Business Administration

Elizabeth Lahey retired from full-time work in May 2019. Her career began with 20 years of executive leadership experience at McDonald’s Corporation world headquarters in Chicago. Under her leadership, McDonald’s Hamburger University was voted among the top 20 training organizations in the world. Besides her academic credentials in leadership and business, Elizabeth is a graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership, AMA’s Executive Leadership Program, and McDonald’s Restaurant Leadership Program, and a PMP. Thanks to her leadership skills, Elizabeth was voted McDonald’s Woman of the Year, McDonald’s Coach/Mentor of the Year and Millikin’s Outstanding Faculty Member. She served as Treasurer for the Women’s Leadership Network and leader of the Diversity Council.
 
She completed her second 16-year career as Chair of the Sociology, Criminal Justice and Organizational Leadership department at Millikin University. Her personal area of expertise was leadership, where she was responsible for developing a curriculum to grow students into leadership professionals. She was responsible for supporting the curricular and training aspects of the Doug and Diane Oberhelman Center for Leadership Performance at Millikin. She served on the committee to expand online educational options for Millikin.
 
Elizabeth now adjuncts at Millikin, Illinois College, SIUE, Lincoln College and Benedictine University’s MBA, MIS and MMOB programs in the U.S. and throughout the Asia. Additionally, she was an entrepreneur who operated a boutique leadership consulting firm, ran a McDonald’s restaurant, as well as built a company that maintained cell towers for the telecommunications industry. She currently serves on two local boards, both as President.

On a personal note, Elizabeth is married and has one son. She has three female Bichon Frise’s that are named after the cartoon superheroes The Power Puff Girls: Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles. Her hobbies include reading, swimming, and Zumba.