August 2020 – New Hires

Blythe Howell is the new office assistant in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Idaho in 2014. Before coming to WSU, she worked as an office assistant for a pediatric occupational therapy clinic in her hometown of Boise. She took a job in 2016 at WSU’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, where she continues to work part-time as the manager of the wheat and small grains website. In her free time, Howell enjoys knitting sweaters, photography, reading, and taking road trips around the Pacific Northwest with her husband.

Dipra Jha is an associate professor and the new assistant director of the School of Hospitality Business Management. Before coming to WSU, he was an associate professor of practice and the director of global engagement for the Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. During his tenure there, Jha conceptualized and helped build a 154-room, Four Diamond teaching and research hotel on the Nebraska Innovation Campus. He was previously an assistant professor of hospitality and tourism management at North Dakota State University.

Sheena Kerr is the new office administrator for the Carson Center for Student Success. While new to WSU and higher education, she says “I have always been a Coug fan!” Kerr previously spent more than 20 years in the early education field and is eager to use her operational management experience in her new role at the Carson Center. She was born and raised on the Palouse and enjoys spending time at her family’s farm outside of Colton. She and her husband have three daughters and enjoy camping and spending time with family and friends.

Lisa Wood is the administrative assistant for the Department of Marketing and International Business. Practically a Pullman local at this point, she moved here in 2001 to study zoology and psychology at WSU and has stayed ever since. After graduating with a bachelor of science degree in zoology in 2006, she worked as an office manager at a local dental practice. Outside of work, Wood enjoys spending time with her son, playing outdoors, and teaching yoga.