As a practicing attorney for six years, Taeya Howell used her voice to help others. “I did a lot of negotiating,” she says. Now, as an associate professor of organizational behavior and human resources at BYU Marriott, Howell has swapped courtrooms for classrooms, but her role as an advocate continues to shape her career.
That commitment to advocacy guided her in 2023 when she revamped MBA 505, a required leadership course, to better equip students with practical tools. “I’m always searching for ideas and skills that will have the greatest impact on my students and those they will lead,” Howell says.
The course uses case studies, role plays, and teamwork to help topics stick. During orientation, Howell takes the MBA students to Camp Williams, where they face a series of team-based exercises. “Problem-solving together helps students break down barriers and learn to trust one another,” she says. “Hands-on activities take the content from abstract to concrete.”
While designing MBA 505, Howell drew upon her research, her experience as a lawyer, and the Christ-centered leadership model developed by BYU’s Sorensen Center. “The model helps in terms of thinking about our relationship with God, our relationship with ourselves, our expectations for ourselves, and our love for God’s children,” she says. “Applying the model helps us understand God’s children and know how to lead them.”
Howell’s desire to empower others impacts her research. “I study how employees bring about change and—just as important—who doesn’t get heard when they try,” she says. In one study of credit union employees, a workforce that is predominantly female, men were heard less often than women. Howell notes that this finding contrasts with research in male-dominant workplaces, where women are typically heard less. “The findings have made me more mindful of whose ideas go unnoticed and how we can seek out the voices that might be missing,” she says.
In another study, Howell’s research team found that receiving gratitude helped people handle stress in a healthy way. “When people receive gratitude, they not only feel less lonely, but they also start to see their stress as a way to connect more deeply with others,” she says.
Connection—no matter the situation—is always at the forefront of Howell’s approach. “When students come in with questions, I get excited,” she acknowledges. “I like helping them grow, building their confidence, and then watching them accomplish their goals.”
The opportunity to mentor BYU students was a selling point for Howell in 2016 when she was deciding where to teach after earning her PhD at the University of Texas at Austin and completing a two-year postdoc at New York University. “One thing I love about research is working closely with students—helping them prepare for their future and watching them go on to succeed,” she says. “I hope I’m starting a ripple effect by teaching them skills that they’ll use to help other people.”
Whether mentoring students individually or leading a class discussion, Howell is energized by the enthusiasm they bring. “It makes a huge difference when students are excited to be learning with one another,” she says. “I’m grateful for the light they bring, even in the classrooms without windows.”