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Dividend The official online magazine of the Carson College of Business

Morgan Palmerton’s Journey from WSU to Public Accounting and Back

Carson College of Business doctoral student Morgan Palmerton (’21 Acct.) always knew she enjoyed working with numbers, but it was her passion for mentorship and helping others that ultimately redirected her career path. After spending two years as an audit associate at KPMG in Seattle, Washington, she found herself reconsidering her long-term goals. Even though she enjoyed the variety and challenge of auditing, she soon realized her true passion lay not just in the work itself, but in helping others learn and grow.

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December 2024 – New Hires

Deniza Alieva, docent of the school of business at Management Development Institute of Singapore in Tashkent, is a visiting fellow at WSU Everett. Her time at WSU Everett was made possible by the Faculty Enrichment Program (FEP) scholarship funded by the US embassy in Tashkent and administered by the American Councils for International Education. Alieva holds a doctor of science in economics, and PhD in HR psychology from University of Seville and University of Valencia in Spain. She currently serves as a member of various editorial teams of international journals, including those indexed in Scopus. Her current research focuses on education, communities, tourism, and organizational psychology. She uses social network analysis as one of the main research tools.
Richard Alvarez is a visiting professor in Management Information Systems for the Carson College of Business. He is a recent graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio with a PhD in IT and cyber security. While at UTSA he conducted research on cyber awareness behaviors and developed training for phishing prevention. He also managed the PhD student events and workshops like grant writing and research project presentation sessions, and was an advocate for mental health awareness, helping promote outreach for UTSA PhD students. Prior to UTSA, he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from WSU. In his down time, he plays all kinds of games, and enjoys puzzles, brain teasers, and a good pun.
Taylor Bowles is a business data analyst for the Carson College of Business. Originally from Spokane, she graduated from the University of Idaho in 2019 with a bachelor’s in statistics and another in economics. While attending school, she started working at WSU and has been here ever since, including time working for Global Campus and the College of Medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, working out, and listening to podcasts.
JoReen Brinkman is the administrative assistant for the Department of Finance and Management Science in the Carson College of Business. She received a bachelor of science in visual communication with a minor in art from the University of Idaho in 2002. She moved to Pullman with her husband and their two children in 2010. They own four quick serve restaurants in Whitman county. She has previously worked at the WSU Foundation, and at the University of Idaho in the office of the President. In her free time, she likes to read, assemble puzzles, play board games, and spend time with her family.
Jean Gingras is a teaching assistant professor in the Department of Management and Information Systems at the Carson College of Business. She teaches management, project management, and sustainability courses on Global and Vancouver campuses. She joined WSU four years ago as an adjunct professor following her early retirement from a career at HP, where she contributed to their sustainable impact and marketing teams. Gingras resides in Battle Ground, Washington with her husband and their dog, Daisy. When she is not working, she enjoys traveling with family, organic gardening, and beekeeping.
Phil Honeywell works in the Office of Technology, supporting faculty and staff in daily operations. Originally from Redmond, Washington, Honeywell worked in broadcasting, event management, and video game development before coming to WSU Athletics in 2007. He and his wife, Amy, a local realtor, have three kids and in his spare time he enjoys painting, cycling, photography, and exploring the back roads of the Pacific Northwest.
Ash Hyman joins the WSU Vancouver faculty as a teaching assistant professor in accounting. He previously worked for the University of Washington for the past five years, teaching financial accounting, managerial accounting, and financial statement analysis at the undergraduate and graduate level. He has two master’s degrees—an MBA and master of science in business administration—from UW. He moved to Portland, Oregon this summer, where he lives with his two dogs, Cashew and Pumpkin.
Martins Idahosa is a visiting professor at the Carson College. He holds a doctorate in business administration with a concentration in information systems management from Walden University, as well as two master’s degrees from Purdue University—one in information technology with a focus on business intelligence and analytics, and another in business administration with a focus on accounting. Idahosa has 20 years of experience teaching business, IT, and programming at both the bachelor’s and graduate levels.
Peina Liu is an assistant professor in the Department of Accounting. She holds a PhD in accounting from the Georgia Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Maryland – College Park, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in China. Her primary research interest is judgment and decision-making in financial accounting, particularly in sustainability disclosures, social media influence, and how individual characteristics affect investors’ information processing. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking, canoeing, and yoga.
Melissa Olsen joins WSU Vancouver as an academic coordinator and advisor for the Carson College of Business. Most recently, she served as an academic coordinator in Student-Athlete Academic Services, where she focused on enhancing academic programs for football and men’s basketball student-athletes. She holds a master’s degree in sport management from WSU and has extensive experience supporting nontraditional and first-generation college students. On Saturdays, you can find her attending sporting events, taking Pilates reformer classes, and exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Alex Soberanes is an academic advisor for the WSU Tri-Cities campus who recently transferred from the Pullman campus. A former WSU student, Soberanes is a first-generation college graduate and as an undergrad, he worked with first-year and first-generation students as a peer mentor through Multicultural Student Services and the Office of Academic Engagement. In his free time, he can be found at a local gaming shop or at the nearest food truck.
Chengping Zhang is a visiting professor of finance at the Carson College. Born and raised in China, he earned his PhD in finance from WSU and is now a full professor at George Fox University. He is thrilled to return to Pullman for his sabbatical this year. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music and staying active by playing tennis, pickleball, and badminton.

A Message from Interim Dean Debbie Compeau – August 2024

As the fall semester gets underway, campus is coming to life with the energy and excitement of a new academic year. Incoming freshmen are embarking on a significant new chapter; meanwhile, our seniors are preparing to take the final steps in their academic journey, poised to launch their careers with a freshly minted business degree from Carson College.

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WSU Alumni Found AgRooted to Support Family Farms

Small family farms face significant challenges, including escalating production costs and fierce competition from large agribusinesses. Growing up on an 80-acre farm in southwest Washington, WSU alums and siblings Jessica and Sean Murray were acutely aware of the challenges facing small family operations like theirs and wanted to be part of the solution.

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Entrepreneurship Course Series Prepares Future Innovators

A series of three entrepreneurship classes offered at WSU Tri-Cities is pairing students with industry professionals to develop and launch new ventures in clean energy.

Paul Carlisle (’06 Busi. Admin., ’07 MBA), an adjunct professor with the Carson College who runs the program, says the classes are meant to be taken in succession. Students team up with a researcher who holds a freshly patented technology, often from nearby Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL), help create a business plan, and secure venture financing to create a viable business.

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