We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Stacy Gee Hollins. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Stacy below.

Dr. Stacy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The idea for GEENIUS came to life through a combination of personal experience, professional insight, and deep conviction. As a woman navigating leadership spaces, particularly as a Black woman in both corporate and academic settings, I consistently found myself in environments where leadership development resources were either inaccessible, irrelevant, or simply not designed with women like me in mind.

I had reached a point in my career where I was mentoring and coaching other women and realized how often we questioned our capacity, not because we lacked it, but because we hadn’t been given the tools, space, or affirmation to lead with confidence and innovation. I saw a gap that needed to be filled. That gap was the foundation of GEENIUS—a learning and development organization intentionally built to equip women with the confidence, strategy, technology, and tools to lead boldly in the digital age.

What excited me most was the opportunity to combine equity, leadership, and AI into something actionable. I wasn’t interested in creating just another program. I was building a movement that makes leadership practical, personal, and powerful. I believed in it because I lived the need. And I knew it would work because every woman I talked to about it said, “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”

Dr. Stacy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am Dr. Stacy Gee Hollins, Interim Associate Provost and Dean of the Anheuser-Busch School of Business at Harris-Stowe State University. I am also the President and CEO of GEENIUS, a global learning and development organization committed to empowering and equipping women with genius solutions that elevate leadership, drive transformational change, and advance equity.

My journey started as an administrative assistant at the FDIC. While I held the lowest title in the room, I often brought the highest level of technical expertise. That experience taught me early on how to lead from where I was. I later worked at the Federal Reserve Bank, where I managed Y2K readiness and served as a helpdesk analyst. These early roles taught me how systems work, how people respond under pressure, and how to lead with precision and care. Over time, I earned my doctorate, taught in higher education, managed complex accreditation projects, and developed new academic programs including a full MBA program set to launch within the next year.

GEENIUS offers virtual Women’s Leadership Labs with AI, strategic consulting, and workforce development solutions that center on emerging technology. Our experiences are designed for women who are ready to lead with clarity and impact. What sets us apart is our intentional fusion of leadership, equity, and artificial intelligence, delivered in a format that is accessible, affirming, and action-driven.

I’m most proud of the lives we are touching and the women we are equipping to lead authentically. I want people to know that GEENIUS is not about theory. It’s about transformation. We ENGAGE. We GROW. And we lead.

At Harris-Stowe State University, I launched the Center of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, which serves as a hub for under-served and under-represented scholars and the community at large, fostering the growth of emerging business owners.

Working my way up the educational ladder since my first beginnings, I have been in every academic role in my journey – Program Coordinator, Chair, Dean, and Interim Associate Provost. Effective April 1, 2025, I now serve as Associate Provost of Academic Affairs at HSSU.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

One of the most powerful demonstrations of resilience in my journey came during a three-year period at Harris-Stowe State University. I was leading the launch of the Center of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. At the same time, I was overseeing a full renovation of the University Library to create a modern space for collaborative learning. Both projects demanded strategic thinking, relationship management, and a commitment to excellence under pressure.

And then, after the workday ended, I poured myself into rebuilding GEENIUS. My evenings and weekends were spent reimagining a new model of leadership development that could meet the moment we are in; a moment where technology, leadership, and equity intersect in powerful ways. It was a season of long hours, constant pivoting, and deep personal sacrifice.

What kept me grounded was the vision. I knew I wasn’t just managing projects. I was creating impact. That season showed me that resilience isn’t just about pushing through. It’s about leading with intention, holding on to your purpose, and knowing when to pause, refuel, and keep going.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Leadership is about people, not just performance. My advice is to always start with clarity and connection. Make sure your team understands the mission and how their individual roles contribute to it. Build trust through transparency, celebrate small wins, and create space for creativity and growth.

But I’ll also be honest, the larger your team gets, the more challenging this becomes. As your leadership influence expands, it can be difficult to maintain the same level of personal connection with every individual. The layers between you and the frontline grow, and so do the chances of miscommunication, misalignment, or missed opportunities to engage.

That’s why I’ve learned to lead through leaders. I empower others to carry the culture forward, ensuring that trust, empathy, and clarity cascade through every level of the organization. It requires intentionality, structure, and regular feedback loops. It means building a culture where leaders are developed, not just managed.

High morale is not something you can manufacture, it is something you cultivate. I prioritize regular check-ins with my leaders, not just to talk about tasks, but to understand how people are doing. I encourage shared leadership, invite feedback, and lead with empathy. When people feel seen, heard, and supported, they don’t just work harder. They lead from their own genius. That’s when transformation happens.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hssu.edu/absb
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacygeehollins/
• Other: https://mygeenius.com/

Image Credits

Harris-Stowe State University
Gator MediaSTL
Tyler Small