Dr. Katrina Monton

Dr. Katrina Monton is an Assistant Teaching Professor and Director of Experiential Learning in the Organizational Psychology Program at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP), Rutgers University. Prior to joining Rutgers, she taught at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies and Teachers College from 2023 to 2025, where she designed and instructed courses on group dynamics, social psychology, and introductory psychology.

Her research examines how organizational culture shapes performance, well-being, and belonging in high-performance environments. Drawing on systems psychodynamics and organizational theory, her work focuses on uncovering the often unseen dynamics that sustain both excellence and harm. She partners with leaders, teams, and organizations to cultivate cultures that support both individual thriving and collective performance. While much of her work sits at the intersection of organizational psychology and high-performance sport, it also extends to other demanding domains, including medicine and the military.

Dr. Monton’s research has been presented nationally and internationally, including at the Academy of Management (AOM), the American Psychological Association (APA), and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). She has also been invited to speak at the U.S. Department of Justice and the United Nations in Geneva. Her scholarship appears in outlets including Career Development International and Annals of Surgery. She also contributes to public scholarship, with writing and commentary on high-performance culture appearing in outlets such as The Globe and Mail, and is a frequent podcast guest discussing the intersection of performance, culture, and well-being.

Informed by both scholarship and lived experience, Dr. Monton brings a dual perspective as a researcher-practitioner and former elite athlete. She was a member of the Canadian Women’s National Water Polo Team for over a decade, helping Canada reach the podium at six major international events, including the World Championships, Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games, and World League. After retiring from Team Canada, she earned an MA in Counselling Psychology from McGill University and worked as a clinical counselor in her hometown of Montreal.

Monton, K., & Noumair, D. (2026). Beneath the Surface: What Sport Reveals about High-Performance Systems. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Essays & Provocations. https://doi.org/10.1177/00218863261433641

Monton, K., Venier, N., & Brazaitis, S. (2026). Organizational practices that champion people   and performance: A case study of Speed Skating Canada. Frontiers in Organizational Psychology, 3, Article 1673007. https://doi.org/10.3389/forgp.2025.1673007

Monton, K. & Block, C. (2025). No pain, no gain? Masculinity contest culture in elite sport contexts. Career Development International, 1-16. Emerald Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-07-2024-0329

Monton, K⁺., Monton, O⁺., Ervin, A. M., Frank, A. L., Seal, S. M., Block, C. J., & Johnston, F. M. (2025). An Exploration of Culture in General Surgery Training Programs: A Scoping Review. Annals of Surgery, 10-1097. DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000006932

Monton, K. (2025). Athlete maltreatment: A systems perspective on human rights and social justice in sport. In J. Zajda & Y. Vissing (Eds.), Globalisation and human rights for democracy and social justice. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80297-3_9

Vissing, Y., & Monton, K. (2025). The Symbolic Importance of Athlete Attire: What it states about gender equality and justice. In J. Zajda & Y. Vissing (Eds.), Human rights and education globally. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-88615-7_4

Monton, K. (2025). White coats, hidden costs: Masculinity contest culture in medicine and its impact on physician outcomes [Doctoral dissertation, Columbia University]. Academic Commons, Columbia University.https://doi.org/10.7916/zjfn-5y96

Monton, K., Broomes, A. M., Brassard, S., & Hewlin, P. (2022). The Role of Sport-Life Balance and Well-Being on Athletic Performance. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 21(1), 101-10. https://cjcd-rcdc.ceric.ca/index.php/cjcd/article/view/3182