CBU's leadership institute expands into workforce training partnerships across the Inland Empire

 

Riverside, Calif. (May 4, 2026) — As organizations across the Inland Empire work to strengthen leadership pipelines and workplace culture, California Baptist University is bringing its faculty expertise directly into the field. 

The Dr. Paul and Annie Kienel Leadership Institute at CBU is expanding its role beyond the classroom by establishing formal partnerships with regional employers to deliver leadership development programs tailored to real-world challenges. 

Since its founding, the institute has provided services to both students in the PhD in Leadership Studies program and leaders in government, business and various organizations.  

Through this expanded model, the institute now operates as a market-facing initiative, connecting organizations with university faculty who lead customized training sessions on topics such as decision-making, leadership strategy, mentorship and organizational effectiveness. 

“Effective leadership is cultivated, not assumed. It develops through international learning, reflection and repeated practice over time,” said Dr. Jason Kiker, assistant professor of leadership studies and director of the Institute. “This community-facing model allows us to engage organizations in their actual operating environments and equip leaders with practical frameworks they can immediately integrate into their work.” 

The institute works with each organization to identify key challenges and growth areas, then selects faculty whose academic and professional backgrounds align with those needs. Sessions range from leadership fundamentals to specialized topics such as decision making and mentorship. 

The institute is in its second year working with the City of Moreno Valley and its fifth year working with various departments throughout San Bernardino County to broaden training opportunities and increase engagement. 

“One of the topics we’re focusing on is ‘leadership as a learner,’” said Josiab Her, industrial-organizational psychology graduate student and business development and scholarly programs assistant for the institute. “It helps leaders understand how to grow as both managers and mentors while developing the people around them.” 

In addition to traditional leadership training, the institute integrates subject-matter experts from across disciplines when organizations request specialized content. For example, when Moreno Valley identified a need for employee wellness education, the College of Health Science provided training in nutrition and holistic health. 

“I think our relationship is really growing,” said Christopher Golden, risk division manager for the City of Moreno Valley. “It’s gone from classes of 12 people to 25.” He attributed this to the addition of classes like the wellness course along with the consistency the program offers. 

“CBU has helped our employees to become the best servants of our community,” said Dr. Robert Cardenas, human resource director for the City of Moreno Valley. 

Nearly two dozen faculty members from across six different CBU schools, staffs or departments contributed to the institute’s spring programming. They represented faculty in communications, leadership studies, public health, human relations, business, organizational behavior, accounting and finance, international programs and more.  

As the institute continues to grow, it is positioning itself as a resource for organizations seeking to invest in leadership development at every level.