Contemporary Leadership in Organizations

Joana Coelho Kuntz serves as Professor in the School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing at the University of Canterbury, where she has established herself as a pioneering researcher in organizational and employee resilience since 2009. After earning her PhD from the University of Tennessee and working in organizational development across Europe and the United States, she has built an impressive career combining academic research with practical applications. As co-founder of Canterbury's Employee Resilience Research group, she has worked extensively with government agencies and corporations to develop resilience capabilities, particularly following the Christchurch earthquakes. Her research has garnered over 2,000 citations, with influential publications on employee resilience, organizational change, and leadership development. Her work during the COVID-19 pandemic expanded to examine workplace stressors and employee adaptation to crisis situations. Her current research focuses on the future of work, employee wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, and the design and implementation of organizational interventions. Through her leadership at Canterbury, she continues to bridge theoretical research with practical applications, contributing significantly to understanding how organizations and employees can flourish beyond adversity.