Meet the PKE MBA Faculty

Charles Kerns
Professor of Applied Behavioral Science

Dr. Kerns has more than 30 years of business, management and consulting experience. He joined Graziadio as an associate professor of applied behavioral science and has taught in nearly every program at the Graziadio School and served as the associate dean of academic affairs. Dr. Kerns is a diplomate and holds ABPP certifications in both industrial-organizational psychology and organizational and business consulting psychology.

Clemens Kownatzki
Associate Professor of Finance

Clemens Kownatzki has been an executive in the financial services industry for well over two decades.  His experience ranges from management positions in brokerage and treasury operations to advising corporate as well as retail clients with a focus on managing their risk effectively. He has also been an active investor in options and derivatives markets.  Having lived and worked in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the U.S., his investments range from equity to international capital and currency markets. 

Kurt Motamedi
Professor of Strategy and Leadership

Dr. Motamedi is Professor of Strategy and Leadership at Pepperdine University. He received his PhD and MBA from UCLA - Anderson Graduate School of Management in Strategy and Organization Development, and his MSEE in semiconductor and computers from UC-Santa Barbara. Professor Motamedi helps develop and grow companies, works with management on strategic planning and execution, trains and develops high performing management teams and executive talent.

Demosthenes Vardiabasis
Professor of Economics

Dr. Vardiabasis has over 25 years of experience as a professor, entrepreneur, executive, and consultant. He has founded several companies and has served as a chairman and CEO of the IQ Now Corporation, which was acquired by a public company and of Health Windows, which provided services to such companies as American Express, Hilton, Yamaha, and Honeywell. He holds a master of arts from the University of Essex and a PhD from the University of Southern California.

Miriam Lacey
Professor of Applied Behavioral Sciences

An authority on organization behavior and development, Dr. Lacey has been at the forefront of integrating behavioral science with management principles of human resources and quality management systems. At the Graziadio Business School, Dr. Lacey teaches exclusively in Executive Programs and has served as Chair of the Personnel Committee, Vice-Chair of PKE Programs, and is a past member of the Faculty Council. Known for her wisdom regarding excellence in leadership, employee motivation and change management, she maintains a vibrant executive coaching and team-building practice.

Abraham Park
Professor of Finance

Dr. Abraham U. Park is professor of finance at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. Courses he has taught include Real Estate Investments & Finance and Corporate Finance at the MBA level. His current research is related to REITs and Corporate Real Estate. Dr. Park has over 12 years of experience in a variety of industries. They include law, a Silicon Valley technology start up venture, management consulting, hedge funds, and global real estate finance.

Jaime Salas
Practitioner of Marketing

Dr. Salas is a practitioner of marketing at Pepperdine Graziadio and has more than 12 years of industry experience. His main research is focused on the implementation of service infusion strategies among traditional industrial manufacturers. In addition to teaching, Dr. Salas leads an international research team working extensively with a leading European technology company in implementing service infusion strategies.

Mark Tribbitt
Associate Professor of Strategy

Dr. Tribbitt comes to academia with more than 14 years of experience within the financial services industry. During that time he has held a variety of management positions in retail, commercial and wholesale banking. His teaching focuses on strategic management, entrepreneurship, and management of technology and innovation. Dr. Tribbitt's primary research interest deals with the intersection between corporate governance and corporate entrepreneurship. 

John Rose
Executive Coach, Executive MBA Programs

John M. Rose is a seasoned C-Suite executive with over two decades of C-Suite leadership in the Insurance, Assistance, Travel, and Intelligence industries. Throughout his extensive career, he has consistently delivered strategic value, propelling organizations to achieve significant growth and operational excellence. John has lived and worked across three continents, traveled to more than 136 countries, and is a globally recognized leader in risk management. His academic expertise, particularly in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) integration, further solidifies his reputation as a thought leader and consultant sought by top institutions.

John’s impressive career includes currently serving as COO & Chief Risk Officer at Internova Travel Group. Additionally, he was the COO at Crisis24 (iJET) and President at AIG Travel Guard Assist, along with his role as a Program Director for the Department of Defense and service in the United States Marine Corps. In addition to his executive responsibilities, he is a dedicated professor at San Diego State University, teaching risk management, and serves as an executive mentor in Pepperdine’s PKE MBA program. His work has been featured in major media outlets, including ABC, BBC, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal.