Judy A. Alston received her Ph.D. at the Pennsylvania State University, two master's degrees at the University of South Carolina, and her bachelor's degree in English from Winthrop College in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Prior to teaching in the academy, she was a high school English teacher/teacher-leader in the public school system in South Carolina. Currently Dr. Alston holds the positions of Associate Dean and Director of the Center for Education at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Widener, she served as the Chair of the Division of Educational Administration and Leadership Studies at Bowling Green State University. Her research foci include gender and educational leadership with a focus on black female school superintendents; urban education and educational leadership highlighting administrative reform in urban schools; diversity and educational leadership exploring how the intersections of class, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual diversity, and ability affect leaders, and spirituality and leadership. She is the author of numerous articles and book chapters in these areas of research, as well as the author of Multi-leadership in Urban Schools.