Neil C. Tarallo is a senior lecturer of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Cornell University’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration in the SC Johnson College of Business. A lifelong entrepreneur and educator, he is recognized for bridging the gap between research and practice by translating ideas into tools leaders can use in real conversations, boardrooms, and decisions.

Neil is the creator of Multi-Dimensional Leadership, the Purposeful Growth Model, and the NOVA-U Decision-Making Framework. Together, these frameworks equip senior leaders to innovate with clarity and integrity in the face of uncertainty and volatility by applying academic insight in ways that generate momentum, unlock growth, and sustain competitive advantage.

As the author of The Purposeful Leader, Neil advances a grounded, human-centered approach to leadership shaped as much by failure and humility as by experience and insight. His work emphasizes that leadership and innovation are not abstract concepts to be studied in isolation, but lived behaviors to be practiced, adapted, and applied in dynamic environments.

Over his career, Neil has taught and advised leaders across five continents and 23 countries, an experience that has deepened his understanding of how global cultures shape the way organizations successfully innovate and lead. This perspective allows him to help executives recognize both the universal principles of leadership and the cultural nuances that determine whether new ideas take root, adapt, and succeed in different environments.

With more than 25 years of teaching at the university level, Neil has designed and led programs that blend experiential learning with applied decision-making. His career reflects a rare ability to move seamlessly between academia and industry, equipping leaders to thrive in uncertain times while building cultures of purposeful leadership, innovation, and sustainable growth.