Societal challenges make it difficult for women to lead. These obstacles are even more profoundly felt in Christian subculture, including churches, Christian non-profit organizations, and Christian higher education due to complementarian theology. Women are encouraged to pursue leadership roles far less frequently than men which limits the growth of their leadership identity. They also receive little support once they obtain leadership positions, making an encouraging community essential for women's leadership success. Women have much to offer society as leaders yet they are significantly underrepresented in executive positions, especially in Christian higher education. This dissertation describes the experiences of women in two distinct leadership development programs within the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). The following questions are explored: What are the important personal attributes women identify as effective for Christian higher education leadership today? What elements of leadership development programs do women identify as helping them grow as effective leaders in Christian higher education? Empowering women to unlock their leadership potential requires an investigation of women's theology, identity, and community as supportive elements of their leadership development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]