About the Founders
Dr. Eileen Timmins and Dr. Alicia Michelle Straughter are long-time colleagues and college friends with more than two decades of combined experience in human resources, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. As college professors, executive coaches, and leadership practitioners, they share a deep commitment to helping individuals grow into principled and effective leaders.
Drawing from their professional experience, shared values, and passion for leadership formation, they created the SOAL Leadership Institute to support emerging leaders in developing the clarity, confidence, and ethical foundation needed to lead with purpose and impact.
Mission
Our mission is to equip overlooked and underrepresented emerging leaders with the leadership formation, values clarity, and strategic insight needed to thrive and lead with confidence within today’s complex workplaces.
Dr. Eileen Timmins
Dr. Eileen Timmins is a global Chief Human Resources Officer with extensive experience advising private equity firms, private company boards, and serving in fiduciary leadership roles. She is a highly respected strategic business partner with expertise in talent and leadership development, succession planning, executive and board compensation, diversity and benefits strategy, and global expansion initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions, roll-ups, and enterprise talent development that strengthen organizational performance and long-term growth.
Dr. Alicia M. Straughter
Dr. Alicia M. Straughter brings more than two decades of leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, having served as a Managing Director and Chief Operations Officer with expertise in organizational development, fundraising strategy, human resources, and large-scale event management. She is an accomplished negotiator of multi-million-dollar employment agreements and is widely recognized for her transformational leadership approach and strategic insight in building human resources infrastructures from the ground up that strengthen organizational performance and long-term sustainability.
Our Approach to Leadership Development
At the SOAL Leadership Institute, leadership development begins with formation rather than technique. We believe effective leadership requires more than skills—it requires clarity of values, ethical decision-making, and an understanding of how influence operates within complex organizations.
Our work integrates practical leadership frameworks, reflective learning, and values-based development to help emerging leaders strengthen their capacity to lead responsibly. Through coaching, training, and structured models such as the SAS Leadership Model™, we support individuals in developing the insight, discipline, and confidence needed to lead with integrity and impact.
With Dr. Eileen & Dr. Alicia
Conversations grounded in spiritual, authentic, and servant leadership.