Dr. Katrenia Reed Hughes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Technology Leadership and Innovation at Purdue University in Indianapolis. Her teaching, scholarship, and industry engagement focus on project leadership, influence, trust, human connection, leadership development, and AI-enabled project management.
A Project Management Professional (PMP), Dr. Reed Hughes is an internationally recognized speaker who has presented for the Project Management Institute (PMI) on topics including influence without authority, psychological safety, resilience, and the future of project leadership. Her work bridges academic research with practical application, helping organizations develop leaders who build trust, foster collaboration, and deliver results in increasingly complex environments.
Her current scholarship explores project management education, leadership development, team effectiveness, mentoring, and the human side of project success. She is currently developing The Authority Myth, a scholarly practitioner book exploring why influence has become the defining competency of modern project leadership.
