Business Administration—Executive MBA

Director, Spanish Language and Graduate Management Programs
Email: lparra@nec.edu

Bio
Born in Medellin, Colombia, Dr. Parra dreamed of acquiring a prestigious education in the United States. She came to the U.S. with an international student visa, and through the years, she had the opportunity to study at institutions such as Miami-Dade College, Barry University, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Nova Southeastern University where she earned her Doctorate in Public Administration. A professional with over 19 years of experience in the field of education, Dr. Parra presents significant contributions as an administrator and faculty member, including exceptional organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. She offers 18+ years of multi-site college/university leadership experience gained via exemplary long-term tenures with two of Florida’s largest academic institutions.

As an Enrollment Services Administrator with a background covering all aspects of undergraduate and graduate student support services, her experience includes:

• Recruitment and admissions
• Academic advisement
• Registration and retention
• Financial aid
• Employment services
• Career/vocational counseling
• Student academic progress
• Judicial affairs

Dr. Parra’s ability to work with a diverse population of national and international students has allowed her to oversee academic programs in English and Spanish. This includes teaching from undergraduate to doctoral courses in both languages.

Educational Background
PhD in Information Assurance and Security, Capella University
MS in Information Assurance and Security, Western Governors University
BS in Business Administration, Towson University

Bio
Not all teaching or learning occurs in the classroom, but I feel it’s vital that we all keep learning and try to pass our knowledge on to others. I have an in-depth background in information technology, cybersecurity, and strategic management. From my background as a consultant in Information Risk, Privacy, and Security Strategy to my expertise as an online educator, I have a well-rounded view of programs and what it takes to help students be successful. My technology work helps me integrate theory and practice to allow learners to conceptualize and explore what they learn in the course room and apply it to a real-life setting. Most importantly, my time in the Army taught me lessons about teamwork that I use every day.

I believe that building diversity in the online classroom for students of varying skill, age, and culture is critical to success. Everyone learns in different ways, so actively utilizing different styles—such as audio, video, and kinetic styles—is just the beginning. Being online, I take advantage of peer-reviewed articles, social media (including YouTube), and documentation by trendsetters in the field. The global classroom will have people with all sorts of backgrounds. I feel the diversity should be celebrated and provide a means to work with each other but learn different ways to solve problems and consider factors were thinking locally would never address.

As an instructor, I am here to provide knowledge and support and organize each course to maximize student interest using various teaching methods to present the material. I incorporate real-world experiences and topics to engage and foster discussion amongst students to relate to the topic. I vary my teaching and feedback techniques, use innovative technology and multimedia to guide all learning styles, and emphasize the importance of critical thinking.

Educational Background
Doctorate in Management, NOVA Southeastern University
Doctorate in Marketing, NOVA Southeastern University
MBA, Barry University
BA in Political Science, University of Miami

Research Interest
Professional sales/sales management

Bio
Dr. Dave Hinkes, a Spanish bilingual native Miami Beachian for a half-century, is an Assistant Professor of Marketing/Faculty of the Practice at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Worldwide Online based in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Adjunct Professor of Marketing/Management/Leadership at New England College (NEC).

Dave was a former Professor of Marketing/Management at Sullivan University Graduate School of Business in Louisville, Kentucky, for three years after seven years as Chair/Associate Professor of Management/Marketing at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee.

Dave holds all seven available professional sales and marketing certifications from the three different accrediting bodies. Dave has 27 years of corporate sales/marketing experience in the document management services outsourcing industry. Dave is CEO of Hink, Inc.—a management, marketing, sales training, coaching, and keynote speech consultancy since 1991 (hinkinc.net). Dave’s book Selling by Objectives (SBO): The Handbook for More Profitability in the 21st Century (now in its third edition) is an Amazon Best-Seller.

Dave is married to Deb, his supermodel for 41 years and they have children: Jenny, Missy, and Steve. Dave’s hobbies are reading, golf, bowling, table tennis (ping pong), theatre, music, and spectator football and basketball. Dave resides in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.

Educational Background
MA in Computer Resources and Information Management, Webster University
BA in Business Administration and Management, Limestone College
AS in Network Systems Management, Midlands Technical College

Awards and Recognitions
Employee of the Year
Leadership Lexington County
SCTEA Employee of Year
League for Innovation Innovator of the Year
Attended Executive Leadership Program

Bio
Elaine McLeod has a deep passion for teaching, instilling the concept of lifelong learners. She has over 35 years of experience in the Information Technology arena. Her job titles have included data coordinator, telecommunications director, online learning coordinator, and faculty.

One of her proudest accomplishments was the accountability for installation of the original T1 fiber optic network which connected three campuses at a multi-campus college. Another major project for which accolades were awarded was the adoption of a new learning management system (LMS) for a college. Her office managed the installation of the new Brightspace LMS, along with establishing training courses to include the materials for training. She was also instrumental in the creation and delivery of all course shells for the entire college for this endeavor.

Spare time for Elaine McLeod includes traveling and reading.

Educational Background
Doctorate in Strategic Leadership, Regent University
MBA, Texas Wesleyan University
BS in Economics, Texas Woman’s University

Research Interests

• Practical economics for personal growth
• Non-traditional economic impact on farmers
• Ethics in business

Bio
Dr. Evette Hyder-Davis is published in peer-reviewed academic journals and is a member of Emerald Insight.

She has been an Associate Professor of Economics, Finance, and Statistics for New England College, University of Texas—Dallas, and Texas Woman’s University and Professor of Business for Northern Virginia Community College. She has served as the coordinator of the online master’s in Anthropology program for the University of North Texas and as the Teach Specialist for LeTourneau University, helping certify secondary and elementary teachers in the State of Texas.

Dr. Evette serves her community by remaining actively involved with economic development and non-profit agricultural community through her farmland. Dr. Evette is a farmer; hotel owner; and author of textbooks, workbooks, and journals. She’s also an instructional designer and curriculum developer who designs materials for local communities and colleges.

Educational Background
PhD in Organization Development, Benedictine University
MA in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, University of Tulsa
BA in Psychology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Research Interests
Currently developing a new 360-degree assessment tool and a personality measure to assess people’s ability to assimilate to new technologies

Bio
I began my “work life” by funding my undergraduate education through sales and retail jobs, including two years as a store manager. I have spent the last 25+ years in various consulting roles with leading firms such as Booz-Allen & Hamilton, Accenture, and Hewlett-Packard. My focus right now is on teaching, researching, and executive coaching. I am also a Board-Certified Coach.

Most of my consulting and academic careers have focused on organizational change, leadership development, and business strategy. I have worked across numerous industries, including government, pharmaceutical, healthcare (both provider and payer), manufacturing, and retail.

Educational Background
PhD in Instructional Design and Development, University of South Alabama
MA, University of South Carolina
BA in Education with specialization in Speech Communication and Social Studies, University of Mississippi

Bio
Julie Zink has been teaching and designing courses for New England College since 2007. She served as the MBA and MSM Program Director in the School of Graduate and Professional Studies from 2014–2017.

Her PhD dissertation examined instructional design and learning strategies in the public speaking environment.

Julie wrote, developed, and currently teaches the Organizational Communication, Conflict Resolution and Negotiation, and the Organizational Communication for Leaders courses. She regularly teaches the Strategic Capstone course for graduating MBA students.

She has also taught Project Management, Organizational Management and Leadership, Issues in Ethics for Healthcare, Organizational Ethics from a Global Perspective, Ethical Decision Making for Leaders, Organizational Development and Leading Change, Strategic Planning and Policy, Comparative Health Care Systems, and the Psychology of Social Media.

From 1987–2001, Julie taught communication and education courses at various colleges in the South Alabama area before moving to Maine with her family.

Educational Background
MBA, Rivier College
MHA, St. Joseph’s College
BA in Pre-Med, St. Anselm College

Bio
Marc’s career spans a variety of healthcare positions in both clinical and administrative aspects. His focus throughout has been on setting clear and measurable goals for himself first and then for his staff while ensuring personal and team accountability. An insightful and innovative senior leader of over 25 years, Marc has repeatedly and successfully developed, implemented, and met strategic, operational, and financial goals. His style is to mentor and train others to be successful team contributors.

Mr. Fournier has been frequently called upon by the President/CEO of Southern Maine Health Care to assume primary responsibility for projects and departments that were facing significant challenges. Early on, he developed the organization’s incident command process related to all hazards and led a 50 percent reduction in the worker’s compensation multiplier. On the project side, he has led and implemented numerous facility acquisitions, construction, and renovation projects, while meeting established goals. Marc took on responsibilities over the Marketing Department on two different occasions and in the Finance Department during a leadership change, each time providing clear and measurable results recognized by the Board of Trustees. During a five-year assignment overseeing the Information Technology Department, he enhanced the team’s ability to successfully meet customer expectations by working with the department to establish reasonable and achievable benchmarks that lead to a significant improvement in customer satisfaction and performance sustainability.

Approaching new challenges with a spirit of engaging and connecting with staff, Marc has had responsibility for a staff up to 250 and budgets totaling $275 million. He has a vast array of experiences through his service in the Navy; his clinical work in multiple Cardiopulmonary Services departments; and his work in corporate compliance, risk management, facility project management, facilities, maintenance, materials management, cafeteria and dietary services, environmental services, safety, emergency management and security, information systems and telecommunications, and all aspects of construction, renovation, and property acquisition/management.

Marc is a Life Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He has presented workshops to numerous healthcare groups across multiple disciplines.

Educational Background
DBA, University of Phoenix
Executive JD, Concord University
MBA, University of Phoenix
BA, Washington State University

Bio
I have spent 20 years working in various businesses. I spent six years as a state medical commissioner for Washington State, being appointed by the Governor. I have been an Executive Director of an agency that helps seniors and people with disabilities in a rehabilitation environment. I have worked in a long-term care facility. I have been the Agency Director for a company providing home healthcare to clients. I have been a commissioner on the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission.

In addition to my academic degrees, I also have a master’s certificate in Six Sigma and a master’s certificate in Project Management.

I enjoy teaching our students and working with a great team here at New England College. I spend my remaining spare time with my girlfriend, Peggy, and our cat, Baby Girl, and our Boston Terrier, Shermy. We have fun doing stuff together like watching movies and eating pizza. Baby Girl is also my Research Assistant.

Educational Background
Doctorate in Finance, Vienna University of Economics and Business/London Graduate School of Mathematical Finance
Magister in Management Science, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration
Diploma in Jazz Piano, Prayner Conservatory

Research Interests

• Monetary and macro-economic topics, as well as trading and pricing-related issues to Big Data and Artificial Intelligence applications in geo-political context
• Standing program committee member of the World Energy Council in London
• Director of the Institute of Cybernetics and Geopolitical Analysis

Bio
Stephan Unger worked for several years in the Markets and Investment Banking Division of UniCredit as corporate FX/Fixed income structurer before pursuing his PhD in Finance. He then worked as Assistant pre-doc at Vienna University of Economics and Business before working as post-doc at the Finance Department of the University of Vienna for five years. Since 2016, he works as Associate Professor of Finance in the Department of Economics and Business at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. He joined New England College as Adjunct Professor in Finance in 2019 and has been appointed Associate Professor of Finance at the Gerrish School of Business at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Educational Background
MS in Computer Information Systems, New England College
BS in Computer Science Engineering, Nagpur University (Jhulelal Institute of Technology), India

Bio
Surabhi has been working as the International Student Coordinator at NEC for over two years. She is also as a part-time lecturer for the Executive MBA program.

She received her bachelor’s in computer science engineering from Nagpur, India, in 2013. The degree helped her in gaining knowledge of programming languages and computer security. She further pursued a master’s in computer information systems from NEC in 2018 to expand her knowledge in computer programming, design, and analysis of algorithms and numerical computing.

Surabhi started her work experience in 2013 by working as an Assistant Professor at GNI Institute, India, where she taught Numerical Computing in C++. From 2014 to 2016, she worked as an Operations Associate for CompuCom Systems where she provided technical support on computer hardware, software, and server systems to all the Target stores in the US, along with Bank of Montreal in Canada. During her MS degree, Surabhi helped her Program Director by working as a grad program assistant to teach Java to international students and then took the role of the lecturer after graduation. Additionally, Surabhi is also the International Student organization Advisor and part of the alumni advisory committee.

Educational Background
Juris Doctorate, Massachusetts School or Law
MBA, Franklin Pierce University
BA in American Studies, Franklin Pierce University

Bio
Susan Holden Martin is an experienced educator and professional editor who offers private consulting services in business management, conflict resolution and mediation, and information communication technologies.

Since 2006, Susan has advocated for the human exploration and settlement of the planet Mars by service to various non-profit space advocacy organizations. She is currently the EU-Interact Station Manager of the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in Nunavut, Canada, and a member of the Board of Directors of The Mars Society-Canada. She also serves The Mars Society U.S. as a member of the Management Team of the Mars Desert Research Station in Hanksville, Utah, as a member of the organization’s Steering Committee and is a past Executive Director. Follow her on Twitter @MarsTweep.

Educational Background
MS in Engineering Management, Western New England University
BS in Electrical Engineering, Western New England University

Research Interests
A variety of technology and business areas, project management, change management, strategic planning, governance, and continuous process improvement

Bio
Tom Mongeon has been an Adjunct Professor at New England College since 2016. He also serves as a corporate board member, management consultant, and Chairman of IEEE’s NH Chapter of the Power and Energy Society. He previously served as board chairman of a $250M electric utility, as a Fortune 100 high tech executive, and as a nonprofit Executive Director/CEO.

He has transformed engineering organizations; led complex multimillion dollar projects; and led change at companies including GE, Honeywell, and United Technologies, New England’s regional transmission (electric grid) operator and the world’s largest semiconductor distributors. He represented Honeywell on international regulatory committees in Washington, DC, and represented United Technologies in university industrial research and recruiting. He transformed and led the largest nonprofit consulting firm in New Hampshire and focused on New Hampshire nonprofits across all mission/service areas. He has also consulted for numerous small businesses and start-ups including one that he guided through a $4.5M acquisition by a multibillion-dollar global conglomerate.

He has extensive volunteer and community service with numerous New Hampshire nonprofits including the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, where he served as a Facilitator and Coach in their High Impact Volunteer Engagement (HIVE) program and currently serves as a Mentor in their Hoffman-Haas Fellowship program.

He has been a regularly invited speaker on strategic planning at the New Hampshire Governor’s Conference on Volunteerism, various US State Department venues, and the Tri-State Housing Conference.

He holds the following certificates in board operations and governance from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA): Cooperative Credential Director; Board Leadership Credential; and the Director Gold Certificate, the highest level of certification provided by NRECA. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and holds certificates in Continuous Process Improvement and Project Teams.

Educational Background
MA in Communication and Organizational Leadership, Marist College
BA in Communication, University of Southern Maine

Bio
Wayne L. Clark is a Maine native who took his career to the west coast for nine years and returned home to Maine in 2016. He was Vice President of Community Relations and Marketing for Legacy Health in Portland, Oregon, an integrated healthcare system composed of six hospitals, a multi-specialty physician practice, and a research facility. He had responsibility for public relations, marketing, creative services, and community benefit.

Before moving to Oregon, he served Maine Medical Center and eventually helped form the integrated delivery system that included it, MaineHealth. There, he built a communications and marketing function from the ground up, leading a significant uptick in awareness and preference for Maine Medical Center.

On returning to Maine, he worked as Director of Communications and Marketing for Mercy Hospital in Portland, and helped create a start-up public relations apprenticeship program called WordLab.

He taught planning and marketing as an adjunct instructor in Pacific University’s Master of Health Administration program for 15 years and teaches the same in its Bachelor of Health Science program. He teaches marketing at New England College and has also taught at the University of Southern Maine and Southern New Hampshire University at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Mr. Clark is the recipient of the Bernays Award from the Maine Public Relations Council and the Evans Houghton Award from the New England Society for Healthcare Communications, both recognizing lifetime achievement and contributions to the field. He has been a presenter at annual meetings of the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, the Social Marketing in Public Health Conference at the University of South Florida, the Public Relations Society of America, and the Academy for Community Health Improvement.

In addition to his professional activities, Mr. Clark has been active in his communities, serving on the boards of Portland West, the National Kidney Foundation of Maine, the Mad Horse Theatre Company, Rippleffect, and the Maine Public Relations Council. In Oregon, he served on the board of the Native American Youth and Family Center, and on the Advocacy and Awareness Committee of the City Club of Portland. He is currently Assistant Historian for The Mayflower Society’s Maine chapter.