Michael Williams, PhD

Michael Williams has served Pepperdine University in a variety of leadership roles since joining the faculty in 2004. He is an experienced leader in graduate management education with competencies in program development, stakeholder engagement, and process improvement. As a scholar, he is interested in how technology shapes organizations, individuals, and society. He has published in leading empirical and practitioner outlets including European Journal of Operations Research, MIS Quarterly Executive, and books published by Oxford University Press. Michael is an award-winning teacher, including the Howard A. White Award for Teaching Excellence, Pepperdine’s highest teaching award. Additionally, has served as a visiting scholar and teacher at business schools around the world including University College Dublin (IE), Mannheim University Business School (DE), and Innsbruck Management Centre (AT).

Jillian Alderman, PhD, CPA, CFE

ACCT, FIN, Real Estate, DESC

Jillian Alderman is an Associate Professor of Accounting. Prior to her academic experience, Jillian worked as an auditor at Deloitte and is professionally licensed as a CPA (Florida) and Certified Fraud Examiner. Jillian’s research interests are interdisciplinary and applied in focus, involving the study of how individuals’ beliefs, traits, and backgrounds influence their lives, and the resulting impact on organizations and society. Jillian has received the Howard A. White Award for Teaching Excellence from Pepperdine University and currently teaches Accounting courses in Part-Time and Full-Time programs, and a seminar on decision-making research for the EDBA program.

Jennifer Franczak, PhD

ABS, OTMT, STGY

Dr. Jennifer Franczak is a Professor of Organization Theory and Management at Pepperdine University, where she has deep expertise in organizational design, institutional theory, and workplace equity. She earned her Ph.D. in Management from Southern Illinois University, focusing on organization studies, which includes the intersection of organizational culture, institutional dynamics, and multi-level systems analysis. Dr. Franczak’s research explores how organizations evolve and adapt within complex institutional environments, with a particular focus on fostering inclusive and equitable hybrid workplaces. Her scholarship combines rigorous theoretical inquiry with real-world relevance. It has been published in leading academic and practitioner outlets, including Academy of Management Annals, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Human Relations, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Managerial Psychology, MIT Sloan Management Review, Organizational Dynamics, and Journal of Business Research. Dr. Franczak is dedicated to helping organizations design systems and cultures that are adaptive, ethical, and inclusive. 

Brian McGilvray, JD

ECNM, LEGL, MKTG, ISTM

Brian McGilvray currently teaches courses in leadership and ethics, business law, employment law, and human resources management at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School. McGilvray previously taught at California State University, Northridge, and has guest lectured on ethics and family business issues at UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management. In addition, he was awarded a Teaching Assistant Fellowship while attending Pepperdine University’s School of Law.  McGilvray currently serves as the Chair of the Master of Science in Business Program in the Graziadio Business School.