Dr. Staci Yutzie is an Assistant Professor at Western Oregon University where she coordinates the Organizational Leadership Master’s program and teaches graduate courses on leadership foundations, strategic leadership, and organizational resiliency. Her research focus is on police and public sector leadership.
Staci has over twenty years of experience as a civilian in public safety including a decade at the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST), where she led the state’s evidence-based practices movement while serving in various roles, including Agency Deputy Director, Training Director, Manager of the Center for Policing Excellence. She oversaw many training and technical assistance programs, including basic academy training, advanced regional training, leadership, research, curriculum, and instructor development, among others.
Her focus has always been on improving program and organizational outcomes through the application of research. She continues this work through her company, Catalyst Training Group, where she assists police organizations with various initiatives, including training and instructor development, and managing complex change, among other topics.
Staci’s work on developing research-based academy training earned DPSST the 2021 International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in Law Enforcement Research award. She co-authored an effectiveness evaluation of the Oregon Academy published in 2021. Staci has presented on training at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference and the National Symposium on Police Academies and Training.
Staci holds a B.A. in Law Enforcement, a Master’s in Justice Management (MJM), and a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership.