WILLOW SPRING, NC, October 31, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Dr. Gloria J. McEwen Burgess has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Dr. Burgess has established herself as a distinguished figure in the fields of leadership, human resources development, executive coaching and the arts. With a career spanning 45 years, she has made significant contributions to various organizations and initiatives. A founding member of Maxwell Leadership, a global organization comprised of leaders in 160 countries, she has served as executive director since 2017 and as faculty since 2016. Her leadership and her legacy mindset have been instrumental in shaping seasoned and aspiring leaders and fostering environments for growth and development.

A pioneer in transformational leadership, Dr. Burgess is also the founding chief executive officer at Jazz International. She began her work as an inspirational speaker in 1990, sharing her insights on leadership and personal development with audiences worldwide, and continues to make appearances globally. She has been featured in national media in the United States, England and Europe and presented keynotes for the United Nations and South African Embassy. From 2006 to 2007, Dr. Burgess was the chief officer for anti-racism, diversity, and inclusion at Casey Family Programs, where she also served as the senior director of organizational learning and leadership development from 2002 to 2007. From 1991 to 1994, she was director of user education and new business development at Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Dr. Burgess's academic background is equally impressive. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in communication from the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California, and she holds a Master of Business Administration in organizational behavior and information systems from the Marshall School of Business at the same university. Her commitment to lifelong learning is further exemplified by her certification as a speaker, coach and trainer with Maxwell Leadership, where she continues to be an engaged learner and key contributor.

In addition to her leadership achievements and academic accomplishments, Dr. Burgess is an award-winning author and poet. Her book "Pass It On!," which chronicles the intertwined legacies of her father, Earnest McEwen, Jr., and Nobel Laureate William Faulkner, was selected for inclusion in the Library of Congress in 2022. A prolific writer for over four decades, she has written numerous podcasts, articles, chapters and books on leadership, achieving professional excellence while elevating the importance of integrity, authenticity, artistry and legacy.

Dr. Burgess's contributions extend beyond her professional endeavors into civic engagement. In 2012, she began a four-year term as Arts Ambassador for Humanities Washington, where she was a catalyst and host for civic engagement and community dialogue. In 2010, she was recognized for outstanding leadership by The HistoryMakers, a pioneering nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of African American leaders across various fields and disciplines. In 2001, she was selected to become a poetry fellow with Cave Canem, a prestigious collective of writers and poets of the African diaspora. Her commitment to community service and stewardship reflects her enthusiasm for fostering positive transformation through both leadership and artistic expression.

Looking to the future, Dr. Burgess continues to blaze new trails. By incorporating the arts into her work in forming, equipping and developing leaders, she offers unparalleled paradigms for learning and innovation that profoundly impact how leaders lead. With that aim, she seeks to expand her venture, Music for Transformation, which aligns with her vision of integrating artistic imagination to inspire positive transformation in teams, organizations, communities and nations.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

# # #