What does it take to shape leaders who inspire meaningful change in their organizations? Dr. Heather Rasmussen is a dedicated faculty member in the Doctor of Education (Ed. D.) in Organizational Leadership program at Abilene Christian University Online (ACU Online), where she blends academic rigor with real-world expertise. With a strong background as a licensed psychologist and a career that bridges higher education and healthcare, Dr. Rasmussen brings a wealth of clinical and academic experience to her students. She has contributed to several large-scale research projects and is highly skilled in positive leadership, resiliency, coaching, crisis intervention, psychological and career assessment, telehealth, online education and positive psychology. Known for her student-focused approach, she actively mentors students and serves on multiple dissertation committees, supporting research that promotes meaningful leadership and organizational change. Through her guidance, she helps emerging scholar-practitioners develop the skills they need to lead with purpose and resilience.
Heather: The Avid Learner
Before Dr. Rasmussen became a highly credentialed psychologist and professor, she was just an ordinary girl living in a small town just outside of north Missouri. Calling it your typical ‘Friday Night Lights’ kind of upbringing, Dr. Rasmussen remembers thinking about her future. Already asking complex and distinct questions, Dr. Rasmussen says she always knew she wanted to work in something that required a curious personality like hers. In high school, she remembers enjoying classes that required her to think critically about herself, the world around her and those she cared about. And like many high school students, she dreamed about going to college. After graduation, Dr. Rasmussen made it into the University of Iowa, where she decided to look at departments that would allow her curiosity to take flight. From film studies to general communications, Dr. Rasmussen focused on obtaining a degree in Communication Studies & Psychology, a sort of best-of-both-worlds combination.
While at college, Dr. Rasmussen recalls being invited to participate in a psychology lab where she could interact with students and professors interested in psychological principles and applications. For her, it was like a new world had just opened up: the world of research. Completing her time at the University of Iowa, Dr. Rasmussen searched high and low for the chance to study psychology further in graduate school. After a few interviews, Dr. Rasmussen found herself at the doorsteps of the University of Kansas’s counseling psychology program, where she earned her master’s and doctorate degrees. When asked, ‘Why counseling psychology?’ Dr. Rasmussen always seems to have one answer: “I like helping people.”
“Counseling psychology’s primary focus is to help people who need professionals who can help them address the emotional, social, vocational, educational, health-related, developmental and organizational concerns in their lives,” Dr. Rasmussen said. “During my time in graduate school, I was asked to work with individuals, couples, families and groups to help them explore and overcome personal challenges they were facing.”
As time went on, Dr. Rasmussen began completing her work in psychology-based areas of research, including constructing a forgiveness scale and other areas of positive psychology. In essence, positive psychology is a branch that focuses on the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive, shifting the focus from problems to well-being and flourishing. Unlike traditional psychology, which often focuses on mental illness and dysfunction, positive psychology emphasizes the positive aspects of human experience, such as happiness, resilience and character strengths, which can be applied to several different avenues, from schools to corporations. Deeply interested in the promises of positive psychology, Dr. Rasmussen dedicated her dissertation to aspects of this field and began what ultimately became her lifelong research agenda.
After completing her National Institutes of Health-funded postdoctoral fellowship in the Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Training program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Rasmussen continued to work in research in academia where she conducted research on child maltreatment prevention and developed a measure of protective factors against child maltreatment that is widely used in social welfare agencies across the United States. From working as a psychologist and Health Behavior Coordinator at the VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare system, to working as a graduate director of research curriculum and practice at Northcentral University, to ultimately working as an adjunct professor at the University of Kansas, Dr. Rasmussen wanted to continue to work with students who may not be able to attend a traditional on-ground university to earn a doctorate.
Heather: The Innovator
Maintaining a few connections at various online universities, including with her colleague, Dr. KK O’Byrne, professor in the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership program at ACU Online, Dr. Rasmussen was notified about the program’s interest in expanding the EdD program in organizational leadership. After a few conversations, she was offered the job – and she was off to the races
Wanting to use her expertise in positive psychology and health psychology, and after speaking with her colleagues, she came to the conclusion that the program needed to consider the possibilities of infusing research-based positive leadership and positive organizational scholarship into the leadership curriculum. Within a matter of months, and through loads of prayers and discussions, the department had finally done it – the first positive leadership concentration was launched, which focused on ways to enable thriving and flourishing rather than simply addressing obstacles and impediments in the workplace
“It was really exciting to work with my colleagues on this concentration because of how applicable it can be for our students, who are interested in putting these practices and principles into practice,” Dr. Rasmussen said. “So, when we got the go-ahead, it felt like we not only contributed to the growing Ed.D. degree program but also can now utilize our expertise, our life’s work, for our students and their academic success.”
Today, Dr. Rasmussen sees herself as the ultimate cheerleader for her students. Committed to helping students meet their academic goals while becoming change agents in their fields, she provides thoughtful feedback, fosters critical thinking and models values-based leadership in every interaction. In more than one way, her ability to combine clinical knowledge with educational strategy makes her one of the most sought-after and respected voices in the program. While there is still a lot of work ahead of her, Dr. Rasmussen believes in the power of education to transform lives and systems. As she continues to inspire and equip the next generation of leaders through her teaching, research and student support, Dr. Rasmussen is excited to see how the program will continue to grow for years to come.
Interested in learning more about the positive leadership concentration or our growing Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership? Visit our website today to see how you can get started
