Adapt | Imagine | Transform
They told me I couldn't succeed.
Teachers, guidance counselors, even well-meaning adults looked at the kid with learning disabilities in reading comprehension and written expression and saw limitations. I was the student picked on from kindergarten through graduation, the one whose family lost everything to bankruptcy during my senior year of high school.
But here's what they missed: Adversity doesn't break you—it builds you. Every challenge taught me something that textbooks never could.
Working multiple jobs through college while pursuing a PhD in Medicinal Biochemistry taught me time management and grit. Managing bill collectors calling our house taught me how to stay calm under pressure. Being the youngest assistant store manager at Walgreens at 21 taught me that leadership isn't about age or credentials—it's about results and relationships.
My PhD taught me to think systematically, test hypotheses, and work in triplicate. Life taught me that real transformation happens in the messy middle—the space between chaos and clarity that most people avoid.
My background in Medicinal Biochemistry isn't just academic—it's practical leadership training.
Science taught me:
But life taught me the other half:
The combination of scientific rigor and human compassion, is what makes transformation stick.
But that's exactly why I do.
Some of the best leaders are accidental ones. We didn't set out to become leaders—we had experiences that forged who we are and made us exceptional at guiding others through complexity, change, and chaos.
I'm Dr. Elizabeth Pearsall, and I've been working for over 25 years—since I was 15 years old. Everything I have, every opportunity I've created, every life I've transformed (including my own) is the result of education, employment, and decisions I've made along the way.
The truth is: I'm more than meets the eye. And so are you.
Virginia College: From Failed to First
Day one as Program Director: no teacher, 8:15 AM, teaching five courses without syllabi, books, or materials. The pharmacy program had failed its accreditation visit a month before I arrived. Between April and September, I defended my PhD, had a baby, and turned that program into one of the best in the state—then created training for 26 other campuses. Seven months later, pharmacies were calling me asking how many graduates needed jobs. The answer was none—they all had offers before graduation.
American Public University: Building Bridges Across Distance
As Faculty Director managing 150+ faculty teaching 18,000+ annual registrations, I didn't just manage—I connected. I built relationships with people who had worked together for 5-10 years but had never seen each other on video. Nine years later, many of them are still friends. When one faculty member was struggling, I didn't threaten or punish—I rearranged two months of workload to give her immediate time off. A year later, after defending her dissertation, she called to say she aspired to be the kind of leader I was—one who extends a hand to help people up instead of beating them down.
York Technical College: The Six-Week Miracle
When our college bookstore partner gave six weeks' notice, I became project manager for an "impossible" transition. Navigating contractual obligations, legal matters, and procurement requirements, we delivered 95% of materials on time for Fall 2022 with 90% student satisfaction—and the college actually turned a profit in one semester.
The American College of Financial Services: Systemic Transformation
In 12 months, I migrated an entire LMS and completed a full overhaul of course layout, design, and online learning delivery. Recent programs have seen completion rates jump from 58% to 78%. I'm not just implementing AI—I'm re-architecting how education happens, building intelligent agents and automation systems that personalize learning at scale.
I'm a military spouse of 12 years. My husband and I lived apart for more than five years of our marriage. From February 2020 to January 2023, he was stationed in Alaska while I was in South Carolina with our two young daughters, working full-time and managing complex medical issues for both children.
I was neurodivergent before we had a word for it. Growing up with ADHD, as a girl in the 1980s and 90s, meant being labeled as "difficult" and "unfocused." But what looked like deficits were actually superpowers: hyperfocus, pattern recognition, and the ability to coordinate chaos...skills that serve me well today.
Everything I am, I've earned. From the teenager working to pay bills at home to the Assistant Provost planning the next phase of her career, every step has been intentional, driven by the belief that education and hard work can transform any circumstances.
Resilient Leadership: I help leaders navigate the chaos that's inevitable in today's world. Not by avoiding it, but by developing the systems, skills, and emotional intelligence to lead others through it.
AI Innovation: As a Certified AI Specialist with a Black Belt in AI, I'm not just teaching tools—I'm helping institutions reimagine what's possible. The greatest challenge in AI adoption isn't literacy; it's institutional imagination.
Authentic Transformation: I don't offer quick fixes or trendy solutions. I help you build what lasts: organizational culture, leadership capabilities, and educational systems that truly serve learners and organizations alike.
Collaborate with me individually or with your team to cultivate strong leadership skills, successfully navigate organizational transitions, and unleash untapped potential.
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