Business Professors Who Are Making an Impact in 2026

It’s well known that faculty at Rice Business go above and beyond. They bring cutting-edge research, real-world business expertise and a deep commitment to mentorship that reinforces how Rice MBA students learn in the classroom and solve problems around them.

Rice Business is home to many stellar professors — a constant flow of national faculty awards and recognition will tell you as much. To hear it from the source, we turn to current MBA students to hear how professors have defined their experience so far.

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Balaji Koka

Balaji Koka is an associate professor in the area of strategic management and academic director of global programming at Rice Business. He joined the school in 2008 and teaches in the Executive MBA and Full-time MBA programs.

“Professor Balaji Koka was an amazing professor to have for one of my first classes at Rice,” says Jose Sagrera ’27, a Full-Time MBA student. “He really set the tone for the rigor and depth of knowledge that was to come throughout the semester.” 
 

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Alan Crane

In addition to his role as an associate professor of finance, Alan Crane serves as the advisor to the dean on curriculum innovation. His teaching interests range from core finance to corporate financial policy and managerial economics.

“Professor Alan Crane has a rare ability to distill complex topics into simple concepts — particularly for students without finance backgrounds — which helped me build a strong foundation I’ve carried throughout my MBA,” full-time student Mauricio Parilli ’26 says. “Core Finance was one of the most challenging classes in the program, but also one of the most important to master.” 

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Marlon Mooijman

Marlon Mooijman is the Jones School Distinguished Assistant Professor of Management (Organizational Behavior) at Rice Business. He brings his expertise on trust, power and ethics to both undergraduate and graduate classrooms.

“Marlon Mooijman’s course gave first-year students a clear understanding of real workplace dynamics and the challenges of leading people,” says Full-Time MBA student Alex Brown ’27. “As MBAs, we will be expected to make difficult decisions, and his focus on organizational behavior builds the awareness needed to do that effectively.” 
 

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Leila Peyravan 

As an assistant professor of accounting, Leila Peyravan draws on her prior experience as a consultant and financial analyst. Her research interests are generally focused on how information quality, in the context of a firm’s financial reporting quality and accounting practices, affects debt and equity markets.

“Professor Leila Peyravan is an assistant professor of accounting at Rice who makes even the most technical concepts feel engaging and accessible,” says Theresa Sibi ’27, a student in the Professional MBA-Weekend program. “Her depth of knowledge and unique ability to make a five-hour class fly by truly made it fun to learn the material.”
 

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Al Danto 

Al Danto is a senior lecturer in entrepreneurship at Rice Business with more than 30 years of experience in the startup, entrepreneurial and acquisition scenes.

“Having collaborated with Professor Al Danto in my Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition class and as co-chair of the 2026 Rice Veterans Business Battle, I’ve come to deeply appreciate his mentorship,” shares Kelvin Searose-Xu ’26, a Full-Time MBA. “He embodies both the spirit of a successful entrepreneur and the principles of servant leadership, truly investing in the success of those he teaches.” 
 

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David Wilson

David Wilson is a lecturer in accounting and the acting director of the Finance Center at Rice Business. His research explores how information affects intraday trading dynamics, with a focus on institutional investors, market intermediation and market quality.

“David Wilson brings an enthusiastic and welcoming presence to the classroom that makes even complex accounting topics more digestible,” says Harrison Nerren ’27, a student in the Professional MBA-Evening program. “He understands that we are MBA students, not accountants, and intentionally breaks down concepts into practical, clear discussions that connect to real-world decision-making.” 

 

The professors highlighted here represent just a small sample of the exceptional professors who make the Rice MBA so transformative. Explore the full curriculum and learn more about how our Rice Business faculty prepare students to navigate complex business challenges and lead in a rapidly changing world.

Continue reading about the impact our faculty make in Rice Business Wisdom.

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