While studying psychology for her undergraduate degree, Alexandra Elinsky, Ph.D., learned about business psychology and liked the idea of combining business and psychology. “I followed that path, and it hasn’t led me astray,” she says.
To advance her education in business psychology, Dr. Elinsky looked for a graduate school. “The Chicago School just felt like a fit for what I was looking for at the time,” she says. Although she couldn’t make the move to Chicago, the online and hybrid programs made it possible for her to still attend the school remotely. “The pieces of the puzzle fell together perfectly,” she says, adding that the staff helped her with the application process, making her feel welcome.
Dr. Elinsky graduated from The Chicago School in 2018 with a Ph.D. in Business Psychology: Consulting. Now, Dr. Elinsky is founder and CEO of Empower Human Potential LLC; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging partner with Korn Ferry; founder of a natural beauty pageant in Cleveland; and a preliminary judge for Miss America’s Scholarship Foundation.
Dr. Elinsky notes that her coursework at The Chicago School was robust. “I felt like I got a nice, solid introduction to a lot of topics and subtopics,” she says, “and that helped me understand the field more—understand that sector of psychology and its application to the business world.”
Dr. Elinsky credits The Chicago School for emphasizing diversity and working with different populations along lines of age, background, and race as well as personalities and working styles. That part of her education has been formative to the work she does today in corporate training and coaching.
During her time at The Chicago School, Dr. Elinsky found a mentor in her chair, Lonnie Morris, Ph.D. The two worked together closely for five years. Dr. Elinsky says Dr. Morris was a great resource and teacher, helping her navigate the Business Psychology program, especially during her last year, during which she dealt with some issues in her personal life. “I’m very surprised I didn’t quit and give up,” she says. “I appreciate having mentors like Dr. Morris and my chair committee people getting me through that.”
Adds Dr. Elinsky, “I felt like they cared and that I wasn’t a number. The Chicago School makes students feel seen and heard.”
Despite the challenges she faced, Dr. Elinsky found enjoyment in research and writing because they made her both a stronger writer and reader. “I see how having a strong research background and being able to aggregate information together has been fruitful in my career,” she says.
Since graduating from The Chicago School, Dr. Elinsky has found success as founder and CEO of Empower Human Potential LLC, her corporate training and coaching business. She works mostly with executive and professional audiences. She also facilitates diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) programs for Korn Ferry.
Dr. Elinsky published her first book, “Girl Grit: Savage Not Average,” in 2024. It’s the first in a series of nonfiction self-help books for women, backed by research to empower and build self-assured individuals. The books are meant to be highly informational and academic, Dr. Elinsky says. She uses lessons from her professional coaching business, helping people navigate both business and life. Dr. Elinsky credits this series as being one of her biggest accomplishments.
The writing process is now something she enjoys, calling it her happy place. “The writing and knowledge acquisition, the value that I got from The Chicago School, set me up to become a strong writer and a strong author,” Dr. Elinsky says. “Without those specific skill sets I learned in the program, I may not be as successful as I am today.”