Faculty
The faculty includes executives and consultants who are currently working in the private and nonprofit sectors.
Sangeeta Bansal, Ph.D.
MSIM 5002 - Cross-Border Competitiveness
MSIM 5012 - Foreign Investment and Trade Policy
Dr. Bansal’s corporate experience spans three regions of the world: Hapag Lloyd American in the U.S., Citibank in India, and Philips Systems Medicaux in France. She earned her Ph.D. in Management with a concentration in international business from Rutgers University. She also holds an MBA from IESE in Barcelona, Spain, and a B.S. in History (with honors) from LSR College, University of Delhi, in India. Besides teaching at Manhattanville, Dr. Bansal is an adjunct professor in the Global MBA Program at Kean University. She is the author of several articles on international business topics.
Victor W. Chang
MSIM 5003 - Global Financial Markets and Risks
Mr. Chang is currently Senior Financial Analyst—Fixed Income for Merrill Lynch in New York City. Prior to Merrill Lynch, he was Financial Controller—Global Operations at Credit Suisse / First Boston. He held a similar position at Bankers Trust Company. His previous company affiliations were with NatWest Bank, MCI Telecommunications and Morgan Stanley. Early in his career, he served as a conference and freelance interpreter at the United Nations Secretariat in New York City. Mr. Chang earned his MBA in finance and international business from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University and his BA/MA in English at the Beijing Foreign Languages Institute in China.
Donald Plunkett, Ph.D.
MSIM 5044 – Regional Business Operations
Dr. Plunkett earned his Ph.D. and MA degrees in Organization Development from Fielding Institute in Santa Barbara, California. He holds an MBA in Global Management from the University of Phoenix and an MA in Conflict Resolutions from Landegg International University in Landegg, Switzerland. His undergraduate work was taken at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, where he earned a BA in Liberal Arts.
Dr. Plunkett’s work life started as a police officer in New York City. In 1991, he became an entrepreneur, opening several companies in the commercial lighting design and contract manufacturing field. In 1998, he started United Consultation, a firm that consults with nonprofit organizations in Canada, China, India and Israel.
Dr. Plunkett’s teaching experience includes adjunct professorships at the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College in New York City, and Pace University in White Plains, New York.
Ann J. Polya, Ph.D.
MSIM 5004 - International Law and Ethics
MSIM 5005 - Building a Global Culture
Dr. Polya currently is principal of The Polya Group, LLC, which specializes in using behavioral sciences to unleash and enhance individual performance and boost organization effectiveness. Previously, Dr. Polya was with Pfizer Inc. as the Director of International Strategic Policy and Planning, and also as Executive Director of Pfizer’s European Government Affairs Office in Brussels. Earlier, she was with the European Union as a legislator on EU viticulture and international wine trade, and then as press counselor and spokesperson with U.S. media and business communities. Her other experience included positions with
E.F. Hutton in New York, Yushutsuyunyu Trading in Yokohama, Gordon Simmons in London, and ICI (Europe) in Germany. Dr. Polya earned her BA degree (honors) in business administration from Middlesex Polytechnic in London, her MA in international political science from the University of Strasbourg in France, her MSW in social work from Columbia University, and her Ph.D. from the International University for Graduate Studies.
Stephen Sirabian
MSIM 5006 – Managing Processes and Projects across Borders
Mr. Sirabian is Executive Vice President, E/E Division, Glatt Air Techniques, Inc., a German company with U.S. operations in Ramsey, New Jersey. His past experience includes positions as engineer and manager for several engineering and manufacturing companies in the chemical and plastics industries.
Mr. holds a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and an MBA from New York University.
William G. Stopper
MSIM 5022 – Leading Change across Borders
MSIM 5033 - Outsourcing/Offshoring
William Stopper is a consultant and former HR executive at IBM. Besides teaching in the MS programs in International Management and Human Resources, he is an academic advisor on thesis projects and coordinator for accreditation of the School’s business programs. He earned his B.A. degree in English from St. Mary’s College of California and holds an MBA degree from the University of Connecticut.
Paul Upham
MSIM 5021 – Managing Global Teams
Mr. Upham is the Principal at Wesley Associates, a global human resources consulting firm, whose clients have included Avon, Goldman Sachs, UBS, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone(NTT), Novartis, Radio Shack, and AD Little. Prior to Wesley Associates, he was the Senior Vice President for Administration at NTT-Data International, where he had responsibility for the US, India, and Singapore. Prior to that assignment, he was a Vice President – Human Resources at Dun & Bradstreet, and Director of Human Resources for the Philips Electronics Research Labs.
Mr. Upham has taught graduate courses in business at The New School and Fairfield University, and undergraduate programs about Japanese, Russian, and Chinese culture. He lived and worked from a Japanese village for three years, and served in the Far East as a Navy intelligence officer. His publications include articles concerning Asian business culture, career planning for scientific/engineering professionals, and supervisory management
Mr. Upham holds an MA in International Relations and a BA in Government, and has completed added graduate studies in business and government at Brown University and Boston College.
He is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), New York Human Resources Association, Organizational Development Institute (ODI), and the Japan Society.
Patricia S. Vreeland
MSCI 5009 - Information Technology Management
Ms. Vreeland has held management positions at Avon Products, Inc. in Rye, New York since 2000 and is currently IT Director, Global Workplace Computing & IT Service Management. Prior to joining Avon she held positions in IT and Finance at Sara Lee Intimate Apparel, Inc.; Asea, Brown Boveri, Inc., and PepsiCo.
She earned her BS degree in Finance from Ithaca College and her MBA from the Lubin Graduate School of Business at Pace University. Her MBA concentrations were Information Systems and Corporate Finance Management.
Ms. Vreeland’s course on Information Technology Management is listed in the HR and Leadership programs as well as the International Management program.
Robert O. Watson
MSIM 5001 - Understanding the Global Business Environment
MSIM 5032 - Consumer Behavior
Mr. Watson is both a consultant and a business educator. His consulting assignments have included designing a competitive intelligence system, developing a comprehensive tracking program for a financial services firm, conducting an international assessment of franchise funding opportunities for a leading U.S. manufacturer, and assisting in the development of a predictive model in conjunction with Harvard Business School and a leading research supplier. His business education activities have included graduate and undergraduate classes at Quinnipiac University, Central and Western Connecticut State Universities, and MBA programs at Sacred Heard University, Fairfield University and the University of New Haven, Mr. Watson’s corporate experience has included positions management positions at Citicorp, Duracell, Norwich Eaton Pharmaceuticals, and Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Watson earned his BS in economics and business at Lewis and Clark College, and his MBA (marketing emphasis) from the University of Southern California.