Responsible Rebellion: A Wholeness-Centered Framework for Gender-Equitable Leadership

Abstract

While much of leadership discourse continues to center productivity, resilience, and hierarchy, Rebel Leadership: A Wholeness-Centered Framework for Gender-Equitable Leadership offers a framework that invites a more human, gender-equitable approach to leading change. Grounded in principles of wholeness, creativity, and social responsibility, this model challenges conventional notions of leadership that often perpetuate burnout and exclusion, particularly for women and marginalized professionals.
 This presentation explores how responsible rebellion, the intentional act of disrupting systems with integrity and compassion, can advance gender justice within organizations and communities. Drawing from over a decade of experience in education, nonprofit, and corporate leadership, Dr. Deal-Bartell integrates research, lived experience, and reflective practice to reimagine leadership as both strategic and soulful.  Participants will gain insight into how cultivating wholeness in leadership enhances equity, inclusion, and collective well-being. The session will combine storytelling, dialogue, and practical tools to help leaders move beyond performative inclusion toward authentic transformation.