Paige Adler is an academic advisor in the Carson Center for Student Success. She previously worked at Seattle University, coordinating clinical experiences for nursing students. She recently earned a master’s degree in management and organizational leadership from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. In her free time, she enjoys planning future travel adventures and discovering new coffee shops.

Richard Barnes is an associate professor (career track) in the Department of Accounting. His research explores human behavior in tax decision-making and the taxation of employee benefits, particularly paid family and medical leave. Barnes was previously a faculty member at North Carolina State University. He has also worked as a visiting faculty member at Pacific Lutheran University and at the European School of Business in Reutlingen, Germany. Barnes holds a Master of Laws degree in taxation from the University of Alabama, a JD degree from the University of South Carolina, and a Master of Accountancy from the University of South Carolina.

Roberto Bello is associate professor (career track) in the Department of Marketing and International Business after teaching for more than 20 years in Canada. His research focuses on manager-consumer relationship and qualitative research. He loves soccer, having played and coached at a competitive level. He holds a competitive soccer coaching license.

Ruiying Cai (‘18 PhD) is an assistant professor in the School of Hospitality Business Management. Before joining WSU, she was an assistant professor at Colorado Mesa University. Her research interests include consumer behavioral research, service marketing, and technology adoption. Her research appears in top-tier journals such as the International Journal of Hospitality Management, Tourism Management, and Journal of Business Research.

Rayne Chandler is a credential evaluator in the college’s Graduate and Online Programs. She started her career as a para educator for an elementary and middle school and later became a head secretary. She enjoys helping students achieve their goals. In her spare time, she hikes, golfs, and rides horses. And on a cold, -50 degree day (in Montana), “I love just staying inside by the fire reading a good book,” she says.

Minjoo Kim is an assistant professor (career track) in the Department of Marketing and International Business. She is originally from South Korea. She earned a bachelor’s degree and a doctoral degree in marketing at Oklahoma State University. Her research focuses on brand transgression—the negative events that occur in consumer-brand relationships and how to restore those relationships. She also examines the effect of religious beliefs on consumer behavior. In her free time, she likes to watch college football and try out new restaurants.

LJ Klinkenberg is the executive chef in the School of Hospitality Business Management and director of the Marriot Foundation Hospitality and Culinary Innovation Center. Klinkenberg grew up in Washington. He has a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University and numerous culinary certifications. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Janel Lang is the college’s manager of corporate engagement, building relationships with corporations to increase opportunities for students and alumni. She returned to WSU from the University of California, Davis, where she was the founding director of the Career, Leadership, and Wellness Center for the School of Veterinary Medicine. Lang previously worked for the Carson College of Business in a variety of roles ranging from development to recruitment. She started the Carson Center for Professional Development, which later expanded to the Carson Center for Student Success. When not busy working, Lang enjoys boating, skiing, and spending quality time with her friends and family, especially her new grandson.

Xiaonan (Flora) Ma is an assistant professor in the Department of Finance and Management Science. She earned her two doctorates in finance and epidemiology from the University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on empirical corporate finance with a specialty in banking. She currently teaches introduction to financial management.

Kevin Mayo is an assistant professor of operations management in the Department of Finance and Management Science. He completed both his PhD and MBA at Indiana University and his undergraduate degree at Washington University in St Louis. He is a reviewer for the journals Manufacturing & Service Operations Management and Production and Operations Management. His research interests focus on identifying the right level of turnover to achieve desired operational performance.

Erica Morris is an academic advisor in the Carson Center for Student Success. She previously worked at Spokane Community College, Eastern Washington University, and Spokane Falls Community College. Morris enjoys reading, walking her dog, and spending time with her family.

Julie Nelsen is an assistant professor and director of the Center for Professional Sales supporting the WSU Pullman and Vancouver campuses. After working 20-plus years in sales, marketing, and management roles, she began teaching fulltime at St. Catherine University. Nelsen has bachelors’ degrees in speech communication and merchandizing from St. Catherine University, an MBA from Arizona State University, and a doctorate in strategic business communication from Marquette University. Nelsen was recognized as a 2021 John R. Lawrence Fellow by the Case Research Foundation and a 2021 Emerging Scholar by the Society for Business Ethics. She is a past president of the Marketing Educators’ Association.

McKinzie Turner is a career consultant in the Carson Center for Student Success. She has taught business and English classes at the college, high school, and junior high levels. She coaches high school volleyball in Oakesdale. Turner has a master’s degree in education from Eastern Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in human resources and production operations management from the University of Idaho. She and her husband have two children. She enjoys outdoor pursuits, reading, traveling, crafting, and baking.

Jamie Ann Wilson (’21 Humanities) is the chef de cuisine in the School of Hospitality Business Management. She grew up in Tekoa, Washington, and started working in culinary arts at a young age. During her studies at WSU, she earned a culinary certificate from the university and the American Culinary Federation. She worked as an executive chief and food and beverage director before returning to WSU.

Eric Winslow is a systems administrator in the college’s Office of Technology. He previously worked as IT operations manager at Walla Walla University. In his free time, he enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with family.

Lily Zhu is an assistant professor (tenure track) in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. Her research explores how emotions and emotion management influence entrepreneurship, creativity, and decision-making. She earned her doctorate in management from the University of California-Irvine and her bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, double majoring in psychology and economics. She also conducted research at Johns Hopkins’ Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise and worked at a consulting firm in Washington D.C.

Joseph Scott Gladstone is an assistant professor (career track) in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship at WSU Everett. Gladstone’s research explores management development and education for Indigenous people. He previously taught at the University of New Haven and New Mexico State University, and he founded the Native and Indigenous Peoples Caucus in the Academy of Management. Gladstone earned his doctorate in business management at New Mexico State University. Prior to his academic career, he managed tribal public health programs. He is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe in Montana and a recognized descendent of the Nez Perce Tribe.

Michael Gotch is the college’s development coordinator for annual giving. In this role, he focuses on strengthening the Carson College’s annual giving program and supporting the development team. Gotch previously worked for the University of Idaho, where he was the direct mail and digital engagement coordinator for the annual giving team. Gotch and his family are excited to be new members of the Cougar family.

Khan Haque is an assistant professor (career track) in the Department of Finance and Management Science. He received his doctorate in industrial engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in 2018. He worked at UTA from 2019 to 2021 as a post-doctoral research fellow in the Center on Stochastic Modeling, Optimization, and Statistics and as an adjunct professor in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering. His research interests include discrete-event simulation, statistical modeling, and data analytics. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and experiencing nature.

Elora Irby (’21 Mktg., Int. Busi., Honors) is a student engagement coordinator for the Carson Center for Student Success. During her senior year, she worked as a student engagement assistant for the Amplifier Program, which transitioned to a full-time position. A first-generation college student, Irby studied abroad in South Korea and took part in the Carson EDGE program. She enjoys exploring the area with her border collie during her free time and tending to her collection of houseplants.

Alec Pappas is an assistant professor in the Department of Marketing and International Business. Pappas grew up in Boca Raton, Florida, and graduated from Florida State University with his bachelor’s and doctorate degrees. Before pursuing his doctorate, Pappas lived in Philadelphia, where he worked as a mortgage closer, and he later moved back to Florida for an account manager position at a tech firm managing websites for international companies. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and photography.

Victoria Reibenspiess is an assistant professor in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics and her master’s degree in business informatics from Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. She earned her PhD in management information systems at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. Her research interests include digital innovation, IT identity, actors in innovation management, user adaptations, and platform design.

Hans Schnabel is the undergraduate enrollment manager in the Office of the Dean. He previously worked as an academic and student success advisor at the Carson Center for Student Success. His educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Eastern Washington University, and a master’s degree in human rights and international politics from the University of Glasgow.

Ryan Sommerfeldt is an assistant professor in the Department of Accounting, where he teaches data analytics and managerial accounting. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brigham Young University, and his doctoral degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to earning his doctoral degree, Sommerfeldt worked on the advisory team at Squire and Company, PC, and owned a landscaping company. His research lies at the intersection of managerial accounting and audit and has been published in top-tier accounting journals. In his free time, he enjoys sports and spending time with his family.

Tracey Spencer is an academic advisor in the Carson Center for Student Success. Her goal is to help students grow as professionals and individuals through strategic academic planning and participation in high-impact experiences. As a first-generation college student, Spencer is excited to bring experience in student services as well as a passion for educational access and retention to the Carson College team. When not in the office, she likes to escape into the mountains, where she enjoys hiking, backpacking, and photography.

Tony Thompson (’09 Social Sci.) is an assistant professor (career track) for the School of Hospitality Business Management. Since January 2015, he has taught professional development courses (HBM 101 and 401) and has mentored students in professional development. Thompson’s background includes event planning, customer service, sales, and business development. He was a three-year letter winner (tight-end and long snapper) for the WSU football team from 2006 to 2009. He received his online MBA from Western Governors University.

Ao Wang (’21 PhD) is a visiting assistant professor of finance at WSU Vancouver. She enjoys research and is passionate about teaching. Her research focuses on mutual fund managerial skills and performance. She taught Introduction to Financial Management and Intermediate Financial Management before joining WSU Vancouver.