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Washington State University
Power Breakfast Carson College of Business

Featured Speakers

Fall 2023 Panelists

Brad Johnson
National Sales Manager-Kenworth, PACCAR Parts

Brad JohnsonBrad Johnson (’88 Busi. Admin.) is responsible for all aftermarket heavy duty parts sales activities for Kenworth dealers in the United States and Canada. He manages relationships with key dealership executives, administers parts and services programs, and acts as an advisor on retail sales initiatives. In his 29 years with PACCAR, Johnson has held sales and sales management roles at PACCAR Parts, PACCAR Financial, and Peterbilt Motors. PACCAR Inc. is a multinational company that designs and manufactures large commercial trucks through subsidiaries Kenworth, DAF, and Peterbilt. PACCAR’s parts division distributes products under these subsidiary brands, alongside PACCAR Genuine, TRP, and select OEM and aftermarket brands. Johnson lives in Kirkland, Washington, and is a third-generation Coug. He earned an MBA from Old Dominion University.

Julie Nelsen
Director, Center for Professional Sales, WSU Carson College of Business

Before her academic career, Julie Nelsen worked more than 20 years in entrepreneurial, corporate, and nonprofit sales and marketing roles in the advertising, interior design, and commercial furniture industries. Her sales and marketing experience crossed both B2B and B2C practices. She was president of the Marketing Educators’ Association (2021-2022) and is a past-president of the American Marketing Association Phoenix Chapter. Her research focuses on sales and marketing pedagogy, business ethics, and corporate social responsibility. As an assistant professor of marketing at WSU Vancouver, she brings the business world to her classroom through speakers, work-world examples, role plays, and other hands-on learning opportunities. She earned her doctorate focused on strategic business communication from Marquette University, an MBA from Arizona State University, and a graduate certificate in integrated marketing communications from St. Catherine University.

Gautham Rao
Divisional Vice President, Activity and Merchandising Strategy, REI

Gautham Rao is a senior executive with over 16 years’ experience in retail, consumer goods, and analytics. His expertise stems from previous roles at companies such as Nike and Target. During his tenure at Nike, he held leadership positions and played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s global strategy and North America merchandising. He also served as general manager of Nike Converse in greater China and Korea. Prior to his time at Nike, Gautham led the successful launch of new brands, drove innovation initiatives, and orchestrated core profits and losses at Target in Minneapolis. Gautham earned a bachelor’s in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s in economics from Murray State University. Originally from India, he was raised in Dubai and now calls Seattle home.

Lisa Young
Vice President, Corporate Partnerships, Seattle Seahawks

Lisa YoungLisa Young (’02 Advert.) is a marketing executive with more than 20 years of professional experience. She has been with the Seattle Seahawks since 2005 and has since worked her way up through the organization’s corporate partnerships department. She served the Seahawks as an account executive, client services manager, and in various roles within corporate partnerships before being promoted to vice president in May 2021. Young oversees all business operations including departmental sales, activation strategy, and execution. Prior to the Seahawks, she spent six years working for the Seattle Sounders soccer club as an account executive and client services manager. She started her career in advertising working as an account executive at a boutique firm in San Diego. Young lives in Woodinville, Washington.

Fall 2023 Moderator

Debbie Compeau
Interim Dean, WSU Carson College of Business

Interim Dean Debbie CompeauDebbie Compeau was appointed interim dean of Washington State University’s Carson College of Business on July 1, 2023. She leads the college in its endeavor to be the model school of business for tomorrow’s land grant university. Compeau is dedicated to continue elevating the college as the first choice for business education in the Pacific Northwest. She strives to implement active learning methods, especially case-based learning, as one of the college’s points of distinction. Prior to her appointment, Compeau was the college’s senior associate dean for faculty affairs and research. She is passionate about building the college’s reputation as a regular contributor of rigorous and influential research to academic disciplines and being recognized as the leading source of research insights and critical thinking about business. Compeau and her husband, Joe, who is a professor in the Carson College’s Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship, moved from Canada to the Palouse in 2015 to join WSU.

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