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Christine M. Riordan, Ph.D.
President and Managing Partner, dimensionaltraining™ | Corporate Director | Author | Speaker | Leadership Advisor
Christine (Chris) Riordan is a nationally recognized executive, entrepreneur, corporate director, and thought leader known for leading organizations through transformation. Her career spans higher education, Fortune 500 companies, real estate, franchising, fitness, and wellness. She is distinguished for her ability to drive growth, navigate disruption, and build sustainable organizations that align performance, presence, and health as the foundation of authentic leadership.
Entrepreneurship & dimensionaltraining™
Chris is President and Managing Partner of dimensionaltraining™, where she is spearheading a bold reinvention of the fitness and wellness experience. After three decades as a transformational leader in higher education and executive coaching, she made the strategic and personal leap into entrepreneurship, guided by a vision to redefine strength, health, and human performance.
At dimensionaltraining™, Chris sets strategic direction and manages daily operations, expansion planning, and brand development. Under her leadership, the company has achieved 36% revenue growth, is on track for another 20% increase this year, and sustains a 14% profit margin. She has launched a proprietary apprenticeship model for training coaches, a leadership development program for fitness supervisors, and a roadmap for national expansion.
dimensionaltraining™ reflects her philosophy: strength is foundational, longevity is non-negotiable, and wellness must be personal, purposeful, and accessible.
Corporate Governance & Board Service
Chris brings more than a decade of public company board experience. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: RMAX), a global leader in real estate, mortgage, and franchising. She chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee and serves on the Compensation Committee, having previously served on the Audit Committee.
She has helped guide RE/MAX through major transformation — from founder-led governance to a best-practice public company model. She played a pivotal role in over $700 million in acquisitions, strengthening the company’s portfolio, expanding technology capabilities, and driving EBITDA growth. She also designed and implemented an annual in-boardroom training program to elevate governance effectiveness.
Her governance expertise spans compensation, succession, M&A, strategic transformation, and risk oversight.
Higher Education Leadership
Chris served as President of Adelphi University in New York for a decade — the first woman to lead the institution in its 135-year history. She oversaw 2,200 employees, 7,600 students, a $300 million operating budget, and a $265 million endowment.
Her presidency was marked by significant growth and renewal: 52 new academic programs, multimillion-dollar capital projects including a $50 million student center renovation, a $76 million academic building, and enrollment expansion. She also steered Adelphi through two major financial turnarounds, including the challenges of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, she served as Provost at the University of Kentucky, managing a $3 billion budget and 19,000 employees, and as Dean of the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, a U.S. News & World Report-ranked Best Business School.
Executive Coaching & Leadership Development
A seasoned executive coach and leadership advisor, Chris has designed and delivered programs for Fortune 500 companies, universities, and nonprofit organizations, and coached senior executives and teams on strategy, culture, and performance.
Her approach blends research-based insights with practical tools, equipping leaders to adapt, thrive, and deliver transformational results. She emphasizes the alignment of mind, body, and purpose — the same principles at the heart of dimensionaltraining™.
Thought Leadership & Publications
Chris is an internationally recognized thought leader on leadership, transformation, and organizational culture. She has advised corporations, boards, and executive teams, and her insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Financial Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, CNN, and CNBC.
She has authored more than 70 academic and business articles with over 5,200 citations, and is the author of Shift Happens: How to Adapt and Thrive in a Rapidly Changing World of Work. Her TEDx talk, Dare to Be Extraordinary, has drawn a global audience.
Education & Credentials
Chris holds:
- Bachelor’s in Textile Engineering – Georgia Tech
- MBA & Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management – Georgia State University
- Master of Liberal Arts in Creative Writing & Literature – Harvard University
Her multidisciplinary background reflects her belief in lifelong learning, reinvention, and the integration of science, creativity, and leadership.
Awards & Honors
Chris’s leadership and influence have been recognized with numerous national and regional awards, including:
- #3 on “Top Women We Admire in New York” (Women We Admire)
- Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Chief Executive Leadership Award
- ATHENA International Leadership Award
- Distinguished Alumna Award, Georgia State University
- 25 Top Women in Higher Education Who Are Making a Difference, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
- Best College President, Bethpage Best of Long Island Awards
- Recognized annually as one of the Most Influential People on Long Island (Long Island Press)
- Named among Dynamic Women Leaders, Long Island Business News
Philosophy & Future Vision
Across every role — president, board director, entrepreneur, coach, and author — Chris’s career has been defined by transformation and reinvention. She leads with clarity, vision, and a deep investment in people.
Through dimensionaltraining™ and her thought leadership, she is advancing a new model of human performance that unites strength, presence, and health. Her mission is to empower individuals and organizations to adapt boldly, thrive authentically, and build futures that endure.
Chris’s work inspires leaders and organizations to embrace reinvention, align mind and body, and create lasting impact in a rapidly changing world.
Community Awards & Honors
- City & State New York, The 2020 Long Island Power 100 (2020)
- ATHENA Leadership Award (2020); Finalist Video
- Georgia State University Distinguished Alumni Award (2019)
- Long Island Herald Premier Business Woman of Long Island Award (2019)
- City & State NY one of Long Island’s most influential people (2019) (2018)
- Best College President – Bethpage Best of Long Island Awards (2020) (2019) (2017)
- Long Island Business News Top Fifty Most Influential Women in Business (2018)
- Garden City (New York) Chamber of Commerce Businessperson of the Year (2018)
- Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine as one of 25 Top Women in Higher Education Who Are Making a Difference (2018)
- Long Island Business News Who’s Who in Education (2018)
- Long Island Press Power List of the 50 most influential people on Long Island (2019) (2018) (2017) (2016)
- New York State Senate Woman of Distinction (2017)
- Excellence in Service Award by the Islamic Center of Long Island for efforts to promote diversity and inclusion (2017)
- Advancement for Commerce, Industry & Technology (ACIT) Monsignor Hartman Humanitarian Award for Commitment to Leadership in the Field of Education (2017)
- Long Island Business News Top CEOs (2016)
- Family & Children’s Association Woman of Distinction (2015)
- Leadership Kentucky Class (2014)
- Kentucky Colonel, the highest honor bestowed by the Governor for service to the community, state, and nation. (2014)
- Girl Scout Woman of Distinction (2013)
- Denver Business Journal: Power Book Winner (2012)
- Fort Worth Magazine: One of the Most Brilliant Minds in Fort Worth (2008)
- Georgia Trend Magazine: Top 40 under 40 Award (2003)
Current Board Memberships
Director, RE/MAX Holdings (NYSE: RMAX; Denver, CO) 2015-present
RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. is one of the world’s leading franchisors in the real estate industry. We franchise real estate brokerages globally under the RE/MAX® brand and mortgage brokerages in the U.S. under the Motto® Mortgage brand. We also sell ancillary products and services, primarily technology, to our franchise networks. RE/MAX has more than 140,000 agents and a presence in over 110 countries and territories. Motto Mortgage is among the fastest-growing franchises and has opened more than 200 offices since it was founded in 2016.
- Chair, Nominating and Governance Committee (2016-Present)
- Member, Compensation Committee (2016-Present)
- Member, Audit Committee (2015-2016)
- Major Board Director Accomplishments:
- Developed a comprehensive new strategy in the face of a hyper-competitive industry.
- Led period of external company acquisitions to expand the product line and internal technology capabilities and reacquisition of regional franchises to increase EBITDA. Eight total acquisitions of more than $700 million.
- Provide governance oversight for RE/MAX Real Estate and Motto Mortgage, a network of mortgage brokers.
- Led the successful transition of the co-founder CEO to a new CEO.
- As Nomination and Governance Chair,
- Lead talent development strategy for senior executives with Board and Human Resources
- Successfully recruited four new independent board directors and diversified gender, race, background, and skills.
- Driving oversight on Environmental, Social Issues, and Governance (ESG), including diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Helped move to a mature public company governance structure from a founder-led company structure.
- Lead yearly review of long-term and emergency succession plans for both leadership and the board.
- Develop yearly in-board room training for board members and executive leaders with NACD. Topics have included strategy development, mergers and acquisitions, and growing as a holding company.
- As a Compensation Committee Member, I have engaged in:
- Redesign the executive performance management system, LTI, STI, and total compensation packages and rewards for the executive team.
- Review the compensation and performance of the executive team.
- Provided oversight on Shareholder Change of Control Plans.
- Developed financial packages associated with acquisitions
Director, Dimensional Training Corp. (Garden City, NY) 2024-Present
- Major Accomplishments:
- Successfully managed the incorporation and reissuance of stock, valuing the company at $1 million.
Previous Board Memberships
- GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (Atlanta, GA) — 2013-2019
- President’s Advisory Council
- CENTRAL BANK OF LEXINGTON (Lexington, KY) — 2014-2015
- Advisory Board Member
- BEYOND BLUE CORPORATION (Lexington, KY) — 2013-2015
- Board of Directors
- COLORADO SOCIETY OF CPAS (Denver, CO) — 2011-2014
- Board of Directors
- AACSB INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITING ASSOCIATION FOR BUSINESS SCHOOLS (Tampa, FL) — 2013-2014
- Board of Directors
- Audit Committee
- MILE HIGH UNITED WAY (Denver, CO) — 2010- 2013
- Treasurer/Chair of Finance Committee (budget, investments, audit)
- Board of Trustees
- Strategic Planning Committee
- Real Estate Committee
- ROCKY MOUNTAIN JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT (Denver, CO) — 2008-2013
- Board of Directors
- Strategic Planning Committee
- BETA GAMMA SIGMA (St. Louis, MO) — 2012-2013
- Board of Directors
- SOUTHERN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION — 1997-2006
- Past President
- President
- Vice President
- Board of Governors