College of Business Administration (CBA)

Dr. William Ross is a Professor of Management at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He has published over 50 articles, being cited over 2400 times (based on Google Scholar). His research interests involve third-party dispute resolution procedures (e.g, mediation and arbitration) and the application of information technology to human resource issues (such as using social networking for personnel selection).  His articles appear in scholarly journals, including Academy of Management Review, the International Journal of Conflict Management, the Journal of the Association for Information Systems, Negotiation Journal, and Journal of Applied Psychology.  He has also authored four book chapters.     

He has served as an ad hoc reviewer for numerous journals.  He has also served on the editorial boards of the International Journal of Conflict Management, Negotiation & Conflict Management Research, and the International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior.   

Dr. Ross teaches classes in Negotiation, Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, and Labor-Management Relations.  He has authored 20 teaching-oriented exercises and case studies.  He is a co-author of The Labor Relations Process, a textbook widely used in Labor-Management Relations courses.   

Raised in Mississippi and Alabama, Dr. Ross earned his bachelor’s at Auburn University; he earned his Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He came to UWL in 1984 and was promoted to Professor in 1993.  From 2013-2019, he served as Department of Management Chairperson. He dedicates this award to his co-authors – and to his wife and family. 

Nilakshi Borah, an Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL), has dedicated ten years to shaping the minds of future finance professionals. With a sincere passion for teaching, she fosters meaningful connections with her students, thriving on intellectual exchange and growth within her classroom. 

Borah’s teaching philosophy revolves around engaging students with diverse and thought-provoking finance topics, encouraging practical application of knowledge to real-world scenarios. She finds fulfillment in witnessing her students’ curiosity and enthusiasm as they delve into complex financial concepts and challenges. By creating strong, inclusive, and supportive relationships, Borah stimulates students’ interest, fostering a positive learning environment where critical thinking, learning from mistakes, and personal growth are encouraged. 

At UWL, Borah’s teaching portfolio includes undergraduate courses such as Financial Modeling, Multinational Financial Management, Principles of Financial Management, and Problem and Cases in Finance. Continuously seeking to enhance her pedagogical approach, she incorporates innovative teaching methods and stays informed about the latest developments in finance education. Driven by a commitment to academic excellence and student success, Borah provides practical insights and mentorship during student internships, empowering them to navigate the complexities of finance. 

Beyond the classroom, Borah actively engages in collaborative initiatives and interdisciplinary teaching. Her impact extends beyond traditional undergraduate courses to graduate-level instruction in the UW consortium MBA program and UWL MBA program. 

Before joining UWL in 2014, Nilakshi Borah served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Finance at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. During her tenure there, she honed her teaching skills and expanded her expertise across various finance domains. Her academic journey commenced with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in India, followed by an MBA from New Mexico State University and a doctorate degree from Louisiana Tech University. 

Stacy Trisler joined the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2015, less than a week before the start of the semester and was able to hit the road running to teach Professional Selling and Principles of Marketing. She began working immediately with her predecessor to coach students for the Great Northwoods Sales Warmup in October. 

Since then, Stacy has taken over and expanded the sales program at UWL. She converted the internal sales competition to a sponsorship program, building that sponsorship dollars to over $10,000 a year and expanding student participation.  She expanded the number of sales competitions for students from one national event to three and has since enabled many more students to compete nationally and even internationally. She helped develop and advised the newly formed student organization, The Eagle Sales Club in 2019 and continues to be the faculty advisor for this group.

Stacy completed the Master Advisor program and, for two years, advised all marketing freshmen and sophomores before the addition of professional advisors to the CBA. She currently serves on the Textbook Rental Advisory Committee and the Navigate Academic Department Advisory Team.

Christa Kiersch, PhD, specializes in the ‘people side of business’. As a professor in the Management Department since 2012, her approach to teaching is based on facilitating, coaching and empowering students through engaging learning experiences. This approach has been fundamental in her creation of multiple community-engaged learning experiences for students and her involvement with the Kwik Trip CBA Integrated Core Program and the Global Consulting Study Abroad Program. In sum, she has engaged over 400 students with 30 different partnering organizations through applied course projects.

Dr. Kiersch is an active scholar of leadership development and employee experience with 6 published academic journal articles since 2020 in addition to a strong stream of professional reports and news briefs through which she shares her research findings more directly with practitioners.

Dr. Kiersch also applies her professional expertise to service in various leadership capacities at UWL and within the surrounding community, including leading the UWL Employee Engagement initiative, serving on Faculty Senate and the Senate Executive Committee, supporting student leadership development initiatives, and creating organizational learning and development workshops for nonprofits in the La Crosse region. 

Mary is a dedicated member of the College of Business Administration and UWL community. With a background as an Academic Department Associate (ADA) in multiple departments before becoming the executive assistant in the dean's office, Mary has demonstrated her reliability and wealth of institutional knowledge. She has been a valuable resource for department chairs and ADAs, always ready to provide guidance and support. Mary's involvement in university committees and advocacy for staff highlights her commitment to the university's success.

In addition to her administrative duties, Mary has played a key role in driving innovation and efficiency within the College of Business Administration. Her efforts in transitioning to a digital environment and developing processes for room scheduling have been instrumental in improving operations. Mary's leadership and mentorship extend to training new ADAs, hosting informative sessions, and coordinating professional development opportunities for university staff. Mary's dedication to student support and engagement is evident in her mentorship of student workers.

She maintains her professional development through memberships in organizations like the International Association of Administrative Professionals and attending conferences.