At the Drucker School of Management, we don’t just prepare leaders, we partner with them. Our Executive PhD in Management (EPhD) is designed for seasoned professionals who are already shaping industries and communities, and who are now ready to reshape the future of management itself.
This program is rooted in Peter Drucker’s conviction that management is a human and moral endeavor. It equips executive leaders to apply rigorous research to real-world problems, generate new knowledge from practice, and lead with both insight and integrity.
This year’s EPhD students bring a remarkable range of experience. They lead in public health, global tech, real estate, national security, higher education, and the arts. They’re founders, executives, strategists, and community builders. Some are exploring how AI will transform healthcare and finance. Others are rethinking leadership through the lenses of culture, communication, and equity.
Their unifying trait? Each one is committed to advancing a more thoughtful, effective, and ethical approach to management.
We are the future of management. And this is what it looks like.
2025 EPhD Cohort
Allison Johnson
BA, International Relations, Stanford University
MBA and MPA, Harvard University
Research Interests: Allison’s research explores how global mobility, capital flows, and strategic partnerships shape leadership, governance, and inclusive economic development. She is particularly interested in how cross-sector collaboration can be used as a tool for driving systemic impact in both emerging and developed markets.
Background: Allison Johnson is a global strategist, advisor, and former CEO with more than 30 years of experience leading business development and cross-border initiatives across four continents. She currently serves as Senior Advisor at LCR Capital Partners, where she helps families access international residency and citizenship through immigrant investor programs. Previously, she led urban revitalization and U.S.–Africa development efforts as CEO of 2414 Morgan Development Group and held senior roles at Northrop Grumman, McKinsey & Company, and The World Bank. Allison’s career has focused on bridging sectors, government, private enterprise, and civil society, to deliver sustainable growth. She is also a Presidential Management Fellow finalist, Aspen Institute Socrates Fellow, and Meridian International Fellow.
Andy Pollin
MBA in Finance | Real Estate | Venture Management, University of San Diego
BBA in Marketing, Mercer University
Research Interests: Real estate investment, finance, development, and leadership — including innovative capital structures, public–private partnerships, modular and alternative construction methods, housing policy, and approaches that advance both affordability and generational wealth creation.
Background: Andy Pollin is a real estate executive with more than 25 years of experience leading investment, finance, and development projects across the United States. He teaches real property development at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and the University of San Diego, where he connects academic learning with real-world practice.
Angel Guerra Chagolla
MA in Executive Leadership, Liberty University
BA in Studio Arts, California State University San Bernadino
Research Interests: The Risk of Cultural Avoidance in Global Marketing: How Female Leaders Navigate Stakeholder Trust and Strategic Risk in Corporate Expansion
Background: With two decades of leadership experience in national risk management and global claims, Angel Guerra-Chagolla brings a deep well of industry expertise to her academic journey. She is the founder of Beauty & Beast In Business, a leadership platform that empowers women through resilience, authenticity, and self-empowered growth. A national speaker and career coach, Angel has delivered keynote addresses to audiences of 500+ and mentored professional women through organizations like the CSUSB-National Women’s Business Center and the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. Her research explores how female leaders navigate trust and strategic risk in global corporate expansion, with a focus on the consequences of cultural avoidance in marketing and stakeholder relationships.
Angie (Perez) Thomas
BS in Electrical Engineering, Purdue University
Research Interests: Executive and board-level group dynamics, leadership effectiveness, and the impact of communication and organizational design on executive tenure.
Background: Angie (Perez) Thomas is a global leader at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where she drives go-to-market strategies for enterprise digital transformation. Over her 12-year tenure at AWS, she has built high-performing teams, led global operational initiatives, and designed scalable leadership programs. Her research explores how executive communication, decision-making, and organizational structure influence leadership effectiveness and tenure. Angie’s work aims to develop evidence-based models that help organizations cultivate ethical, future-ready executives equipped for technological and societal change.
Ayanna Alexander-Laine
BA in Sociology & Psychology, Louisiana Tech University
MA in Human Resources & Business Management, Marymount University
Research Interest: Managing Health Disparities in the Era of AI (Ethics, Leadership, and Management)
Background: Ayanna Alexander-Laine is the Co-Founder and General Partner of Freedom Trail Capital, a venture fund investing in early to mid-stage consumer businesses at the intersection of culture, lifestyle, and influence. Her career spans more than 20 years in the healthcare industry, where she has developed a deep commitment to human-centered leadership as a catalyst for systemic change. Ayanna is also a former Olympic athlete and World Championships competitor, bringing a unique perspective shaped by excellence in sport, business, and social impact. Her work and research are grounded in the belief that organizations thrive when they place humanity at the center of their strategy.
William (Bill) Bridgemohan
BBA, Public Accounting, Pace University, New York
MBA, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
MIS, American University, Washington DC
Research interests: Cross-cultural intelligence in Global Travel and the Airlines. Impact of mindfulness practices for executive performance, employee well-being and service excellence in the travel space.
Background: Colonel Bill Bridgemohan brings over 30 years of distinguished service in the United States Air Force, where he has held diverse leadership roles across operations, policy, and international engagement. His career includes appointments as a commander, program manager, foreign area officer, counter-narcotics operations officer, politico-military advisor, program element monitor, and congressional liaison. In addition to his military career, Bill is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Maryland and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), reflecting his commitment to both strategic leadership and financial integrity.
Robert N. Garcia
BA in Finance, University of South Florida JD, University of Louisville
MBA, Cornell University
LLM in Law, Technology & Entrepreneurship, Cornell University
ALM in Government, Harvard University
Research Interests: Entrepreneurship ecosystems and applications of generative artificial intelligence for process improvement within corporate law departments and in-house counsel operations.
Background: Robert Garcia is an entrepreneur and founder of Vaire & Argent LLC, a management company focused on projects in aerospace innovation, luxury consumer brands, and digital media. He brings a multidisciplinary background spanning law, finance, and entertainment, with previous experience as an attorney and business affairs executive in the film and television industry. Throughout his career, Robert has specialized in navigating complex creative ventures and structuring high-impact deals across sectors.
Carolina Rodriguez
BA in Political Science and International Relations, University of California, Los Angeles
MBA, California State University, Monterey Bay
Research Interests: Carolina’s research focuses on consumer behavior and organizational design, particularly on fostering customer-centric cultures that balance human connection with technological innovation. Her work aims to contribute to neuroeconomics and organizational behavior research to deepen the understanding of consumer behavior and customer-focused leadership.
Chad Robert Stewart
BA in British Literature and European History, Brown University
MBA in Global Strategy, Boston College
Research Interests: Chad’s research explores the creativity crisis in America and its impact on education, innovation, and modern management. He is particularly interested in identifying how declining creative capacity undermines organizational effectiveness and societal progress. His work is structured around three dimensions, problem, reaction, and solution, with the goal of developing strategies that restore creativity as a central force in leadership, business, and culture.
Background: Chad Robert Stewart is a bestselling author, global strategist, and founder of both the Britfield Institute, which promotes creativity and literacy, and Devonfield, a media company focused on education, publishing, and film. He is the creator of the award-winning Britfield & the Lost Crown series and has led major initiatives in arts education and nonprofit leadership. A former investment banker, Chad now channels his creative and strategic expertise into addressing what he calls the “creativity crisis” in America, researching how diminished creativity impacts innovation, education, and modern management.
Charles Kim
BA in Psychology, Biola University
MBA, Drucker School of Management, Claremont Graduate University
Research Interest: Charles’s research examines how leaders in knowledge-based organizations develop and demonstrate the competencies, functions, and behaviors necessary to integrate human insight within systems increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. He is particularly interested in the concept of a “performance of care,” a leadership approach grounded in ethical judgment, empathy, and social responsibility, as a framework for navigating the moral and practical complexities of the knowledge society.
Background: Charles Kim is the Global Head of Research, Training, and Engagement at The Grace and Mercy Foundation, and has held senior executive roles in the petrochemical, biofuel, and biotechnology industries across Asia and the U.S. He has also led nonprofit and faith-based organizations throughout North America and Korea. His academic interests were shaped by coursework under Peter Drucker, sparking a deep engagement with Drucker’s concepts of the Functioning Society and Knowledge Society. Charles is particularly drawn to the thinkers who influenced Drucker — Buber, Kierkegaard, Weber, and Schumpeter — and how their ideas inform leadership and ethics in both for-profit and nonprofit settings.
C. Daniels
Masters, Harvard University
MBA, Cornell University
AB, Hamilton College
Research interests: Specialized capital markets; digital assets, corporate governance.
Daniel Almendarez
BS in Administration, California State University, San Bernardino
MBA, University of California, Riverside
MBT, University of Southern California
Research interest: Strategic management of artificial intelligence in the professional services sector.
Daniel Dávila
BA in Economics and Film, Claremont McKenna College
MFA in Producing, University of Southern California
MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
Research Interests: The neuroeconomics of attention and the dynamics of media systems, with a focus on attention as a scarce resource. I want to explore how individuals and societies allocate attention, and how alternative models might support healthier and more ethical outcomes in business, media, and culture.
Background: Daniel Dávila is a filmmaker, executive, and strategist with more than 20 years of experience at the intersection of media, entrepreneurship, and finance. He has led international film and television ventures, advised startups, and most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer at RISE Entertainment. His career blends creative vision with systems thinking and economic analysis, reflecting a lifelong interest in how narratives shape business, culture, and innovation.
Dawn Hill
MBA in Accounting, California State University, San Bernardino
BS in Accounting, California State University, San Bernardino
Research Interests: I’m passionate about exploring how gendered experiences and physiological changes shape women’s professional trajectories and leadership opportunities. My focus lies in examining the intersection of gender, equity, and organizational culture — especially where silence or stigma hinders women’s full participation at work. I aim to uncover these hidden dynamics and advocate for workplace structures that recognize and support women’s well-being and success
Eren Cello
BA in Communications, emphasis in Public Relations, Cal State Fullerton
MA in Communications, University of Southern California
Research Interests: Eren’s research explores the representation and advancement of Latinas in executive leadership, with a focus on the structures and systems that influence access to leadership pipelines. She is particularly interested in how these dynamics shape the collective leadership capacity of executive teams, and in identifying strategies that foster more inclusive, effective leadership across organizations.
Erick Jensen
BS in Business Management, Pepperdine University
MBA, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School (Minor: Copenhagen Business School – Maritime Business Strategy)
Graduate Certificate in Landscape Architecture, University of California, Los Angeles
Research Interests: Cross-border and cultural business strategy with a focus on U.S. entrepreneurship in China.
Background: Erick Jensen is a management consultant and adjunct professor with more than 20 years of leadership experience in operations, financial strategy, and entrepreneurship. He teaches MBA-level courses in finance, accounting, statistics, digital marketing, and case interviewing, with a portfolio that spans institutions across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Erick also advises early-stage ventures on growth and strategic planning, and serves as Supervisory Chairman for a San Bernardino-based credit union. His current research focuses on the institutional and strategic challenges faced by U.S. founders operating in China.
Gabriel Maldonado
BA, Political Science and Global Affairs, University of California, Riverside
MBA, Global Business, University of Redlands
Research Interests: Gabriel’s research focuses on ethical and effective leadership in corporate giving and philanthropy. He is particularly interested in how values-based leadership can be applied to resource distribution in underserved communities and how corporate social responsibility initiatives can be reimagined to advance equity and systemic change.
Background: Gabriel Maldonado is a long-time community organizer, activist, and founder of TruEvolution, a health and justice organization serving LGBTQ+ individuals, youth, seniors, and people living with HIV in the Inland Empire. Since founding TruEvolution in 2007, he has led its expansion into housing and community infrastructure, including the launch of Project Legacy — a safe and inclusive hub offering transitional housing and support services. Gabriel has served in both public and private sectors, including a presidential appointment to the Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS under President Obama. He is a board member of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest and was appointed in 2023 as an inaugural Commissioner to the California Racial Equity Commission by Governor Gavin Newsom. Raised in Compton and deeply influenced by civil rights and community organizing movements, Gabriel brings nearly two decades of leadership in public health, housing development, and social justice.
Jeric Huang
BA in History, University of California at Los Angeles
Master of Public Policy, Richard and Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley
MBA, Walter A. Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley
Research Interests: Jeric’s research focuses on leadership development and succession planning as strategic levers for organizational adaptability and sustained performance. He is particularly interested in how leadership pipelines are cultivated to ensure long-term effectiveness in dynamic and complex environments.
Background: Jeric Huang is a Managing Director at Consulting LLP with more than 15 years of experience in organizational strategy, workforce transformation, and change management across a wide range of industries. He partners with business, functional, and HR leaders to unlock value through talent strategy and operational excellence. Jeric has led large-scale transformation efforts and brings a systems-focused approach to leadership, performance, and enterprise adaptability.
Joseph W. Mele, MA MS, PhD
BS in Counseling Human Services & Theology/Religious Studies (Pastoral Care concentration), University of Scranton
MA in Pastoral and Spiritual Care, Loyola University Maryland
MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Capella University
PhD in Organizational Leadership, Adler University
Research Interests: Joseph’s research explores how applied positive psychology can enhance employee engagement by emphasizing strengths, well-being, and meaningful work. Drawing from Peter Drucker’s human-centered philosophy of management, he investigates how people-first cultures form the foundation of organizational resilience and enduring business success. His work seeks to demonstrate that investing in human flourishing is not only ethical but essential to building adaptive, high-performing organizations that thrive across generations.
Background: Joseph Mele is an organizational psychologist and leadership scholar whose work bridges humanistic management and applied positive psychology. With a multidisciplinary background spanning theology, counseling, and organizational science, he is deeply interested in how values-based leadership fosters both individual flourishing and organizational resilience. Joseph’s professional path reflects a commitment to developing workplaces that honor human dignity while driving sustainable performance and long-term success.
Kimberly Moon
BS in Marketing, DePaul University
Research Interests: Kim’s research focuses on the intersection of leadership and positive psychology. She is particularly interested in how leadership styles grounded in optimism, emotional intelligence, and human flourishing can drive organizational effectiveness, innovation, and resilience.
Background: Kim Moon is a Senior Marketing Lecturer at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she has taught in the College of Business since 2008. Before transitioning into academia, she built a successful career in brand management, innovation, and new product development at several Fortune 200 companies. Her portfolio includes work with household names such as Glade, Kraft, Pillsbury, American Express, KitchenAid, and Whirlpool. Outside of her professional life, Kim is a runner, ice skater, avid reader, and proud mother of four adult children.
Natalie Tapia
MBA in Human Resources Management, California State University Los Angeles
BA in Sociology (Law & Society) and Minor in Paralegal Studies, California State University Los Angeles
Research Interests: Natalie’s research examines how unspoken social norms, or “invisible scripts,” shape perceptions of leadership within organizations. She is particularly interested in how these implicit expectations determine who is trusted, promoted, or included in decision-making spaces. Her work explores how such norms can lead to performative diversity efforts and aims to identify ways leaders can challenge these patterns to foster genuine inclusion and shared recognition.
Background: Natalie Tapia brings a background in human resources and organizational behavior, with a focus on how culture and power dynamics shape the employee experience. Her academic and professional interests center on equity, inclusion, and the unseen social norms that influence leadership pathways. She is particularly drawn to uncovering how bias manifests subtly within organizational systems and is committed to helping leaders build more authentic, inclusive workplace cultures.
Sam VanNorman
BS in Computer Engineering, Purdue University
MBA, University of North Carolina
MS in Health Services Research, University of Minnesota
Research Interests: Sam’s research focuses on the adoption of artificial intelligence in healthcare, both by consumers and within health systems. He is also interested in the application of advanced analytics to improve outcomes, efficiency, and equity in healthcare delivery.
Background: Sam VanNorman is the Senior Vice President of Core Products at R1 RCM, where he leads development across analytics, data, patient experience, automation, and revenue intelligence solutions. He previously held senior leadership roles at Signify Health (CVS), Bright Health Group, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and Optum, where he led national healthcare analytics and innovation initiatives. His career spans healthcare delivery, health economics, and applied data science, and he has served on multiple state and national advisory committees for ACOs, quality measurement, and healthcare IT. Sam teaches graduate courses in data visualization and storytelling at New York University and is a contributing author of the HIMSS Book of the Year Analytics in Healthcare. Prior to his work in healthcare, he designed microchips for IBM and two tech startups.
Spencer Tom Garrett
BS in Business Administration, (Finance, Real Estate, and Law), California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
BS in Business Administration, (Management and Human Resources), California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
MBA in Business Analytics, Drexel University
Research Interests: Spencer’s research focuses on building portfolio management strategies for structured product investments, with an emphasis on quantifying risk and optimizing diversification. He is particularly interested in applying and testing financial theories to better understand the relationships between securities and how they impact overall portfolio performance. His work aims to balance return and risk through data-driven decision-making and advanced investment modeling.
Thomas Dominique
MBA in Finance and Corporate Strategy, Howard University
BBA in Finance, Howard University
Research Interests: Thomas’s research explores international business development within the transportation and logistics sector. He is particularly interested in how strategic partnerships, financial planning, and operational models can be optimized to support sustainable expansion and innovation in regional and global markets.
Background: Thomas Dominique is Chief Executive Officer of Battle’s Transportation, Inc. and RHG Group, Inc., a regional transportation company with operations in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. In this role, he develops corporate strategy and serves as a senior advisor to the company’s Founder and Board Chairman. Previously, he served as both COO and CFO, helping guide the company’s growth and diversification. Thomas brings a multifaceted background that spans executive leadership, transportation and logistics, business planning, and finance. He is also the founder of a healthcare transportation startup and has more than a decade of corporate banking experience, having held client management and underwriting roles at institutions including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Chevy Chase Bank, and LaSalle Bank. He currently resides in Culver City, California, and is the proud father of three sons.