Best Prof: Alison Fragale

Alison Fragale

Mary Farley Ames Lee Fellow and Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior

Age: 35

Institution: UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa

Marital Status: Married

Children: Son, Jordan, 20 months

Education: Stanford University Graduate School of Business, PhD, Organizational Behavior

Dartmouth College, BA, Mathematics and Economics

Courses: Negotiation

Leading & Managing

Leadership Immersion

At Kenan-Flagler Since: 2004

Before Kenan-Flagler: Stanford PhD student and a management consultant for McKinsey and Company, based in Chicago.

Fun Fact: “I love to gamble (on anything).  When I left McKinsey, I was deciding between getting my PhD and moving to Vegas to become a casino dealer. I ultimately chose the PhD and decided to get married in Vegas instead.  I also like endurance sporting activities. I did a 600-mile bike ride from northern to southern California to raise money for charity.”

Alison Fragale studies the determinants and consequences of power, status, and influence in organizations, conflict resolution and negotiation, and verbal and nonverbal communication. Most recently, her research has been cited by Financial Times and the Boston Globe. An award-winning teacher, Professor Fragale teaches courses on both effective leadership and negotiation skills to undergraduates, graduate students, and executives. She has taught or consulted on leadership and negotiation for executives in numerous organizations, including ExxonMobil, Bayer CropScience, Eastman, the National Multi-Housing Council, Avalon Bay, Post Properties, the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.

Students Say:

Dr. Fragale’s impact on me reaches far past the classroom. She is an invaluable asset to Kenan-Flagler. She brings an energy and relevance to the classroom that breaks the mold of a standard MBA learning environment. The combination of her dynamic personality and successful professional background make her both relatable and credible to the students, thereby establishing presence and garnering respect from the Kenan-Flagler community.

As a 1st year student with a background in marketing and a heart for people, I began to feel lost in the quant-heavy curriculum and started to question my potential for advancement in such a pragmatic world. My time with Dr. Fragale gave me a new perspective of management and encouraged me to translate my creativity and passion into innovative leadership. — Parker Swann Wilson, Kenan-Flagler MBA Class of 2012

Alison Fragale is among “The World’s 40 Best B-School Profs Under the Age of 40“