Dr. Jeff Branch joined PCOM’s Psychology faculty as an adjunct professor in the Organizational
Development and Leadership (ODL) graduate program in September 2005 and transitioned
to Assistant Professor and Program Director as of July 2012.
He is a member of NTL Institute of Applied Behavioral Sciences and the International
Organization Development Network (ODN), where he served as a chair of a special project
for the Strategic Planning Implementation Team. He also served as a member of the
American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). His community service and social
justice commitment includes volunteerism and pro-bono consulting work with not-for-profit
organizations.
Dr. Branch has more than 20 years of experience advising corporations and not for-profit
organizations on strategic business issues. He practices as an executive coach, organization
development and effectiveness consultant, and adult education practitioner utilizing
inquiry, dialogue and whole systems thinking to help organizations achieve and sustain
high performance. A major facet of his research and teaching practice includes the
intentional design and engagement of mentoring and coaching practices as a multi-dimensional
curricular and co-curricular teaching and learning strategy to promote practitioner
development.
Dr. Branch’s past leadership experience includes serving in a senior leadership capacity
as Sr. Director for Organization Development and Competency Systems with a Philadelphia
regional healthcare system. His role included the design, implementation and facilitation
of an action learning curriculum engaging the clinical and non-clinical leadership
groups within the system. One of Dr. Branch’s key initiatives included the design,
facilitation and integration of Diversity and Inclusion learning modules for all levels
of leadership and clinical and non-clinical professionals. The purpose was to raise
awareness and align behavioral and engagement practices with the institution’s mission
as they delivered healthcare to a rapidly changing patient and professional staff
demographic. To help facilitate his own immersion experience into the work of diversity
and inclusion, Dr. Branch joined the Global Citizens Network in 2006. This organization
focuses on preserving the culture of indigenous peoples across the world. His initial
experience included weeks of volunteer work with Native-American peoples in the Northwest,
United States and subsequent travel to Latin American countries. He expects to continue
the work globally with anticipated trips to Africa, South America and Israel.
Dr. Branch received his doctorate in education leadership from Widener University, a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Philadelphia Biblical University, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from La Salle University.
Dr. Branch currently teaches two courses in the ODL curriculum: 1) Foundations of
Organization Development and Systems and, 2) Leadership for Practitioners.
In his role as faculty, he focuses on integrating theory into the practice of organization
development and leadership by designing and facilitating a highly synergized experiential
action learning curriculum where the adult learners/leaders work on real issues impacting
the health and performance of their organizations. As an outcome, the leaders are
charged with designing and implementing interventions that enhance individual and
organizational performance.
The integration of his senior leadership and higher education practice in healthcare has stimulated Dr. Branch’s current research interests including investigating support and funding of an initiative focused on physicians as de facto team leaders in a collaborative care model with other health care providers and the impact it has on physician satisfaction, nurse satisfaction and patient satisfaction.
Dr. Branch is a member of NTL Institute, the Organization Development Network (ODN) and the Alliance for Non Profit Management. He is also a member and on the steering committees of the Philadelphia Region Organization Development Network (PRODN), and INTERGEN.
