Skip to main content Skip to navigation
Dividend The official online magazine of the Carson College of Business

December 2019 – New Hires

Mesut Cicek is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Marketing and International Business. He received his doctorate from Istanbul Bilgi University and was a visiting professor at Rutgers Business School before joining WSU. His research focuses on social media marketing, online product placement, and place authenticity and branding. Before his academic career, Cicek worked as a marketing manager and import manager in several private sector companies.
Chris Cooney is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. He previously taught strategic communication at the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at WSU. He has an executive master of business administration degree from the University of Idaho, where he also worked as the senior director of marketing and communication and the director of web communication. Cooney is a member of the Adobe Education Leader Program, a community of thought leaders in education who use Adobe tools to promote creativity and critical problem-solving.
Brittney Gamez is the new fiscal specialist 2 for the Dean’s Office. She grew up in Lewiston and graduated from Lewis-Clark State College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She previously worked in office management for Eastside Marketplace in Moscow, Idaho. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, cats and dogs, and doing crafts.
Tom Kokta is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Marketing and International Business. He is the former head of consumer insights at Microsoft, and he has started and run multiple small businesses. Kokta earned his PhD at the University of Washington, a master’s degree in math at Syracuse University, a master of business administration at McMaster University, and a master of science degree in economics at Ulm University. He enjoys working at the intersection of marketing, data, and agile product development. Kokta is an avid photographer. His work has appeared in National Geographic Magazine and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
Hana Johnson is an assistant professor in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a PhD in organizational behavior from the University of Washington and a master’s in business administration from the University of California at Los Angeles. She has worked for Starbucks, Procter and Gamble, and Arthur Andersen.
Cynthia Johnston is an academic coordinator for WSU Vancouver. She previously worked for Portland State University in housing and residence life. After earning her master’s degree from Portland State in higher education administration and leadership, she worked at Seattle Pacific University in student employment and career development. She has a passion for helping students develop their strengths.
Jeff Joireman has been promoted to chair of the Department of Marketing and International Business.
Keri Jones Knight is a student engagement specialist at WSU Vancouver, supporting internship opportunities and department-sponsored events. She has a bachelor’s degree from Western Oregon University in deaf education and a master’s degree from Portland State University in educational leadership and policy with a focus on student affairs. She previously worked at Western Oregon University as the coordinator of clubs and organizations and at Aloha High School as a graduation mentor. Knight enjoys volunteering with youth in her community and training at her gym.
Garth Mader is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. He previously spent 13 years at Amazon and has also worked at Nordstorm. He is best known for his work building new, disruptive customer experiences and helping drive efficiency, scale, and profitability in startups. Mader has a bachelor of science degree in business and marketing from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in business administration from Seattle University.
Titus Nordquist is the college’s PhD coordinator. He previously worked as the Online MBA coordinator for the Business Graduate and Online Programs office. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sport management from WSU. Nordquist is a Washington native who loves to golf and hunt.
Calen Ouellette is the college’s senior director of development. He has nearly 20 years of public relations and fundraising experience, serving in a senior leadership and development role at the University of Southern California for nearly 15 of those years. Ouellette earned his master of business administration degree from the University of Southern California and his bachelor’s degree from WSU in 2000. In his free time, Ouellette is an active outdoorsman in tow with his two dogs, Charlie and Dexter.
Avery Smith is a clinical assistant professor of management information systems at WSU Vancouver. He previously worked as an adjunct faculty member at WSU Vancouver teaching strategic management. Smith has worked in technology management roles at HP Inc. and Oregon Health and Science University. He received his doctorate from George Fox University. Smith’s research interests include strategic thinking and technology leadership.
Xinchang Wang is an assistant professor of operations management in the Department of Finance and Management Science. He previously worked for Mississippi State University. He has PhDs from Georgia Institute of Technology and the National University of Singapore. Wang’s research focuses on pricing and revenue management with applications to queueing service systems, logistics, and supply chain management.
Rachel Worthy is an academic coordinator at WSU Vancouver. She has a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Western Washington University and a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from Colorado State University. She previously worked at Bellingham Technical College as the youth re-engagement advisor, advising disengaged and at-risk youth as they pursued high school equivalency and post-secondary education.
Yixuan Xiao is an assistant professor in the Department of Finance and Management Science. She received her doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis and her undergraduate degree from Peking University. She was a faculty member at City University of Hong Kong before joining WSU. Her research focuses on operations management, supply risk management, interface of operations management and finance, and the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Keyang (Daniel) Yang is an assistant professor in the Department of Finance and Management Science. He received his PhD in finance from the University of Iowa. His research focuses on corporate finance. He currently teaches financial institutions and intermediation.
Nolan Yaws-Gonzalez is the Business Growth MAP manager at WSU Vancouver. In his role, he partners with others to help business students apply what they have learned to real-world challenges. He previously led both Career Services and New Student Programs at WSU Vancouver. Yaws-Gonzalez is passionate about student success and experiential learning and loves being a member of the VanCoug family.

August 2019 – New Hires

Mia Gleason is the new communications manager for the Office of Graduate and Online Programs. As a first-generation college graduate, she earned both her bachelor’s in public relations with a triple-specialization in sports business, advertising, and nonprofit administration, and her master’s in athletic administration from Central Washington University. Prior to joining the Carson College’s marketing communications team, Gleason was the social media specialist at the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine.
Lisa Hill is a new academic advisor in the Carson Center for Student Success. She earned both her bachelor’s and a master’s in adult, organizational learning, and leadership from the University of Idaho. Before joining WSU, she advised students at the University of Idaho for seven years, and prior to that, she served students in a variety of roles at North Idaho College.
Becky Kramer is a communication manager in the Office of Marketing, Communications, and Events. She is a Northwest native, who previously spent more than 25 years working for newspapers in Washington and Idaho. She was most recently a reporter for the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, where she wrote about business, energy, and the environment. She enjoys hiking, swimming, entertaining, family time, and reading mysteries.
Kate Merrick (’19 Strat. Comm.) is a new program specialist at WSU Vancouver. She will work on marketing for the Business Growth Mentor & Analysis Program (MAP) and the Carson College at the Vancouver campus. She is a third-generation Coug and recently graduated from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. While in Pullman, she worked at the WSU College of Education as a marketing and communications coordinator. Merrick is excited to continue working in the Coug family and to support upcoming students in their education.
Melissa Painter is the new administrative assistant in the Dean’s Office. She graduated from Lewis-Clark State College with a bachelor’s in business management. She is a first-generation college graduate. After graduation, she managed a Sherwin Williams paint store in the D.C. metro area before coming back to the Pacific Northwest. Most recently, she was the administrative assistant at WSU’s Cougar Health Services. She enjoys learning and experiencing new things, travel, and spending time with friends and family.
Kristen White is a new academic and student success advisor in the Carson Center for Student Success. She earned both her bachelor’s in psychology and her master’s in student affairs and higher education from the State University of New York Plattsburgh. While finishing graduate school, she worked as an academic advisor for undecided students and as an academic personal trainer for students on academic probation.
Tian Xu is a new post doctoral research associate in the Hoops Institute of Taxation Research & Policy. She attended Randolph-Macon College, where she double majored in mathematics and accounting and minored in economics. She received her master’s in actuarial science from Columbia University. Her research interests include financial reporting, accounting for income taxes, and taxes and corporate behavior.

March 2019 – New Hires

Jason Butcherite (’12 HBM) is the new chef de cuisine in the School of Hospitality Business Management. He most recently comes from the WSU dining services department where he served in various roles as sous chef and executive chef. In 2016, he earned certified executive chef and certified culinary administrator certifications through the American Culinary Federation. He earned a culinary arts degree from Clover Park Technical College in 2009. Butcherite is excited to return to the School of Hospitality Business Management and contribute to the evolution of the program and the industry’s future leaders.
Emily Dennis (17’ IBUS) is the new administrative assistant II in the Department of Marketing and International Business. She is a third generation Coug and is working to obtain her MBA through WSU’s Online MBA program. Prior to coming to WSU she worked for Paradise Creek Brewery, where she served as the marketing and event coordinator. Dennis excels in building customer relations and project management and is excited to be working in her new position alongside some of her previous professors.
Jaime Diaz is the new industry connections coordinator in the Carson Center for Student Success. Diaz holds an M.A. and an M.F.A. in electroacoustic music composition from the University of Sheffield and the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Previously, he worked at the Berklee College of Music as the accompanist coordinator in the voice department. He has experience as a grant writer, event coordinator, and freelance artist. Diaz looks forward to helping students make connections with professionals and preparing them for their future.
Dan Kennedy is a new academic advisor in the Carson Center for Student Success. He earned his bachelor of science in business from Pennsylvania State University and his master of business administration from Pennsylvania State University. Previously, he served as the coordinator of admissions and dual enrollment at Montgomery County Community College and a graduate assistant soccer coach for both men’s and women’s soccer programs at Penn State-Behrend.
Sam Kite is a new computer system administrator in the Office of Technology’s infrastructure unit. He has been working at WSU since 1990. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 10 years before starting his career at WSU.
Whitney Thurgood is a new office assistant III in the Dean’s Office. She is a Coeur d’Alene native and moved to the Moscow/Pullman area in 2016 with her husband, Adam. Most recently, she worked as the office lead at the Heart Center in St Joseph Regional Medical Center.

December 2018 – New Hires

Amy Alonzo (’07 HBM) is the new Culver hospitality relations manager in the School of Hospitality Business Management. She is the point of contact for the hospitality career fairs, internship and job placement advising, and internship hours tracking, and she is part of the advisory board. After graduating from the hospitality program, she completed Marriott’s Management in Training program and became an assistant food and beverage manager for Marriott Vacation Clubs in southern California. She moved back to the Pacific Northwest and has most recently come from the Quality Inn and Suites in Clarkston, Washington, where she was the director of operations and sales and catering. Alonzo is excited to share her real-world experiences with students.
Kirsten Fanning (’16 MIS) is the new manager of the Business Growth Mentor & Analysis Program (MAP) at WSU Vancouver. She comes to WSU from adidas Group, where she worked as a reporting analyst leading projects and identifying and implementing process improvement. Fanning excels in strategic thinking and the ability to tackle any problem set before her. As a former MAP student herself, she brings a unique perspective to the team.
Liridona Ponosheci is an administrative assistant II in the Center for Entrepreneurship. She has a bachelor of arts in English language and literature from the University of Prishtina and a background in office management, translating, and event and project coordinating. Furthermore, she has attended advanced training and certificate courses in Norway, Belgium, Austria, Hungary, and Italy. In 2017 she moved to the United States to live with her husband, and in 2018 they moved to Pullman, where he is pursuing a PhD in sociology. For the previous eight years prior to coming to WSU, she worked as a program management assistant at the Association of Kosovo Municipalities in the capital of Kosovo, Prishtina.

August 2018 – New Hires

Matthew Beer (’96 Pol. Sci.) is the new military and veteran affairs manager in the Office of Graduate Programs. Beer was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force from WSU’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program. In his new position, he will facilitate the success of veteran students with the college, specifically, delivery of the Rucksacks to Backpacks to Boardroom program supporting online MBA and Executive MBA online military and veteran students’ transition into military leadership roles or the civilian workforce. Beer was previously the chair of the Department of Aerospace Studies at the University of Alaska Anchorage, where he led a team in recruiting, educating, and training 50 cadets annually through college-level Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Read more about Matthew Beer.
Chun-Chu (Bamboo) Chen is a new assistant professor of hospitality at WSU Vancouver. He received his doctorate  from Texas A&M University and was a faculty member at Penn State University and the University of Idaho before joining WSU. His research focuses on the consumption of tourism/hospitality experiences and well-being and is guided by an overarching question: How do tourism and hospitality experiences promote the well-being of customers? Chen has worked with the U.S. Travel Association, Tourism Bureau of Texas, Tourism Bureau of Taiwan, and the National Science Council of Taiwan on an array of research and outreach projects, resulting in nearly 30 peer-reviewed journal articles.
Debbie Compeau has been appointed as senior associate dean for faculty affairs and research, succeeding Professor David Sprott. She is also the Hubman Distinguished Professor of Information Systems. She joined the college three years ago and was previously a faculty member at the Ivey Business School at  the University of Western Ontario.
Ashley Kuznia is a new career consultant in the Carson Center for Student Success. She earned her bachelor of science in psychology from the University of Idaho and her master of science in counseling psychology from the University of Kansas. Her work integrates both counseling and career development theories to identify students’ strengths and guide them toward academic and professional success and well-being. In her previous roles, she has served as a career coach, project coordinator, and as a liaison to students with disabilities, allowing her to assess various students’ needs and resources for well-rounded career readiness during and after college.
Marla Meyer is the new Moss Adams accounting career advisor in the Department of Accounting. She will serve as the primary student employment coordinator for accounting majors in the college and be a liaison to alumni and the accounting advisory board. She will also build and maintain relationships with regional and national public accounting firms, industry recruiters, and others interested in hiring WSU accounting majors. She will work with the Beta Alpha Psi faculty advisor to develop and implement events bringing accounting students and professionals together, advise students on accounting careers, and work with students to hone their professional skills. Meyer spent the last five years in Seattle with Holland America Line, most recently as a pricing and demand manager. Read more about Marla Meyer.
Cheryl Oliver has been appointed as associate dean for professional programs. She continues to lead the team responsible for delivering the college’s nationally recognized online MBA and Executive MBA online online programs while continuing to build operating capacity for online undergraduate programs.
Jason Porter is a new clinical associate professor in the Department of Accounting. He comes to the Carson College with 12 years of experience, having taught accounting at both the University of Idaho and the University of South Dakota. He has an undergraduate and master of accounting degree from Brigham Young University and a doctorate from the University of Georgia. He is an associate editor for the IMA Educational Case Journal and has published numerous articles about accounting practice and accounting education and has written a case book with Armond Dalton on using Excel skills in managerial accounting.
Tom Tripp has been appointed as senior associate dean for academic affairs. He will continue with oversight of all academic programs except the PhD, which will continue to be directed by Professor Chuck Munson. Tripp has also been appointed as the Rom Markin Endowed Leadership Chair in Business. The chair is awarded to a professor who provides the direction, knowledge, effort, and inspiration necessary to sustain and advance education programs in an increasingly competitive global environment.
Rita Whitcomb Rita Whitcomb is the new chief financial officer for the college. She is versed in a variety of financial processes including forecasting and budgeting, as well as streamlining business operations that drive growth, efficiencies, and collaboration. Previously, Whitcomb served in several financial administrative roles at WSU, and most recently was the area finance officer for the WSU Graduate School, where she provided financial consultation to the dean and advised the associate deans, faculty, staff, and students on administrative policies related to finance. She earned her bachelor’s in business management and human resources in 2006 from the University of Idaho.