A closer look into the life and career of Dr. Maria Seta, Assistant Professor in the School of Business & Communication at Mount St. Joseph University.
Dr. Maria Seta, DBA, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Business & Communication at Mount St. Joseph University, where she teaches undergraduate courses in management and leadership. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, she is a Veteran of the United States Army, where she began developing her professional foundation. She went on to build her career in human resources and organizational development. Dr. Seta joined the Mount in 2024 as a visiting professor and was appointed to a full-time faculty position the following year. Outside of her professional role, she is a mother of three and is beginning her academic research journey. She also enjoys cooking and exploring Cincinnati’s vibrant food scene.
Early Life & Career:
Maria Seta was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. She built a career grounded in service, leadership, and a focus on how organizations support their people. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Master’s in Human Resources from the University of Cincinnati, followed by a Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Maryland.
Her professional experience spans healthcare, retail, government, consulting, and military service, with a consistent focus on employee relations, organizational culture, and workforce experience. She has held leadership roles using workforce data and analytics to help organizations better understand engagement, retention, and workplace climate.
Prior to joining Mount St. Joseph University, Dr. Seta ran her own consulting firm, Lens Partners, where she supported organizations with HR and labor strategy and organizational assessments. She previously served as Director of Employee Experience at Bon Secours Mercy Health, partnering with senior leaders to strengthen engagement and workplace culture, and held earlier roles at Macy’s Corporate Services focused on employee relations and leadership development across hundreds of locations.
She also worked as a consultant with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Organizational Development, using large-scale employee survey data to improve understanding of engagement, psychological safety, and workplace effectiveness. Her career began in the United States Army, where she served as a Supply Sergeant supporting logistics, supply accountability, and equal opportunity initiatives in joint-service operations.
Cincinnati & the Mount:
Maria returned to graduate school following the COVID-19 pandemic to transition from corporate consulting into full-time teaching. She began searching for faculty opportunities while completing her dissertation. Although she was advised that remaining in the Cincinnati area might limit her chances of securing a full-time professor role, she remained committed to staying close to home. When a position opened at MSJ, she applied and began as a visiting professor in August 2024 before transitioning to a full-time assistant professor role in August 2025. Reflecting on the journey, she says, “MSJ is the second closest university to my home, so not to be corny, but I’d say God brought me to the Mount!”
Dr. Seta teaches a variety of management and leadership undergraduate courses within the School of Business & Communication, such as Corporate Social Responsibility, Contemporary Perspectives in Leadership, International Business, Human Resource Management, Business Communications, Operations Management, Organizational Behavior, and Strategic Management. When asked what her favorite course to teach is, she responded, “I love teaching International Business because it helps students see how interconnected the world really is. The class also encourages students to think beyond their own experience. Many of the students haven’t worked in global environments so exploring different cultural norms and business practices helps expand their awareness.”
As she begins her academic career, Dr. Maria Seta, is in the early stages of developing her research and publication portfolio. One of her favorite projects explores how simulations can deepen students’ understanding of organizational behavior and workplace dynamics. In collaboration with librarian Ruth Monnier, she co-authored a study in which students participated in a simulated business meeting within a fictional company, taking on roles such as executives, interns, and support staff while engaging with an outside consultant. The exercise was designed to help students experience organizational culture, hierarchy, and power dynamics in action rather than only through lecture-based learning. Following the simulation, student feedback and class debriefs showed improved understanding of organizational structure, meeting behavior, and how roles influence participation and authority, along with greater awareness of how background and position shape workplace interactions. Dr. Seta notes that the project is especially meaningful because it connects directly to her passion for experiential learning. The study is currently in final review with a journal and is expected to be published soon.
Serving the Student Experience:
A pivotal moment in Dr. Maria Seta’s teaching career came while teaching The Practice of Leadership at the University of Cincinnati. Focused on servant leadership, she designed a project in partnership with Be The Match, the national bone marrow donor registry, in which student teams organized community events to recruit new donors. Students created persuasive, “Shark Tank”-style pitches and set up donor registration tables, applying leadership concepts in real-world settings. Watching students take ownership of the project and recognize their ability to create meaningful impact beyond the classroom reshaped her definition of success as an educator. For Dr. Seta, success is achieved when students move beyond theory and see how their learning can contribute to real-world change—sometimes even saving lives.
For Dr. Maria Seta, the heart of teaching at Mount St. Joseph University lies in its lasting impact on students both inside and outside the classroom. She describes this responsibility as central to her work and motivation:
“Being able to serve and develop students at MSJ means investing in the next generation of leaders, professionals, and community members. I take that responsibility very seriously because the students we work with today will go on to shape organizations, communities, and the lives of others. Helping them build confidence, critical thinking skills, and a strong sense of purpose is incredibly meaningful to me. And knowing that the work we do in the classroom extends far beyond a single course or semester motivates me every day!
What encourages me most is knowing that education can open doors and expand how students see themselves and their potential. Many students are still discovering what they are capable of, and as a professor I have the opportunity to challenge them, support them, and help them recognize strengths they may not yet see in themselves. When students begin to believe in their abilities and push themselves to grow, that is one of the most rewarding parts of this work.”
Personal/Family Life:
“I spend a lot of time with my family and doing activities with my children. My larger family is Italian and the 15-20 of us have dinner together every Sunday night. My oldest daughter plays volleyball year-round so I spend part of the year travelling with her to volleyball tournaments. I hope to continue this as she starts her freshman year at the Mount next year to play volleyball and study psychology and business. My other daughter does theatre and my son plays soccer. They keep my life outside of teaching pretty full!
In my spare time outside of teaching and momming, I love to be active and try new experiences. I also love to try new food so I love to go to a restaurant, Jungle Jims, or Findlay Market. I actually take my International Business students to Jungle Jim’s for an in-class assignment.”
The School of Business & Communication at Mount St. Joseph University is strengthened by faculty like Dr. Maria Seta, whose background in human resources, organizational development, consulting, and military service brings a practical, real-world perspective into the classroom. Her commitment to experiential learning, student development, and connecting theory to practice reflects the mission of the School and the Mount community. From her industry leadership to her emerging research and dedication to teaching, Dr. Seta embodies the values of engagement, service, and impact that define MSJ. Thank you, Dr. Maria Seta, for the meaningful ways you invest in students and help prepare them to lead with confidence, purpose, and integrity.