Kristine Billmyer, Ph.D.
Program Director, Strategic Communication; Professor of Professional Practice in the Faculty of Professional Studies; Dean Emerita of the Faculty of Professional Studies
Kristine Billmyer is professor of professional practice in Communication, dean emerita of the Faculty of Professional Studies, and director of the Master of Science in Strategic Communication program in Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies (SPS). She served as dean and professor at SPS from 2009 to 2015. During this time, she launched new graduate degrees and certificates focused on emerging and continually evolving professions. She built SPS’s first synchronous online learning platform at Columbia. Billmyer also created SPS’s presence abroad, forming partnerships with universities around the world, globalizing the student body, and engaging Columbia’s Global Centers in Amman, Paris, Beijing, Mumbai, Rio, and Istanbul for student and faculty projects and programs. Prior to her work at Columbia, Billmyer served as the University of Pennsylvania’s associate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and executive director of the College of Liberal and Professional Studies.
Dean Billmyer is a recognized scholar, educator, and consultant in gender equity, diversity, and global communication in the workplace. Her work lies at the intersection of linguistics, sociology, anthropology, and gender studies. At SPS, she teaches Gender and Communication in the Workplace and Global Communication for Professionals. An advocate for the advancement of women globally, she writes on that topic and speaks frequently at national and international meetings. Billmyer is currently working on a longitudinal project on women’s empowerment in Japan.
Billmyer is also known for her work in organizational leadership and transformation, consulting with clients who wish to meet the demands of rapidly changing and complex environments, build equity into their structure and communication, and design resilient, forward-thinking workplaces. She works with multinational companies, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and institutions of higher education in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Asia.
Dean Billmyer earned her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and her bachelor’s degree from Vassar College. She is fluent in Italian and speaks Spanish and French. She is married to Dr. Russell C. Maulitz, physician, historian of medicine, and author. They share a love of music, languages, and exploring the world’s cultures.