Dr. Austin is the P.D. Merrill Endowed Chair of Business. Prior to joining University of New England, Dr. Austin was a professor in the School of Leadership Studies at Fielding Graduate University. He has also worked as a Principal at Decision Strategies International and a management professor at Penn State University and The University of Washington, Bothell. He has taught executives at Duke CE, Georgetown University, Penn State University, Thunderbird School of International Management, University of North Carolina, and The Wharton School.

John has worked with numerous Global Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations as an executive development resource and is a frequent conference speaker. He has developed leaders and led long-term projects in the areas of change management, scenario planning, team performance, strategic decision-making, and strategy execution. His experience with individuals at all levels of organizations enables him to translate broad strategies and concepts into actionable, engaging programs.

Dr. Austin's research has been published in leading management and applied psychology journals such as Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Journal of Applied Psychology, and Organization Science as well as practice-oriented publications including HR Magazine, Fast Company, and The OD Practitioner.