The Art of Leadership and Supervision

Laura Portolese (Doctorate, Argosy University) is Professor of Information Technology and Administrative Management in the College of Education and Professional Studies at Central Washington University. Laura is the author or co-author of four books with FlatWorld (Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, Human Relations, and The Art of Leadership and Supervision). Laura also holds an MBA from City University and a Doctorate of Business Administration from Argosy University. Laura is a prolific researcher, with publications focused in the areas of curriculum development and best practices in online learning. She has a Graduate Online Teacher Certificate from Central Washington University and a certificate from Oregon State University in E-learning Instructional Design and Development. Before beginning her academic career, Laura worked for several organizations in management and operations. She is also an entrepreneur who has performed consulting work for companies such as Microsoft.

Phil Upperman (EdD Seattle University) is Lecturer at Central Washington University. He possesses more than forty years of experience as leader, staff officer, lecturer, trainer, and instructor at mid-management and leadership development schools and universities. In addition to his doctorate, Phil holds a master’s degree in education and counseling psychology from Washington State University and a master’s degree in business management science from Troy University. He was previously a department chair in the department of military science at Seattle University. 

As an instructor at the United States Army Infantry School, Phil taught leadership, tactical and operational art and science, organizational management, and physical fitness development. At the United States Military Academy (West Point) he served as a university-level psychology counselor responsible for personal leadership development of cadets as individuals and in groups. Phil has twenty-eight years of service, commanding at the company and field-grade levels as a platoon leader, two company commands, and as a battalion commander. Phil has served on General Officer staffs as an Aide-de-Camp of a Corps Logistics Command, Chief of Operations at the Division and Battalion levels in the 101st Airborne Division, and as a Deputy Chief of Operations on the I Corps staff. At West Point he held the position of Deputy Garrison Commander (Deputy City Manager). He has also held several Executive Officer staff positions at the Brigade and Company levels. 

In the private industry sector, Phil held positions as a program, region, and national director for a technology education company serving government and private education programs. Phil has a proven experiential track record of long-term success and achievement in the areas of fiscal management, human resources, operations, marketing, organizational training, and operational and leadership program development. As an Army officer, he graduated from the Army's Command and General Staff College, Officer Advanced (Mid-career) and Officer Basic (Entry-level) leadership courses, with a professional education focused on tactical and operational art and science, and organizational leadership and management.

Robert Trumpy (EdD Seattle University) is Associate Professor of Administrative Management in the Department of Information Technology and Administrative Management (ITAM) at Central Washington University. From 1998 to 2009, Robert was an administrator in the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management (Senior Director of Health and Counseling Services), having also served in the role as lecturer in the College of Education and Professional Studies for the Department of Teacher Education and the Department of Information Technology and Administrative Management. Robert’s industry experience includes more than twenty-three years in leadership and supervisory positions in the fields of health care, consultation and training, and higher education. He is certified to administer and interpret the Strong Interest Inventory as well as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and is a State of Washington licensed mental health counselor and a State of Wisconsin licensed clinical social worker.