Collage of new 2023 Fisher faculty

Learn more about the backgrounds and research interests of the newest members of Fisher’s faculty community of instructors, professors and researchers.

Department of Accounting and MIS

  • Open/Close Kurt Gee - Associate Professor

    Kurt Gee headshot

    Kurt H. Gee is an associate professor of accounting at Fisher, where he teaches financial accounting and conducts research on how companies communicate financial information to investors.

    Gee’s research focuses on issues of importance to accounting policymakers, and he is an expert on company reporting practices that are not in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (i.e., non-GAAP). His research is published in premier academic journals including Journal of Accounting Research, The Accounting Review, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Management Science, and Contemporary Accounting Research. Prior to joining the faculty at Ohio State in 2023, Gee was an assistant professor at The Pennsylvania State University where he received the Les Shonto Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.

    From 2018-2019, he served as the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) inaugural Post-Doctoral Fellow. In this role, Gee served as a liaison between accounting academia and the FASB and worked closely with FASB staff to incorporate insights from academic research into the standard-setting process. As a result of this experience, Gee views accounting academia as part of a larger ecosystem of accounting practice, and he strives to teach and conduct research in a way that contributes to both academia and this larger ecosystem.

    Gee received his PhD from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Prior to studying at Stanford, he graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, with a master’s degree in accountancy.

    Preferred Name: Kurt

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Cleveland, Ohio

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: Penn State

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    I love accounting! I try to inform policymakers with my research and teach my students to make informed judgments about financial reporting issues.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    High standards and an encouraging demeanor.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    I received a teaching award at Penn State and was invited by my students to speak at their department graduation ceremony.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    I enjoy sports, D&D and nature.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I play the piano and organ.

  • Open/Close David Trimm - Senior Lecturer

    David Trimm headshotDavid Trimm is a senior lecturer at Fisher where he teaches technology subjects to both undergraduate and post-graduate classes. Prior to teaching, he was the chief information officer at The Wendy’s Company, where he was responsible for all global information technology. Prior to Wendy’s, he worked for The Hertz Corporation from 2001- 2015 where he was executive vice president and CIO. Trimm has also spent time in senior leadership roles with other well-known consumer brands such as the Ford Motor company, Coca Cola, Hilton Hotels, and the footwear manufacturer and retailer Clarks of England.

    He is a founding partner in a consulting firm, Synflexion LLC. Trimm’s 30-year career has involved more than 20 years in global roles and 17 as a CIO. He has also served on the board of a Florida Technology partnership, on the travel industry advisory board for the Teradata Corporation and on advisory boards for Xenodata (a data and analytics startup) and Another Monday (a Germany-based robotic automation company).

    He served as CEO of two technology companies , and he led the IT practice at consulting firm Synfiny Advisors. An engineer by training, and a graduate of London’s Imperial College, Trimm has run some of the world’s biggest eCommerce websites, sold footwear design software in Italy and implemented hotel systems at safari lodges in Kenya.

    Preferred Name: David

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: United Kingdom

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: The Wendy’s Company

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    E-commerce and the application and introduction of technology to business problems.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    Students can expect experience of having done the things I teach, a sense of humor, a big focus on communication and on lecture materials, and a lot of help with the course content.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    I was the chief information officre of Hertz and Wendy’s. At Hertz, I was responsible for the brand re-invention which is still in use today. I’ve built many parts of the experience at both companies which are still used by customers now. I was fortunate enough to run some of the world’s largest eCommerce properties during periods of explosive growth.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    Cycling, hiking, rugby, music and building things.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I appeared on British Television in the 90’s in a production of three short plays by Anton Checkhov.

Department of Finance

  • Open/Close Bradford Bodine - Senior Lecturer

    Brad Bodine headshotBrad Bodine has more than 30 years of experience in the global institutional capital markets arena, specifically capital raising, finance, trading, risk, distribution and research. He has had senior roles with Credit Suisse, Barclays Capital, Wells Fargo/Wachovia, Canaccord Genuity, Bonneville Real Estate Capital, and was the founder and chairman of Cortview Capital (a Warburg Pincus portfolio company), where he effectively built a middle markets broker dealer from start-up to successful merger with Pierpont Amherst (sold recently to Santander).

    Brad’s product expertise includes corporate credit, structured credit, mortgage credit, derivatives and liquid products (including currency). He is widely acknowledged as being a leader in capital and asset raising on behalf of funders, asset managers and broker dealers.  

    Brad holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Columbia University, where he studied under Nobel Prize-winning economist, Robert A. Mundell. He holds accreditations from FINRA (Series 3, 63, 7, and 24), the Mortgage Bankers Association (AMP designation) and the National Eagle Scout Association (Life Member).

    Preferred Name: Brad

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: New York, New York

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: Private Enterprise

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    I have always been curious about capital formation and efficiency. How capital flows through a global economy is one of the most exciting subjects anyone can study.  Without capital, entrepreneurs can’t create, businesses can’t thrive, nor can societies advance.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    I have a passion for teaching. I have been fortunate to work for more than 30 years on Wall Street and have had amazing experiences and wonderful mentors. The act of passing that knowledge on is a privilege and something I am excited to do. My students can expect the same amount of enthusiasm from me as I will of them.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    I hold Series 3, 7, 24, and 63 designations from FINRA. I am also an AMP with the MBA. I have built and run a number of global businesses for Credit Suisse, Barclays, Wells Fargo (formerly Wachovia Securities) and Canaccord Genuity. I founded and was chairman of Cortview Capital (funded by a $125 million commitment from Warburg Pincus), which recently was acquired by Santander.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    My biggest hobby is family! I was an athlete once upon a time, so anything sports-related is always of interest (golf, baseball, basketball, football, etc.). I enjoy a good book, the beach, being on any kind of boat and turning wrenches.  I love the smell of anything that burns gas and will get my hands greasy. Cars and motorcycles are a weakness.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I was a professional magician when I was in college. I have been a magician member of the AMA (known as the Magic Castle) in Hollywood, California for over 20 years.

  • Open/Close Aditya Chaudhry - Assistant Professor

    Aditya Chaudhry headshotAditya Chaudhry is an assistant professor of finance at Fisher. His primary research interests are asset pricing and macro-finance. His work uses sophisticated statistical and machine learning techniques as well as novel identification approaches to answer important questions in these fields. In particular, his current work explores the interactions of investor beliefs, asset demand, and equilibrium prices in financial markets. This work ties into his broader agenda of investigating the sources and consequences of inelastic demand in asset markets.

    Chaudhry received his PhD in finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He did his undergraduate studies in commerce and mathematics at the University of Virginia.

    Preferred Name: Aditya

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Reston, Virginia

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: University of Chicago Booth School of Business

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    Finance.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    I am passionate about helping students understand finance and its connections to the broader economy in these exciting times so they can make better financial decisions in their personal and professional lives.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    Some accolades include: SoFiE Prize for the Best Paper at Early-Career Scholars Conference (2022); Stevanovich Student Fellowship (2022);Yiran Fan Memorial Prize (2022); Liew Fama-Miller PhD Fellowship for Best Third-Year Paper (2021); Fama-Miller Research Development Fellowship (2021); Liew Fama-Miller PhD Fellowship for Best Second-Year Paper (2020); Arnold Zellner Doctoral Prize (2020); National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Recipient (2018)

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    In my free time I enjoy watching movies, listening to live music and playing golf.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I play the saxophone.

  • Open/Close Ernest Dancer - Senior Lecturer

    Ernie Dancer headshotErnie Dancer moved to Columbus from Philadelphia to work for Nationwide Insurance Co. with his wife and three children to begin a career as a property and liability field claims adjuster. He received several promotions and worked in various departments, including product development, commercial underwriting, personal lines sales and group sales management.

    After two years working for Nationwide, Dancer founded his own independent insurance agency that provides insurance services to medium and large commercial business throughout central Ohio.

    Prior to teaching at Fisher, Dancer has taught at Ohio Dominican University and Columbus State, where he was asked to create its Principles of Insurance certificate course.

    Preferred Name: Ernie

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Westerville, Ohio

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: Columbus State

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    My career in the insurance industry has been rewarding and I am grateful for the experience and success I’ve had. As an educator in business teaching insurance and finance for the past 17 years, I have learned to appreciate that experience and enjoy sharing those experiences with others in the classroom. Education is a lifelong endeavor and I continually let students know that I learn something every day. Sometimes the knowledge comes as result of a class discussion or questions raised by a student, but I also learn by reading industry journals and publications to stay current to the changing world of insurance and finance. I find business education to be invigorating and worthy use of my time and talents. I look forward to the beginning of each semester.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    I am a knowledgeable insurance professional who brings energy and enthusiasm to the classroom. As an instructor, I consistently receive positive performance reviews from students and colleagues. I am well-versed in the course material and enthusiastic about my role as a college educator. I consider myself a student-focused instructor who uses actual insurance experiences effectively as a tool for students to help them understand this complex industry. The students at Fisher will benefit from my years of experience in underwriting, claim settlement and risk management as an insurance professional.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    I am currently a member of the Economic and Finance Board of Advisors at Ohio Dominican University. The focus of my career has been to develop trust in my client relationships. These clients are medium and large commercial business in central Ohio. By providing the advice and counsel necessary to address the changing risks that they’ve faced over the past 30 years, I have earned that trust. I measure my success based on the long-term nature of the relationships with these companies and can look back at the many times I have been thanked for the assistance in managing a complex claim or providing an insurance coverage the other agents were unable or unwilling to find for them.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    I am active outside of the classroom. I enjoy playing handball, golf and swimming. I enjoy reading and usually complete two three books each month. I am currently taking a creative writing course. I have three adult children and five precious grandchildren that I visit when time permits. I also enjoy golf and beach life in Hilton Head, S.C., whenever possible.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I was discharged from the Marine Corps many years ago but continue to do ‘the daily seven’ every morning. It’s an exercise routine that I learned in bootcamp.

  • Open/Close Khosrow Doroodian - Senior Lecturer

    Khosrow Doroodian headshotKhosrow Doroodian specializes in international macroeconomics and finance and was a member of the Department of Economics at Ohio University from 1982 through 2022. While at Ohio University, he taught courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. They included international economics and financial markets, international finance, mathematical economics, macroeconomics and business fluctuations and managerial economics, among others.

    He has published numerous scholarly articles in professional journals and has made numerous presentations in various professional conferences. Doroodian is the founder of the Master of Financial Economics (MFE), a CFA-based curriculum.  From 1991-2020 he served as the graduate director of Ohio University’s master’s degree in economics, and from 2000-2021 he served as its graduate director of the master of financial economics degree.

    He holds degrees in economics, including a bachelor’s and master’s from Shiraz University in Iran and a PhD from the University of Oregon.

    Preferred Name: Khosrow

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Iran

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: Ohio University

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    International macroeconomics and finance.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    I love teaching and Fisher students should expect high-quality teaching.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    I designed and developed the Master of Financial Economics at Ohio University and was nominated twice for the university’s Presidential Teaching Award.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    I like to travel to different countries and learn about different cultures. I also like to read and follow the financial markets.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I have a good sense of humor.

  • Open/Close Thomas Flanagan - Assistant Professor

    Thomas Flanagan headshotThomas Flanagan is currently an assistant professor of finance at Fisher. His research explores value creation in financial intermediation and risk measurement within banking institutions.

    He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Texas at Dallas and a PhD in finance from the University of Michigan.

    Preferred Name: Thomas

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Beaumont, Texas

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: University of Michigan

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    Financial intermediation and measurement of risk in banks.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    Students can expect to learn a framework for analyzing economic problems in banking and finance. I believe students learn best when motivated by real-world problems.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    My research is forthcoming in the Journal of Finance.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    My hobbies include entertaining my two cats, Kevin and Karl, and playing guitar. While my code is running, I enjoy playing chess to pass the time.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I am very good at Guitar Hero.

  • Open/Close James Maniace - Senior Lecturer

    Jim Maniace headshotJim Maniace is a former partner and current senior counsel at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, a law firm with approximately 850 attorneys in 10 offices. His practice is overwhelmingly focused on the real estate industry, and over the course of the 42 years he has practiced, he has been involved in almost every type of real estate activity, primarily development, purchase and sale, leasing and finance.

    Jim has been heavily involved with the governmental process for development both as an attorney for developers and as a zoning official, having served as the chairman of the Columbus Board of Zoning Adjustment for 21 years. He has taught continuing education to commercial real estate agents for over 30 years. As a senior lecturer at Fisher, he teaches Introduction to Real Estate and Real Estate Law.

    Preferred Name: Jim

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Columbus, Ohio

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: Taft Stettinius & Hollister

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    Real estate, with a particular interest in development and financing trends.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    I hope I am considered a practical instructor with an understanding of how different positions in real estate operate so that I can give perspective on matching jobs with skills and personality.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    I am a former partner and senior counsel at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP and was named Commercial Instructor of the Year by ColumbusRealtors in 2013 and 2020. I received the AXA Advisors Non-Profit Executive of the Year Pillar Award in 2016. I served as chairman of the Columbus Board of Zoning Adjustment for 21 years, was former president of the Columbus Metropolitan Club, Columbus Rotary and Central Ohio Land Title Underwriters.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    I enjoy community service because of the ability to help the community and to meet others who are willing to offer their time, talent and treasure. I also teach continuing education outside of the university setting; it helps keep me up to date with the trends in the real estate industry.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    My first job was at The Ohio State University Golf Club as a caddie.

  • Open/Close Ivan Smith - Senior Lecturer

    Ivan Smith headshotIvan Smith brings deep experience in law and business to the classroom as a senior lecturer in finance. He is former general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer at ScottsMiracle-Gro (SMG), a position he held for 10 years. He previously served SMG for 10 years in other senior business lawyer roles. He led teams that successfully implemented commercial programs, built business lines by acquisition, divestiture, and partnership, and guided the company through crises and major litigation. 

    He joined SMG in 2003 from the Jones Day international law firm, where he had a distinguished business litigation practice. Ivan graduated from Miami University with highest honors and from Ohio State's Moritz College of Law with highest honors, and he clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for the Honorable Alan E. Norris.

    Preferred Name: Ivan

    Hometown: Newton Township, Ohio

    Previous Institution: ScottsMiracle-Gro, Jones Day

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    Leadership and managerial responsibility to stakeholders, broadly defined.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?
    They can expect real-life analysis of the intersection of law and business based on decades of leading institutions. I hope to inspire them to engage and lead in school, business and the community.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.
    I'm happy to have been recognized as a cross-functional leader based on driving collaborative, profitable solutions to sometimes harrowing challenges.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    My wife and I just built a house in the woods, and enjoying and learning how to manage that is my main current hobby.  Fitness, outdoor pursuits and parenting my dogs, Hero, Maddy and Dolly, consume most of my leisure time.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I enjoy competing in obstacle course races and other competitions that involve carrying heavy things long distances.

  • Open/Close Yufeng Wu - Associate Professor

    Yufeng Wu joined Fisher in 2023. Prior to that she was an associate professor in finance at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She received her PhD in finance from the University of Rochester in 2016 and a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Hong Kong in 2010.

    Wu’s primary areas of research are corporate finance and financial intermediation. Her articles have appeared in leading academic journals in finance and economics, such as the Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Monetary Economics, and others. Wu also serves as associate editor at the Journal of Financial Economics.


    Preferred Name: Yufeng

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Shanghai, China

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: University of Illinois

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    Understanding the nature of competition among the financial institutions and the frictions they face while providing services to market participants.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    Lively and in-depth discussions, timely feedback and opportunities to interact inside and outside of classroom.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    I helped host the 16th Early Career Women in Finance Conference, which aims to support pre-tenure female faculty in the field of finance and encourage collaborations among them.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    Yoga, movies and cooking.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I am a proud owner of a British shorthair cat named Shrimp, who loves kale and spinach.

Department of Marketing and Logistics

  • Open/Close Vandana Agrawal - Senior Lecturer

    Vandana AgrawalVandana Agrawal is a management consultant, specializing in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), international business and marketing projects. Creating solutions that improve business outcomes and employee engagement, Agrawal’s work focuses on prioritizing strategic goals while balancing operational realities, transforming teams to scale, and addressing complex issues with communication, teamwork and planning.

    She is is the former international vice president at Highlights for Children, where she also launched the company’s DEI Council and guided new employee education, recruitment and marketing review initiatives. Under her leadership, Highlights International went from emerging to established growth through infrastructure improvements, marketing campaigns and the introduction of a reading edtech platform. 

    Agrawal also was a broadcast journalist, writing and producing for news outlets such as CNN and Fox News in New York. 

    She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree from the University of Missouri and an MBA from Fisher.

    Preferred Name: Vandana

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Point Pleasant, West Virginia

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: Consultant

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    I’ve always been inspired by the marketing belief of keeping your customer at the center of everything you do. I like it from a business perspective, but also because it can embody the new golden rule, which is so important in inclusion practices of treating others as they’d like to be treated.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    I’m coming from a practical background, so I bring my management perspective with me, which means treating them with respect through empathy and fairness, but also having high expectations of them.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    My proudest achievement is the growth and development of my team members during my corporate career. To play a small part through guidance, mentorship and advocacy is a joy and an honor.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    So many! I enjoy traveling, cooking, reading, learning languages and watching sports, among many others.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I consider myself lucky to have traveled to all seven continents.

  • Open/Close Brian Hipsher - Senior Lecturer

    Brian Hipsher headshotBrian Hipsher is a young-at-heart professional with over 30 years of senior leadership and technical experience in marketing, operations and HR. Brian’s experiences have spanned retail, tech, healthcare and restaurants. He previously served as an adjunct professor a Fisher, teaching Marketing Projects and Retailing Management courses.

    When he’s not busy developing future leaders, Brian can be found dinking it on the Pickleball court with his lovely wife. He’s also the ultimate wrestling dad, helping his oldest son coach his high school team. His youngest son is a Fisher graduate who is now trying to make it big in the music business.

    Brian earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing and an MBA from the University of Wyoming.

    Preferred Name: Brian

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Denver, Colorado

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: Charleys Philly Steaks

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    I’ve been lucky to serve in a variety of marketing, operations and human resources roles, and what truly captivates me is the power of cross-functional collaboration. When diverse teams come together, they can harness their collective expertise and perspectives to solve complex customer and business problems.

    I’m very interested in the emerging practical applications of artificial intelligence in business. AI will revolutionize many aspects of the business world, and I plan ensure students are prepared for this future.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    My goal is simple: I want to be the best teacher my students have ever had! I genuinely care about their success both inside and outside the classroom. When students join my class, they can expect to learn from real-world examples. I aim to deliver a curriculum that gives them the practical know-how they need. And hey, I also strive to make the learning environment fun!

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    To be honest, it’s not about me. I have been most proud in my career when someone I have been coaching gets a promotion, the team hits a significant milestone or goal, or the company does something wonderful for the community.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    My hobby is hobbies! I am very good at collecting hobbies, and have many more I would like to collect! I enjoy painting, gardening, mushroom hunting, pickleball, wrestling, hiking, sailing, video games, traveling and watching TikTok (to learn more hobbies and for fun). My interests are endless — so let me know what you like — I wanna learn.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I wrestled in college (University of Wyoming) and escaped without cauliflower ear.

  • Open/Close Alan Pritchard - Senior Lecturer

    Alan Pritchard headshotAlan Pritchard joins the Department of Marketing and Logistics at Fisher as a senior lecturer. Prior to arriving at The Ohio State University, he was an assistant professor of supply chain management at Texas Tech University, where he was a finalist for the Jerry S. Rawls Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching award.

    Pritchard earned his PhD in supply chain management from the University of Maryland and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in economics from Old Dominion University. His research focuses on inventory management, retail operations and reverse logistics. He teaches core undergraduate and graduate courses in logistics, supply chain management and managerial economics.

    Preferred Name: Alan

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Norfolk, Virginia

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: Texas Tech University

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    I am inspired by the constantly evolving supply chain landscape and the introduction of new business strategies. I thoroughly enjoy introducing these strategies to younger generations and applying them to current events. I also enjoy sparking students’ interest in business analytics and applied economics and preparing them for their careers.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    Students can expect a highly interactive classroom with open dialogue and relevant, real-world applications. Students will develop their ability to make decisions under uncertainty by analyzing case studies, assignments and in-class exercises. Problem solving, teamwork, negotiation and leadership are emphasized so that students can apply their knowledge outside of the classroom and throughout their careers.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    The Jerry S. Rawls Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (Texas Tech University) and Jack W. Nickson & Nathaniel Shechter Memorial Award in Economics (Old Dominion University)

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    I enjoy traveling, gardening and attending sporting events.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I was a three-sport athlete through high school.

Operations and Business Analytics

  • Open/Close Adam Cockrell - Senior Lecturer

    Adam Cockrell headshotAdam Cockrell is a senior lecturer in the Department of Operations and Business Analytics. He joined Fisher in 2023 after serving as clinical faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Department of Information Systems, Operations, Supply Chain and Analytics, where he taught undergraduate and graduate purchasing, strategic sourcing, and operations management courses. He has extensive industry experience in purchasing, negotiations and operations management.

    He has worked as a procurement leader in several companies including Sears, Motorola, United Airlines, Capgemini and HSBC. Cockrell earned his bachelor’s degree in operations management and international business from the University of Cincinnati, an MBA and MS in accountancy from Aurora University, and a doctorate in business administration from DePaul University. He also completed the Program for Leadership Development at Harvard Business School.

    Preferred Name: Adam

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Dayton, Ohio

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    Purchasing/strategic sourcing, negotiations and operations management.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    Fisher students can expect an infusion of real-world experience with academic theory to help them relate to the course material better.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    I made the list of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Spring 2022.

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    Reading, advising small businesses, walking/biking trails, watching sports, movies and TV shows.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I play the drums and saxophone.

  • Open/Close Jessica Kohlschmidt - Senior Lecturer

    Jessica Kohlschmidt headshotJessica K. Kohlschmidt is a senior lecturer at Fisher. Prior to the position, she was the PhD biostatistician at the Clara D. Bloomfield Center for Leukemia Outcomes Research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center for 12 years. Her research group looked retrospectively at patient data to determine what gene mutations and expression (or combinations) predict which patients will have improved survival. This helped direct prospective clinical trials. In that role, Kohlschmidt was a consulting statistician and had the opportunity to apply statistics to real-world problems and teach collaborators about statistics and how to interpret results in a meaningful and appropriate way.

    A longtime officer of the Caucus for Women in Statistics (CWS) — serving for 10 years as secretary and, in 2018, as the first executive director — Kohlschmidt currently oversees CWS operations. She has been involved with many of the updates that have occurred in the past few years and is enthusiastic about the new directions CWS has undertaken, including efforts to increase international visibility and outreach to young people.

    Kohlschmidt is actively involved with the American Statistical Association and serves as vice chair for District 3 for the Chapter of Councils, past president for the Columbus Chapter, and co-chair for the History in Statistics Interest Group.

    Preferred Name: Jessica or Dr. Kohlschmidt

    Hometown, State, Province, Country: Columbus, Ohio

    Previous Academic Institution or Company: The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

    What area of business and business education most inspires you?

    I have always liked working with numbers, and data analytics has been a great way to use numbers to do something useful in many fields. I enjoy presenting data analytics to students and showing them how it can help them succeed in the future. I am inspired by students and their interest and ideas surrounding business and data analytics.

    What can Fisher students expect from you as an instructor?

    I have a passion for helping students learn. I enjoy getting to know my students and helping them do their best in my courses. Being available to my students as much as I can is important to me. I hope that you learn something in my courses and appreciate data analytics and critical thinking more when you are finished.

    Please share some professional awards/accolades/recognition of which you are proud.

    Some accolades include: Student Paper Award from the ASA Sections on Government Statistics, Social Statistics and Survey Research Methodology to attend JSM 2003 in San Francisco and present my research; Student Travel Award from the ASA Section on Survey Methods Research to attend JSM 2006 in Seattle and present my research; the 2016 Distinguished Professional Service Award from The Caucus for Women in Statistics; Ohio State Statistics Department Fellowship (Summer 2001); Ohio State Summer Research Fellowship in the Center for Survey Research (Summer 2002); Ray Student Travel Award from the Graduate Student Council at The Ohio State University to attend JSM in Seattle and present my research (2006); Best Buckeye Award from The Ohio State University Alumni Association (2015)

    Tell us about some of your hobbies and interests.

    I enjoy spending time outside working on my flower beds and tending to the family garden. I also enjoy spending time with our dogs inside and out. Spending time with my family is important to me. I enjoy watching the Houston Astros and, of course, the Buckeyes. I love to read and occasionally work on quilts or paint. I spend time volunteering on a regular basis, often with national or international professional societies but also with our local alumni club. I enjoy visiting zoos and aquariums.

    Please share a fun fact about yourself.

    I have a small chihuahua named Lilly.  We also adopted her puppy, Bruno, who is three times her size.