Bio

Dr. Donald Christian, accomplished musician and former band director, serves as the Dean of the College of Business for Concordia University Texas, a position he has held since the fall of 2005.  Over the past five years, Dr. Christian has grown the Bachelor of Business Administration program by over 70%, making it the largest and fastest growing traditional program on Concordia’s campus.  He has also engaged the community in the growth of the College by bringing together an advisory board of well-known Austin business people, establishing a monthly speaker series which spotlights leaders from the Central Texas region, and partnering with different not-for-profits that provide real-life experiences for select Concordia students. 

Dr. Christian received his Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix where his research and dissertation focused on the correlation between leadership skills and interagency collaboration among organizations.  His teaching expertise is in the areas of leadership and management, and was chosen as one of the finalists for the Neeb Teaching Award at Concordia in the spring of 2008.  He is also one of the authors of the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) entitled Providing a Campus Life that Develops Leaders.  Recent speaking engagements have included the IACBE National Conference, the Austin Leadership Forum, and the International First Year Experience Conference.

Prior to his work at Concordia, Dr. Christian served in a variety of leadership positions, including Headmaster of Lutheran High North in Houston, Texas; Parish Life Administrator at Trinity Lutheran Church in downtown Houston; and as a high school band director.  He earned a Masters in Music and Wind Conducting from the University of Cincinnati in 1986 and completed his undergraduate work at Concordia University Chicago in 1981.

Don is married to Deborah Christian who teaches English and serves as the College Admissions Coordinator for Concordia Academy, a 9-12 Lutheran High School in Austin.  They both love to travel, read, and enjoy a good glass of wine with a gourmet meal.