BIO

Dr. Joseph “Jody” Holland is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Policy Leadership at the University of Mississippi, where he teaches and researches public policy and administration. He earned his Ph.D. from Mississippi State University and specializes in leadership development, nonprofit management, economic development, and food policy. Dr. Holland’s teaching emphasizes critical thinking and solution-based approaches to improve public service delivery and leadership outcomes.

His community-engaged scholarship focuses on nonprofit leadership and organizational development. He has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and led efforts to secure over $4 million in grant funding. His recent works include Leadership Literacy: A Guide to Transform F-Bombs into Outcomes and articles in Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management and A World Scientific Encyclopedia of Business Storytelling.

Beyond academia, Dr. Holland serves as Executive Director of the Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow (LOFT), a community foundation awarding grants to local nonprofits. He also leads Holland Consulting Group, which provides leadership training, policy analysis, grant writing, and evaluation services. Dr. Holland’s work bridges theory and practice, preparing students and organizations to lead change and create meaningful community impact.