Meet Our Inaugural Research Fellow: Alison Horstmeyer

Through four years of in-depth research, The USC Annenberg Center for Third Space Thinking uncovered five critical competencies, or soft skills for success in the workplace. To further our investigation of essential soft skills, we are recruiting engaged scholars and thoughtful practitioners with expertise in Adaptability, Cultural Competency, Empathy, Intellectual Curiosity and 360 Degree Thinking and problem solving.

If you would like to learn more about research fellow opportunities at the Third Space, please click here.

The USC Annenberg Center for Third Space Thinking is pleased to announce our inaugural research fellow… Alison Horstmeyer who will examine the importance of Curiosity in talent development.

Alison is a humanistic researcher, executive consultant, certified coach, and certified EQ inventory facilitator. She works with clients across diverse industries using her unique blend of sophisticated business building acumen and evidence-based mind-body and curiosity domain expertise.

Prior to working as a consultant, Alison had an extensive tenure as a business development executive and intrapreneur. She worked at the intersection of content and technology, building emergent, disruptive businesses either owned or funded by such entities as Dolby Laboratories, Walmart, NBCUniversal, and Liberty Media and for ventured back startups.

Her PhD research focuses on curiosity, motivation and biopsychosocial concepts. Her work is founded on the principle belief that for individuals to successfully navigate the contemporary VUCA landscape requires an evidence-based framework combining empirically supported constructs of embodied interdependencies, intrinsic motivation, emotional self-regulation and a growth mindset.

She is published in various HR and leadership publications, including featured articles in Pharmaceutical Executive, international journal Strategic HR Review, ATD’s award-winning magazine Talent Development, CEOWORLD Magazine, UK publication Training Journal, Personal Excellence Magazine, and international peer-reviewed journal Development and Learning in Organizations.

Alison holds a MS in Mind-Body Medicine from Saybrook University and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the USC Marshall School of Business. She currently serves as a teaching fellow in the Mind-Body Medicine master’s program at Saybrook University and as a board member for the Los Angeles chapter of the International Coach Federation.

We are delighted to welcome Alison to the Center for Third Space Thinking and look forward to her contributions to our communications-driven approach to frame and solve problems in the workplace.

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If you would like to learn more about research opportunities at the Third Space, please click here.