Sarah J. Tracy, Ph.D. and Get Your Qual On

Sarah J. Tracy, Ph.D., is an award-winning researcher, professor, author, speaker, and consultant who focuses on fostering human flourishing and helping others address research using qualitative methods. Her mission is to assist others craft award-winning scholarship, produce preferred outcomes in their organizations, tell persuasive stories, and better elucidate human experience so as to create interactional patterns that build sustainable relationships and organizational flourishing.

Sarah has delivered over 75 keynotes and workshops worldwide for a variety of universities and organizations including Massey University, Honeywell, Metropolitan Association of Business Executives, and City of Phoenix. Her work assists students, professionals, and faculty in their own research projects.

Sarah has authored two books—Leading Organizations Through Transition and Qualitative Research Methods–and over 100 journal articles and book chapters. She is the founder of the YouTube channel Get Your Qual On, provides qualitative workshops training, and consults with organizations seeking to better understand and narrate their clients’ and employees’ experiences. Sarah’s leadership in the communication field is recognized by her being named a National Communication Association Distinguished Scholar and Western States Speech Communication Association Distinguished Teacher.

Originally from Wisconsin, Sarah studied journalism at the University of Southern California (B.A., 1993) and then worked in a Los Angeles public relations firm serving socially responsible clients. She went on to earn an M.A. (1996) and Ph.D. (2000) from the University of Colorado-Boulder where she engaged in ethnographic research with front-line professionals and human service workers. She has been a professor at Arizona State University since 2000 where she co-founded The Transformation Project and teaches courses in organizational communication, happiness, leadership, and research methods.

In her leisure time, Sarah enjoys crew rowing, bricolage cooking, and playing frisbee with her rescue dog Lily.

Areas of expertise:

Communication

Qualitative Research Methods (Design, Conduct, Analysis, Reports)

Leadership

Happiness & Human flourishing

Organizational Transformation