With previous appointments at the Darden School of Business and the McIntire School of Commerce, Brendan Boler will bring a wealth of experience to Batten.

Educator, scholar, and analyst Brendan Boler will join the faculty at the Batten School for the 2020-21 academic year. As an assistant professor of public policy, Boler will teach core and elective leadership courses in both the BA and MPP curricula.

“We are delighted to welcome Brendan Boler to the Batten School,” said Jay Shimshack, associate dean for academic affairs. “His work seeks to understand the roles that social psychology and data science play in effective decision-making and leadership. Dr. Boler uses a wide range of experiential learning approaches to make his teaching come to life.” 

Boler recently completed a PhD in management with a concentration in organizational behavior and strategy at the Darden School of Business. He is also the recipient of a UVA Presidential Fellowship in Data Science—a 12-month opportunity that enables University of Virginia researchers from across disciplines to work together on projects that address real-world problems using innovative data science techniques. Focused on the recruitment process, Boler’s project uses machine learning to uncover insights about how organizations can best identify top talent while also reducing bias.

With positions held at the Darden School and, most recently, the McIntire School of Commerce, Boler comes to Batten with extensive teaching experience. At McIntire, he taught undergraduate and graduate courses related to management consulting, strategic thinking, business analytics, and career strategy. Boler has received top ratings for his teaching from students, and he has led over 100 workshops across the University, as well as at peer institutions such as Vanderbilt and Georgetown.

“Professor Boler is committed to students, student careers, and the unique experiences of first-generation students,” Shimshack said. “I am thrilled that he has chosen to join the Batten faculty.”

Prior to his career in academia, Boler was an analyst, consultant, and manager at the consulting firm Accenture. There, he worked with a number of notable clients, including Ford Motor Company, Verizon, and Ogilvy & Mater. He has also served as a platoon leader, executive officer, and detachment commander with the XVIII Airborne Corps in Savannah, Georgia, and Port of Agami, Egypt.