Biography
Katie Meier holds nearly 20 years of experience across higher education, the pharmaceutical and nonprofit sectors, plus consulting for small business. She joined Drexel Engineering in 2019 as the inaugural Assistant Dean for Strategy and Innovation, where she accelerated the creation and launch of the college’s strategic plan, redefined and expanded marketing and communications operations, and led the implementation of new college-wide initiatives, like the annual State of the College. Dr. Meier manages industry relationships, including planning and engagement for the Dean’s Executive Advisory Council, and Drexel Engineering Alumni Industry Board (AIB). She also managed the launch and foundational year of the AIB, as well as the Drexel Engineering Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Alumni Advisory Board. Dr. Meier is an invited member of the President’s Executive Council, serves as deputy to the Dean on the President’s Corporate Engagement Council, the Provost’s Deans and Academic Councils, and has been actively involved in Drexel 2030 committee work. She brings an interdisciplinary perspective to STEM education, having participated in the invitation-only Engineering One Planet 2022 Scaling for Impact; she is also guest lecturer for first-year engineering courses on technical communication and stakeholder engagement, as well as a professional lecturer on personal branding, having delivered a workshop most recently to ELATES at Drexel.
Prior to her appointment overseeing strategy, Dr. Meier held various roles at the University of Delaware from 2006 to 2019, including inaugural chief of staff in the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as an adjunct Assistant Professor in Business Administration and in English. She recently completed the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard University. She holds a Ph.D., MBA, and B.A. in English/Business and Technical Writing, all from University of Delaware.
Degrees / Education
- MLE, Institute for Management and Leadership in Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
- PhD, English (Business Communication), University of Delaware
- MBA, University of Delaware Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics
- BA, English/Business and Technical Writing, University of Delaware
Certifications
- Building Strategic Agility Certificate, Duke Corporate Education
- HERS Leadership Institute at Bryn Mawr College
Research Interests
Business communication, professional writing, organizational storytelling; narrative impact in creating and maintaining corporate identity, brand, and reputation; management and organizational behavior
Academic Distinctions
- Association for Business Communication Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award, 2017
- University of Delaware “UDeserve It” Certificate for Outstanding Service, 2017
- University of Delaware Ten-Year Service Award, 2016
- University of Delaware Outstanding Adviser "YoUDee" Leadership Award, 2013
- University of Delaware Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics MBA Alumni Leadership Award, 2006
Select Publications
Meier, K. A. (2016).
Deconstructing
DuPont discourse: How storytelling shaped the identity and reputation of an
American enterprise
(Publication no. 10245220) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Delaware].
ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Presentations
- “Developing (and Growing) Your Personal Brand.”
Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering
and Science (ELATES)
at Drexel Session II, Philadelphia, PA. November 13, 2022.
- “Best Practices for Working Remotely: Preparedness for COVID-19 Impact.” Drexel University College of Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, March 12 & 13, 2020.
- “Crafting Your Personal Brand.” UNIDEL/UD College of Arts and Sciences Competitive Graduate Student Global Research Grant Public Engagement Workshop, Newark, DE, November 30, 2018.
- “Designing Your Future: English Majors Write Career Success.” (Panelist) Society of Technical Communicators, Newark, DE, November 9, 2017.
- “University Communications: Insights, Storytelling and Collaborations.” Delaware Public Humanities Institute, Newark, DE, June 7, 2016.
- “University and College Communications: Current Landscape and Trending Topics.” Delaware Public Humanities Institute, Newark, DE, June 2, 2015.