Dr. Cory Owen is a dedicated lifelong learner who believes that passion isn’t optional. She infuses her passions (and personal anecdotes) into her trainings and workshops to create a personalised experience. As a consultant, trainer, and facilitator of twenty years, she helps global organisations, nonprofits, and educational institutions explore areas of growth and strategically implement tangible structural changes.

Her approach to engagements is simple: connection. She infuses workshops and trainings with personal anecdotes to ensure that audience members understand how themes relate to real life. She works closely with organisations to provide contextualised recommendations and policy changes. She prioritises how identity and culture make up the backbone of any organisation.

Cory has served in numerous roles across a variety of educational institutions, most recently as the final Dean of Students of Yale-NUS College in Singapore. She has dedicated twenty years of service across institutions such as The Juilliard School, Rice University, and Semester at Sea.

Beyond her professional work, she volunteers her time across numerous organisations. She has recently been celebrated for her work with AWARE and the Bone Marrow Donor Programme.

Education

• Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration & Supervision. University of Houston, 2015.

• Master of Arts in Literature. University of Houston - Clear Lake, 2010.

• Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Texas A&M University, 2005

Publications:

• Book: Advising International Students with Disabilities

• Book chapter: Challenges for International Undergraduates and How Professionals Can Help

• Book chapter: Sexual (Mis)conduct and How Professionals Can Help International Students

• Book chapter: Onboarding Staff with an Intercultural Lens

• Dissertation: The “Model Minority” Myth and Its Impact on Anxiety and Stress on Asian American Students.

• Thesis: Perpetuating Self: Postcolonial and Immigrant Hybridity in Bharati Mukherjee’s Jasmine.

Selected Engagements

• Bystander Intervention. Semester at Sea, 2025

• Unconscious Bias in the Workplace. Singapore Management University, 2025

• Gender Parity. Ralph Lauren, 2025

• Fostering Belonging Among Culturally Diverse Students: Four Key Drivers. NASPA Annual Conference, 2024

• DEI Summit. General Electric, 2023

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Jaeger-LeCoultre, 2021

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workshop Series. Stamford Symphony, 2021

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workshop Series. New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, 2019-2021

• International Student Mental Health: Creating Support Networks Across Campus. NASPA Annual Conference, 2019

• Where You Sit Matters: Organizational Leadership and its Impact on the International Student Experience. International Symposium, 2019

• Sexual Assault Awareness: Training for International Students. NAFSA Annual Conference, 2019

• Building Mental Health and Sexual Misconduct Awareness for International Students. One to World Membership Meeting, 2019

• It’s Hard Being Hapa. NASPA Region II, 2018

• What Do Women in Higher Education Need Right Now? ACUI Women’s Leadership Institute, 2017