EPS Research Fellows

Stephan Lizou, PhD

Chief Value Officer
Thales Group
Chief Marketing Officer
Thales, Inc. USA

Stephan M. Liozu is Chief Value Officer of the Thales Group (www.thalesgroup.com) and Chief Marketing Officer of Thales Inc. in the USA. He is also an Adjunct Professor & Research Fellow at the Case Western Research University Weatherhead School of Management. Stephan holds a Ph.D. in Management from Case Western Reserve University (2013), an MS in Innovation Management from Toulouse School of Management (2005), and an MBA in Marketing from Cleveland States University (1991). He is a Certified Pricing Professional (CPP), a Prosci© certified Change Manager, and a Strategyzer Business Model Innovation Coach. Over the past few years, Stephan published academic articles in the Journal of Revenue & Pricing Management, Business Horizons, MIT Sloan Management Review, and Industrial Marketing Management. He has also written several articles on strategic pricing issues for the Journal of Professional Pricing and is a regular presenter at Professional Pricing Society conferences in Europe and North America as well as the Strategic Account Management Association conferences. He authored three books, Dollarizing Differentiation Value (2016), The Pricing Journey (2015) and Pricing and Human Capital (2015). He also co-edited three books, Innovation in Pricing – Contemporary Theories and Best Practices (2012) and The ROI of Pricing (2014), and Pricing and the Salesforce (2015). Stephan sits on the Advisory Board of LeveragePoint Innovation and of the Professional Pricing Society. He is a Strategic Advisor to 360pi, The Kini Group, and PriceSenz.

Candace Steele Flippin, D.M., M.B.A., APR

Research Fellow
Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer
First Horizon National Corp.
Memphis, TN

Candace researches the multigenerational workplace and enhancing the leadership development of women. Her research has been published in the Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner and presented at ARNOVA. She authored two books Generation Z in the Workplace (2017) and Millennials in the Workplace (2017). Moving beyond well-known workplace barriers for women such as gender bias, exit due to family planning, and glass ceiling limitations, her current study is designed to understand key factors that help develop leadership-ready Gen X and Gen Y females to provide empirical findings and actionable frameworks to accelerate women moving into leadership roles.

Candace earned her Doctor of Management at Case Western Reserve University, an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and her BA in History of Art from the University of Michigan. She also holds an Accreditation in Public Relations. Learn more about her work at www.candacesteeleflippin.com.

Kris Murphy, PhD

VP, Financial Systems
Brightstar, Inc.

Financial Systems executive who is the VP of Financial Systems at Brightstar, Inc. Kris has 16 years of consulting experience at two top system integrators – Principal at The Hackett Group and Senior Manager at Accenture. Kris' primary research interest is extending our knowledge of how steering committees achieve implementation success for large-scale, complex systems. Kris has served on numerous steering committees and has worked at some of the largest organizations in the world. Kris earned a Ph.D. in Management from Case Western Reserve University's Doctor of Management program in May of 2016.

Kris received a BBA ('92) in accounting from the University of Miami and an MBA ('93) in Finance and Operations from Case Western Reserve University.

Kris who, as an adjunct, instructs information systems at Barry University recently presented his steering committee research at the Academy of Management ('16), Hawaiian International Conference on Systems Sciences ('16, '17).

Victoria Woo, PhD

Founder
humanCatalyst.co

Victoria Woo, PhD is an entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in start-ups, international management and in academia. Most recently, she has devoted the past decade to bridging academia and business communities by co-designing custom executive programs at INSEAD and Harvard where she helped Fortune 500 clients curate learning journeys for C-suite, senior leaders and high-potential managers.  In these roles, she also has facilitated dialogue and cooperation among world-wide business partners, alumni, and clients. 

 Her research focus is discovering factors that contribute to sustaining and attaining eudaimonia, by harvesting the transformative power of change, through which individuals’ well-being is enhanced.  Her research has lead to development of measurements such as Transformation Quotient ™ and Thriving Transitional Experiences™.  Recently released by Emerald Publishing, her chapter on thriving in transition is featured in “Human Capital and Assets in a Networked World”. Her work also appears in the International Academy of Management and Business, and Executive Doctorate in Business Administration Conferences and “Let's Get Engaged! Crossing the Threshold of Marketing’s Engagement Era”. She is the founder and Chief Thriving Officer for Human Catalyst, an extension of her research to elevate and nurture talent in organizations using the power of appreciative inquiry and narrative analysis.  She also lectures at Stanford and UCHastings Law School.

Dr. Dale E. Hartz

Dr. Dale Hartz is a Researcher, Educator, and Social Entrepreneur. He is the Founder & Executive Director of Better Future Facilitators (BFF), a 501c3 non-profit organization that is enabling high potential homeless people to start businesses and become social entrepreneurs.  BFF is the only organization in the country implementing this unique solution to help solve a portion of the homelessness crisis.

Additionally, Dale is a Doctoral Research Advisor at the Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management, a Sr. Organizational Effectiveness Consultant at Moore Counseling & Mediation Services in Cleveland, and an Adjunct Professor at Walsh University where he teaches Sustainability Achieved through Organization Change and Development.  He has an extensive business background including a 15-year career in the franchising industry and a 10-year career with a multi-billion dollar global industrial manufacturer.  His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts dual degree in Management and Marketing from Walsh University, a Master of Science degree in Positive Organization Development from Case Western Reserve University, and a Doctorate in Management from Case Western Reserve University.

His research focus is on Leadership Development and Business Strategies for the 21st Century including:

• Organizational influences on Healthy Engagement
• Trifecta Leadership - Leaders’ utilization of triple bottom line strategies that positively impact performance, people, and the planet.
• Collaborations between private sector organizations, NGOs, and governmental organizations to benefit diverse stakeholders and solve social issues.

Philip Cola, PhD

Phil Cola is an Associate Professor of Management and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU).  He teaches qualitative and quantitative research methods, leadership and research dissemination.  Presently, he is also the Associate Director of Academic Affairs for the Doctor of Management Programs at Weatherhead as well as the Director of the Regulatory Knowledge and Support core of the CWRU Clinical Translational Science Award.

His research interests include the responsible conduct of research, factors influencing success of physician scientists in academic medical centers, the translational science paradigm, workforce development, physician identity and nonprofit organizations.  As a research fellow, Phil is investigating the life cycle of mentorship in the translational sciences and the importance of intergenerativity in knowledge creation.

Phil earned a PhD in Management at Case Western Reserve University and a Master’s Degree in Experimental Psychology and Research Method and Design from Cleveland State University.

Avi Turetsky, PhD

Director of Quantitative Research
Landmark Partners

Avi earned his PhD in Management from Case Western in 2018. He is Director of Quantitative Research for Landmark Partners, which is a private equity ‘secondaries’ firm that acquires interests in private equity, real estate, and real assets funds. His current research examines the implications of statistical distribution shapes and parameters for management theory, with a specific focus on the predictors of private equity performance differentiation. Earlier work has examined the competencies that distinguish ‘right tail’ outperforming private equity investment professionals. Avi is also an Advisory Board Member of the Private Equity Initiative at INSEAD.

Beth Fitz Gibbon, DM

Founder and Principal,
Pathfox Venture Development

Beth builds new business ventures and economic development initiatives. She provides technical assistance for companies seeking to diversify, and states working to enhance advanced manufacturing and talented labor pools. Her unique combination of public/private enterprise experience includes Chief Operating Officer and Sr. VP positions in Research, Product Development and Strategic Planning.

She has a BA from Rutgers University, an MBA from Emory University, and a Doctorate in Business Management from Case Western Reserve, where she taught Entrepreneurship Strategy at the Weatherhead School of Management. Beth’s research into practical solutions supporting applied R&D for advanced manufacturing in high value sectors, has been presented at the Academy of management.

Learn more at www.pathfoxpartners.com

Ann Kowal Smith, DM

Ann Kowal Smith serves as Founder and Executive Director of Books@Work, a non-profit workplace-based learning initiative. Books@Work uses literature discussions, led by a professor, to break down barriers, build connections and foster inclusion, trust, respect and well being. The program works with employers, inviting their workforce – from the shop floor to the management suite – to uncover the issues that unite rather than divide them.

Prior to Books@Work, Ann spent the majority of her career in client service: as a corporate and securities lawyer, a management consultant and knowledge manager at McKinsey & Company and a principal at Heidrick & Struggles.

Ann earned a Doctor of Management from Weatherhead School of Management in 2010. Her doctoral research focused on leadership approaches and their impact on organizational learning and performance. Her current work focuses, in practice and in theory, on the individual, collective and organizational outcomes of the social connections occasioned by Books@Work.

In addition to the DM, Ann holds an AB in History of Art from Bryn Mawr College, an MA in History of Art from the University of Michigan, and a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University.

Karen R. Nestor, EdD

Karen Nestor, EdD is an educator, consultant and community activist, who uses qualitative research to support non-profit organizations and philanthropy in northeast Ohio to advance their missions. She is a research consultant for Books@Work and conducts context specific biographical research in a variety of educational settings.

Karen earned a Doctor of Education in Human and Organizational Learning from George Washington University in 2015. Her research focused on factors that support individuals to shape and reshape their lives amidst challenging social and economic conditions. Her current research is two-fold: 1) exploring the development of high-quality connections in Books@Work programs in the workplace; and 2) advancing new approaches to engaged practice-based research methodologies.

Matthew J. Gymer, DM

Matt Gymer is Head of Product Design & Partner Solutions at Hughes Data Sciences LLC. Hughes develops and commercializes health care innovations for health systems, community care networks and employers.

His research interests include human/computer interaction, product design and consumer purchase decisions. As a research fellow, Matt is investigating the implementation of various technology innovations within healthcare settings and their impact on clinical quality outcomes for patients.

Matt earned a Doctor of Management from Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management and Master of Liberal Arts from Harvard University.

Larry G. Straub, DM

Chairman  & CEO
Straub International, Inc.
Andover, KS

Larry Straub is the Chief Executive Officer of his family business and also an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University.  Dr. Straub has been the Chief Executive for his multi-generational family business for the past 25 years and has directed the business through mergers and acquisitions as he has led the business to a leadership position in its industry.  He has also taught for 30 years at all levels of higher education, instructing classes related to all aspects of business.

Dr. Straub’s research interests include career and business management in convulsive economic environments, particularly as they impact mid-career participants as well as small and family businesses.  As a research fellow, Larry is investigating and developing a framework and measurement tool to help individuals navigate increasingly convulsive environments in our cultures, societies and economies.  His research on the Promethean Framework and Measurement Tool was presented at the Academy of Management Conference.

Larry earned a Doctor of Management from Case Western Reserve University as well as an MBA from Friends University and an MS from Fort Hays State University.  He is also a graduate of the Owner President Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Karen Stock, DM

Associate Professor
DeVille School of Business
Walsh University

Karen Stock is an Associate Professor at Walsh University and teaches organizational behavior, ethics and leadership at the undergraduate and graduate level. Prior to teaching, she worked for multinational organizations in marketing and product development.

Her research interests center around experiential learning through the exploration of experiences that bring about deeper learning and application, both in the classroom and at the workplace. She has presented her work at both the Annual and Regional Academy of Management Conferences, Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Conferences, and has published her work in OD Practitioner and Management Teaching Review. She is also a member of the Experiential Learning Community of Practice.

Karen earned a Doctor of Management at Case Western Reserve University, Master of Arts in Management at Walsh University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree at Miami University where she majored in Organizational Behavior.

Michael Niederpruem, PhD

Director of Professional Development Programs 
Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies
University of Chicago

Mike has 18+ years of experience in leading large-scale assessment, learning, and continuing education/professional development programs. He is skilled in management, business process improvement, organizational development, governance design, and optimizing stakeholder engagement. An exemplar scholar/practitioner in leading and managing professional member associations, specifically in the context of their certification exams and accompanying professional credentials. Mike is currently a Certified Association Executive through the American Society of Association Executives, where he previously served on both the research and exam committees.

Mike earned a Ph.D. in Management from Case Western Reserve University’s Doctor of Management program in August of 2017. In addition to the Ph.D., Mike holds a BS and MS from Indiana University, as well as an MA in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University.

His prior research focused the problems of practice within professional associations, including volunteer recruitment, satisfaction, and retention. His current research streams are two-fold and include: 1) Adult learning and development, specifically in the context of sustainable employability throughout one’s career, and 2) intergenerativity, which means “fostering a meaningful fusion of conversations and experiences among often disconnected sources of human creativity like generations, disciplines or nations that inspires new possibilities and innovative actions.”

Emmanuel Quansah, Ph. D.

Assistant Professor of Management 
University of Houston – Victoria

Emmanuel Quansah is an Assistant Professor of Management at University of Houston – Victoria. He teaches leadership and strategy at the undergraduate and graduate level. He is a Research Fellow at Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. He has over 10 years of executive management experience.

Emmanuel research interest is in Leadership and Practices for Strategic Adaptation in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses. His research focus on (1) Leading Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in a Difficult Period: What Differentiates Success from Failure, (2) Promoting Adaptive Leadership: The Role of Employee Feedback in Small and Medium-Sized Companies, and (3) Strategic Adaptation in Small and Medium-Sized Companies: Which Practices Produce Successful Adaptation? As an Engaged Practitioner Scholar (EPS) Research Fellow, Emmanuel continues his research in Leadership and Practices for Strategic Adaptation.

Emmanuel earned a Ph.D. in Management from Case Western Reserve University, a Master's degree (MBA) in Finance and Management from the University of Houston – Victoria, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Ghana.

Ted Ladd, Ph. D.

Dean of Research and Professor of Entrepreneurship
Hult International Business School

Ted Ladd is the Dean of Research and Professor of Entrepreneurship at Hult International Business School, and an Instructor of Entrepreneurship at Harvard University. He has founded, led and participated in several venture-backed high-tech start-up ventures. The most was acquired by Google as the foundation for its smartwatch WearOS. He serves on the boards of several public, private, and non-profit boards for energy generation and economic development in his home state of Wyoming. Ted holds a PhD from Case Western Reserve, an MBA from Wharton, a masters in international economics with honors from Johns Hopkins University, and a BA cum laude with distinction from Cornell as a triple major in biology, government, and technical sociology.

His research focuses on best practices for entrepreneurs to design new business models, especially multi-sided platforms, and has appeared in several academic and practitioner channels, including the Harvard Business Review, Stanford Social Impact Review, Academy of Management's annual and specialized conferences, USASBE, Wharton Business Radio, and Forbes, where he is a regular contributor. His full publication record is available on ORCID. The project at the heart of his fellowship is an examination of the specific cognitive drivers for buyers to find the ideal seller on a platform, and then bypass the platform to consummate the transaction. The project is entitled, “The Determinants of Disintermediation."

Chris Lamb, Ph. D.

Adjunct Professor of Management,
Fairleigh Dickenson University
New Jersey, USA

Chris has over 30 years of experience operating in a dynamic, international competitive business environment with responsibility for: complex transactions, business development, R&D, operations, sales & marketing. Chris currently consults biotech startups through his consultant company, BioSolutions Services LLC. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Management at Fairleigh Dickenson University.

Chris earned his PhD in Management from Case Western Reserve University, Weatherhead School of Management, in May 2018. His research has focused on the management of chronic diseases and the role of teams in successful Biotech start-ups. His current research is to explore the link between health outcomes, cost, shared decision making and improved quality of chronic care.

Yolonda Freeman-Hildreth, PA-C, Ph. D.

Research Fellow,
Assistant Professor
University of Detroit Mercy
Detroit, Michigan

Yolonda is an assistant professor at the University of Detroit Mercy. She teaches in the graduate Physician Assistant (PA) program preparing students to become licensed, practicing PAs. Prior to teaching, she practiced as a PA for over 16 years, specializing in Internal Medicine. Additional roles include managing a Coumadin clinic and practicing outpatient internal medicine. She was awarded the Internal Medicine Physician Assistant of the Year for overall service.

Yolonda's research centers around gaining a further understanding of the relationship between social interactions and Type 2 diabetes outcomes. She wishes to explore which types of social interactions and relationships facilitate behavioral change in individuals with T2DM. Her research has been published in PLOS One https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214713 and presented at AOM, American Academy of PA's conference, and The Annual Conference on Diabetes. Her goal is to provide healthcare professionals and healthcare management with greater insight into the burdens and challenges impacting patients with chronic disease.

Yolonda earned her Ph.D. in Management from Case Western Reserve University, Weatherhead School of Management, in May 2019. She holds an MBA from Northwood University in Midland, Michigan in 2014, a Master of Science (MS) in Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Detroit-Mercy in Detroit, Michigan in 2003, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan in 1998.

Montressa L. Washington,  Ph. D., M.B.A.

Research Fellow
Assistant Professor
Shenandoah University
Winchester, Virginia

Montressa Washington is an Associate Professor at Shenandoah University and Director, Shenandoah University Institute for Entrepreneurship.  She teaches courses in entrepreneurship, human resources and international business, at the undergraduate and graduate level. Prior to teaching, Montressa has over twenty years of management consulting experience with corporations such as IBM’s Global Business Services, James Martin & Co., and Accenture (formally Andersen Consulting).  Montressa’s expertise enriches her extensive consulting background adding nuance, cultural understanding and innovation to her vision and work in organizational transitions, knowledge management, change management, and strategic transformation.

Montressa thought leadership is evidenced through the research she conducts in the areas of entrepreneurship, human resources, technology, innovation, and organizational leadership.  Montressa presents her academic research at conferences such as the Academy of Management (AOM),  United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE), EuroMed Academy of Business, Southern Academy of Management Association (SMA) and International Association for Computer Information System (IACIS).  

Montressa earned a PhD in Management at Case Western Reserve University, an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and her BA in English from the University of Maryland. She also holds an Accreditation in Public Relations.  Montressa holds these certifications: Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), Certified Scrum Master – ScrumAlliance, The Weatherhead Executive Coaching Certificate (CWRU), ACT! (Accelerating Change Together) – IBM Facilitation Method.

Carl Greppin, PhD

Managing Partner
Transpac Access
Cleveland, OH

Carl is Managing Partner of Transpac Access, a supply chain management consulting firm. He is also an Adjunct Professor at John Carroll University.

Carl's research interest is corruption. His dissertation examined how executives decide to bribe, and whether bribing is beneficial or harmful to the bribers and their firms. For his fellowship, he will use World Bank Data to explore how external factors affect bribing activity and how bribing activity affects firm performance in highly corrupt countries across the world.

Carl presented How U.S. executive expatriates work in environments of pervasive corruption at the Academy of Management Proceedings (2017). He published How expatriates work in dangerous environments of pervasive corruption in the Journal of Global Mobility (2017). He was selected to present What Motivates Participation in Corruption and How Does Such Participation Affect Firm Performance? at the Academy of Management Proceedings (2020).

Carl received an AB in Political Economy from Princeton University (1987), an MBA from University of Chicago (1991), and a PhD in Management from Case Western Reserve University (2020).

Susan Johnson, PhD

Research Fellow

Susan has over 20 years of experience leading project teams for global Fortune 100 companies.

Susan research's team communication and the challenges of maintaining alignment across multiple disciplines on complex projects. Through this fellowship Susan is continuing her study of how identity and social reality effect team performance.

Susan has presented her research at the PMI Global Conference (2019), Engaged Management Scholarship Conference (2019), OCIS Doctoral Consortium (2019) and she will present at the Academy of Management Proceedings (2020).

Susan earned her Ph.D. in Management from Case Western Reserve University, an MBA in Finance from Northeastern University and a BA in Operations Management from Boston University.

Angel López Mutuberría, DM

Pamplona, Spain

Angel M Lopez Mutuberria graduated in Law (Universidad de Navarra, Spain), but soon after, he decided to pursue an MBA at the University of Houston, Texas, where he graduated in 1995. After a few years working in Human Resources for different corporations, he realized that Law only provided him with a limited framework of reference to manage people, so he graduated in Psychology years later to better understand human behavior’s labor dynamics. He has been working in International Human Resources for 20+ years. Currently, he is the head of People, Culture, and Sustainability at CIDACOS Group.

Once, he was told that he is an old soul in constant search of new learnings. It might well be why he started his Doctorate at Case Western Reserve University. He graduated in 2020 with a mixed-methods dissertation about how congruence with the authentic self eases to assess life meaning in a business context. He continues to research life meaning and spirituality within the need of a new cosmology for the XXIst century.

He is the proud father of three beautiful kids: Luís, Lucas, and Laia. Marta, his wife, his kids, and in general, his family are his passion. He also finds joy remembering childhood when he meets with his old-time buddies from school and neighborhood for their traditional monthly dinner in Pamplona (Spain), where he lives.

Ronald G. Fountain, DM, MBA, MSPOD

Founder & Managing Partner
The CommonWealth Group
Cleveland, OH

Ronald Fountain has more than 60 years of business experience including commercial banking, executive financial and operating management, as a graduate school of business faculty and Dean, consulting, active investor, and leadership development coach. He has served on more than 20 not-for-profit as well as private and public company boards as a board member or as Board Chair. He is a committed life-long learner who believes that service is the obligation we assume when we are empowered with knowledge and currently is a coach, consultant, entrepreneur and teacher.

Ron earned his BS from Valdosta State University in GA and his DM, MBA and MSPOD all from the Weatherhead School of Management. He completed the Corporate Finance Program at the Harvard Business School and holds several coaching certifications.

Ron's DM Applied Research Project research was on exploring why errors, once confirmed are repeated by individuals and organizations. His current research interest is related to his ARP and is on how Cognitive Dissonance limits professional coaching outcomes, organizational change efforts and limits the success of enterprise decisions and actions such as mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.

Ellen Schmidt-Devlin, PhD

Executive Director, Portland Programs
Lundquist College of Business
University of Oregon

Currently the Executive Director, Portland Programs Lundquist College of Business, at the University of Oregon prior to a 27-year career at Nike, Inc. with assignments in Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong. She completed her PhD in Designing Sustainable Systems from Case Western Reserve University in 2020. Her research focus is glocal branding/paradox theory. Her academic Career includes EMS Research CWRU, A mixed methods approach to investigating glocal or hybrid brands paper was accepted and presented at the 10^th Annual EMS International Conference, Fall 2020, and a Teaching Assistant Appointment for MGMT/EDMP 646 Advanced Analytical Methods, Fall 2020.

George Awad, DM

Founder & Principal
Gibraltar Capital

George is the founder and principal of Gibraltar Capital Corporation, a wealth management and advisory firm providing investment and business advice to wealthy, internationally based families. George has extensive operating experience in running large, global businesses across the full suite of consumer financial services products. As the Chief Sales and Marketing officer for GE Money, George was the architect of the growth of GE Money to a $20 billion company by introducing hundreds of financial products in more than 50 countries. George served as CEO, Consumer Finance for Citigroup, with prior positions as CEO, North America Cards and CEO, Global Consumer Group Europe Middle East and Africa. George was instrumental in leading transactions that generated over $30 Billion in capital for Citi during the financial crisis. He serves as a director of TransUnion and has served as Chairman of the Board of Walter Investments and on the board of Ditech. George Earned a Doctor of Management from Case Western Reserve University as well as an MBA in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the American University of Beirut.

George's research is focused on operational excellence and organic revenue growth.