Education
- Ed.D. 2019 – Appalachian State University, Educational Leadership – Higher Education
- M.Ed. 2011 – University of Vermont, Higher Education and Student Affairs
- B.S. 2009 – Winthrop University, Integrated Marketing Communication
IDEO U, AI x Design Thinking Certificate (2026); Gallup CliftonStrengths Certified Coach (2025)
Areas of Expertise
- Critical Perspectives of Leadership
- Higher Education Administration
- Leading Organizational Change
- Adult and College Student Development Theory
Background
Dr. Dustin Evatt serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the UNC School of Education, where he teaches in the Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership doctoral program and the Human and Organizational Leadership Development (HOLD) undergraduate program. A scholar-practitioner, Dr. Evatt bridges academic teaching, leadership practice, and organizational learning to support students in connecting theory to practice and leading change within complex educational and organizational contexts.
Prior to joining UNC Chapel Hill, Dr. Evatt worked in the Shelton Leadership Center at North Carolina State University, where he taught in and directed the Leadership: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives Minor and led center-wide efforts related to curriculum design, assessment, and values-based leadership research. He previously served as an Assistant Professor of Practice at Western Carolina University, teaching doctoral and graduate courses in educational leadership and higher education administration and directing the undergraduate Leadership Minor. Previous to faculty life, Dr. Evatt worked in Student Affairs for over ten years in the areas of student engagement and leadership, career development, and young alumni engagement at Appalachian State University, UNC Asheville, Oberlin College & Conservatory, and the College of William & Mary.
A first-generation college graduate from South Carolina, Dr. Evatt earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Appalachian State University, an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of Vermont, and a B.S. in Integrated Marketing Communication from Winthrop University.
Research
Dr. Evatt’s research explores critical perspectives of leadership in higher education, focusing on the intersections of identity, power, and institutional change. Using qualitative methodologies, his scholarship centers lived experience and examines organizational norms and structures for understanding leadership practice and equity-driven change. He has presented over 40 sessions at national and international conferences and received honors, including the 2023 Faculty Service Award from Western Carolina University’s College of Education and Allied Professions, selection to the 2022-2023 NASPA Emerging Faculty Leader Academy, and the 2020 Dissertation of the Year Award from the Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA).