GSEP Spotlight: Amber Brittain-Hale
The Pepperdine GSEP Spotlight Series highlights students and alumni whose journeys reflect Purpose, Service, and Leadership in action. Our next spotlight features Amber Brittain-Hale (PhD in Global Leadership and Change), a scholar-practitioner whose work in global leadership and security exemplifies the integration of research, ethics, and impact.
For Amber, earning her PhD in Global Leadership and Change from Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology in 2023 marked more than an academic milestone—it solidified her commitment to advancing ethical leadership and evidence-based decision-making on a global scale.
“I am committed to understanding and shaping the forces influencing global leadership and security by bridging theory and practice,” she shares. “I transform rigorous academic insights into actionable strategies that enhance decision-making in our interconnected world.”
Amber’s postdoctoral work reflects a deep engagement with the evolving complexities of international relations and strategy. As the leader of a specialized think tank at BrainStates Inc. and a Research Fellow at ATINER, she has developed innovative methodologies for assessing geopolitical risk and analyzing leadership behaviors in high-stakes global contexts.
Among her contributions are two original frameworks—La Manoeuvre and Ungentlemanly Warfare—which offer a distinctive lens on how inherent sex differences can shape strategic communication and influence leadership behavior and policy outcomes in global contexts.
In addition to her research, Amber designs and teaches graduate-level courses that integrate data analysis and real-world case studies, equipping emerging leaders in diplomacy, defense, and global business with the tools to navigate today’s complex challenges.
“The lessons I learned at Pepperdine continue to guide my pursuit of evidence-based strategies that uphold our shared values and foster resilient, forward-thinking leadership,” she says.
Amber’s work embodies the spirit of service and scholarship, with far-reaching implications for how leadership is practiced across sectors and around the world.