PhD alumni
Here is a list of our PhD alumni from the Gill Graduate School at the University of Victoria. Our program launched in 2010 with the first graduate in 2016.
Dr. Juan Francisco Chavez Ramirez
Current position: Assistant Professor in Strategy and Organizations at the Smith School of Business at Queens University, Canada
Juan Francisco’s dissertation explored the process through which societal concerns, including those related to environmental issues and Indigenous Peoples' rights, become institutionalized and shape the business context that organizations must navigate. Through his research, Juan Francisco aims to encourage a wider reflection on the values that shape decision-making processes regarding significant issues for both business and society.
Graduation year: 2023
Dr. Trevor Israelsen
Current position: Assistant Professor of Organization Theory at the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University, USA
Trevor’s research focuses primarily on the ways in which individuals and families use narratives to mobilize resources in the pursuit of entrepreneurial projects in business and society. His thesis focused on the processes by which a small number of highly successful American business dynasties work to establish and manage their legacies through organizations and institutions.
Graduation year: 2023
Dr. Ye He
Current position: Assistant Professor, Strategy and International Business Group, Warwick Business School, UK
Ye’s research lies at the intersection of international business, strategy, and sustainability, with a particular focus on stakeholder management and value creation of organizations. Her research seeks to understand whether, how, under what conditions, and the extent to which organizations create value for various stakeholders and contribute to sustainable development for local and global communities.
Graduation year: 2023
Dr. Komal Kalra
Current position: Lecturer in International Management: Newcastle University Business School, UK
Komal Kalra’s research lies at the intersection of international business and cross-cultural management. Her areas of interest include comparative management, language diversity, gender in IB, and knowledge transfers. In her dissertation work, Komal discusses the importance of recognizing diversity and variations within countries.
Graduation year: 2020
Dr. Michael Silla
Mike Silla’s research in the entrepreneurship domain explores how entrepreneurs will be motivated to protect and nurture the new venture in light of any negative feedback that they receive from the environment, resulting in escalation of commitment.
Graduation year: 2020
Dr. Shazia Karmali
Shazia Karmali’s dissertation research explored the dynamics between discourse, rhetoric and framing, by following the concept of "local food" from obscurity to popularity and economic relevance, through measuring changes in the meaning of “local food" over 37 years.
Graduation year: 2020
Dr. Saeed Rahman
Current position: Assistant Professor: School of Business, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada
Saeed Rahman’s current research interests include ecological knowledge, regenerative sustainability, systems theory, social-ecological systems perspective, organizational unlearning, climate change governance, and reverse innovation. Learn more
Graduation year: 2019
Dr. Anirban Kar
Current position: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University
Anirban Kar conducts research in the areas of Positive Organization Scholarship and Social Issues in Management.
Graduation year: 2018
Dr. Helena Zhu
Helena Zhu's dissertation focussed on the role of delegation and the success of entrepreneurship startups.
Graduation year: 2018
Dr. Mike Szymanski
Current position: Associate Professor of Business Administration, Gies College of Business, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Mike Szymanski's research explored how bicultural individuals can impact team performance, using the lens of sport.
Graduation year: 2017
Dr. Sarah Easter
Current position: Associate Professor: College of Business Administration, Abilene Christian University, USA
Sarah Easter's dissertation work with the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness revealed the importance of boundary spanners for the success of diverse organizations.
Graduation year: 2016