Steven Phelan

My Story

From Victoria to Georgia

I was born in Ballarat Australia in 1967 and attended Ballarat High School. After graduating with honors from Australia’s top university, I rose through the ranks of Telecom Australia, Australia’s largest employer and Global 500 company, eventually serving as executive aide to the head of strategy for the entire corporation.

Following my MBA, I worked in the strategic planning department of Ansett Airlines, before returning to complete my PhD in computational economics at La Trobe University, while also consulting on strategic investments.

My doctorate was examined at the University of Michigan, leading to appointments at the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where I also served as Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. In 2010, I was recruited to the east coast as executive director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Rowan University in New Jersey, before being appointed as Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship at Fayetteville State University (FSU) in 2013.

While at FSU, I served as fund administrator for IMAF Sandhills, the local angel investment group, as lead instructor on business and economic development for the US Army Special Operations Command, and MBA program director. As Provost Fellow for Academic Innovation I was responsible for leading a dozen strategic initiatives at the university.

In July 2021, I was appointed Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director of the Michael A. Leven School of Management, Entrepreneurship & Hospitality at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.