: Powers, A., & Fife, D. (2025). Psychological Safety in Libraries: It’s a Team Sport. College & Research Libraries News.
AI for Leadership
Academic Leaders are faced with decisions about how to manage the whiplash changes in information environments. These range from managing expectations across campus to providing ethical leadership to allocating resources for new technological investments. I have begun presenting on these new challenges in order for leadership to explore paths forward. I believe the essential work that the library must do in this environment is to educate our constituencies on what is "under the hood." This is the same work we have done with databases, Google, OPACs, etc. In using AI, leaders need to know what they are and aren't searching.
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In this executive briefing, I outline a roadmap for integrating Generative AI into the fabric of the urban research university. Moving beyond the "functional" use of AI tools, this presentation provides a framework for senior leadership to navigate the intersection of academic integrity, digital equity, and the transformation of scholarly inquiry.
