PhD in Leadership and Change alumna Dr. Kelly Cerialohas published her dissertation entitled, The Social Impacts of Tourism in the UNESCO Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve (USA). Through an exploratory case study, her research uses media analyses, document review, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the social impacts of tourism and the stakeholders’ dynamics related to tourism management. Stakeholder theory, responsible leadership, and ecosystem services are used as a theoretical framework to ground the inquiry and to provide insight into how the social impacts of tourism are related to tourism planning dynamics. The findings revealed significant new knowledge about social impacts of tourism in the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness and a mapping of complex competing stakeholder interests related to tourism management.
Dr. Kelly L. Cerialo is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator in the Business and Hospitality Department at Paul Smith’s College. She is the Co-chair of the UNESCO Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve (New York/Vermont), a steering committee member for the U.S. UNESCO Biosphere Network, and founder/focal point for the U.S. Biosphere Reserve Youth Network. She coordinates international student exchanges with a focus on sustainable tourism and community development in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Italy, Canada, South Africa, and the U.S. She is the co-founder of the Adirondack to Appeninno Sustainable Parks and Communities Project – an international sustainable tourism initiative between the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano Biosphere Reserve in Italy and the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve.
