After a rigorous search, Business Professionals of America, Inc. (BPA) is pleased to announce the hiring of Ms. Brigette Bethea to the organization’s National Center staff as the Director of Leadership Development.

In this newly created position, Ms. Bethea will oversee all aspects of the organization’s National Officer Program, providing leadership, guidance, mentoring and training. Additionally, she will monitor, review and evaluate the current portfolio of educational programs and cultivate new strategies to ensure continued success and expansion. She will also serve as an expert in consulting, coaching, leadership training and engagement opportunities with the primary purpose to design, create and manage the leadership development programs for all BPA stakeholders.

“Leadership development is a key component of the work we do on behalf of the students of Business Professionals of America,” said Executive Director, Dr. LouAnn Ross. “Brigette is an accomplished professional with a strong record in leadership, government and education experience that will serve the students and advisors of our organization well. Her commitment to student leadership and dedicated focus on strengthening the mission and vision of BPA will take our efforts to the next level.”

During the course of her career, Ms. Bethea has both lived and studied key leadership concepts through a myriad of experiences which include military, government, international liaison work, administrative-level education projects and school-based experiences.

She served in the United States Army for eight years as a Military Intelligence Officer, during which time she was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, Ms. Bethea spent a number of years working at the Pentagon as part of the leadership development personnel under the Joint Chiefs of Staff in support of the President of the United States’ strategic defense agenda. Throughout her military and government career, with both the United States Army and Department of Defense, she focused heavily on growing effective teams and managing collaboration between internal and external stakeholders.

Since transitioning to education in 2015, she has worked with both educators and students on leadership programs and has supported the revision and development of leadership trainings to ensure meaningful connections with all participants. Focused on needs and alignment, Ms. Bethea has developed programs that present actionable strategies that offer immediate implementation and results.

Upon her hiring, Ms. Bethea shared “My experiences as a leader and developing leaders is grounded in the belief that development must occur at all echelons, with all ages, races and orientations from a strengths-based approach. I am focused on ensuring that BPA is at the forefront of meaningful leadership practices and forums, and am excited about the opportunity to work with student leaders, advisors and other stakeholders of our organization.”

Ms. Bethea is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Education with a focus on Leadership and Administration to serve as a compliment to her Master’s in Leadership from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

About Business Professionals of America

BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS OF AMERICA, Inc. (BPA) is the leading Career Technical Student Organization (CTSO) for students pursuing careers in business management, information technology, office administration, marketing and other related career fields. An intra-curricular national membership organization established in 1966, BPA is dedicated to the preparation of global professionals through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic and technological skills. The organization serves secondary, post-secondary and middle level students and educators by offering programs based on national standards spanning five career pathways: Finance, Business Administration, Management Information Systems, Digital Communication & Design and Management, Marketing & Communication.

For more information, visit: www.bpa.org