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Dividend The official online magazine of the Carson College of Business

March 2023 – New Hires

Lisa Desmarais is the business student recruitment manager in the Carson Center for Student Success. She has worked in higher education for about 10 years, including areas such as residence life, student activities, prevention and wellness training, and case management. Desmarais most recently worked for an engineering company in university relations and intern programs. She has a bachelor’s degree in art history and fine arts from Loyola University Chicago and a master’s degree in higher education and student development from North Carolina State University. Desmarais enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog, coffee shops, tending to her houseplants, and teaching pottery at a local studio.
Tamma Peery is a fiscal specialist in the Dean’s Office. She previously worked at WSU’s central payroll office. She has an associate degree from Lewis-Clark State College. In her leisure time, she enjoys the outdoors, crocheting, reading, remodeling campers, and spending time with her family and friends.
Ethan Pickering is the coordinator for the college’s International Business Institute. He previously worked at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, where he was an academic advisor. He and his family moved to Pullman from Washington, D.C. He has previously worked as a social worker in an international middle school, a logistics offer at the American Embassy in Angola, an ESL teacher, and a refugee resettlement case worker. Pickering served in the Peace Corps in Mozambique from 2009 to 2011. During his college years, he studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, majoring in cultural anthropology and Spanish.
Shyanne Schoenlein is a director of development in the Office of Development. She previously worked for WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences in development, and she has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Whitworth University. In her leisure time, she enjoys hiking, snowboarding, and spending time with her family and pets.
Julien Stalick (‘22 Busi. Admin.) is an administrative specialist in the Carson College of Business at WSU Vancouver. A Washington native, Stalick’s favorite hobbies include tennis, soccer, fitness, hiking, music production, and video games. He has two Airedale terriers “that I love to the moon and back, despite the havoc they cause when nobody is around,” he says.
Meghan Steinbeiss is the retention manager for graduate and online programs. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Central College and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Kentucky. She previously worked in academic advising for WSU’s MBA programs. She also works as an adjunct professor for undergraduate political science courses. In her free time, she enjoys listening to podcasts, trying new restaurants, and practicing aerial acrobatics.
Ashlee Toone is the administrative assistant for the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. She previously worked in elementary education. Toone and her husband have four children and several pets. She enjoys hiking, fishing, family times, playing games, dancing and singing to music from the 80s and 90s, reading, and learning new things.

December 2022 – New Hires

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.

August 2022 – New Hires

Michelle Atwell is the administrative assistant in the Department of Finance and Management Science. She previously worked at WSU in Counseling and Psychological Services and the Department of Military Science. She also spent three years working as a Navy recruiter in the area. Atwell has been in the Navy for 19 years, where she is currently a reservist. Her husband also works at WSU, and the couple has two children.
Tishara Day (’21 Psych.) is a scholarship program coordinator at the Carson Center for Student Success. She was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Day has a one-year-old German shorthaired pointer, and she enjoys traveling, art, live music, and photography in her free time.
Zahra Debbek (’21 Digi. Tech. & Cult.) is a graphic designer in the college’s Office of Technology. She previously worked as the graphic designer at WSU’s School of Music, an administrative assistant for the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at WSU, and the clerical assistant for the WSU Creamery. Debbek has a passion for the arts. In her free time, she enjoys painting, photography, and spending time with her loved ones.
Kayce Edwards is an administrative assistant in graduate and online programs. She previously worked for the Moscow School District, where she was the secretary for the Moscow High School counseling program and secretary for the district’s student nutrition program. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, relaxing around the house, and enjoying good food.
Jamie Garlinghouse is the employer development manager for the Carson Center for Student Success. She previously worked at the University of Idaho in employer relations with Career Services. Prior to that, she worked in the U of I Registrar’s Office, handling commencement event logistics and processing graduation applications. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, live theatre, and traveling.
Paris Kemmer (’22 Mktg., Mgmt.) is the student engagement marketing coordinator in the Carson Center for Student Success. As an undergraduate, she was a Carson College student ambassador for three years, a peer mentor for first-generation students, and an advising intern. She also has worked as an executive intern for Target, a digital marketer/search engine optimization analyzer, and athletics marketing intern, and she was a WSU Boeing scholar.
Shir Levy (’22 Psych., Advert.) is the employer connection coordinator at the Carson Center for Student Success. She was a forward on the WSU women’s basketball team and was named to the 2022 Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll. She is conducting research on team dynamics in sports.
Cesar Munguia (’15 Socio.) is a career consultant at the Carson Center for Student Success. He is the oldest of three siblings and the first in his family to graduate from college. Munguia previously worked for GEAR-UP in Benton City, which helps low-income high school students prepare for post-secondary education; Cougs Rise in Pullman; and he also had a short career as a flooring installer. He enjoys hiking, snowboarding, playing soccer, and spending time with family.
Lori Peterson is the faculty affairs coordinator in the Dean’s Office. She has worked for WSU for 28 years, with most of her time spent as the principal assistant for the Department of Chemistry. Prior to working at WSU, she worked in the legal field. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, boating, Mariners baseball (when they are winning), and spending time with her family and two rescue dogs.
Brandon Schafer (’17 Poli. Sci.) is an IT support technician in the Office of Technology. He has worked in several other fields such as project management and manufacturing. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his Newfoundland puppy as well as writing and producing music for his rock band, Space Club.
Leah Wacker is an academic advisor in the Carson Center for Student Success. She previously worked as an advisor in student services at the University of Washington and WSU. As a first-generation college graduate, she is excited to help students navigate their way to academic success. In her free time, she likes to hike, follow professional tennis, and travel with her family.

March 2022 – New Hires

Evan Barton (’21 MBA) is the MBA admissions manager for graduate and online programs. He previously worked for WSU as the recruitment and outreach specialist for the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business marketing and marketing analytics from the University of Idaho. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor recreation, traveling, and spending time with his partner and their corgi.
Jessica Barkley (’18 Human Dev., Spanish) is an academic coordinator at WSU Vancouver. She previously worked as a course and data coordinator for the University of Colorado Denver’s Business School and as a transfer coordinator for Concordia University in Portland. Barkley earned a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy from Portland State University. Outside of work, she enjoys going to NBA basketball games, exploring new cities, and spending time with her loved ones.
Rachel Boyer (’19 Accounting, ’21 MBA) is a teaching assistant professor of accounting at WSU Vancouver. She spent 20 years working in accounting for companies and local government. She is a first-generation, non-traditional student with a passion for audit, financial, and cost accounting.
Lydia Guenther (’18 Hosp. Busi. Mgmt.) is an office assistant in the dean’s office. Prior to joining the college, she worked in the event industry at the Best Western in Moscow, Idaho. A first-generation college student, Guenther was born in Syria. During her time as a WSU student, she studied abroad in Spain and Morocco and received a Global Leadership certificate. She has a passion for helping people. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, photography, wedding coordinating, other cultures and history, and writing.
Jay Harris is a director of development based in Seattle. He was an assistant athletic director for the Cougar Athletic Fund in Seattle from 2015 to 2018. More recently, he was a philanthropy director at Swedish Medical Center Foundation, working with caregivers and patients in the Swedish Heart and Vascular Institute. He is originally from Alabama, but moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2015.
Jacqui LaCroix (’21 Poli. Sci.) is the retention manager for the online and executive MBA programs. She previously worked as a general manager in WSU Dining Services. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with family.
Nicola Lippetti is an academic coordinator at WSU Vancouver. She grew up in Las Vegas, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University. A first-generation college graduate, Lippetti describes herself as a life-long learner who is passionate about higher education. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her children.
Goretti Manzo (’05 Crim. Jus.) is the office manager for the Carson Center for Student Success. She says, “I am so excited to be back in the university that I love and to be able to give back to a community that gave so much to me while I was a student here.” Manzo enjoys spending time with her family, pets, and plants as well as traveling and being outdoors.
Tiffany Reiss is the assistant director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. She previously worked in the Innovation and Research Engagement Office in the WSU Office of Research, and she leads the I-Corps teaching team. Reiss has a doctorate from Virginia Tech in curriculum design and instruction and a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Appalachian State. She previously founded multiple companies in education technology.
Whitney Thurgood is the new program coordinator for graduate and online programs. She previously worked for the college as the administrative assistant for the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship.
Tabetha Villanueva (’21 Soc. Sci.) is a fiscal specialist II for the college. She previously worked as a fiscal technician for WSU’s Payroll Services. She has a bachelor’s degree in social science. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, running, and hosting dinner parties.
Minie Yadama is the administrative assistant in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. She has an MBA from the University of Mississippi. She enjoys assisting faculty “who give their best for our students—the future of our country.” In her free time, she enjoys the sunsets on the Palouse and walks and hikes with friends and family.

December 2021 – New Hires

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.