Dionne Mahaffey
President and CEO of Celebrity Personal Assistants, Inc.
"I like the flexibility of University of the Rockies, the professionalism of the staff, and the diverse program offerings."
Long before she arrived at University of the Rockies, Dionne Mahaffey of Atlanta, Georgia, was already a success. Five years ago, she launched her own company, The CPAI Group, Inc., which recruits college-educated employees for celebrities and has become known as Hollywood’s "Staffing Agency to the Stars." Describing just a few of her successful career highlights, Mahaffey reports: "Several years ago, I successfully negotiated a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract with the National Football Players Association for my agency's Lifestyle Management division. CPAI was named the "Official Lifestyle Management Agency" for NFL seasons 2003-06. This historical appointment was the first time that such a contract was awarded to a minority- or female-owned company. I also authored ‘Beyond the Red Carpet...’ a career guide focusing on behind-the-scenes careers in the entertainment industry, and I have been featured as a Hollywood insider on Oprah, MTV and E! Networks."
At 39 years old, Mahaffey certainly did not need a doctoral degree to make a career for herself. Why did she choose to enroll at University of the Rockies? "I transferred from another school’s PhD in Business program, where I had been majoring in Marketing," she says. "The well-being of other people is more important to me than the traditional management topics found in a PhD Business program. My purpose for pursuing a doctorate at University of the Rockies is to transition from the ‘rat race’ into academia." University of the Rockies provided the best fit because "University of the Rockies’ curricula and programs were more consistent with my goals: to position myself as a ‘thought leader’ who can provide expert commentary and socially relevant analysis on a wide range of topics spanning infidelity, gender loyalty, female rivalry in the workplace, and other nouveau-feminist topics.
"I like the flexibility of University of the Rockies, the professionalism of the staff, and the diverse program offerings," says Mahaffey. "The professors are extremely nice and very interested in student success. They are personable and you really feel as if you are in the classroom with them. The Admissions Counselors are polite, courteous and diligent." Of her own Admissions Counselor, Mahaffey says, "Catherine Beecher contacted me regularly upon my first inquiry to make sure that I got everything in on time, and she has kept in touch."
Now in the first year of her online doctoral program, Mahaffey is hard at work researching "the mechanisms of human thought, and how thoughts, expectations and interpretations affect an individual's behavior." She continues, "My specific interests include: psychology of women, multiculturalism, discovering the authentic self, conflict resolution and consumer behavior. I would like to utilize humanistic coaching methods to help strengthen what's right with their lives."
As for specific projects, Mahaffey explains, "I presented a poster on Female Rivalry in the Workplace and Beyond. That is the anticipated topic of my dissertation. I would like to publish articles regarding women and how we interact with one another." As for her long-term career plans, Mahaffey wants to work in academia, perhaps with some consulting and coaching on the side. "I am eager obtain a university position to teach and share my experiences with college students." With her Doctor of Psychology from University of the Rockies, Mahaffey should have no trouble finding even more success in her career.