Benjamin L. Dilla is Professor of Instruction and Director of the M.S. Program in Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology at The University of Texas at Arlington. He joined the faculty of UTA in October 2026 as the latest step in a career that spans the military, business, and education sectors.
Ben earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Sciences & Leadership from the U.S. Air Force Academy and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Purdue University. He is also an International Coaching Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Board Certified Coach (BCC), and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach.
Ben served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Behavioral Scientist and Personnel Officer, providing leadership, education, training, personnel policy analysis, and organization development consulting services. He also has 20 years of corporate and consulting experience in a variety of industries including transportation, technology, healthcare, financial services, and retail.
He was a Senior Consultant with Personnel Decisions International (PDI, now Korn Ferry) for eight years before starting his own coaching and training practice, Bold Leader Development (BLD LLC). He also worked in training and development leadership roles for Fannie Mae, American Airlines, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and Parkland Health & Hospital System.
As an educator, Ben has been an Assistant/Associate Professor of Organizational Sciences at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Associate Professor of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at the Air Force Academy, Professor of Practice for Argosy University, and Affiliate Assistant Professor of Management and Director of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program in the Gupta College of Business at The University of Dallas, before joining the faculty in the Department of Psychology at UTA.
Ben is an active member of the local Dallas-Fort Worth Organizational Development Network (ODN) and the International Coaching Federation (ICF) North Texas chapter. In 2021, Ben published his first book, Your Best Self at Work: Aligning Strengths, Emotional Intelligence, and Resilience, co-authored with Dr. Joel B. Bennett, President of Organizational Wellness & Learning Systems (OWLS).
Sponsor: Jim C Quick
Mentor: Pending
Classification: University Professor
Kendall B SandersI’m a native Texan, born and raised in Fort Worth, and a proud graduate of Baylor University, where I earned my degree in marketing and management. I later completed my MBA in finance from Arkansas State University.
I began my career in mortgage servicing and financial technology, where I held several leadership roles. Those experiences taught me the value of clear guidance and long-term planning — principles I now bring to my work as a financial advisor.
I chose to become a financial advisor with
Edward Jones because helping people make confident, informed decisions about their financial future is deeply meaningful to me. My goal is to improve the lives of my clients, strengthen my community and build long-term, trusted relationships.
My approach is simple: I take the time to understand what you’re working toward before discussing investments. I also make sure we identify the level of risk you’re comfortable with so we can build a strategy that aligns with your long-term goals.
Whether you’re preparing for retirement, saving for a child or grandchild’s education or planning for long-term security, we’ll work together to develop a strategy built specifically for you. And we’ll continue to monitor your plan and adjust as life evolves.
When I’m not working with clients, you’ll find me spending time with my family, traveling or cheering on my favorite teams.
Sponsor: Joe Way
Mentor: Barry Bondurant
Classification: Finance Professional
