AN ACADEMICIAN from the Ateneo de Manila University has broken new ground for Filipino scholars after being elected to a senior leadership post in the world’s largest professional organization dedicated to leadership studies.

Dr. Emerald Jay D. Ilac, program director of the PhD in Leadership Studies at the John Gokongwei School of Management, was elected Chair-Elect of the Leadership Scholarship Member Interest Community of the International Leadership Association (ILA).

He is the first Filipino based in the Philippines to hold an elected leadership position within the ILA, an organization that brings together leadership researchers, educators, and practitioners from around the world.

As Chair-Elect, Ilac will help steer a global community of more than 700 members focused on advancing leadership research, theory development, and scholarly collaboration across disciplines and regions.

He will assume the role under the mentorship of current chair Dr. Brandon Kliewer of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and past chair Dr. L. J. McElravy of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, with a transition to the chairmanship set for 2027.

The ILA, which hosts annual international conferences attended by thousands of participants, recognized Ilac’s election as part of its continuing efforts to strengthen global and inclusive leadership scholarship.