College of Business & Technology Faculty and Staff Directory

A - E        F - K        L - Q         R - Z

Meet the Team R - Z

R

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Headshot of Dr. Cherie Rains

Dr. Cherie Rains

Associate Professor of Marketing
215 Atkinson Hall
478-445-4075
Education

PhD
Purdue University, Consumer Behavior, 1999

MA
Syracuse University, 1996

BA
The College of New Jersey, 1994 

Research

Consumer-Brand Relationships, Experiential Learning, and AI Integration in Marketing and Education

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Frank Richardson

Frank Richardson

Lecturer of Computer Science
322B Atkinson Hall
478-445-1199
Education

MS
Southern Polytechnic University, Computer Science, 2007

BS
Kennesaw State University, Computer Field, 2005

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Dr. Mary Rickard

Dr. Mary Rickard

Associate Professor of Marketing
205B Atkinson Hall
478-445-2566
Education

DBA
Kennesaw State University, Marketing, 2014

MBA
University of West Georgia, Business Administration, 1998

BBA
University of West Georgia, Marketing, 1997

Research Areas

 Franchising, Sales

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Dr. Ward Risvold

Dr. Ward Risvold

Assistant Professor of Business Communications, Co-Director of Center of Technology and Empowerment
320 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2567
Education

PhD
University of Georgia
English, 2018

MA
North Carolina Central University
English, 2013

BA
University of California, Santa Cruz
Literature, 1988

Research

Trust in Business Communication, Artificial Intelligence in Business, Semiotics of Large Language Models

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Dr. Ania Rynarzwska

Dr. Ania Rynarzewska

Assistant Professor of Marketing
212 Atkinson Hall
478-445-0966
Education

PhD
The Florida State University, Communication with Emphasis in Marketing and quantitative tools, 2012 

MS
The Florida State University, Integrated Marketing and Management Communications, 2010

BB
The Florida State University, Public Relations and International Affairs, 2008

Research Areas

Social Media
Small Business

S

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Navid Safari

Dr. Navid Safari

Assistant Professor of Finance
401 Atkinson Hall
478-445-4102
Education

PhD
Old Dominion University, Finance, 2023

MBA
University of Tehran, Business Administration, 2015

BS
University of Guilan, Physics, 2012

Research

Real Estate, REIT, Portfolio Management

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Dr. Joanna Schwartz

Dr. Joanna Schwartz

Professor of Marketing
214 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2596
Education

PhD
Georgia Institute of Technology, Management, Marketing Concentration, 1995

MS
Georgia Institute of Technology, Management, 1991

BS
University of Georgia, Psychology, 1985

Research Areas

Consumer Behavior, Marketing Research, LGBTQ+ Marketing, Diversity & Inclusion

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Dr. Christopher Serafin Photo

Dr. Christopher Serafin

Lecturer of Marketing
211A Atkinson Hall
478-445-2572
Education

DBA
Northcentral University, Marketing, 2018

MBA
University of Phoenix, Healthcare Administration, 2012

BA
University of the Pacific, Art History, 2005

 

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Haris Sorovigas

Haris Sorovigas

Lecturer of Business Law
437 Atkinson Hall
478-445-7437
Education

JD
Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, Law, 2004

MBA
Johnson & Wales University, International Business, 1998

BS
Johnson & Wales University, Computer Systems Management, 1991

AS
Johnson & Wales University, Computers/Business Applications, 1989

 

 

 

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Dr. Sandria Stephenson - Department of Accounting

Dr. Sandria Stephenson

Assistant Professor of Accounting
406 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2581
Education

Post Doctorate
University of Florida, Accounting, 2013

PhD
University of Georgia The, Adult Education, 2008

MBA
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Business Administration Grad, 1998

BA
University of the Virgin Islands, Accounting, 1992

AA
University of the Virgin Islands, Business Management, 1992

 

 

Research Areas

Teaching and Learning in Accounting, Cost Analysis and Management, Sustainability, Diversity and Equity in Accounting 

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Dr. John Swinton

Dr. John Swinton

Professor of Economics, Director of Center for Economic Education
416 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2591
Education

PhD
University Of Wisconsin Madison, Economics, 1996

MS
University Of Wisconsin Madison, Economics, 1991

BA
Oberlin College, Economics, 1986

Research Areas

Economic Education, Environmental economics, Economics of superheros

T

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Eddie Thomas

Dr. Eddie Thomas

Associate Professor of Accounting
410 Atkinson Hall
478-445-8643
Education

PhD
University of Florida, Accounting, 2017

MACC
Georgia College & State University, Accounting, 2009

PhD
Emory University, Philosophy, 1998

MA
Emory University, Philosophy, 1992

BA
Claremont Mckenna College, Philosophy, 1989

Research Areas

Audit and corporate social responsibility

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Headshot of Colton Thompson

Colton Thompson

Lecturer of Data Science
306 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2797
Education

MS
Kennesaw State University, Software Engineering, 2020

BS
Georgia College & State University, Computer Science, 2018

W

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Deanie Waddell

Deanie Waddell

Office Coordinator
203A Atkinson Hall
478-445-5497
Education

BBA
Georgia College & State University, General Business, 1989

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Dr. Cullen Wallace - Department of Economics and Finance

Dr. Cullen Wallace

Associate Professor
420 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2578
Education

PhD
Florida State University, Economics, 2020

MS
Florida State University, Economics, 2016

BS
Georgia College & State University, Economics, 2015

 

 

 

 

Research Areas

Public economics, Child welfare, Regional development

Website
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Headshot of Ellen Wang

Dr. Ellen Wang

Assistant Professor of Accounting
407 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2580
Education

PhD
University of Houston, Accounting, 2025

MACC
University of Texas at Arlington, Accounting, 2015

MS
University of Texas at Arlington, Finance, 2013

BS
Nankai University, Economics, 2011

 

Research

Auditing, Financial Accounting, and Macroeconomics

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Susan Whittle

Susan Whittle

Administrative Assistant
402 Atkinson Hall
478-445-4023
Education

BBA
Georgia College & State University, Business Administration, 1986

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Dr. Aric Wilhau - Department of Management, Marketing, and Logistics

Dr. Aric Wilhau

Associate Professor of Management
213 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2574
Education

PhD
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Business Administration - Management, 2020

MBA
Western Illinois University, Business Administration Concentration, 2015

BS
Iowa State University, Finance, second major in Management, 2013

Research Areas

Motivation, Deviant workplace behavior, Individual differences (personality, values)

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Dr. Daniel Wu

Dr. Daniel Wu

Assistant Professor of Data Science
312 Atkinson Hall
478-445-2564
Education

PhD
Drexel University, Information Science & Technology, 2010

MS
The Pennsylvania State University, Computer Science, 2001

BS
Xiamen University, Biochemistry, 1987 

Research Areas


Data Science, Machine Learning, AI, Bioinformatics

Y

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Dr. JF Yao

Dr. Jenq-Foung Yao

Professor of Computer Science and Data Science
317 Atkinson Hall
478-445-5483
Education

PhD
Southern Methodist University, Computer Science, 1998

MS
University Of Wyoming, Computer Science, 1988

BS
University Of Wyoming, Computer Science, 1986

BS
National Taiwan Ocean University, Marine Biology, 1980

Research Areas

Cyber security, Data mining, Machine learning

Z

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Headshot of Chen Zhou

Chen Zhou

Lecturer of Information Systems
305C Atkinson Hall
478-445-5136
Education

MMIS
Georgia College & State University, Management Information Systems, 2025

BBA
Georgia College & State University, Management Information Systems