This qualitative research study explored how the lifelong narrative identities of women educational leaders within the context of power structures have shaped the leaders they are today. Through narrative inquiry methodology and theoretical frameworks of narrative identity and feminist poststructuralism, six executive-level women leaders in the California Community College and California State University systems narrated the connection between their life story experiences and their leadership, identities, and conceptualizations of power. Through this process to co-create knowledge, the researcher restoryed the narratives in the context of the following life story construct themes: communion, contamination, redemption, agency, meaning making, and coherent positive resolution. How the women narrate their life stories in relation to leadership, identity, and power presents important implications for women on a pathway to executive leadership and provides ample reason for organizations to dismantle patriarchal structures to make space for feminist leadership that holds the potential to address the current issues facing higher education institutions. [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://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]