This feature of Dr. Stephanie Duguid is part of Exeleon Magazine’s annual issue – The 100 Most Dynamic Leaders. Check out the Full Listing of Exeleon’s 100 Most Dynamic Leaders of 2025.
When Dr. Stephanie Duguid stepped into her first classroom, she had no idea that the third day of her teaching career would be the most pivotal moment of her life. It was the day she lost her mother to a tragic car accident. Rather than being derailed by grief, Stephanie found purpose in the pain. She made a powerful decision: to channel her mother’s legacy of connection and compassion into every aspect of her work.
“My mom always knew I’d end up in education, even when I tried not to,” Stephanie reflects. “She and my grandmother were incredible communicators. My mom had a way of making people feel truly seen and included. She was even trained as the Welcome Wagon Woman in our community, which enhanced her natural gift for creating belonging.”
Stephanie’s path to leadership wasn’t conventional. But her story is proof that true leadership doesn’t come from chasing titles. It comes from how you treat people and the environments you create.
From the Classroom to the Boardroom
Stephanie’s journey in education spans more than three decades, encompassing both K-12 and higher education. What started as a way to honor her mother’s memory quickly evolved into a mission to support not just students but also faculty, staff, and administrators. Her understanding of leadership shifted early on.
“Leadership is not about holding a title or position,” she says. “It’s about how you influence, connect with, and treat others. The heart of leadership is in relationships.”
That guiding principle led her to establish Do Good Leadership, a platform designed to empower women to lead with authenticity, strength, and clarity.
The Birth of Do Good Leadership
After 25 years of working alongside educators and leaders, Stephanie noticed a pattern. Women wanted to grow, but many lacked the support and confidence needed to rise in their careers. They were missing tools in communication, connection, authenticity, and positivity. She knew something had to change.
“I wanted to create a program that gave women the tools and encouragement they needed to step into leadership with confidence,” she explains.
The mission of Do Good Leadership is clear: to exponentially elevate leadership impact. Through mentorship, keynotes, workshops, and coaching programs, Stephanie helps women unlock their potential without having to mold themselves into someone else’s version of a leader. Instead, her programs guide women to lead with their own voice, their own strengths, and their own story.
A Program Rooted in Real Transformation
Stephanie’s original program, Women in Education Growing in Leadership, was a 90-day experience focused on building confidence and clarity. It quickly became clear that her impact could extend beyond education alone.
“Over time, I realized the program needed to expand,” she says. “Women weren’t just looking for confidence. They wanted a structured process that tied reflection, action, and long-term growth together.”
That realization led to the creation of her flagship program: Exponentially Elevate Your Leadership Impact with 9 Key Steps to Success. This 10-week guided journey is built around her unique framework, The Leadership Dance, and unfolds in three key phases:
- Reflect: Participants begin by examining their experiences and habits, asking deep questions like, “Am I truly aligned with my purpose?” They learn to reframe obstacles as opportunities.
- Strengthen: This phase focuses on building resilience through self-care, emotional intelligence, and intentional connection.
- Elevate: Women begin to lead with purpose, uplifting others, stepping into collaboration, and embracing bold leadership.
The tenth and final week, The Empowered Journey, brings it all together. Participants reflect on their growth, celebrate their progress, and build a roadmap for continued impact.
“The realignment has made the program more powerful,” Stephanie says. “It’s no longer just for women in education. It’s for any woman ready to lead with authenticity.”
Helping Women Move from Stuck to Strong
Throughout her work, Stephanie often meets women who feel disconnected from their power. They arrive lost, stuck, or stagnant. The challenges they face are consistent and deeply human:
- Imposter Syndrome: Despite their qualifications, many doubt themselves.
- Lack of Mentorship: Without role models who reflect their own experiences, women often feel isolated.
- Burnout and Overwhelm: With so many responsibilities, leadership can seem out of reach.
Stephanie understands these struggles intimately. Her own story, stepping into the classroom under tragic circumstances, gave her firsthand experience with grief, growth, and grit.
“I know what it feels like to be thrown into unexpected challenges,” she says. “But I also know that those challenges can spark purpose. My role is to help women reframe those moments and realize they already have what it takes to lead.”
Speaking with Heart and Clarity
With more than 100 conference keynotes under her belt, Stephanie is no stranger to the stage. Her message, however, always comes back to one core idea: leadership is about people, purpose, growth, and connection.
Whether she’s speaking to educators, business leaders, or women’s organizations, she adapts her message to meet the moment. Still, she always grounds her talks in universal leadership skills: communication, emotional intelligence, and empowerment.
“Losing my mom so early taught me the importance of authentic communication,” she says. “I want every person in the room to walk away with practical steps they can take. But more importantly, I want them to leave feeling uplifted and equipped to make a difference.”
Advice for Institutions: How to Support Women Leaders
Stephanie believes that institutions have an important role to play in helping women rise. Her recommendations are simple, but impactful:
- Create Pathways, Not Pipelines: Leadership development should offer multiple entry points. Flexibility is key.
- Mentorship and Sponsorship: Women need mentors for guidance and sponsors who advocate on their behalf.
- Encourage Authenticity: “Wear your own shoes,” she says, quoting a colleague. “Leadership becomes most powerful when it’s authentic.”
Stephanie knows from experience that when women are encouraged to lead as themselves, they do more than succeed—they thrive.
A Book, A Playlist, and What Comes Next
This year has been one of major milestones for Stephanie. Her new book, Exponentially Elevate Your Leadership Impact: A Yearlong Journey to Reflect, Strengthen, and Elevate Your Leadership, recently launched on Amazon and became a bestseller in seven categories.
“It’s a week-by-week guide filled with affirmations, reflections, and lessons,” she explains. “It’s the book I wish I’d had when I first lost my mom.”
Alongside the book, she launched book value packs that offer bonuses based on order size. Larger orders include access to added resources, keynotes, and even workshops.
Stephanie also created The Do Good Leadership Music Collection, a series of curated Spotify playlists designed to inspire leaders through music. Whether someone needs a reset or a confidence boost, the playlists offer a unique and uplifting resource.
Looking forward, Stephanie is working on a series of books that will break down each phase of her leadership framework. Each book will come with a companion workbook to help readers put lessons into practice. She continues to reach women through her podcast, also titled Exponentially Elevate Your Leadership Impact.
Leading with Legacy
For Stephanie, leadership is personal. It began with honoring her mother’s memory and evolved into helping others find their strength.
“Through Do Good Leadership, my book, and my programs, I help women step into leadership with clarity, courage, and authenticity,” she says.
Her mother’s legacy lives on not just in Stephanie’s work but also through a memorial scholarship the family supports at a local college. It is a fitting tribute to a woman who built belonging wherever she went.
“Leadership is not about titles or positions,” Stephanie says again. “It’s about influence. It’s about how you treat people, how you connect, and how you inspire others to rise with you.”
Read Digital Version of this Issue.
