Amy C. Horner

Background

Dr. Amy C. Horner, CPA, is a change ambassador, innovation enthusiast and international speaker recognized for her thought leadership in embracing change, career growth and professional development. With a passion for helping leaders navigate complex challenges, she blends executive experience with academic rigor to drive meaningful impact.

As a Professor of Practice and the Academic Director of the Executive DBA Program at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business, Amy leverages her extensive C-suite background to equip DBA scholars with the strategies and insights to successfully navigate their doctoral journey. A sought-after keynote speaker, Amy is known for her engaging storytelling and for having a positive, lasting impact on her audiences. She simplifies complex leadership challenges, making them approachable, and provides attendees with actionable tools for success.

Before transitioning to academia, Amy served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for multiple organizations, leading them through transformative periods of innovation and growth. Her strategic leadership resulted in diversified revenue streams, expanded service offerings, stronger brand awareness, increased market share, a more engaged workforce and improved financial outcomes.

Amy’s own DBA journey was profoundly transformational. What began as a pursuit of advanced scholarship while she was the Chief Operating Officer of an international professional services firm based in the DC Metro area became a catalyst for reinvention. Now she stands as an alum and leader in the international DBA community. She was honored to have been selected as the Commencement Speaker for the 2025 hooding ceremony.

Amy is a Co-Founder and Chair of DBA Chronicles, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging academia and industry through global community-building, storytelling, and dialogue. Her influence has been recognized with Ignition’s Top 50 Women in Accounting Award and as a Top Leadership Voice on LinkedIn.

In addition to her Doctorate in Business Administration from UNC Charlotte, Amy holds an MBA from Penn State University and a Bachelor’s in Accounting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she was a student-athlete on the university’s first PSAC Championship Women’s Varsity Soccer Team. She brings the same team-driven mindset, resilience and strategic thinking from the soccer field into her leadership philosophy today.

Research Interest

Amy’s research explores the relationship between leadership team diversity characteristics and strategic change and aims to determine the extent to which leadership diversity might impact the likelihood of strategic change.