GJ de Vreede
Dean
GJ de Vreede, a distinguished scholar and academic leader, begins his term as Dean of the Stevens School of Business at Stevens Institute of Technology in 2024. With a rich background in information systems, de Vreede brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role during a pivotal time in the school’s history.
Before joining Stevens, de Vreede served as the interim dean of the University of South Florida’s (USF) Muma College of Business. Under his stewardship, the college expanded its enrollment to more than 8,400 students, including 6,500 undergraduates, 1,800 graduate students, and 100 doctoral students. His tenure was marked by significant milestones, such as record-breaking fundraising efforts that secured over $16 million, including the naming of the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship, and an all-time high of over $1 million in scholarships.
De Vreede's leadership at USF was characterized by a commitment to academic excellence and innovation. He oversaw the college's dual AACSB reaccreditation with zero deficiencies and spearheaded initiatives to enhance research and faculty development.
He demonstrated his commitment to student success by overseeing the rollout of the Bellini Center for Talent Development, expanding advising services for undergraduate and graduate students, and implementing an organizational well-being strategy.
De Vreede's academic journey began in the Netherlands, where he earned both his M.S. and Ph.D. in Information Systems from Delft University of Technology. Prior to arriving at Muma, he held leadership and (visiting) faculty positions around the world, including China, Austria, South Africa and the U.S.
Michael zur Muehlen
Associate Dean, Graduate Division
Michael zur Muehlen is an Associate Professor of Information Systems and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in the School of Business. His research focuses on digital transformation, business process management, and the future of work in the age of intelligent automation.
Dr. zur Muehlen returned to the role of Associate Dean in 2024, having previously served in this capacity from 2013 to 2020. During his first term, he oversaw the growth of 13 graduate programs from 862 to over 1,600 students, while improving rankings and securing AACSB accreditation.
Dr. zur Muehlen joined Stevens as an Assistant Professor in 2002, following roles at the University of Muenster, Germany, and the University of Tartu, Estonia. He holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Information Systems from the University of Muenster.
Dr. zur Muehlen bridges academia and industry in business process innovation. His insights on digital transformation have been shared through keynote speeches at international conferences and collaborations with global financial institutions. From 2008 to 2012, he advised the U.S. Department of Defense on enterprise architecture and process documentation standards.
Dr. zur Muehlen's recent work focuses on the impact of artificial intelligence on business processes and management education. He co-chairs the Digital Transformation Affinity Group of AACSB, aimed at preparing leaders for AI-driven business environments. Currently, he is exploring how generative AI technologies are reshaping decision-making processes in organizations.
Joelle Saad-Lessler
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Division
Dr. Saad-Lessler is a labor economist with expertise in econometric modeling, statistical programming and in-depth data analysis. She holds bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in Economics from Columbia University, in New York.
Dr. Saad-Lessler’s recent research centers on the economics of retirement. She is currently working on a project that investigates the importance of collectivism in explaining the shortfall of retirement savings. Collectivism is a system whereby people informally “invest” in relationships with their networks of family and friends, in lieu of saving formally in a retirement plan. Her work has attracted notable funding from the National Endowment for Financial Education, and has been published in reports from the National Institute on Retirement Security and the Center for American Progress, among others. She has served as an associate dean at the Stevens School of Business since 2019.
Brian Rothschild
Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies and Senior Director of Graduate Management Programs
Dr. Rothschild is a higher education leader with over 25 years of experience running graduate-level programs, developing and implementing strategic enrollment management plans, and fostering collaborative relationships across various stakeholders. He holds an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Rothschild oversees the MBA, AMBA, MSM and MS EPM programs with a focus on student enrollment and retention rates, enhanced student academic profiles, improved student engagement and participation, and graduate outcomes. His mission is to provide innovative and results-oriented leadership that supports the academic excellence, student success, and institutional growth of the Stevens School of Business.
Michelle Crilly
Assistant Dean of Student Success
Michelle Crilly is the assistant dean of student success for the Stevens School of Business and has more than 14 years of experience in higher education. She holds a master's degree in management from Stevens and a bachelor's degree in criminology from Simon Fraser University in Canada.
Michelle oversees the Center for Student Success and all academic advising for the School of Business. Contributing to student success is the main focus of her mission to enhance the Stevens student experience. Under her leadership, the School of Business is attaining record numbers for first-year student retention and sixth-year graduation rates.
Jeffrey Hedrick
Assistant Dean and Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives
Dr. Hedrick manages the operations and logistics for the Stevens School of Business, including budget and planning, human resources, legal and contracts, space utilization and capital projects, information technology systems and databases, and risk and compliance matters. Dr. Hedrick also drives the execution of the SSB Strategic Action Plan and is responsible for AACSB accreditation processes.
His role also includes working with academic administration to facilitate academic appointments for faculty and research scholars and the management of the tenure clock processes. He oversees the academic operations for both undergraduate and graduate studies focusing on the determination of faculty teaching loads, scheduling and communication of class assignments, and the creation of operational policies.
Before joining Stevens, Dr. Hedrick was a Vice President for the Research Foundation for the State University of New York, leading business development initiatives to attract and relocate domestic and international corporations to communities with limited economic opportunities. He spent 24 years at IBM Research where he managed multidisciplinary teams to solve complex customer challenges in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, novel memory technologies, photonics, clean energy and quantum computing. He managed multiple technical organizations and led IBM’s semiconductor partnerships across North America, Europe and Asia.
Dr. Hedrick holds a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering and Science from Virginia Tech and was an IBM Master Inventor with 67 U.S. Patents granted.
AACSB Accreditation
The School of Business is accredited by AACSB International, considered the gold standard among business schools. AACSB International is the world's largest business education alliance; less than 5 percent of business schools worldwide are accredited by this prestigious organization.
