Beth Adele, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Management,Director of Nonprofit Leadership
Nonprofit Leadership
Marketing & Management
Business
Biography
Beth Adele, Ph.D., is the director of Nonprofit Leadership and an associate professor of Management. She joined Oklahoma City University (OCU) as its director of the Mass Communications Department in the fall of 2019 where she served until 2026. Prior to serving OCU, she was the director of Marketing at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma where she managed paid, unpaid, digital, and sales communications. Preceding her roles at OCU and Lyric Theatre, Dr. Adele was the acting chairperson and assistant to the Dean at Cameron University’s School of Business in Lawton, OK. Before her positions in Lawton, she served as the director of Career Services and Instructor of Marketing at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) in Edmond, OK. She was also instrumental in the creation of the Veteran Higher Education Resources Office (VetHERO) at UCO.
Dr. Adele earned her Ph.D. in Human Resource Development from The University of Texas at Tyler, focusing on organizational development, change management, and managerial coaching. She also earned a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre and MBA from UCO. She is a graduate of Leadership Edmond Class XXIX and holds certifications in Nonprofit Management from the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits and Instructional Design from the Association for Talent Development (ATD).
A member of the Honorable Artillery Order of Molly Pitcher, Dr. Adele is a proud military spouse and a member of the Tinker Honorary Commander Program. She also serves on the board of SPARK! Creative Lab, a nonprofit that partners with Oklahoma Veterans to build connection, expand understanding, and strengthen the social fabric of our communities.
Dr. Adele has taught a myriad of collegiate leadership, marketing, and communications courses including leadership, research and data, advertising, consumer behavior, social media, media relations, event management, strategic communications planning, retail management, intro to mass communications, marketing for nonprofits/the arts, and marketing research. Within many of her courses, she takes pride in her students successfully partnering with local organizations for experiential and professional education allowing her to bring the current regional practices to the classroom.
Contact Information
Suite 300
Meinders School of Business
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
