College of Business Leadership
Dean – Filiz Tabak, Ph. D.
Dr. Tabak is dean and professor of leadership and management in the College of Business. Her Ph.D. is in business administration with a focus area of management and organizational behavior from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Tabak also holds an M.B.A, an M.S. in Marine Physics and Chemistry, and a B.S. in Environmental Engineering. Dr. Tabak brings a wealth of experience in academic program development, implementation of high-impact, experiential learning eco-systems, as well as strategic planning and AACSB accreditation. She has championed multiple diversity, equity, inclusion, and belongingness (DEIB) initiatives and has expanded community outreach efforts to build strategic partnerships with business college stakeholders.
Dr. Tabak has taught multiple graduate and undergraduate courses in organizational leadership, learning and change, management, organizational behavior, and organization theory for over 20 years.
Her research interests span areas of work engagement, transformational leadership, entrepreneurial passion, and innovation and change management. Her research has been published in several top-quality journals such as Journal of Business Venturing, Academy of Management Perspectives, Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, and Journal of Education for Business.
Dr. Tabak has given numerous workshops and consulted with businesses and managers on executive leadership, team building, organizational structure and dynamics, and leadership development in organizations.
She is a member of the Academy of Management and the Southern Management Association. She is also a member and a fellow of the Eastern Academy of Management (EAM). As a fellow and past President of EAM, Dr. Tabak has initiated and completed all incorporation processes, chaired the Board of Directors, streamlined finances, and managed fund raising, vendor and sponsor relations for annual conferences. Dr. Tabak is an avid dog lover, and in her free time, boards and trains dogs.
Associate Dean – Christopher Garcia, Ph.D.
Chris is associate dean and professor of quantitative methods in the College of Business. His academic expertise lies in the areas of combinatorial optimization and machine learning. Chris’s research presently focuses on developing algorithms for complex planning and scheduling problems in the logistics, supply chain, and transportation domains; applying reinforcement learning to dynamic pricing problems; and using machine learning techniques to discover, extract, and fuse information from disparate sources into a reliable operational picture. His research has been published in flagship engineering and operations research journals including IISE Transactions, Engineering Optimization, OR Spectrum, INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics, and others. Chris earned his Ph.D. in Engineering Management at Old Dominion University. He also holds an M.S. degree in Operations Research as well as M.S. and B.S. degrees in Computer Science. Chris is a Certified Analytics Professional (CAP®) and has provided consulting for organizations in multiple industries including defense, transportation, finance, logistics, petroleum, and insurance. His faculty website can be found at https://cgarcia.info.
Director, Small Business Development Center – Susan Ball
Susan Ball is a Certified Business Analyst, a certified NxLevel instructor, and a GrowthWheel advisor. UMW SBDC consultants work with clients to evaluate business opportunities, forecast cash flows, develop marketing strategies, prepare loan proposals, and write business plans. The center serves clients throughout Planning Districts 16, 17, and 18, which includes Fredericksburg and the surrounding counties, the Middle Peninsula, and the Northern Neck. Susan has been with the UMW SBDC since the fall of 2007 and has worked with more than 2,000 clients during that time.
Susan has participated in the Veteran Business Bootcamp program since its inception in 2012. She oversees the Government Contracting Assistance Center (GCAC). The GCAC assists clients in registering to do business with state and federal agencies and obtaining applicable minority business certifications; it partners with the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (VSBSD) and the Virginia Procurement Technical Assistance Center (VPTAC) to provide training and one-on-one advising on marketing to the government.
Susan earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from the University of Mary Washington and an MBA in finance from the University of Florida. Prior to working with the SBDC, Susan co-authored finance textbooks, helped found a church-based preschool, and taught high school mathematics. With her husband and sons, she owned and operated a franchise pizza restaurant, Papa’s Pizza To-Go, in Orange, Virginia. She and her husband currently own an Airbnb in Mathews, Virginia, with their son and daughter-in-law.
Co-Director – Center for Economic Development-Christopher Willis
Chris’s entrepreneurial journey began during his college years at Appalachian State University, where he started a construction company in Boone, NC. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he founded a consulting firm to supplement his high school teaching salary, marking the beginning of a 30-year career in business and technology.
Throughout his professional life, Chris has held various roles, including IT consultant and director at MCI/WorldCom. His expertise as both an independent and direct consultant has been sought by major corporations such as Nestlé, BP Oil, Macy’s, Time Warner Cable, Home Depot, Cisco, and Verizon, as well as government agencies like the Port Authority of NJ/NY and Social Security Administration.
Driven by his experiences observing governance breakdowns at MCI/WorldCom, Chris pursued advanced education in management. He holds a Master’s in International Management from Thunderbird, an MBA from Virginia Tech, and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Management and Entrepreneurship at Old Dominion University. His research focuses on how individual factors influence entrepreneurial activities and firm governance, with a particular interest in hybrid social ventures that contribute to societal improvement.
During his Ph.D. program, Chris has published five peer-reviewed studies in respected journals such as Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy and Asia Pacific Journal of Management.
Chris is actively involved in mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students who are contributing to impactful entrepreneurship research. His mentorship has led to several student-led academic conference presentations and he is hopeful to see these projects continue through the peer-reviewed publication process.
While studying at Old Dominion University, Chris has secured funding for various entrepreneurial research and community programs, including a prestigious Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Grant. These funds supported research targeting diverse communities in transition—including veterans, women, immigrants, and economically distressed individuals. He also organized and participated in the Community Problem-Solving Challenge Program, which engages university and high school students in developing entrepreneurial solutions for complex socio-economic issues, has been recognized by AASCB as a model for community outreach.
Notably, Chris further organized four Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation-sponsored colloquiums, each attended on average by more than 125 scholars from more than 30 countries each year. The colloquiums included paper presentations, panel sessions, symposiums, invited talks, workshops, and keynotes. These events facilitated collaborations among scholars focused on transitional entrepreneurship, leading to several published works in top journals.
Looking ahead, Chris is eager to leverage his extensive experience and innovative approach to drive impactful programs that benefit both the University of Mary Washington students and the Greater Fredericksburg Region.
Administrative Coordinator – Brittany Bailey
Brittany A. Bailey is a strong believer in helping others and being of service to those in need. Her career for the past 37 years has been devoted to addressing issues of poverty, education, and Community Initiatives. With a Master’s degree in Urban Guidance/Counseling, Brittany has dedicated 33 years to the City of Norfolk, serving in several capabilities such as Human Services, Recreation and Neighborhood Preservation. Her last position with the City of Norfolk was Facilities Manager, managing three neighborhood service centers working with civic leagues, crime prevention, and City Manager’s Taskforce. Brittany received the John Roger Lifetime Achievement Award from the Norfolk Police Department and Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. This award was recognized by United States Senator Mark Warner for exemplary leadership and community involvement. She has successfully led initiatives that have transformed the lives of vulnerable populations and empowered communities.
Brittany also received recognition from the City of Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau as an Ambassador Extraordinaire and was an honoree for the Phenomenal Women Award by Norfolk State University for her professional presence, outstanding commitment to serving others as well as making a difference in the community.
Before coming to the University of Mary Washington, Brittany worked the last four years at George Mason University as an Administrative Specialist in New Student and Family Programs, working with professional staff and students assisting in the planning and logistics for orientation and family programs.
Brittany is the President of the Virginia Statewide Neighborhood Conference, Inc.,
a 501c3 grassroots organization created to serve as a forum for the sharing of experiences and knowledge towards a cooperative working relationship among citizens, staff members, representatives of the private sector, and elected officials for the strengthening of our towns, cities, and counties, through the promotion of neighborhoods. Specific programs and services include the annual Virginia Statewide Neighborhood Conference, newsletters, web site, and other related activities as approved by the Board of Directors which promote educational, social, and cultural objectives of the VSNC. VSNC, Inc. is governed by a Board of Directors who serve voluntarily at their own expense to direct the ongoing business and policy of the organization, provide oversight of the Planning Committee for the implementation of the annual Virginia Statewide Neighborhood Conference, and play a leadership role in promoting both our organization and the work of neighborhood-based activism and self-help initiatives across the Commonwealth of Virginia.