Mays Impacts

Longtime Mays supporters Amy W. ’83 and James R. Stolarski ’83 have funded a scholarship endowment to honor the work of Jerry Strawser ’83, who stepped down as Mays Business School dean in early September to serve as vice president of finance and administration and CFO of Texas A&M University.

The $100,000 contribution will establish the Amy W. ’83 and James R. Stolarski ’83 Endowed MBA Scholarship. Distributions from the endowment will be used to provide one or more scholarships to students enrolled in the Full-Time MBA program at Mays.

Jim Stolarski, chair of the MBA Advisory Board, said he and his wife have always wanted to support Mays with a financial gift and wanted to target the MBA program. He noted that Strawser’s job change provided a good opportunity for them to provide such a gift.

“This was the best gift we could think of, and we decided to do it now as a recognition of all Jerry has done for Mays and Texas A&M,” Jim Stolarski said. “He set an extremely high bar for whoever follows him, and I know the business school is set in a good foundation, thanks to him.”

ABOUT MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School educates more than 5,600 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its undergraduate and MBA programs, and for faculty research. The mission of Mays Business School is creating knowledge and developing ethical leaders for a global society.

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Five students—Daizia McGhee, Eric Hernandez, Anthony Guzman, Ingrid Miranda and Rayshanda Massey—were invited to lunch one day to join Annie McGowan, director of the Professional Program at Mays. The lunch discussion focused primarily on whether the students (all first-generation college students from populations that are underrepresented on campus) were happy with their decision to join Mays Business School. The general consensus was that they were all sure they had chosen their educational institution wisely. The opportunities that are available to Mays students greatly surpassed their expectations.

Although they were very happy to be Mays students, the five were also unanimous in their opinion that there was very little at Mays that made it feel like home for them. Texas A&M University, and by extension Mays Business School, are both deeply rooted in a very unique culture. This culture reinforces the notion that people who are alike tend to think alike. While these students were interested in becoming a part of this culture, they would be gratified and even inspired if the institution offered opportunities to embrace more of their own cultures and to interact with successful people from diverse walks of life.

It is clear that once Mays students embark upon the career of their choice, globalization will be staring them square in the face. Learning to respect and respond appropriately to different voices and viewpoints promotes creativity in the work place. “I strongly believe that if Mays earns a reputation for creating an environment that values differences and trains its students to capitalize upon those differences, we are more likely to attract the best and brightest from all groups,” McGowan said.

The firms that recruit our students are firmly onboard. They understand that in an environment of inclusiveness, diversity can be a source of competitive advantage.

The Multicultural Association of Business Students (MABS) was founded as a result of this discussion, with these five students constituting the executive board and McGowan agreeing to serve as their advisor.

MABS was created with the following objectives in mind:

• To encourage an inclusive environment at Mays that reflects the general and cultural diversity of the entire student body.
• To establish a stronger presence of the minority population in Mays Business School through professional development, academic achievement and community involvement.
• To provide corporations direct access to the multicultural population when recruiting for career opportunities and other networking events.
• To increase minority student enrollment in Mays Business School through an outreach program for high school students.

Beginning Fall 2014, MABS welcomes participation from all Mays Business School students and is excited about partnering with companies that also embrace inclusiveness. For more information about the Multicultural Association of Business Students, please contact Dr. Annie McGowan at amcGowan@mays.tamu.edu.

Six Mays students were selected for the Academy for Future International Leaders (AFIL), a year-long interdisciplinary program presented by the Study Abroad Programs Office of Texas A&M University.

The Mays students are Will Burns, Franco Cruz, Kevin Gattshall, Leah Parker, Chelsea Till and Ryan Yeager.

In the high-impact program, outstanding undergraduates with potential leadership skills obtain in-depth learning experience in global issues. AFIL complements any major and allows students to gain a global perspective and to prepare for leadership roles in the increasingly international 21st Century. The AFIL is especially suited for students who have had little or no international experience.

The AFIL program consists of four components: a spring seminar, a mentoring program, an international leadership challenge project and an optional international opportunity.

The students’ fees are funded by the Association of Former Students.
AFIL began in 1998 under the vision of the Texas A&M International Advisory Board, an esteemed group of leaders from a variety of fields who advise Texas A&M on matters of international outreach and collaboration. The academy is a joint effort among A&M’s nine academic colleges and is coordinated through the Study Abroad Programs Office.

ABOUT MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL
Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School educates more than 5,600 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its undergraduate and MBA programs, and for faculty research. The mission of Mays Business School is creating knowledge and developing ethical leaders for a global society.

A San Antonio couple has committed a substantial planned donation that will establish the Melissa and John Kauth ’77 Endowed Scholarship in Business. Distributions from the fund will be used to provide four-year scholarships to full-time students at Mays Business School.

Preference will be given to applicants who are Regents Scholars’ students.

Mr. Kauth received a finance degree from Texas A&M University in 1977 and is a board member for the Center for International Business Studies at Mays. He returns to campus regularly to speak to students.

He is a CPA and the CEO of Intercontinental Asset Management Group. “As a wealth manager, I tell my clients, “You need a financial plan for while you are alive and one for when you’re gone,” he said. “I am just doing as I advise them.”

Mr. Kauth began his career as a comptroller of First National Bank of San Antonio. This was achieved through the support of retired Mays finance professor Dr. Don Fraser. Due to Dr. Fraser’s efforts Kauth met not only his wife but also the colleague with whom he started Intercontinental Asset Management Group three years later. He has enjoyed both of these partnerships for more than 33 years.

“I worked hard and I got lucky. I am fortunate to be able to do this,” Kauth said. “I care about Texas A&M and I want to help change the lives of young people much like Dr. Fraser helped change mine.”

Mrs. Kauth, a former banker and public utility executive (and graduate of the University of Texas system) joins her husband in this endeavor with a generous endowment benefitting the Texas A&M Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center.

“We both believe that the path to success is a solid education and strong values. These are the hallmarks of an experience at Texas A&M. The good work done by the Stevenson Center is a strong example of those values and supports our love of animals.”

“The Kauths’ generosity will transform the lives of many young people,” said former Mays Dean Jerry Strawser. “Their focus on first-generation students will provide these young people with financial assistance that will make the dream of attending Mays Business School a reality. The impact of their gift will simply be tremendous.”

ABOUT MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL
Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School educates more than 5,600 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its undergraduate and MBA programs, and for faculty research. The mission of Mays Business School is creating knowledge and developing ethical leaders for a global society.

Ricky W. Griffin has been named interim dean of Mays Business School. He will serve in this role until the national search for the school’s next permanent dean is completed.

Provost Karan Watson selected Griffin after reviewing faculty nominations and discussing the matter with members of the Mays faculty. Griffin is a University Distinguished Professor and head of the Management Department.

As Griffin assumed his new role on Sept. 24, he acknowledged the long and distinguished service of Jerry R. Strawser, who was recently appointed vice president for finance and administration and CFO for Texas A&M University. “Under Jerry’s leadership, Mays has firmly established itself as one of the leading business schools in the world,” he said.

Griffin joined the Texas A&M University faculty in 1981 and is holder of the Jeane and John R. Blocker Chair. In addition to his leadership as department head, he has also served Mays as interim dean from June 2007 to August 2008 and as executive associate dean from June 2000 to June 2007.

“Going forward, we are fortunate to have a strong leadership team in place,” Griffin said. “I am confident that this team will make both this transition and the next one as seamless as possible. We will continue to build on our successes and our strengths while also looking for new opportunities to enhance our research and educational programs and meet our service obligations. We will continue to nurture the professional development of everyone associated with Mays and strive to be recognized as a center of excellence within the University, our professions, and the business community.”

While Griffin is serving as interim dean, Duane Ireland will be interim department head of the Management Department at Mays. Ireland is University Distinguished Professor, holds the Conn Chair in New Ventures Leadership, and is past president of the Academy of Management.

After more than 27 years of professional experience, Wayne Roberts ’85 is determined to “give back” as he continues his career. Drawing from his experiences, he spoke recently with a group of Business Honors students about what he would tell a younger version of himself, if he could. Roberts offered tips on how to behave, operate and lead as future business professionals.

Roberts is chief operating officer and human resources director for Accruent, an Austin-based provider of real estate and facilities management software solutions.

He joined Accruent in April 2014 after serving in a variety of senior executive roles at Rackspace, Dell, Accenture and Trammell Crow Company. The Austin native earned a bachelor’s degree in business analysis and an MBA from Texas A&M University. He currently serves on the Development Council for Mays Business School.

Roberts gave the students several pieces of advice on how to conduct themselves in the working world. He spoke of the importance of accountability and reliability, which he described as important indicators of integrity. “Do what you say you’re going to do,” said Roberts. “Ask yourself if customers and teammates can rely on you to honor your commitments.”

He also advised the students to assume the best intent when negative situations arise, without ascribing motives. “When mistakes or issues arise, we too often focus on who did it instead of what happened and how to fix it,” said Roberts. “Assuming the best intent completely changes how you view situations. You’ll be amazed by how much relationships improve when you do this.”

Haley Lemmons ’15 said she hopes to apply this lesson to her own life. “One of the pieces of wisdom I took away was Mr. Roberts’ advice to always assume the best in people,” she said. “He said that he has always been surprised by how much his relationships improved when he looked at people’s actions in a positive light before assuming that they had selfish or unethical motives.”

Other behavioral qualities he emphasized were being humble, direct, willing to listen and quick to resolve conflicts.

In describing how business professionals should operate, Roberts stressed the need to stay focused on customer satisfaction. “Everything we do in our company is about delighting customers,” he said. Roberts referenced the Net Promoter System, which categorizes customers as promoters, passives and detractors. “Detractors are 10 times more influential than promoters, but in a harmful way,” explained Roberts. “However, if you can create customers as promoters of your company, they sell you to others and become a virtual salesforce for your company.”

Roberts also advised the students to have a strong bias for action, decentralize decisions where possible and enjoy the journey rather than just the destination. In his relationships with other Accruent employees, Roberts said he tries to adopt the mantra of “What can I do to help you get better?”

One of the most important factors in being a successful leader, said Roberts, is being able to apply the concept of servant leadership. “Invert the organizational pyramid so that you work for your team,” he advised. “You need a chorus of support for you in the organization to be successful.” Other actions leaders should take, according to Roberts, are demonstrating stewardship, providing regular feedback to employees and helping to build champions within the organization.

“It was a great experience to sit down and interact with Mr. Roberts,” said Nicholas Davis ’16. “He was incredibly personal and open to any questions, and his outline was powerful and useful.”

Above all, Roberts encouraged the students to choose a career path they will enjoy. “The sooner in your life you can figure out what you’re good at and what you are passionate about, the happier and more engaged you’ll be,” he said. “Don’t just take a job. Find a cause. But make sure it’s the right fit for you.”

ABOUT MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School educates more than 5,600 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its undergraduate and MBA programs, and for faculty research. The mission of Mays Business School is creating knowledge and developing ethical leaders for a global society.

The Center for International Business Studies (CIBS) at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School has been awarded a four-year federal grant totaling $1.13 million. The U.S. Department of Education awards the funds as part of its Center for International Business Education (CIBE) program. Competition was stiff for the award, which commences on Oct. 1 and will cover the 2014-18 period.

Federal funding for the 2014-18 cycle was cut by 55 percent from the previous cycle, and the number of CIBE grants awarded was reduced from 33 to 16.

The national CIBE program’s objective is to encourage a select group of top business schools in the country to internationalize business education through the design, development and implementation of high impact international business education and research activities for students and faculty respectively that would ultimately lead to the enhancement of the country’s international business competitiveness. CIBE funding at Mays will be devoted primarily to enhancing programs for students in their international business studies and high-impact overseas study experiences like study abroad and international internship as well as support of international business research and outreach activities by faculty, said CIBS Director Julian Gaspar.

Gaspar said he was thrilled to learn Mays was selected for the new grant, which he considers extremely important for Mays. “It provides us with the seed money to design, develop and implement exciting high-impact internationalization programs that enhance business globalization perspectives of Mays students and faculty,” he said. “More specifically, CIBE funding will impact Mays Business School in three ways. First, it enables us to provide a diverse set of stimulating overseas study opportunities for our students that integrate solid academic and cultural issues of developed and emerging economies. Second, the funding helps us pursue interdisciplinary degree and research programs with other colleges on campus as well as with institutions nationally and internationally. Finally, all initiatives made possible with this funding helps Mays Business School to achieve high ranking both nationally and internationally – thereby aiding Texas A&M attain its Vision 2020 objectives.”

CIBE grants are intended to enhance America’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise and to promote educational and training activities that will contribute to the ability of the United States to prosper in an international economy, Gaspar explained. CIBEs serve as national resources for the teaching of improved business techniques, strategies and methodologies that emphasize the international context in which business is transacted. They provide instruction in critical foreign languages and international fields to improve understanding of the cultures of countries that trade with the United States. CIBEs also provide research and training opportunities in international aspects of trade, commerce, environmental science and other fields relevant to international trade initiatives.

Contact Gaspar at jgaspar@mays.tamu.edu.

ABOUT MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School educates more than 5,600 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its undergraduate and MBA programs, and for faculty research. The mission of Mays Business School is creating knowledge and developing ethical leaders for a global society.

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The Texas A&M Career Center joined forces with two Mays Business School units to create a workshop for students that have or are considering international opportunities.  The “Leveraging Your International Experience in Your Job Search” seminar, which was hosted by the Texas A&M Career Center, Mays Communication Lab and the Center for International Business Studies (CIBS), described important ways the students can share the value of their international experience with a potential employer.

Ritika Harchekar ’15, an MIS major, spoke about how her exchange semester in Barcelona helped her secure an internship with the Dallas Cowboys IT department. She said she referenced her experience on the trip abroad several times in her interview. She also gave students examples of how her experiences abroad (e.g. teamwork) provided skills she used in her internship.

Katy Lane, program coordinator at CIBS, emphasized the importance of both understanding the value of one’s own international experience and recognizing how employers will value an international experience. She emphasized that multinational companies are seeking graduates with cross-cultural experiences and foreign language proficiency.

Lane presented six benefits students can derive from an international experience:

1. Developing valuable skills for the workforce
2. Learning a new language
3. Seeing the world from a new perspective
4. Experiencing a new culture and a new way of lie
5. Gaining international knowledge and global competency
6. Setting themselves apart from other college graduates

Lisa Burton, Mays Career Center coordinator, helped students recognize how their marketable skills can be connected and exemplified through their international experience. She described to the nearly 100 students present the importance of including an international experience on their resumes, and gave them examples of highlighting it in the various sections: education, relevant work experience or international experience.

Burton laid out three questions students should ask when adding international experience to their resumes:

1. What do you want to convey about your international experience?
2. How do skills gained during your international experience fit with the company?
3. How does what you learned fit with the position you are seeking?

She stressed the importance of crafting a personal story that can be shared with company recruiters during interviews. “Think about the unique things that have happened to you abroad and make a story about them,” she said.

Jeana Simpson, Mays Communication Lab administrator, guided the students in understanding how to use intentional reflection to define and measure the competencies and skills obtained through their international experience. The students at the workshop were asked to identify and articulate cross-cultural and professional skills gained with the use of examples from their time abroad.

“Find the overlap between what you valued and what an employer is likely to value,” said Simpson. She also suggested that students chronicle their international experiences through journaling.

– Lauren Ragsdale (’15) contributed to this story.

ABOUT MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School educates more than 5,600 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its undergraduate and MBA programs, and for faculty research. The mission of Mays Business School is creating knowledge and developing ethical leaders for a global society.

Making healthcare services available to patients where, when and how they want to be served is becoming a priority for medical practices. The consumer’s definition of convenience has changed dramatically, due in part to the speed of the internet. Patients are no exception. What used to be satisfactory in obtaining a medical appointment may now be unacceptable, sending patients otherwise loyal to their doctor to a medical clinic in a drug store, an urgent care clinic or even the emergency room when unable to obtain a timely appointment to see their regular doctor.

In “Toward a Strategy of Patient-Centered Access to Primary Care,” an article appearing in the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings and will be available Thursday (Sept. 4) online at the journal’s website, professor Leonard Berry at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, and co-authors Dan Beckham, Amy Dettman and Robert Mead, present a comprehensive framework that primary care medical practices can adapt in offering “patient-centered access” (PCA). The framework ranges from improving patient access to in-person appointments of various types to innovative remote access pathways such as off-hours call centers staffed by nurses and video conferencing with a clinician.

The article illustrates each access path with examples from medical practices currently using them and closes with an in-depth discussion of how a Wisconsin-based health organization has evolved its PCA strategy. Had the Veterans Administration applied an access strategy similar to that which is outlined in this article, it conceivably could have avoided the access scandal that has engulfed it and that so poorly served its patients.

Patient-centered access (PCA) to primary care services is rapidly becoming an imperative for efficiently delivering high-quality health care to patients. To enhance their PCA-related efforts, some medical practices and health systems have begun to use various tactics, including team-based care, satellite clinics, same-day and group appointments, greater use of physician assistants and nurse practitioners, and remote access to health services. However, few organizations are addressing the PCA imperative comprehensively by integrating these various tactics to develop an overall PCA management strategy. Successful integration means taking into account the changing competitive and reimbursement landscape in primary care, conducting an evidence-based assessment of the barriers and benefits of PCA implementation, and attending to the particular needs of the institution engaged in this important effort.

Beckham is an MBA. Dettman is an RN and an MBA. Mead is an MD.

Contact Leonard Berry at lberry@mays.tamu.edu.

ABOUT MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School educates more than 5,600 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its undergraduate and MBA programs, and for faculty research. The mission of Mays Business School is creating knowledge and developing ethical leaders for a global society.

ABOUT MAYO CLINIC PROCEEDINGS

The flagship journal of Mayo Clinic and one of the premier peer-reviewed clinical journals in general medicine, Mayo Clinic Proceedings is among the most widely read and highly cited scientific publications for physicians, with a circulation of approximately 125,000. While the Journal is sponsored by Mayo Clinic, it welcomes submissions from authors worldwide, publishing articles that focus on clinical medicine and support the professional and educational needs of its readers. www.mayoclinicproceedings.org

ABOUT MAYO CLINIC

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research, and education for people from all walks of life. For more information visit www.mayoclinic.org/about and www.mayoclinic.org/news.

ABOUT ELSEVIER

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet (www.thelancet.com) and Cell (www.cell.com), and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. www.elsevier.com

At Mays Business School, our outstanding faculty are consistently recognized for their research and teaching accomplishments. This year, we welcome 13 new faculty members.

Mark Houston has joined the Department of Marketing as department head, professor and the Blue Bell Creameries Chair in Business. Houston is the inaugural holder of the chair, which was created in 2009.

Prior to joining Texas A&M University, Houston served on the faculties of Texas Christian University (chaired full professor), University of Missouri (endowed professorship), Saint Louis University and Bowling Green State University.

Houston said he was attracted to Mays because of its reputation as a college that encourages research, and he looks forward to working with PhD students again.

“Also, it is a great opportunity to be a part of a nice community and to lead a group of great colleagues,” he said. “I am looking forward to it.”

Christa Bouwman has joined the Department of Finance as an associate professor. Prior to joining Texas A&M, she served the faculty of Case Western Reserve University as an associate professor of Banking and Finance.

Bouwman received a master’s degree in Economics and Business from the University of Groningen — the Netherlands, an MBA from Cornell University and a PhD from the University of Michigan.

Her research is empirical and focuses on Financial Intermediation and Corporate Finance. She was a visiting professor at MIT Sloan’s School of Management, and is currently an Associate Editor of two journals (the Review of Finance and the Journal of Banking and Finance), a Research Associate at the Federal Reserve Banks of Cleveland and Boston, and a Fellow of the Wharton Financial Institutions Center.

Cindy Zapata has joined the Department of Management as an associate professor. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Zapata served the faculty of Georgia Institute of Technology as an assistant professor of Management.

Zapata received both her PhD and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Florida.

Her research interests include organizational justice and trust, supervisor-employee relationships and personality and individual differences.

Yan Liu has joined the Department of Finance as an assistant professor. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Liu was a PhD student at Duke University.

Liu’s current research focuses on empirical asset pricing and information bounds.

David R. Skeie has joined the Department of Finance as an assistant professor. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Skeie worked in New York as a senior economist for the Federal Reserve Bank.

Skeie received his PhD in economics from Princeton University. His primary fields of interest are in financial intermediation, macro-finance and financial stability.

Jeff Yu has joined the Department of Accounting as an assistant professor. Prior to joining Texas A&M, he served the faculty of Southern Methodist University as an assistant professor of accounting.

Yu received both a master’s degree and a PhD from The Ohio State University.

His research focuses on empirical capital markets in financial accounting and areas of specialization include debt contracting, information intermediaries and economic effects of financial reporting and disclosure.

Tim Torno has joined the Department of Accounting as an executive professor. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Torno served the faculty of the University of Dallas as an adjunct professor of Accounting.

Torno received a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Ed C. White has joined the Department of Finance as an executive professor. Prior to joining Texas A&M, he served the faculty of Bowling Green State University-Ohio as an executive-in-residence. White received an MBA from the University of Hawaii.

Prior to joining academia, White was a Senior Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer of Owens-Illinois, Inc. (NYSE: OI) for seven years until his retirement in 2012. During his 38-year career with OI, White worked in a variety of management roles across finance, manufacturing and marketing. His international experiences included senior management positions as an expatriate in Finland, Poland, France and Switzerland. He also served in the United States Army.

Andre Araujo has joined the Department of Information and Operations Management as a clinical assistant professor. He received a PhD from the University of Oklahoma.

Bilal Erturk has joined the Department of Finance as a visiting assistant professor. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Erturk served on the faculty of Oklahoma State University as an assistant professor of Finance.

Erturk graduated from Bilkent University in Ankara Turkey with an industrial engineering degree. He earned a PhD in finance from Texas A&M.

Marco Rossi has joined the Department of Finance as a visiting assistant professor. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Rossi served the faculty of The University of Notre Dame as an assistant professor of finance.

Rossi obtained a PhD in Finance from the Pennsylvania State University. Before joining academia, Rossi spent approximately one year working full time on a currency options desk for Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein (of the Allianz group) in London.

Morgan Moore has joined the Accounting Department as a lecturer. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Moore worked for Ernst & Young in Houston as a CPA.

Moore received a bachelor’s degree from TCU and a master’s degree from the University of Texas-Austin.

Kristopher Muir has joined the Undergraduate Special Programs Office as a lecturer. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Muir served the faculty of Woodward Academy as a Spanish instructor.

Muir received a bachelor’s degree from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a master’s degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Doctorate of Education from Walden University. His goal is to design meaningful work at the intersection of learning, innovation and technology.