The Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center team is ready to work with students, faculty, and professionals. We bring you inspirational stories, locate key resources, and offer diverse opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation. Learn more about the individuals who make up our team below:
Dr. Steven Gray, Assistant Professor of Management, earned his Ph.D. from Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis and joined the McCombs School in 2017. Steve was a Kauffman Foundation Dissertation Fellow and recipient of the Academy of Management’s Entrepreneurship Division Dissertation Award. Entrepreneurship is a core focus of Steve’s research; specifically, he examines cofounder selection processes and how the manner in which founding teams form has material consequences for their subsequent viability and effectiveness. Steve has published his research in premier management and applied psychology journals, including Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Organization Science, Personnel Psychology, and Strategic Organization. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal. Steve is among the most highly-rated instructors in the department and school. He has taught and served as course coordinator for our undergraduate course in organizational behavior – a required course for all business students that carries leadership and ethics distinctions. Steve has also served on the McCombs School Undergraduate Programs Committee and the Canfield Business Honors Faculty Advisory Committee.
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Ali Arnold is the Assistant Director of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center. In her role, she oversees the Center’s operations and budget, manages stakeholder relations, and executes programming. Prior to her appointment as Assistant Director, Ali served as the Center’s Communications Specialist for just under three years.
Before to her career in higher education, Ali spent 7 years honing her craft as an artist, during which she received several awards and recognitions for her work, most notably having her work showcased in the Mississippi Museum of Art. In a strategic pivot away from fine arts, Ali received her Bachelor’s Degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from the University of Mississippi.
Ali’s unique blend of creative and analytic thinking is what drives her passion for understanding the consumer perspective and using data-driven insight to develop experiences that truly resonate. Before joining the HKEC in 2022, Ali worked with her family on a specialty foods startup, overseeing the creative development and web design. In her free time, Ali can be found wandering the aisles of Trader Joe’s, with her nose buried in a book, or taking selfies with her cat, Stella.
Melissa Jackson Burns is Senior Academic Program Coordinator of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center. She manages operations and events for the Center.
Melissa has extensive experience in higher education administration and event planning. She started with the McCombs School of Business in the Houston MBA program as Program Assistant. Most recently, she worked as an Administrative Program Coordinator with Texas Executive Education before moving to the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center.
Melissa earned her PhD in Theatre from the University of Missouri in Columbia. Her background in theatre gives her a unique perspective and approach to administration and operations. Melissa continues to stretch her creativity and enrich her perspective by pursuing an MFA in Writing. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and playing the piano.