Assistant Professor of Business
Office Location
AF Gray, Rm 305
Biography
Dr. Gladys Jadagu (née Siwela) serves as Assistant Professor and Lead for the School of Business at Warner Pacific University in Portland, Oregon. A global Christian leader with more than twenty-five years of international and regional experience, she began her career working with non-governmental organizations before transitioning into the corporate sector and later into academia. Across these roles, she has launched programs and initiatives in the intra-governmental and corporate arenas and as an entrepreneur, demonstrating vision, innovation, and cross-cultural leadership. Her areas of expertise include brand communication, reputation management, event management, and board secretarial services.
Drawing on her extensive professional background, Dr. Jadagu integrates practical experience with academic rigor to prepare students for ethical, globally informed, and Christ-centered leadership. Her approach to teaching and scholarship reflects Warner Pacific University’s Christian and Christ-centered mission, emphasizing purpose, compassion, and integrity. She actively participates in chapel and official university events, where she often leads in prayer and reflection, exemplifying a holistic Christian commitment to faith, scholarship, and service.
Education
Ph.D. in Business Management, Zimbabwe Open University, 2021
MSc. in Strategic Management, University of Derby, 2005
B.A. in Communications, University of South Africa, 2000
National Diploma in Mass Communication Print Journalism, Harare Polytech, 1990
Areas of Expertise/ Research Interests
Financial inclusion and women’s economic empowerment, global business and international management, strategic management and leadership development, corporate and brand communication, natural resource governance and sustainability, academic writing and bilingual editing (English and Shona), print and broadcast journalism, public relations and reputation management, board secretarial practice and corporate governance, student advising and mentorship, and gender and development studies. She also serves on the Board and the Finance Committee of the Women’s Action Group (Zimbabwe), which advances women’s rights and access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
Published Material
Gladys Jadagu, Tavonga Njaya & Privilege Murambadoro. Financial Inclusion in Eastern and Southern Africa: Status, Drivers, Challenges and Opportunities World Wide Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development. May 2023
Gladys Siwela. PhD Dissertation Determinants of Financial Inclusion Among Female Flea Market Owners in Selected Suburbs in Harare, Zimbabwe Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of Requirements for Doctor of Philosophy, Zimbabwe Open University, November 2021
Gladys Siwela & Tavonga Njaya. Opportunities and Challenges for Digital Financial Inclusion of Females in the Informal Sector Through Mobile Phone Technology: Evidence from Zimbabwe, International Journal of Economics Commerce and Management, March 2021
Gladys Siwela. Comparative Analysis of the Challenges of Financial Inclusion of Female Street Traders in Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, Scholars Journal of Economics, Business and Management, March 2018
Conference Paper
Tavonga Njaya, Gladys Siwela and Caxton Shonhiwa. Promoting Entrepreneurship Through Open and Distance Education in Zimbabwe: A Case Study of Zimbabwe Open University, Paper presentation at the ZOU National Conference in Harare, September 2023
Professional Affiliations
Member, Academy of Management
Member, Zimbabwe Research Network
Member, Zimbabwe Institute of Public Relations
Community Engagement / Service
Dr. Jadagu is an active member of her local and international Christian communities, where she regularly delivers presentations and leads discussions on ethics, leadership, and social responsibility. Her faith informs both her scholarship and her commitment to service, extending beyond the classroom into community engagement. She serves as a board member for the Women’s Action Group (WAG), a non-profit organization based in Harare, Zimbabwe, focused on advancing women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), where she also sits on the Finance Committee. Together with her family, she supports the well-being of ten orphans at Matthew Rusike Children’s Home in Epworth, Zimbabwe, as an expression of Christian compassion and stewardship. In her spare time, she provides direct assistance with activities of daily living to individuals in Clark County, Vancouver, reflecting her belief that leadership is ultimately an act of service.
Favorite quote
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)