Dr. Yingjing Deng is a leadership educator, community builder, and interdisciplinary practitioner with extensive experience in communication, organizational leadership, and cross-sector collaboration. She holds a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology from Sofia University, where her doctoral dissertation, Integrating Mindfulness Practices to Enhance Adaptive Leadership, explores how mindful awareness strengthens adaptive leadership capacity in complex and rapidly changing environments. With over a decade of experience leading cross-sector initiatives across academia, industry, and nonprofit sectors. She currently serves as Senior Program Manager at MIT’s Center for Quantum Engineering, where she manages a vibrant community of faculty, students, and industry partners. Prior to her work in higher education, Dr. Deng was an international journalist and author, reporting from conflict zones and interviewing global leaders. Her professional background in media, storytelling, and public affairs informs her teaching in leadership and business communication, where she integrates mindful leadership, adaptive thinking, and effective communication strategies.
Education
- Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology – Sofia University
- Master in Public Administration – Harvard University
- Master of Arts in Communication and New Media – City University of Hong Kong
- Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature – Beijing International Studies University
Licenses & Certifications
- Certificate in Dream Studies – Sofia University
- Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership – MIT Sloan School of Management
- Project Management Professional (PMP) – Project Management Institute
- Certificate of Specialization in Strategy – Harvard Business School Online
- Child Protection Certificate – Harvard University FXB Center for Health and Human Rights
- Community Building Certificate – CXL
Publications
- Deng, Y. (2025). Integrating Mindfulness Practices to Enhance Adaptive Leadership: A New Approach to Addressing Modern Leadership Opportunities (Doctoral dissertation, Sofia University).
- Deng, Y. (2016). The Determined Runner: The Memoir of a Phoenix TV Reporter on the Front Line in Cambodia (执拗的奔跑：凤凰记者独家采访柬埔寨实记). Hong Kong: Phoenix Books Culture Publishing Co. Ltd.
Sofia Email: yingjing.deng@sofia.edu
