About

Dr. Heather Stapes is an associate professor of practice in management at The University of Texas at San Antonio. She joined the UTSA faculty in 2019 after spending five years on the faculty at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. She holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from the University of the Incarnate Word, an Education Specialist degree with significant coursework in Psychology from the University of Central Missouri, and a Master’s in Business Administration from St. Mary’s University of San Antonio. Her undergraduate degree in psychology is from Chaminade University of Honolulu.

Dr. Staples enriches the classroom experience with a depth of professional expertise, encompassing more than 17 years of experience in Human Resources. Her career spans diverse industries, including but not limited to retail, hospitality, manufacturing, sports, biotechnology, and healthcare.

Dr. Staples focuses her research and teaching on human resources and diversity, with a specific emphasis on guiding a workforce through inclusive leadership and fostering team effectiveness through the implementation of psychologically safe practices.

Research Interests

• Dynamics of a Diverse Workforce
• Positive Organizational Behavior
• Various Human Resources Areas

Teaching Areas

• Human Resources
• Team Effectiveness
• Conflict Management

Selected Publications

• “Systemic Discrimination, Enforcement, and Initiatives.” with A. Rodriguez in Understanding and Managing Diversity, Ed. 7, 2024
•  “The Association of Zoos and Aquariums: San Antonio Zoo: A Model for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion.”  with A. Rodriguez in Understanding and Managing Diversity, Ed. 7, 2024
• “Inclusive Leadership: A Leadership Style for a Diverse Workplace.” with C. Wengelnik in Understanding and Managing Diversity, Ed. 7, 2024
• “Follow me: The use of social media in recruitment,” with S. Degrassi, D. Alarcon, A. Waller, The Journal of Social Media in Society, Vol. 8 No. 2, 2019, pp 2-17.
• “Increasing Student Engagement in Data-Driven Management Education: Front-Facing Lightboard Technology in the Flipped Classroom.” with A. Lewis in the Handbook of Teaching with Technology in Management, Leadership, and Business. 2020, pp. 237-244.