Kristen Tardif presents during a leadership conference in India.

Dr. Kristin Tardif, assistant professor of organizational leadership at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, shared her extensive knowledge in the field of leadership when she served as the keynote speaker for a conference in India earlier this month.

 

Tardif presented at an international human resources conference, “Leadership Challenges of Human Capital in a Digital Workplace,” organized by the K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research located in Mumbai.

 

Her speech focused on creative leadership and divergent decision making to guide companies through the uncertainties of the digital age and to build a quality workplace, topics where she has focused her research during her academic career.

 

In addition to the keynote address, Tardif also oversaw a workshop for faculty and students focused on leadership and communicating and performing effectively as virtual teams in the modern digital world.

 

“It was a huge honor,” she said of the experience. “The institute is one of the top-ranking schools in India, so I was humbled to be able to speak in front of such an esteemed group of faculty, students, human resources business executives and scholars from all over India, Indonesia, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.”

 

A 12-year veteran in the corporate affairs section of Nestle, Tardif was asked to be the keynote speaker by Richard Coyle at Cornell University, a former colleague from her corporate career.

 

Tardif said she hopes her talk at the institute is the beginning of a collaborative relationship between K.J. Somaiya and UAFS.

 

“Scholarly, it’s an honor, but also from a university standpoint, this put UAFS on a global map,” Tardif said. “They expressed interest in partnering with us in research and student exchanges. We’ve started some great beginning talks on partnering together.”

 

Tardif holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fort Hays State University and a doctorate in organizational leadership from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. At UAFS, she teaches courses on global challenges, theory and group dynamics, and other organizational leadership courses.  

 

About the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith is the premiere regional institution of Western Arkansas, connecting education with careers and serving as a driver of economic development and quality of place in the greater Fort Smith region. Through a small campus, dedicated professors, and the university’s unique bond with its community, students at UAFS are able to do more in the areas they are passionate about, both on- and off-campus, in a way that prepares them for post-graduate success. To find out how you can do more at UAFS, visit www.uafs.edu.