BYU Marriott School of Business dean Brigitte C. Madrian has announced Eva Witesman as the director of the Ballard Center for Social Impact effective July 1, 2023. She replaces Steven Fox, who had been serving as interim director since May 1, 2023, following the retirement of long-time director Todd Manwaring.
“Eva is passionate about the Ballard Center’s focus on helping students become active participants in solving the world’s most pressing social problems by matching their skills and interests with educational experiences that lead to a meaningful life of ‘Doing Good. Better,’” says Madrian. “I look forward to seeing the Ballard Center continue to thrive under her leadership,” says Madrian. “I also thank Steven Fox for his service as the interim director of the Ballard Center for the past two months.”
Witesman received her undergraduate degree from the University of Utah, and her master of public administration and her PhD in public management from Indiana University. She has been a faculty member in BYU Marriott’s Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics since 2009.
In addition to her faculty position, Witesman has been serving as the Ballard Center’s academic director since 2022. “I look forward to her continued support of the many excellent programs in the Ballard Center that engage thousands of students from across campus every year, as well as to the innovation that she will bring in more fully integrating the center with relevant related academic activities happening at the university,” adds Madrian.
While at BYU Marriott, Witesman has received multiple awards including the MPA program’s Teacher of the Year Award in 2009, 2015, and 2018; the BYU Marriott Outstanding Citizenship award in 2018, and the BYU Faculty Women’s Association citizenship award in 2022. Since 2016 Witesman has held the Stewart L. Grow Research Fellowship. She also served as cochair of the BYU Faculty Advisory Council from 2019 to 2021.
“I'm honored and excited for this opportunity to serve,” says Witesman. “I am filled with hope as our students, partners, and leadership team work together to find ways to make an even greater positive impact on individual lives, growing communities, and our shared world. In humility, we recognize that there's always room to do good, better.”
The BYU Marriott School of Business aspires to transform the world through Christlike leadership by developing leaders of faith, intellect, and character. Named for benefactors J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott, the school is located at Brigham Young University. BYU Marriott has four graduate and nine undergraduate programs with an enrollment of approximately 3,300 students.