PhD Management Student Profiles
Matthew Bejtlich
He/Him
Supervisor: Dr. Simon Berge
Website
- What’s a fun or surprising skill, hobby, or interest you have outside of your academic work? I love playing beach frisbee and hiking! Also, I make music and am a photographer. I am currently working on building a design studio with my wife called Matty and Koshka, which will feature hand-made ceramics, objects, and other whimsical creations for the home.
I am an interdisciplinary educator, data scientist, and artist. Alongside my research, I currently teach part-time at Dalhousie University, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and Northeastern University, offering courses in sustainability, management, data science, storytelling, and community-based research methods. I am deeply concerned about the accelerating social-ecological crises—including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and widening social inequities. These challenges are rooted in dominant anthropocentric worldviews and extractive models of economic growth. Confronting them requires a fundamental transformation in how businesses are designed, led, and embedded within the living systems and communities that sustain them. I see the PhD Management as a promising lens through which to pursue this work. The city of Halifax—and Canada more broadly—carries deep traditions of honoring Indigenous communities, amplifying marginalized voices, and cultivating respect for multispecies life. I am grateful to begin this next chapter here, walking a path shaped by regeneration, relationship, and deep listening. My research explores how organizations can become agents of regeneration—centering relational, multispecies approaches to leadership, design, and storytelling. My work is grounded in ecological worldviews and place-based inquiry, attending to the deep interconnections between people, ecosystems, and multispecies communities of life. By integrating multispecies ethics into management and education, I aim to cultivate practices that are regenerative, relational, and accountable to the flourishing of all life.
Nachum Gabler
He/Him
Supervisor: Dr. Dominika Wranik
I was motivated to enroll as a doctoral student by my desire to intellectually immerse, and hone my expertise in a field that's real-world, impactful, and coincides with my broad interests in several social science disciplines. These include personnel economics, the social psychology of organization, the evolution of societal culture and norms, individual choice and decision-making, and how workers persevere, and hopefully thrive while on the job. My main research interest revolves around what factors predictably explain what motivates public servants to come to work each day, as well as what draws them to those jobs in the first place. The main goal is to identify a 'secret sauce' or the nearest thing to it within the purview of public sector leadership and management, that potentially improves both workers' and organizational performance on the whole, and making for a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce. My academic and professional background is slightly eclectic, but the common thread has been 'telling stories with statistics'. But I've come to realize that statistics don't tell stories; rather, statistics provide a 'bigger picture overview'. It's important to see beyond the numbers and to understand phenomenology. And then with that lucid phenomenological understanding in hand, only then is it time to see what big picture the stats are painting.
- What’s one piece of tech, app, or tool you can’t live without, and why? A coffee pour-over cone, a burr grinder, & gooseneck kettle. I guess that's three tools, but they're necessary complements, like hammers & nails, or rims & tires.
- What’s a fun or surprising skill, hobby, or interest you have outside of your academic work? I enjoy being part of small community groups and study circles where people come together to share experiences and learn from one another. It’s a great way to connect with others and appreciate different perspectives, something that also inspires my research.
Denise Hinds
Supervisors: Dr. Heidi Weigand, Dr. Binod Sundararajan
Website
My decision to pursue a PhD grew out of a mix of professional experience and encouragement from mentors who recognized my potential. For several years, I worked as a teaching assistant while exploring management theories, which deepened my interest in research. Dr. Heidi Weigand invited me to join her as a research assistant on a community project, where I saw how research could connect directly to real-world challenges. With the support of both my supervisors, I was motivated to take the next step. This PhD appealed to me because of its cross-disciplinary focus and its commitment to addressing complex organizational and societal issues, which aligns with my research interests. My research looks at how organizations can build more inclusive partnerships by meaningfully integrating cultural perspectives into leadership, decision-making, and partnership structures. I’m especially interested in how the cultural element of the Quadruple Bottom Line framework can be applied externally to create stronger, fairer collaborations with marginalized communities. This work connects closely with growing conversations about equity, corporate social responsibility, and community engagement and has the potential to provide leaders with practical tools for building lasting relationships. As a person of color, I bring a lived understanding of the barriers marginalized communities face, which shapes my inclusive, real-world approach to research. I center equity and innovation through community-based methods to collaborate with leaders and communities. These approaches help develop inclusive management models and policies that support lasting, culturally responsive partnerships.
Nicole Kabalen
She/Her
Supervisor: Dr. Mohammed El-Hazzouri
Website
As someone who has developed a passion for teaching marketing, completing this PhD will allow me to better serve future students and provide me with knowledge on how to fill gaps in academic literature. My research explores whether investment brand customer relationship management is seen as authentic and increases sales or not. On multiple occasions, I have witnessed individuals become irate with brands who are bombarding them with notifications, instead of finding it meaningful and increasing brand trust.
- If you could have dinner with one scholar, leader, or innovator-past or present-who would it be and why? Taylor Swift- not only did she hold a sold-out world tour, but she also fostered a strong community and showed the importance of philanthropy. The trends in marketing, innovation, leveraging relationships with your customers, building a quality team and giving back are all topics I would like to learn more from her.
- What’s one piece of tech, app, or tool you can’t live without and why? An app I can’t live without is Chess.com. It keeps my mind sharp and challenges me to think strategically, but it’s also become a fun way to connect and unwind with my son.
Shakara Russell Joseph
She/Her
Supervisors: Dr. David Roach, Dr. Dozie Okoye
Website
My decision to pursue a PhD is rooted in a deep connection to community and a commitment to ensuring that the knowledge and experiences of Canada’s African diaspora inform how we understand organization, innovation, and economic systems. I am guided by curiosity about how governance, system design, and place-based development can advance equity and collective well-being. My research explores how opportunity is created, circulated, and shared within entrepreneurial and financial systems, and how these systems can be redesigned to better support the communities that sustain them. I examine how relationships, culture, and local knowledge influence participation in innovation and shape how value is defined and distributed. I am particularly interested in how youth perspectives and community-based collaboration can challenge and expand conventional ideas about entrepreneurship and economic development. This program provides the theoretical grounding, mentorship, and interdisciplinary environment to engage these questions critically. It offers an opportunity to contribute to the development of more equitable systems of entrepreneurship and innovation across Canada. My perspective is grounded in the understanding that communities already hold the blueprints for the future of entrepreneurship and economic life. Through my work with founders, policymakers, and local organizations, I have seen how collaboration, storytelling, and place-based traditions can redefine what innovation looks like. These experiences have shown me that systems are not static; they can be redesigned when we recognize and invest in the knowledge and curiosity that already exist within communities. I approach equity not as a final outcome but as a guiding principle in the design of inclusive systems that broaden access to opportunity and strengthen economic resilience. Through this work, I aim to contribute to more sustainable and equitable models of innovation that reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.
Roberta Schultz Santos
She/Her
Supervisor: Dr. Jenny Baechler
Website
I've always wanted to be in academia, but had been postponing it for the past decade. After a sudden career shift, I started teaching in higher education and knew right away that this was the path I wanted to pursue. When the opportunity to start this PhD came up, it was a no-brainer since I was already immersed in that environment and knew that the faculty and staff were extremely supportive, welcoming and competent. I'm interested in applying systems thinking and human-centered design methodologies to public services with a particular focus on heath care. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the failings and pressures of health care systems around the globe have been in the spotlight, which has only increased the demand for better, more equitable health care services. Through my research I hope to help reimagine Nova Scotia's health care system for younger generations. My professional background in graphic design is the jumping point for my research on co-creating improved versions of our health care systems. I enjoy the idea of mixing management, public administration and design for the benefit of the greater good, and I feel that without in-depth knowledge of user experience and service design that wouldn't be possible.
- What’s a fun or surprising skill, hobby, or interest you have outside of your academic work? I love painting. My friends say I will paint anything that doesn't move! From walls to furniture, canvas and miniatures, rocks and fabric - the sky is the limit when I have a paintbrush in hand.
- If you could have dinner with one scholar, leader, or innovator-past or present-who would it be and why? I would choose Benazir Bhutto. I am profoundly impressed by her groundbreaking leadership as the first woman to head a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country, and her efforts in advancing democratic principles and advocating for the rights of women. Her resilience in the face of immense political challenges, her commitment to social justice, and her pioneering role in breaking gender barriers in leadership positions are truly inspiring. Her courage and determination to lead and serve her country, despite significant personal risk, showcase an exceptional dedication to both her nation and to setting a precedent for women in leadership globally.
Zuby Sohail
She/Her
Supervisor: Dr. Isabelle Caron
I’ve always been driven by curiosity about how organizations lead, adapt, and create change. After years working across public, private, and non-profit sectors in roles focused on diversity, equity, and policy governance, I’m ready to deepen that inquiry through research. This PhD program stood out for its interdisciplinary focus and supportive community, offering the perfect space to turn my curiosity into impact. My key research interest focuses on how public sector organizations operationalize diversity and inclusion through accountability frameworks and policy implementation. I’m particularly interested in whether these mechanisms drive real, lasting change, or simply symbolic compliance. My research connects directly with real-world issues I care deeply about, such as workplace equity, inclusive governance, and the systemic barriers faced by marginalized communities. As a woman of color and immigrant, my lived experience and professional background give me a grounded, intersectional lens to examine how institutions can build trust and transparency in diverse societies. My goal is to produce research that bridges critical inquiry with practical impact.