Meet Tara Lehan (PhD)
Dr. Tara Lehan is an experienced researcher, educator, and mentor with a passion for guiding students in navigating the complexities of academic research more confidently.
With a PhD in human sciences, she strives to make research and academia more accessible and inviting to all students. Skilled in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches, Tara aims to promote inclusive excellence in online graduate education.
Her most recent research foci include online graduate student socialization, effective dissertation feedback, and personalized support for online students.
Quick facts
- Methodologies: Qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods
- Collection methods: Survey, interviews, focus groups, secondary data
- Analysis methods: Thematic analysis, regression, ANOVA, SEM, dyadic data analysis
- Research interests: Higher education, online student success, dissertation quality assurance, couple and family studies, serious illness and injury
- Supported software: SPSS, NVivo, MAXQDA, Qualtrics
Experience
Dr. Tara Lehan has over a decade of experience in higher education, research leadership, and dissertation supervision. She has held director-level positions in research and learning development at National University and Northcentral University, leading initiatives to enhance student learning, research engagement, and institutional effectiveness.
Her extensive experience in dissertation mentoring has allowed her to guide students through every stage of the research process, from conceptualization to data analysis and final submission. She has also worked as an academic editor, refining students’ research manuscripts for clarity and impact. Her background in both academia and applied research makes her a highly effective and adaptable dissertation coach.
Qualifications
Dr. Lehan earned her PhD in human sciences with a specialization in marriage and family therapy and a certificate in educational measurement and statistics from Florida State University. Prior to this, she completed an MS in marriage and family therapy from East Carolina University and a BS in psychology from the College of William & Mary. She also completed two postdoctoral fellowships, one at Virginia Commonwealth University (research) and one at Ohio State University (teaching and supervision).
Beyond her formal degrees, Tara holds certificates in project management, NVivo core skills, dyadic data analysis, effective communication, and Universal Design for Learning, showcasing her commitment to both continuous improvement and evidence-based student support.
Want to work with Tara?
Book a no-obligation consultation with Tara to discuss how he can help you.