New Business School Faculty Added in Fall 2024
The Hankamer School of Business (HSB) welcomed 16 new faculty for the fall 2024 semester. The top-tier faculty will further support purposeful research conducted at the Business School while offering students innovative and experiential learning opportunities.
“Welcoming a new set of talented professors and lecturers to the Business School is always invigorating,” said Sandeep Mazumder, PhD, the William E. Crenshaw Endowed Dean of the Business School. “I look forward to seeing them grow professionally and personally as they integrate with our culture of excellence at Hankamer and as they prepare our students to be the business leaders of tomorrow.”
Rebecca Files
Job title: Professor, Chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Law
Education: PhD in Accounting, Texas A&M University, 2009; MS in Finance, Texas A&M University; BBA in Accounting, Texas A&M University
Previous position: Associate Professor of Accounting, the University of Texas at Dallas
Research interests: My research focuses on financial misconduct within firms. Financial misconduct can take many forms but generally refers to unfair or deceptive business practices that harm shareholders and other users of accounting information. I analyze the various reputation-repair strategies made by corporate leaders after the discovery of misconduct and the impact of those choices on investors, litigants and regulators.
Courses to teach: Financial Accounting courses at the undergraduate or graduate level.
What excites you most about joining HSB: I’m most excited about building relationships with the incredible faculty, staff and students at Baylor and collaborating with faculty on both research and teaching projects.
Rachel Scott
Job title: Assistant Professor; Accounting and Business Law
Education: PhD in Accounting, University of Georgia, 2024; BA in Accounting, Louisiana State University, 2009
Previous position: Audit Manager, Postlewaite and Netterville; Accounting Manager, Trinity Business Group
Research interests: Understanding how accounting standards affect businesses and industries and informing those involved in the standard setting process as they seek research assistance.
Courses to teach: To be determined
What excites you most about joining HSB: The faculty at HSB are kind, inspiring, motivated and talented—leaders in the classroom and in research. I am honored and humbled to join the team!
Kassie Stanfield
Job title: Lecturer: Accounting and Business Law
Education: MBA, University of Texas at Austin; Undergraduate Accounting, Harding University
Previous position: Executive Director, Save the Mothers International
Research interests: Though not very typical for an accountant, I spend most of my spare time researching the area of maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa for my nonprofit, Save the Mothers International.
Courses to teach: Currently teaching Intermediate Accounting I and Audit.
What excites you most about joining HSB: Being surrounded by colleagues and students who have a shared passion for service, excellence and the Lord.
Isaac Ahimbisibwe
Job title: Assistant Professor: Economics
Education: PhD, Agriculture and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis; Masters, Applied Economics, Illinois State University; Bachelor of Statistics, Makerere University
Previous position: PhD Candidate, University of California, Davis
Research interests: My research field is development economics and economics of education. My current projects are on higher education access for girls, specifically affirmative action by gender; higher education peer effects in a setting with high ethnolinguistic diversity and segregation; and employee training in small firms in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Courses to teach: ECO 1305 – Issues in Economics for Non-Business Majors
What excites you most about joining HSB: I'm particularly eager to join the Department of Economics, as my research interests align closely with those of the faculty. Additionally, I was drawn to Baylor's Christian-centered values.
Becca Jorgensen
Job title: Assistant Professor: Economics
Education: PhD in Applied Economics, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, 2024; MA in Economics, Miami University, 2016; BS in Quantitative Economics and Mathematics, Miami University, 2016
Previous position: PhD Student
Research interests: Real estate, household finance and industrial organization
Courses to teach: ECO 1305 – Issues in Economics for Non-Business Majors
What excites you most about joining HSB: Everyone I have met has been incredibly kind and friendly, and I am excited to work in a place with such strong researchers who are also great colleagues.
Cesia Sanchez
Job title: Clinical Assistant Professor: Economics
Education: PhD in Economics, University of California, Berkeley; BA in Economics, Texas A&M University
Previous position: PhD Student, University of California, Berkeley
Research interests: My primary fields of interest are labor economics and economic history. I also have interests in demography, health and applied microeconomics more broadly.
Courses to teach: ECO 2307 – Principles of Macroeconomics
What excites you most about joining HSB: I am excited to be at a department that allows for the blending of my two passions: my love for the scriptures and my passion for economics research. In addition, I am excited about getting to know my colleagues and witnessing the intellectual growth of my students!
Sohvi Heaton
Job title: Assistant Professor; Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation
Education: Oxford University
Previous position: Visiting Assistant Professor, Santa Clara University
Research interests: Dynamic capabilities, neuroscience applications in entrepreneurship research, open innovation
Courses to teach: ENT 4330 – Corporate Innovation Capstone; BUS 4385 – Strategic Management
What excites you most about joining HSB: The distinctive blend of academic excellence and Christian commitment was particularly attractive to me.
Tianyi Qu
Job title: Assistant Professor; Finance
Education: PhD in Finance, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2024; MA in Finance, University of California San Diego, 2017; BA in Business Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 2014
Previous position: PhD Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Research interests: My research focuses on institutional investors and sustainable finance.
Courses to teach: FIN 4350 – Financial Modeling
What excites you most about joining HSB: I am eager to collaborate with esteemed colleagues and contribute to the development of future business leaders.
Mahyar Sefidgaran
Job title: Assistant Professor; Finance
Education: PhD in Finance, University of Texas at Austin
Previous position: PhD Student, University of Texas at Austin
Research interests: Economics of Information
Courses to teach: Investments
What excites you most about joining HSB: The Hankamer School of Business has a strong theory and applied corporate finance group that shares my research interests. I am excited and looking forward to collaborating with them.
Emmanuel Ayaburi
Job title: Assistant Professor; Information Systems and Business Analytics
Education: PhD in Information Technology, the University of Texas at San Antonio, 2017; MBA Colorado Heights University, 2011; BSc in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, 2006
Previous position: Assistant Professor, Cleveland State University
Research interests: Understanding how individuals and businesses perceive and react to information systems security and privacy issues.
Courses to teach: Managing Network/Security Risk
What excites you most about joining HSB: The Hankamer School of Business has a very strong Information Systems program and faculty group who do amazing research. Coming from teaching in public institutions, I am excited and looking forward to teaching students and collaborating with faculty that is a faith-inspired.
Wade Rugenstein
Job title: Clinical Assistant Professor; Information Systems and Business Analytics
Education: BBA, MIS, Baylor University; MBA, Strategic Management, University of North Texas
Previous position: Chief Business Development Officer, Cain Watters & Associates
Research interests: Technology and M&A
Courses to teach: MIS 3305 – Management Information Systems
What excites you most about joining HSB: I am excited to return to Baylor and hopefully give back to the community that gave me so much at the start of my career.
Rory Samuels
Job title: Clinical Assistant Professor; Information Systems and Business Analytics
Education: PhD in Statistical Science, Baylor University, 2024; MS in Statistical Science, Baylor University, 2020; BSc in Statistical Science, Southern Methodist University, 2019; BSc in Economics, Southern Methodist University, 2019
Previous position: Graduate Student, Baylor University
Research interests: Multivariate data analysis, functional data analysis and spatial-temporal statistics
Courses to teach: Introduction to Business Analytics II
What excites you most about joining HSB: The research initiatives and students that come out of the Hankamer School of Business have a global impact. I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to that impact through research and teaching in an environment that puts Christ at the center.
Sarah Schaffer
Job title: Lecturer; Information Systems and Business Analytics
Education: BBA, Marketing, Harding University; MBA, Management, University of North Texas; MS, Learning Technologies, University of North Texas; ABD, Learning Technologies, University of North Texas
Previous position: Part-time Lecturer, Baylor University
Research interests: The utilization and integration of technology during informal training.
Courses to teach: BUS 1305 - Software Applications for Personal Productivity; BUS 1350 - Software Applications for Business Productivity and Decision-Making
What excites you most about joining HSB: Investing in the lives of our Baylor Bears, cultivating an environment where students feel encouraged and supported, and developing future leaders in the business world.
Ade Oyedijo
Job title: Assistant Professor; Management
Education: PhD in Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Newcastle University; Pg. Cert in Advanced Research Training, Newcastle University; MSc in Operations and Supply Chain Management, Newcastle University; BA (Hons) in Business and Management Studies, University of Hertfordshire
Previous position: Associate Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management, University of Leicester
Research interests: Fairness in Supply Chains, Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Systems in Africa
Courses to teach: MGT 4345 – Global Supply Chain Management and MGT 3325 – Operations Management
What excites you most about joining HSB: Although Baylor's R1 classification was very alluring and demonstrated the University's reputation for exceptional research, it was the collaborative atmosphere and the significant work being done at HSB that drew my attention.
Daniel Watts
Job title: Assistant Professor; Management
Education: PhD in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources, Georgia State University, 2024; BS in Business Administration, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015
Previous position: PhD Candidate, Georgia State University
Research interests: Relationships at work including newcomer-incumbent and follower-leader relationships
Courses to teach: MGT 3305 – Leadership & Organizational Behavior
What excites you most about joining HSB: I am thrilled to be joining such a wonderful community of people including the rest of the Management faculty, the Human Resources Management major and the exceptional students we serve.
Sophie Yang-Sun
Job title: Associate Professor; Management
Education: PhD in Supply Chain Management, Arizona State University; MBA, Brigham Young University; BS in Electrical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University
Previous position: Associate Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management, University of Texas at El Paso
Research interests: Understanding how supply networks affect firms’ decisions and performances and how firms’ decisions reshape their supply networks
Courses to teach: MGT 3325 – Operations Management
What excites you most about joining HSB: I am excited to work with colleagues in supply chain management and to incorporate my faith in teaching and research.
