Adam J. Aviv is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the George Washington University. He has broad research interests in the area of computer- and cyber-security and privacy, including topics such as network security, mobile security, applied cryptography, and usable security and privacy. Most recently, he has focused on topics surrounding human factors in security surrounding mobile devices and authentication, whereby we consider how human choice, perceptions, and actions influence the security of systems.

John Paul (JP) is an Assistant Professor at George Washington University in the Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering. His research focuses on understanding how consumer preferences, market dynamics, and policy affect the emergence and adoption of low-carbon technologies, such as electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies. He also studies the critical relationship between the US and China in developing and mass producing these technologies. He has expertise in discrete choice modeling, conjoint analysis, exploratory data analysis, interview-based research methods, and the R programming language. He speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and has conducted extensive fieldwork in China. He is also an accomplished violinist and swing dancer. John holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM) from Virginia Tech.

College of Liberal Arts Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education and Professor of Communication, Brian Lamb School of Communication - studies the relationship between information technology, group behavior, and social structures. His current interests focus on modeling and simulating the role of communication and information processes in collaboration and conflict, spanning from knowledge production to military command and control.

His most important book, Structural Differentiation in Social Media studied 10 years' worth of Wikipedia editing or 250 million individual contributions to the site. The volume offers a new view of how online groups emerge. It identifies specific evolutionary phases, including a bureaucratic one. The book emphasizes the role of strong, although temporary, leaders for the success of any online project.

He has published several books and tens or articles in the Journal of Communication, Communication Research, Information Society, and Foreign Policy. His work was funded by the National Science Foundation and is conducted in collaboration with colleagues from various campus units, such as Computer Science and Engineering. Dr. Matei's teaching portfolio includes game-based and competency-based courses, such as Technology and Strategy, Data Storytelling, AI ethics, Social Media Analytics, Online interaction and Facilitation, and Global Social Media Research. His teaching makes use of several software platforms he has codeveloped, such as Visible Effort, Visible Past, Virtual Omaha, and Tech Diplomacy. Dr. Matei is also known for his media work. He is a former BBC World Service journalist whose contributions have been published in Washington Post, National Interest, Foreign Policy, Esquire and leading Romanian newspapers. In Romania, he is known for his books Boierii Mintii (The Mind Boyars), Idolii forului (Idols of the forum), and Idei de schimb (Spare ideas).

Tejwansh (Tej) Singh Anand is a Clinical Professor of Practice and the Academic Director for the MS in Information Systems programs at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Tej spent the first 10 years of his career working in AI and Data research and product development in companies such as Philips Research Laboratories, A. C. Nielsen, and NCR/Teradata. Tej spent the last 20 years of his career as a senior business-technology executive in companies such as Golden Books, CA Technologies. Medco Health Solutions and CareCentrix. His research interests include blockchain governance, firm-wide analytics maturity, technology ethics and traits of business leaders for successful technology adoption.

Tej holds a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, an MS in Computer Science from the University of South Carolina and an EdD from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Patrick is the Director, Key Executive Leadership Programs at American University. He is a frequent guest lecturer on kindness, gratitude, emotional intelligence, compassion, ethics, mindfulness, and leadership at various organizations, professional associations, and universities including the Fulbright Scholars Program and the Workhuman Conference. His research and teaching interests include human motivation, kindness, leadership, ethics, and organizational behavior. He is also one of the few researchers in the country certified in the mind assessment tool, Subject/Object Methodology, developed at Harvard. Dr Malone is a retired Navy Captain. While in the Navy, Patrick served in a number of leadership and policy roles including as a professor of biometrics and preventive medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Academic Director; and Dean of Academics for Navy Medicine. His most recent publications include: “Critical Conversations and the Art of the Undiscussable,” “For the Love of Brain – Our Best Friend in Talent Development,” “Selfies in the Workplace,” “Kindness and Survival of the Fittest,” “Go Ahead, Laugh – Why Humor Makes for a Better Workplace,” and “VulnerABILITY - Can Managers Benefit from Extreme Exposure?” His TED Talk, “Thinking about Time,” is available at http://tedxtalks.ted.com and his co-edited book, The Handbook of Federal Leadership and Administration was published in November 2016. His critically-acclaimed coauthored book Leading with Love and Laughter – Letting Go and Getting Real at Work was released in Spring 2021. His book Emotional Intelligence in Talent Development was released in October 2021. Patrick’s new co-authored book Decision Making for the Somatic Leader is due to be released in Spring 2024. He lives on a sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay, somewhere, depending on the wind.

Dr. Garcia has served over three decades as a public safety, education, and security professional. He has trained thousands of individuals in leadership and personal development initiatives, public administration, strategic management, and problem-solving. He has served as a subject matter expert in leadership and public safety and has appeared on international, national, and local television programs. He also serves as a subject matter expert where he develops and enhances Social Sciences’ curriculum and with program evaluations. He has completed numerous deployments and missions to Africa, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and across the US where his original interactive programs have enjoyed great success and acceptance. Hector has also presented professional development workshops for the FBI National Academy, the US Department of State, and numerous federal agencies. Dr. Garcia serves as a grant peer reviewer and subject matter expert for the US Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and other federal entities. He currently serves as the Associate Dean for the Graduate Criminal Justice programs at Southern New Hampshire University’s Global Campus.

Dr. Barb Lesniak is Senior Associate Dean for SNHU’s Social Sciences program, managing the deans who oversee individual disciplines. Prior to her career in academia, she worked in the Human Resources field, developing and delivering training programs in person and online for a global audience. She also spent a decade as a counselor in clinical and online settings. Barb was instrumental in the redevelopment of SNHU’s BA.PSY program, ensuring that career connections and emotional intelligence skills were woven throughout the core classes.

Mr. Niblett’s background includes strategy formulation, implementation and resulting development needs for seventy companies worldwide during his tenure at BET, the Industrial Services conglomerate. Working with the construction, oil and gas, hiring, out-sourcing, transport, manufacturing and cleaning industries in the Americas, Europe, Mid East, Australasian and Asian sub continents. He has acquired knowledge in relation to global management and mindset, global business, global business intelligence, entrepreneurship and marketing in overseas geographies. He earned a Master’s degree in Management Studies, and a Master’s degree in Marketing, Marketing Behavior and Marketing Strategy. Keith Niblett also teaches in MSU’s Strategic Leadership & Management certificate programs.

Lucie McDonald, a native of Philadelphia, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Saint Joseph's University, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a concentration in Medieval Studies. Thereafter, she attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School, during which she worked at both the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and the Defenders' Association. Following law school, she served a two-year legal clerkship with the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Lucie then accepted a position as an attorney-advisor with the Department of the Navy, Engineering Field Activity Northeast (EFANE), Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFACENGCOM). After serving that Command for almost 18 years, EFANE closed and Lucie took a job with NAVFAC MidAtlantic. Ms. McDonald worked as Counsel for NAVFAC MidAtlantic, providing legal services to her clients from Maine to Virginia for another 17 years and retired after a total of 34 years working for the Navy Office of Counsel. Her main area of work for the Navy involved negotiating a variety of issues and conflict resolution in her areas of practice. She enjoyed a varied practice, with areas of specialty including construction law, procurement of facilities maintenance and architect/engineering services; Government ethics, labor issues and other employment matters; and, issues arising under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts. As an attorney with the Department of the Navy, Ms. McDonald also participated as an instructor for various contract law seminars, workshops and courses. Lucie is a past Chair of the Federal Women's Program Committee and was the Editor of that committee's quarterly newsletter entitled the "FWP Reporter," until 2006. She also served as the Program Coordinator for the Command's Aspiring Leader, New Leader and Women's Executive Leadership Programs. Finally, Ms. McDonald served as the Director of Intern Programs and Recruitment Initiatives/Succession Planning until 2006 when she took her current job with NAVFAC MidAtlantic. McDonald was also named Northern Division's Woman of the Year.

Ms. McDonald was the Editor-in-Chief of the Command's Legal News, which was published 4 times a year and shared with hundreds of military and civilian clients. Lucie was also a member of the Navy Office of General Counsel’s Diversity and Inclusion Council and was responsible for rolling out a world-wide D&I initiative and training program for that office. Her efforts resulted in “Diversity Dialogues” conducted with all employees and with a benchmark of good practices and areas needing improvement.

Lucie completed a certificate program in DEI at Cornell University. She has also completed a program on DEI through the Office of Personnel Management and is a certified DIVERSITY GAME CHANGER. Lucie enjoys continuing academic dialogue and interaction as a teacher. She served as an instructor of Government Contract Law in the Administrative Law Program at the Philadelphia Paralegal Institute. For the last 29 years, she has been an Instructor in the Accelerated Degree Program at Rosemont College, where she facilitates various courses in both the undergraduate program and graduate programs, including a variety of classes in ethics, negotiation techniques and DEI. She is the past head of Rosemont's MBA and MSM Programs. Lucie has also facilitated Rosemont's Global Seminars in Ireland, England and Scotland. Most recently Lucie

has participated in the Global Study in Oxford England in the Summer of 2016. For the 1998-99 academic year, Lucie was voted Rosemont's Instructor of the Year.

Lucie is continuing to pursue speaking, writing and consulting in the field of Diversity and Inclusion. She has spoken at various events and is currently working on a book. Lucie also recently started a small legal practice. Ms. McDonald recently relocated from Delaware to New Jersey with her husband. She enjoys spending time with her three small grandchildren, reading, golfing, exercising, and just hanging out with her family and three dogs. She recently started a class in Bee Keeping and is studying to become a Reiki Master!

Carrie D. Stringham, DM
Professor, HR
Purdue University Global
School of Business and Information Technology

In addition to decades of experience in senior leadership positions, Carrie Stringham has been teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in business and health care, both adjunct and full time, for more than 25 years. Carrie is experienced in the creation, implementation, and administration of compensation programs, policies, procedures, recruiting and staffing programs, evaluation systems, human resource information systems, and employee benefits. She has created entire human resource platforms for organizations in varied industries including health care and mining. She is also an experienced consultant and trainer in organizational behavior and leadership.
Carrie is currently a professor in human resources for the School of Business and Information Technology at Purdue University Global. Carrie’s doctorate is in organizational leadership. She holds a Master of Science in Administrative Studies with a human resource option and has undergraduate degrees in organizational behavior and business management, is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), is Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certified, and is Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP) certified.

Emily Redinbaugh is the Assistant Director, Content Marketing for Bellevue University. With over twenty years of experience, Emily has worked with national corporations/organizations in providing learning programs to help employees gain industry and business-specific knowledge.
Emily’s experience spans the fields of marketing, adult education and human capital. Prior to her joining the Bellevue University team, she worked in the music and family entertainment arena as the Marketing Manager in Mankato, MN.
Currently, Emily directs and oversees Bellevue University’s content marketing strategies and campaigns in all Strategic Partnership Key Market Areas: Corporate Learning Solutions, Premier Partnership Network, International, and Government. She is also the host of weekly inspirational webinar series Tuesday Takeaways.
She develops and manages various strategic marketing campaigns for major partner accounts to evolve educational partnerships, develop new market service offerings and provide educational opportunities for these partner employees and members. She creates white papers, articles for publication, and professional presentations for team members and leadership. She also is an adjunct faculty member for the University.
Emily holds a M.A in Management from Bellevue University and a bachelor’s degree in Music Management from Luther College, Decorah, IA.
In her free time, Emily can be found at her daughter Elanor’s (Nora),17 or son Nowell’s,15, sports and school activities. She and her husband, Boyd, own The Simple Man, a men’s mercantile in Omaha. They love watching sporting events, spending time with friends and embarrassing the kids as often as possible.

Cathy Francois, is an EdTech enthusiast and higher education administrator serving as the Director of Career Programming and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at University of Maryland Global Campus. She has over 10 years of career development experience and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Florida and a Master of Business Administration from Purdue University Global.

Amber Paulk, PhD, is Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of Graduate and Online Education at the University of North Alabama. Dr. Paulk is responsible for providing leadership and strategic oversight to university units and programs that focus on recruitment, retention, and career placement. As a student-centered administrator, she is committed to designing and providing holistic, inclusive, and research-based programs that enrich and support students. Dr. Paulk is committed to continuous improvement, and she has utilized Rapid Improvement with Lean Tools to systematically increase the effectiveness and impact of student-services at her institution.

Dr. Michael Dillon holds a dual Bachelors of Arts in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University, a Doctorate of Education in Adult Education and Human Resource and Organizational Development from the University of Georgia, and recently completed a Project Management Certificate at Central Michigan University. He has been teaching face-to-face, online and hybrid courses in the MSA program since 2016, and previously taught as an adjunct faculty member for a number of years.

Prior to his career in higher education, Dr. Dillon worked in banking, finance, the mortgage business, and has taken leadership roles in multiple nonprofit organizations. His academic interests include collaborative action and power dynamics, adult learning theory, organizational learning, critical human resource and organizational development theory, leadership theory, action research methodology, hybrid and online learning, and qualitative research. He is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and currently resides in Midland, Michigan, with his family. Dr. Dillon looks forward to creating engaging spaces in each class for students to learn and grow.