Patricia F. Burlaud, PhD, has built an extraordinary career at the intersection of science, education, and leadership, guided by a belief that true impact stems from achievement and humanity. As the founder, chief executive officer, and chief re-invention officer of P. Burlaud Consulting LLC, she provides transformative coaching to entrepreneurs, executives, and visionary organizations. Her firm, based in Orlando, Florida, is a hub of strategic insight, emotional intelligence, and reinvention, reflecting her signature approach to leadership in a rapidly evolving world.
Dr. Burlaud’s academic foundation began in the rigorous world of physics. She earned both a Master of Science in nuclear and particle physics and a Doctor of Philosophy in high-energy physics, with a focus on corpuscular physics, from Université Paris-Sorbonne. Her early career included collaborations with Nobel Prize-winning teams at CERN, where she cultivated the precision and discipline that continue to define her work. Later, her studies in life and career coaching at the Robbins-Madanes Training-Coaching Academy cemented her mission: to help others lead with clarity, courage, and purpose.
Before launching her consulting firm, Dr. Burlaud accumulated decades of experience in global leadership roles. She founded PBGAA LLC, advising higher education institutions on national and international accreditations. She also served as dean of operations, assessment, and accreditation for the New York Institute of Technology’s global programs, building high-performing teams across China, the Middle East, and Canada. Her earlier tenure as associate dean at Zayed University further sharpened her skills in academic strategy and cross-cultural leadership.
A dedicated advocate for equity in education, Dr. Burlaud held several influential roles with the American Council on Education, including serving as a committee adviser to the National Executive Council Women’s Network and as board chair for ACEWN-New York. Her commitment to women’s leadership development continues to shape her coaching philosophy today. Perhaps one of the most defining chapters of her life took place in West Africa, where she served as a higher education leader for 23 years. There, she witnessed students overcome tremendous odds in pursuit of learning, and these experiences profoundly influenced her views on resilience, mentorship, and dignity. Beyond such founding moments, she holds dear the many messages from former clients who credit her inspiration for their rise to leadership roles in the various industries. That ripple effect, she says, is the true measure of leadership.
As the business and leadership landscapes are reshaped by artificial intelligence, Dr. Burlaud remains a passionate advocate for what must remain at the core: human leadership. She champions empathy, integrity, and connection as the bedrock of purposeful leadership—values that can’t be automated but must be cultivated with intention. Her affiliations include the Forbes Coaches Council and civic leadership through organizations like 100 Women Strong for Central Florida at the Central Florida Foundation. Whether working with senior leaders, mentoring emerging voices, or designing strategy with boards, she brings intellectual rigor and emotional depth to every engagement.
From CERN to the C-suite, from classrooms to boardrooms, Dr. Burlaud’s path has been one of elegant reinvention. As she often says, “The most powerful leaders do not command—they illuminate. Especially in an age of accelerating AI, I believe in anchoring leadership in what remains uniquely human: empathy, integrity, and the courage to care.”