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Dr. Jessica Franks serves as the Director of Graduate Programs at the Mitchell College of Business, Â鶹ֱ²¥, where she provides strategic and operational oversight of the MBA, MAcc, and PhD programs. With a Juris Doctor degree from The University of Alabama School of Law, she brings extensive experience in academic administration, student success, and program development. Dr. Franks also serves as the primary academic advisor, guiding graduate students through every stage of their academic journey. In addition to her leadership role,  Dr. Jessica Franks also teaches courses in Business Law, including Legal Environment of Business,  Business Law II, and Employment Law at the Mitchell College of Business. Her legal expertise enhances her ability to engage students in critical discussions on commercial law, contracts, and the regulatory environment, providing practical insights that bridge theory and real-world application. Dr. Franks is dedicated to fostering a deep understanding of legal principles in business, preparing students for leadership roles in a complex global marketplace.

 

 

Mr. James Hunt has over 35 years of experience working with both for-profit and non-profit organizations, fostering a passion for understanding group dynamics, building effective teams, and guiding others towards leadership success. With a strong commitment to education, James returned to academia to share expertise, conduct research, and mentor students at the post-secondary level. He is currently a Senior Instructor in the Management Department in USA's Mitchell College of Business. 

As a social entrepreneur, Mr. Hunt thrives on bringing people together to achieve meaningful, impactful work. He has helped create several new student organizations and clubs here at Â鶹ֱ²¥ and currently advises three. Helping students find their path to academic and professional success is a particularly rewarding part of this journey.

In addition to being an educator, James is a social scientist and researcher, particularly interested in how emerging technologies are reshaping personal and organizational landscapes. Mr. Hunt advises leaders on fostering healthy organizations, especially during times of change, and is currently exploring how small and medium-sized enterprises leverage new technologies to build customer relationships.

As a researcher in business and social ethics, James is also examining the role of large language models in transforming organizational structures and the ways in which forward-thinking individuals can harness these tools for leadership development.

Specializing in business ethics, leadership training, management development, team building, social entrepreneurship, business communication, and health communication, Mr. Hunt brings a wealth of expertise to the Healthcare Leadership Certification Program, empowering leaders to navigate the complexities of today's evolving professional environments.

Dr. Jeanne Maes is a Professor of Management in the USA Mitchell College of Business, and also serves as the Â鶹ֱ²¥ Ombudsperson. She specializes in organizational communication, negotiation, and alternative dispute resolution. A consultant, certified coach, facilitator, mediator, and executive trainer, she has worked with clients throughout the U.S. and internationally.

In addition to her numerous publications, she has served in key leadership roles for the prestigious Organization Development Journal and on editorial boards for 2 other journals. From 2011-2016, she served as President of the International Society for Organization Development and Change (ISODC); she was awarded the Organization Development Institute’s Consultant of the Year award in 2010; she is a certified coach. She sits on the Board for the O.D. Institute, Ghana. In addition, she is a mediator and arbitrator and is listed on the Alabama State Court Mediator Roster.

A physician by training, Binata has led the development and delivery of human capital programs throughout her career spanning different sectors of the healthcare industry, countries,and diverse groups of learners ranging from fresh graduates to seasoned executives. Her work is anchored in enabling sustainable actualization of individuals in their leadership journey. She spearheaded the design and development of the Healthcare Leadership Certificate program.

Binata's teaching is informed by her experience being a leader in non-academic and academic world. Rooted in the belief that awareness of and the ability to be with one's emotions are critical when leading, she brings that 'consciousness' to her teaching and to help individuals lead their professional and personal life with choice.

She is a certified leadership coach, Points of You expert coach, Integral Unfoldment coach, Kolb’s Experiential Learning Profile (KELP) administrator, EQi 2.0 administrator.

 

Christina L. Wassenaar is an Associate Professor of Management at the Mitchell College of Business, Â鶹ֱ²¥, where she also serves as the current Faculty Senate President and Faculty Director for the MBA/EMBA programs. She earned her PhD and MBA from the Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University and her BSc in Agricultural Business Management from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

An award-winning international management consultant, Dr. Wassenaar specializes in leadership development, corporate strategy, and educational planning. Her extensive teaching experience spans undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels, both in the US and internationally. She also served for five years as the Academic Director for the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. Before transitioning to academia and consulting, Dr. Wassenaar accumulated eleven years of experience in research, marketing, and development with leading companies such as Johnson & Johnson, MGM, ACNielsen, and Verizon.

Dr. Wassenaar has recently completed her award with the US Fulbright Scholars program, focusing on accreditation projects for several universities, the development of a cybersecurity center as well as qualitative research on the role of leaders and organizations in peace creation in North Macedonia.

Her current research interests include shared leadership theory, corporate social responsibility (with a focus on irresponsibility), the role of leaders in peace creation, and corruption. Dr. Wassenaar is dedicated to advancing understanding and practice in these areas through her innovative research and teaching.

 

Dr. Jennifer C. Zoghby serves as Assistant Professor of Management at the Mitchell College of Business. She teaches a variety of business courses, and her research interests center on organizational change. She has led several training seminars for local and regional groups, including entrepreneurs, health care executives and the Bedsole Scholars. 

A native of Mobile, Dr. Zoghby grew up surrounded by her parents, three sisters and a large, Lebanese family. Her entrepreneurial family prized storytelling as an art form, and she continued this tradition as an award-winning newspaper reporter for The Mobile Press-Register and the Charlotte Business Journal in North Carolina. 

In 2003, Dr. Zoghby began her career in public relations as an assistant director at the Â鶹ֱ²¥, and she joined the Mobile Chapter of the Public Relations Council of Alabama. Over the next 10 years, she earned increased responsibility on campus and, from 2013, at USA’s Health system. In 2015, she received her Accreditation in Public Relations, and in 2017 she served as President of PRCA Mobile. She and her team won 20-plus industry honors over the years, and she was named the top public relations practitioner in the state in 2019. Dr. Zoghby served as spokesperson for the Mayor of the City of Mobile at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She holds her undergraduate degree in English and Political Science from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She earned a Master’s in Public Administration and Ph.D. in Marketing from the Â鶹ֱ²¥. 

Her hobbies include gardening, college football and shopping at second-hand stores.