I bring an unusual “bilingual” perspective to the classroom and the boardroom. Before receiving my Ph.D. in ethics and joining the faculty at Princeton University, I spent 16 years in senior executive positions in international business and finance, including eight years in London.
In addition to my Princeton research, teaching, and programs, I also serve as an advisor to corporate CEOs and senior executives on ethics, values-based leadership, culture, and the role of faith at work. An article in the Wall Street Journal recently featured my work with one organization referring to me as the “on-call ethicist.”
What will students be able to take away from your classes?
Answer: "Ethical Fitness." Students will gain self-awareness and recognition that even the most ethical and well-intended of people will find themselves in situations in their professional life where they are faced with "defining moment" decisions that often lead to career-damaging if not career-ending consequences. To prepare for those "ethical gray zone" decisions, students will develop and cultivate ethical-decision making tools, drawing on a variety of resources, with particular attention to wisdom literature found in various religious traditions. They will be able to recognize potential ethical dilemmas and have the tools and readiness to navigate them safely.
What are your responsibilities at the Keller Center?
As the director of the Faith & Work Initiative (FWI), I lead a small team of Associate Research Scholars who conduct research into the intersection of faith and work, developing theoretical frameworks and practical resources for marketplace leaders and scholars. Anyone interested in values, ethics, corporate culture, and leadership - whether students, scholars, entrepreneurs, established marketplace leaders, or the media - will find our approach itself to be entrepreneurial, as evidenced by the questions we pose and how we seek to answer them through our research, teaching, and programs.
What attracted you to the Keller Center?
The Keller Center's mission and strategic role in the University is extremely exciting, as is its accent on innovation in education, interdisciplinary thinking, and social impact. It aligns well with the Faith & Work Initiative's commitment to business ethics, values, and equipping future entrepreneurs and marketplace leaders, as informed by the resources and wisdom literature found in religious traditions, and in other parts of the humanities and social sciences.
What do you appreciate most about the Keller Center?
It's mission and the people seeking to fulfill it - the curious and creative students who take our courses and Certificate programs, the interdisciplinary nature of the outstanding faculty, and the integration of robust scholarship and real-world experiences and preparation.
Share an inspiring story about your time at the Keller Center.
When the previous and current faculty director each immediately saw the connection between FWI's focus on and approach to ethics and values.
What advice would you have for students about getting involved at the Keller Center?
Get ready for a great ride! And don't be surprised if you change your future plans as a result of being touched by and contributing to the "Keller Center experience!"
