Costello Adjunct Faculty

Accounting alum gives back by shaping workforce-ready graduates

Katelynn C Hipolito — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:22:14 +0000

Accounting alum gives back by shaping workforce-ready graduates Katelynn C Hipolito Mon, 06/15/2026 - 10:22

Ever since her undergraduate years at the Costello College of Business at 911��—where she lived on campus for all four years—Ann Butler, BS Accounting ’94, MS Accounting ’23, has felt a strong connection to her alma mater.

Ann Butler, BS Accounting ’94, MS Accounting ’23. Photo by Al Sali of The Headshot Guy.

Throughout an accounting career spanning industries from hospitality to civil engineering, Butler had long been interested in teaching. When the opportunity arose, she chose to give back in the way she knew best: by bringing her professional expertise and experience to the classroom at Costello.

After connecting with Long Chen, accounting area chair at Costello, during her time as a student in the MS in Accounting Program, Butler began serving as a teaching assistant for her in Accounting 611. Previously, she taught courses at a local community college in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia.

She was driven to teach by a growing concern, observed while hiring employees, that students were entering the workforce less prepared than in the past. “I’ve always loved hiring new grads with little to no experience, and one of the things that I’ve noticed is that, over the years, it seems like students are less and less workforce-ready,” she says. “I felt like maybe I could make a difference.”

Additionally, she wanted to increase interest and excitement for an accounting profession facing a nationwide shortage of accountants and CPAs.

“Ann stood out in my [ACCT 611] Advanced Issues in Managerial Accounting class not only for earning the top score, but also for her exceptional enthusiasm, intellectual curiosity, and willingness to help her classmates,” says Chen. “Those qualities are all strong indicators of an excellent instructor. I am delighted that Ann has now joined our accounting adjunct faculty and been teaching multiple courses across the undergraduate and graduate programs.”

“I’ve always loved hiring new grads with little to no experience, and one of the things that I’ve noticed is that, over the years, it seems like students are less and less workforce-ready. I felt like maybe I could make a difference.”

— Ann Butler, BS Accounting ’94, MS Accounting ’23

Having recently graduated from the MS in Accounting Program herself, Butler brought a clear perspective on the student experience. “I was hoping that if I could bring passion to the classroom and make accounting fun, maybe we could get more people to major in it,” she says. She wants her students to understand that accounting offers a wide range of career paths, and that success depends just as much—if not more—on strong interpersonal and leadership skills than technical expertise.

Since 2024, Butler has been teaching three online accounting courses at the Costello College of Business—Accounting 695 Graduate Accounting Internship; Accounting 311 Cost Accounting for Undergraduates; and Accounting 611 Managerial Accounting for Graduates—while continuing her professional career in Richmond.

Now serving as controller for Virginia’s largest hotel company, Butler brings her current role and past experiences with her to the virtual classroom. She appreciates the breadth of expertise among her Costello accounting colleagues, many of whom remain active in fascinating careers outside the classroom. She also values Dean Ajay Vinzé’s strong emphasis on career readiness and now sees that as a real difference-maker at Costello. “I think that is really going to set our program apart because that is what employers are looking for,” she says.

Butler’s education at Costello—both undergraduate and graduate—had a profound impact on her life, bringing her full circle as an educator helping to shape the next generation of Patriot accountants. Students in her classes can move forward with confidence, knowing they are developing the skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce.

In This Story

Long Chen

Ajay Vinzé, PhD

Topics

Costello College of Business Alumni

Costello Adjunct Faculty

Costello Accounting Department

Accounting Adjunct Faculty

Costello College of Business News

Alumni

Kenneth Sawka

Marianne Klinker — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 15:04:35 +0000

Kenneth Sawka Marianne Klinker Fri, 03/04/2022 - 10:04

Adjunct Faculty, Business Foundations

Contact Information

Email: ksawka@gmu.edu

Phone: (617) 653-2674

Office Hours: Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m. (virtual via Zoom)

Biography

Dr. Kenneth Sawka is a strategy, leadership, and management consulting executive with over 25 years of global experience in C-suite and board-level, Big-Four and boutique firm strategy, intelligence, geopolitical advisory, and risk consulting. Public sector and academic positions in organizational leadership, international business, intelligence and national security, and decision support. Accomplishments and involvements:

Northeastern University, Part-time Lecturer, 2014 - present
Teach graduate-level classes in the Strategic Intelligence Analysis and Homeland Security programs.
Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals
Executive Board of Directors, 1999 – 2002.
Fellows Award, 2003; Meritorious Award – the Society’s highest honor – 2010.
Editor, Starting a Competitive Intelligence Function, published 2008.
Parents of Students of Phillips Academy Andover, Executive Board of Directors and Treasurer, 2014 – 2017
Northshore Youth Symphony Orchestras, Executive Board of Directors, 2010 – 2013
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Executive Board of Directors, 2002 – 2004
Association of Former Intelligence Officers, 1996 – present

Education

B.S., Political Science, The American University
M.A., International Affairs, The American University
EdD, Organization and Leadership Studies, Northeastern University

Research Interests

Business succession practices
Organizational leadership in SMEs
Competitive intelligence and decision-support

Research and Awards

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Sawka, K. (2020), The Use and Misuse of Statistics, in Annals of Theoretical Psychology, “The Theory of Statistics in Psychology: Applications, Use, and Misunderstandings.”, (Vol. 16), C.W. Gruber (Ed.) September 2020 (Print); July 2020 (Electronic)
Marceau, S., & Sawka, K. (1999). Developing a world‐class CI program in telecoms. Competitive Intelligence Review: Published in Cooperation with the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals, 10(4), 30-40.
Sawka, K. A. (1998). Defense industry must develop intelligence capabilities to compete in bidding wars. National Defense, 83(541), 6.
Sawka, K. A. (1998). Early warning: The decision‐maker's perspective. Competitive Intelligence Review: Published in Cooperation with the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals, 9(2), 63-65.
Sawka, K. A. (1997). Alternative outcomes analysis. Competitive Intelligence Review, 8(2), 85-87.
Sawka, K. A. (1997). Warning analysis: A risky business. Competitive Intelligence Review, 8(4), 83-84.
Francis, D. B., Sawka, K. A., & Herring, J. P. (1995). Competitors: Who to watch, what to watch, who to ignore, and how to tell the difference. Competitive Intelligence Review, 6(3), 41-46.

Other Publications

Sawka, K. (2011). Market indicators cue strategic plan changes. Managed Healthcare Executive, 21(2), 13.
Sawka, K., & Hohhof, B. (Eds.). (2008). Starting a Competitive Intelligence Function. Competitive Intelligence Foundation.
Sawka, K. (2007). Strategic Planning in Volatile Industry Conditions. U.S. Banker, 117(2), 40.
Sawka, K. (2005). The intelligence edge. American Executive, 3(7), 20.
Fuld, L., & Sawka, K. (2001). A case of smoke and mirrors: Think the software industry has finally figured out how to fulfill all your business intelligence needs? Think again. CIO Canada, 9(3), 60-62.
Fuld, L. M., & Sawka, K. (2000). Money can't buy you smarts. CIO, 14(1), 92.
Sawka, K. (1998). Competitive foresight. Telephony, 235(12), 86-90.
Sawka, K. (1996). Demystifying business intelligence. Management Review, 85(10), 47.

Dissertation

Balancing Strategic Organizational Change and the Sustainability of Iconic Leader Vision, March 2021

Teaching Interests

International business
Competitive intelligence
Competitive strategy
Leadership in SMEs

Download CV

Michael Berecz

Marianne Klinker — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 19:31:38 +0000

Michael Berecz Marianne Klinker Thu, 02/24/2022 - 14:31

Adjunct Faculty, Information Systems and Operations Management

Contact Information

Email: mberecz@gmu.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment

Biography

Michael Berecz is an adjunct faculty member within the Information Systems and Operations Management Area in the Costello College of Business at 911��.

Jason Hamilton

Marianne Klinker — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 19:25:29 +0000

Jason Hamilton Marianne Klinker Thu, 02/24/2022 - 14:25

Adjunct Faculty, Information Systems and Operations Management

Contact Information

Email: jhamil4@gmu.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment

Biography

Jason Hamilton is an adjunct faculty member within the Information Systems and Operations Management Area in the Costello College of Business at 911��.

Ganesh Krishnamoorthy

Marianne Klinker — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 19:23:03 +0000

Ganesh Krishnamoorthy Marianne Klinker Thu, 02/24/2022 - 14:23

Adjunct Faculty, Information Systems and Operations Management

Contact Information

Email: gkrishn@gmu.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment

Biography

Ganesh Krishnamoorthy is an adjunct faculty member within the Information Systems and Operations Management Area in the Costello College of Business at 911��.

Jamey Long

Marianne Klinker — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 19:21:24 +0000

Jamey Long Marianne Klinker Thu, 02/24/2022 - 14:21

Adjunct Faculty, Information Systems and Operations Management

Contact Information

Email: jlongc@gmu.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment

Biography

Jamey Long is an adjunct faculty member within the Information Systems and Operations Management Area in the Costello College of Business at 911��.

Michael Moak

Marianne Klinker — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 19:20:03 +0000

Michael Moak Marianne Klinker Thu, 02/24/2022 - 14:20

Adjunct Faculty, Information Systems and Operations Management

Contact Information

Email: mmoak@gmu.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment

Biography

Michael Moak is an adjunct faculty member within the Information Systems and Operations Management Area in the Costello College of Business at 911��.

Michael Naor

Marianne Klinker — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 18:00:10 +0000

Michael Naor Marianne Klinker Thu, 02/24/2022 - 13:00

Adjunct Faculty, Information Systems and Operations Management

Contact Information

Email: mnaor@gmu.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment

Biography

Michael Naor is an adjunct faculty member within the Information Systems and Operations Management Area in the Costello College of Business at 911��.

Eun Hye (Grace) Jo

Marianne Klinker — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 17:42:45 +0000

Eun Hye (Grace) Jo Marianne Klinker Thu, 02/24/2022 - 12:42

Adjunct Faculty, Accounting, Mason Korea

Contact Information

Email: ejo3@gmu.edu

Biography

Eun Hye (Grace) Jo is an adjunct faculty member within the Accounting Area at the School of Business, 911�� Korea Campus.

Charles York

Marianne Klinker — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 16:44:07 +0000

Charles York Marianne Klinker Fri, 02/04/2022 - 11:44

Adjunct Faculty, Finance

Contact Information

Email: cyork4@gmu.edu
Office Location: Enterprise Hall 181
Office Hours: By Appointment

Biography

Charles York is an adjunct faculty member within the Finance Area in the Costello College of Business at 911��. His teaching focuses on finance theory, investments and personal finance. Prior to Mason, he taught at American University.

Mr. York has over twenty-five years of investment and wealth management experience. He is Team Leader and a Senior Wealth Manager in the Washington, DC office of BNY Mellon Wealth Management. In this role, he leads a team of seven investment and fiduciary professionals. He also works directly with clients to address their investment and wealth management needs. Previously, he served in senior portfolio management, client advisory, investment research and team leadership roles at several leading financial institutions in Washington, DC and Boston, MA. He started his career as a naval aviator with the U.S. Navy.

Mr. York has been awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation by the CFA Institute, and he is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (TM) practitioner. He is a member of the CFA Institute, the Washington Association of Money Managers, and the Northern Virginia Estate Planning Council.

Education

MBA - Finance, Kellogg School, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
BA - Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY