Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Counseling, Leadership, Literacy, and Special Education
First Advisor
Dr. Harriet Fayne
Second Advisor
Dr. Jessica Blum-DeStefano
Third Advisor
Dr. Elisabeth Kim
Abstract
This qualitative study examined how white educational leaders experience and make meaning of their racial identity development as they lead adult professional learning focused on racial equity and culturally responsive practice. Grounded in Helms’s White Racial Identity Development (WRID) model and guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study explored the lived experiences of ten white leaders across PK–12 and Institution of Higher Education (IHE). Data were collected through three semi‑structured interviews per participant and analyzed using IPA’s six‑step process. Five major themes emerged: transformational experiences that shifted leaders’ understanding of race and privilege; the critical role of white affinity spaces as catalysts for growth; self‑developmental practices that sustained reflection; an ongoing sense of responsibility for identity work; and a collective urgency and validation that reinforced the need for institutionalized structures supporting WRID. Findings highlight that racial identity development is both personal and professional, requiring continuous internal engagement, vulnerability, and accountability, which is often influenced by a sense of purposeful supportive community.
The study contributes to scholarship by extending WRID into leadership contexts and to practice by offering actionable recommendations for embedding identity‑conscious reflection into leadership development, organizational policy, and professional learning. Implications underscore the necessity of institutionalizing affinity spaces, reflective protocols, and accountability structures to support white leaders in sustaining equity‑focused practice. Future research should examine longitudinal identity development, the impact of affinity spaces over time, and the organizational conditions that enable responsible white racial identity development.
Recommended Citation
Ryan, Kaitlyn, "The Role of White Racial Identity Development in Leadership Practices: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study in White Educational Leaders" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/le_etds/57
Included in
Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons, Higher Education Administration Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Organization Development Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Commons, Social Justice Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, Urban Education Commons
