Tara Lanni is the Academic Director and a Doctoral Lecturer within the Online Business Programs at CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS). Prior to joining SPS in 2010, she taught at CUNY College of Staten Island. To complement her career in higher education, Dr. Lanni possesses over 20 years of experience in human resource management and workforce development. She brings a multidisciplinary perspective to business education and professional advancement, with a focus on developing effective leaders and supporting organizational growth. Dr. Lanni strives to inspire career self-efficacy and nurture passion for lifelong exploratory learning. As an experienced adult learner in online education, she brings firsthand insight into the opportunities and challenges of pursuing academic and professional growth in the virtual learning environment. Dr. Lanni holds a Ph.D. in Management with a specialization in Leadership and Organizational Change as well as an MPhil in Management from Walden University, an MBA in Human Resource Management from the University of Phoenix, and a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Law from SUNY Binghamton.