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Kent Rhodes Faculty Profile

Kent Rhodes

Clinical Professor III
Education Division, Graduate School of Education and Psychology
WLA

Biography

A trusted advisor, educator, and business leader, Kent Rhodes brings a wealth of expertise in organizational development, business consulting, and executive development to his work. His blend of entrepreneurial leadership, management insight, and cross-sector consulting experience uniquely positions him to contribute meaningfully to effective governance and leadership across the enterprise.

Rhodes has earned the rank of Clinical Professor III with Pepperdine University’s PhD in Global Leadership and Change and EdD in Organizational Leadership. His long-standing contributions to the University span across multiple schools and programs, including teaching in the Graziadio Business School Executive program in Organization Development, the renowned Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Caruso School of Law and chairing the Executive MBA committee at the Graziadio Business School. Rhodes also serves as a Senior Consultant with the Chicago-based Family Business Consulting Group, where he partners with families across global industries to align enterprise strategy with family harmony, stewardship, and continuity. Since joining the firm in 2006, he has earned an international reputation for helping multigenerational family businesses navigate leadership transitions, governance, and long-term sustainability.  Before entering academia and consulting, Rhodes co-founded a virtual learning platform company and led it as CEO through a successful acquisition by a publicly traded technology firm in Silicon Valley. He continued to serve as a Principal and Managing Director through the company’s post- acquisition integration and growth. Raised in Lubbock, Texas, Rhodes resides in Orange County, California. He remains actively engaged in professional associations, including the Academy of Management, the Family Firm Institute, and the American Psychological Association. He also serves on Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology Board of Visitors, is a Founding Partner of the Fred Gray Institute for Human and Civil Rights, a member of the SAG/AFTRA Committee for the First Amendment, and the NAACP. Rhodes' blend of entrepreneurial leadership, academic insight, and cross-sector consulting experience uniquely positions him to contribute meaningfully to Pepperdine's mission of preparing leaders for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. 

 

Education

  • EdD, Pepperdine University
  • DMin, Lipscomb University
  • MA, Texas Tech University
  • BA, Lubbock Christian University

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