Faculty Spotlight: Alicia Hughes — Bringing More Joy, Connection, and Spark to Leadership

What happens when the everyday opportunities for connection disappear?

For Alicia Hughes, Founder of Sparking Up Leadership and a faculty member with the National Academy of Leadership Development, that question became very real while leading in a fully virtual school environment.

Without hallway conversations, quick check-ins, or the natural connections that happen when people share the same physical space, Alicia discovered something important: great culture doesn’t happen accidentally.

It has to be created intentionally.

“When you can’t rely on hallway conversations or face-to-face connections, you have to be even more intentional about building relationships, creating a sense of belonging, and making people feel seen and valued.”

That season helped shape one of Alicia’s core leadership beliefs:

Culture comes before strategy.

Leadership That Starts with Relationships

Through Sparking Up Leadership, Alicia helps education leaders and teams strengthen relationships, build joyful and connected cultures, and lead with greater confidence, authenticity, and purpose.

Her work centers on leadership development, relationship-centered communication, intentional workplace culture, and helping leaders create teams where people genuinely feel connected and supported.

She is also exploring an increasingly important question for today’s workplace: How can AI give leaders and educators time back so they can focus more of their energy on the human side of their work?

For Alicia, technology should never replace relationships. At its best, it can create more room for them.

What Does It Mean to See People as Priceless?

Alicia’s perspective aligns beautifully with the heart of the Priceless Leadership Movement.

“Seeing people as priceless means recognizing that every person brings unique gifts, experiences, and value that can’t be measured by a title, a task, or a performance review.”

For her, people-first leadership means intentionally helping others feel seen, heard, appreciated, and valued, and creating environments where they know they matter.

And that impact goes beyond organizational performance.

“When we lead with that mindset, we don’t just build better teams, we build stronger relationships and help people see the priceless value in themselves.”

Her personal definition of priceless leadership says it beautifully:

“Leadership becomes truly priceless when people feel seen, valued, and empowered to shine their own light while helping others do the same.”

A Reminder for Leaders

Alicia also offers an important reminder for leaders who sometimes feel pressure to have everything figured out:

You don’t.

Pause. Celebrate the small wins. Remember why you started. Focus on one relationship, one meaningful conversation, or one small change that can bring a little more joy into someone’s day...including your own.

Because leaders who constantly pour into everyone else eventually need their own cups filled too.

And One More Thing About Alicia…

She has been visiting Walt Disney World since she was 18 months old and still believes there is a little Disney magic in all of us.

That probably explains some of the sparkle she brings to her work.

Alicia loves finding ways to bring that same spirit of joy, connection, possibility, and a little magic into the way people lead and live.

We’re grateful to have Alicia as part of the National Academy of Leadership Development faculty and the growing community of leaders helping create workplaces where people can flourish.

To connect with Alicia Hughes and learn more about her, visit: Alicia Hughes Faculty Bio