Daniel W. Eadens

Dr. Daniel W. Eadens is an accomplished scholar, decorated military officer, and dedicated educator whose career spans K–12 classrooms, university leadership, and global service. He currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education within the College of Community Innovation and Education at the University of Central Florida, where he previously coordinated academic programs and contributed to strategic departmental growth. Before joining UCF, Dr. Eadens held multiple leadership roles at Northern Arizona University (NAU), including Assistant Department Chair, Study Abroad Coordinator, and tenured Associate Professor of Educational Leadership. His early career in Florida’s public schools included roles as an elementary and special education teacher, behavior specialist, and school administrator—experiences that continue to inform his commitment to preparing effective, equity-driven school leaders. Dr. Eadens is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, where he served honorably for 25 years in Civil Affairs. His military service included deployments to Japan, Puerto Rico, Kuwait, Qatar, and Iraq (combat). He earned his B.S. in Education, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of South Florida. His research focuses on critical issues in educational leadership, including school safety, social justice, school finance, and administrator preparation and evaluation. He co-edited Social Justice Instruction: Empowerment on the Chalkboard (Papa, Eadens, & Eadens, 2016), and remains an active scholar and contributor to the field. Dr. Eadens was named a Faculty Research Fellow, Excellence in Educational Leadership Award, and received a Global Impact Award. Dr. Eadens brings scholar-leader experience essential to imparting his commitment to advancing educational leadership seamlessly through teaching, research, and service.