Meet the Team
Jerry Davis, Faculty Director
Jerry Davis is the Gilbert and Ruth Whitaker Professor of Business Administration at the Ross School of Business and Professor of Sociology, The University of Michigan. Davis received his PhD from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. Davis’s research is broadly concerned with the corporation as a social and economic vehicle. His current book project examines corporate power in the 21st century, and how to tame it.
Cat Johnson, Managing Director
In her role as managing director of the Business+Impact Initiative, Cat leads the team in their work across the school and the University to develop and support impact-related activities. Her career spans nonprofit, social enterprise, and higher education leadership, with a focus in workforce development. Prior to joining the Business+Impact team, Cat was Chief Operating Officer at Detroit-based social enterprise Empowerment Plan. She has also worked previously at the Ross School of Business on social enterprise and social innovation programming, and with social enterprises in the U.S. and around the world. Catherine earned a BA, MBA, and MSW from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Neil C. Hawkins, Executive-in-Residence
CEO & President, World Environment Center
President, Michigan Sustainability Associates
Research Advisor/Instructor, Harvard University
Neil Hawkins has spent a career collaborating to define a positive and impactful role for business in global sustainable development and public policy. For 31 years, he was a key leader at Dow, ultimately serving as Chief Sustainability Officer and CVP, Environment, Health, & Safety for the last twelve years – part of the top leadership of the company. There he was the architect of the breakthrough “valuing nature” collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, and he integrated environment and social considerations into the core of the Dow’s business strategy and reporting. He is widely recognized as one of the top sustainable business thought leaders in the world. After Dow, as President of Michigan’s Erb Family Foundation, a $350mm regional philanthropy, he focused over four years on improving regional arts, the Great Lakes ecosystem, promoting environmental justice, and founding the Sustainable Business Network of Detroit. Currently, he is interim CEO and President of the World Environment Center, a leading global sustainable business association in Washington, DC; President, Michigan Sustainability Associates; and Research Advisor/Instructor at Harvard University in the Master of Sustainability program. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and he has been appointed board director at many for-profit and non-profit sustainability, arts, and business organizations. Neil is a strategy advisor to CEOs and CSOs, member of the APCO International Advisory Council, and a past appointee to the IOC Olympic Sustainability Commission and the landmark Financial Stability Board Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which completely redefined the ESG investment landscape. Hawkins was awarded the 2012 C.K. Prahalad Award for Sustainability Leadership by An Individual (Corporate Eco Forum). He graduated from Harvard University with a Doctor of Science in Public Health (Environmental Health Sciences) and is also an alumnus of Georgia Tech (Health Physics/Nuclear Engineering).
Moses Lee, Innovator-in-Residence, +Impact Studio
Innovator-in-Residence Moses Lee (BBA’02, MA’03) is an experienced educator and social entrepreneur who is passionate about working with students to discover and take action on their passions. In 2011, Lee founded Seelio, an educational service and technology company that partners with universities to prepare students for their careers. Previously, Lee directed TechArb, the U of M student startup accelerator, where he coached and mentored students across all disciplines.
Loren Townes Jr., Associate Director of Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation
Loren’s expertise is informed by years of cross-channel marketing, strategic outreach, program development, event management, and building community relations. For the last 6+ years of his career, he’s served as a Higher Education practitioner on both sides of the institution; academics and workforce & community development. Most recently, Loren served as the Manager of Corporate & Community Engagement, and Director of Ironworkers Education at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, MI. His primary focus was to help develop, implement, and oversee the Colleges’ engagement strategy with community-based organizations and businesses in Washtenaw County. Loren holds a BSBA and MBA from Wayne State University.
Glenn Bugala, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications
Glenn manages marketing and communications for Business+Impact. He has worked with a variety of local and national nonprofits in member services, events and marketing roles. He worked for Ross in Executive Education and Ross Marketing Communications prior to coming to the Business + Impact. His work with nonprofits like the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, Microsoft Healthcare Users Group, the Ann Arbor Symphony, and Ann Arbor Civic Theater has prepared him for the diverse offerings of the initiative and the marketing channels utilized. Glenn has an MFA from Purdue and a BA from the University of Michigan.
Haley Phillips, Associate Director of Student and Community Engagement
As Student Programs Manager, Haley leads the advancement of Business+Impact’s engagement with students, faculty, staff, and partners across multiple schools and colleges through the development and implementation of programming and events, including the Board Fellowship Program, Summer Internships and Programming, Social Entrepreneurship competitions, and the Social Innovation Speaker Series. Prior to joining our team, Haley worked as a Program Assistant for community engagement programs at the School of Information. She earned her B.A. in International Relations and Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and her M.A. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Michigan.
Annaliese Fowler, Senior Program Coordinator
As the Business+Impact Program Coordinator, Annaliese supports the planning and execution of B+I events and initiatives, including the Board Fellowship program. Her experience in capacity building and strategic planning drew her to the Business+Impact program. Annaliese earned her dual B.A. in Public and Nonprofit Administration and Spanish from Central Michigan University and is a Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP)
Ruedee Vance, Administrative Coordinator
Ruedee serves as the Administrative Coordinator to the Business+Impact Team as part of the Administrative Core Team. She provides support for various Business+Impact programming, events, and financial coordination. Ruedee was educated in Thailand and England. She has been involved in various initiatives in numerous countries before relocating and joining the Ross School of Business in her present role.
