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Distinguished veteran and higher education administrator to lead innovative programming and curricula for new national leadership program 

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024) —The National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership, a newly founded initiative promoting leadership through the Medal of Honor’s core principles, is pleased to announce Dr. Justin Habash has joined the team as senior vice president of leadership programs and chief learning officer. In this expanded role, Dr. Habash, a veteran and former higher education administrator, will lead the development and implementation of innovative leadership programs designed to inspire and equip individuals at all stages of their leadership journey.

“We are excited Dr. Habash has joined us full time and will serve as a key member of our leadership and education teams,” says Thomas Mundell, president and CEO of the Center for Leadership. “His expertise in leadership growth, curriculum development and ethics education, combined with his distinguished military service as an infantry officer, makes him uniquely qualified to lead our organization’s education programs. His work with the Center for Leadership has already shaped our direction, and we are eager to see the impact he will make as he transitions into this full-time role.”

As the senior vice president of leadership programs and chief learning officer at the Center for Leadership, Dr. Habash oversees the development of the program’s curriculum — customized for different populations and based on proven teaching methods. He is also responsible for building a world-class instructional team that will deliver the curriculum across a range of modalities. Prior to this position, Dr. Habash has been contributing to the Center’s vision in a part-time capacity as the director of education since 2022.

“I am honored to take on this role and help establish the framework for the Center for Leadership’s education programs,” says Dr. Habash. “There is a real gap and need for values-based leadership development, and I look forward to being part of a team of dedicated staff, board members and supporters who share a common purpose. Our goal is to make leadership resources more accessible so that everyone can learn from Medal of Honor recipients and the key values that drive them.”

Dr. Habash has a distinguished career in higher education administration and has helped build innovative curricula in liberal arts, business and health science programs at four different universities.

Dr. Habash was most recently the assistant dean for teaching and learning at Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School where he taught graduate-level courses on leadership and ethics. His team provided faculty support in course design, delivery and assessment, as well as assisted with integrating innovative technologies and pedagogical strategies.

Before joining Johns Hopkins, Dr. Habash was the founding director of the Office of Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the College of Pharmacy at Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, he led the design and implementation of a new mastery-based modular PharmD curriculum; developed personalized faculty teaching development opportunities; and expanded his team’s role as they became the Office of Educational Innovation and Scholarship. Before joining Ohio State, he served as the director of faculty services for the Adult and Continuing Education Program at Ohio Dominican University.

Dr. Habash began his career as an infantry officer with the 101st Airborne Division where he served as a rifle platoon leader, company executive officer and company commander. He is a graduate of Xavier University earning a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and English, a Master of Arts, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Duquesne University. Dr. Habash and his wife Rachael have two children and live in Lutherville, Md.

In the coming months, the Center for Leadership will begin to roll out a comprehensive series of seminars, both virtual and in-person, to teach leadership skills and create a space for dialogue among Medal of Honor recipients. The Center’s leadership program will offer a broad range of courses, materials and experiences to adult learners at different stages of their leadership journey—whether in a boardroom, a classroom or their personal lives. Learn more about upcoming events here: https://mohcenterforleadership.org/events/.

“Values are essential for decision-making, especially in organizations where junior leaders and staff make autonomous decisions,” says Dr. Habash. “Our curriculum will prepare leaders to face their own moments of everyday challenges by placing them in scenarios that ask them to apply the values of the Medal of Honor in making tough decisions.”

The Center for Leadership has plans to build a $75 million, 50,000-square-foot training facility, conference center and immersive visitor experience at Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant, S.C. The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest award for military valor, and the Center for Leadership’s model draws on the medal’s six core values — courage, integrity, commitment, sacrifice, citizenship and patriotism. Visit https://mohcenterforleadership.org/ to learn more.

About the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership

The National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership’s mission is to inspire, develop, empower and challenge leaders through the values embodied by our country’s Medal of Honor Recipients. With a nationwide digital educational platform and audience-curated visitor experiences, Americans of all ages, backgrounds and locations will learn leadership values of courage, sacrifice, citizenship, integrity, commitment and patriotism to inspire them to transform lives, shape the future, and carry forward the best traditions of what it means to be an American. For more information, visit www.mohcenterforleadership.org.

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