Welcome to New Department Chairs, Faculty, and Staff
The School of Business is excited to announce several new hires.
- New faculty member: Dr. Yeonjeong (YJ) Kim (Assistant Professor of Management)
- Three new department chairs: Dr. Akwasi Opoku-Dakwa (Management and Marketing Department); Dr. Gokhan Sonaer (Economics and Finance Department); and Dr. William E. Spangler (Accounting, Information Systems, and Supply Chain Management Department)
- New staff members: Tricia Brancolini-Foley (Program Director of Marketing and Communication); Katy Owens (Director of Business and Administration); and Sloan Spinks (Administrative Assistant, Eugene P. Beard Center for Student Success)
We would also like to express heartfelt thanks to four recent retirees
Dr. Jim Weber (Professor of Business Ethics and Management); Dr. Jeff Roberts (Dr. Jeff Roberts); Dean Nichols, (School of Business Tech Support Analyst and Lab Manager); and Sharon Evans (Director of Business Administration and Facilities)
Scroll down for short bios on each.
News Information
Dr. Kim brings a wealth of academic experience from her previous roles. Before joining
Duquesne, Dr. Kim worked at the Center for Collective Intelligence at MIT’s Sloan
School of Management as a Postdoctoral Associate. Additionally, Dr. Kim was an affiliated
researcher at the Collaboration and Conflict Research Lab at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper
School of Business, where she also held the role of adjunct professor. Dr. Kim’s research
focuses on three broad topics: moral character and business ethics, conflict management
and team performance, and employee selection. Education: Ph.D. and M.A. in Organizational
Behavior and Theory, Carnegie Mellon University; M.S. in Statistics and M.A. in Quantitative
Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation, Yonsei University; B.A. in Education and English
Language and Literature (dual degree), Yonsei University Dr. Opoku-Dakwa teaches Principles of Management, Human Resources, Organizational
Behavior, and Business Ethics at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His research
examines how society’s expectations of corporate environmental, social, and governance
(ESG) performance affect employees’ work experience and, conversely, how employees
contribute to corporate ESG performance. Education: Ph.D. in Organizational Management,
Rutgers University; M.B.A., International Institute for Management Development, Switzerland;
B.S. in Civil Engineering, Brown University Dr. Sonaer teaches Financial Markets and Institutions, International Financial Management,
and Business Finance courses at the undergraduate level. His research interests lie
mainly in investments and corporate finance, with emphasis on topics such as institutional
investors and market efficiency. Education: Ph.D. in Finance, Virginia Tech University;
M.B.A., University of North Carolina, Charlotte; M.S. and B.S. in Civil Engineering,
Middle East Technical University Dr. Spangler has taught various technical and managerial courses in information systems,
focusing in the past few years on information systems auditing, control, and security.
His research interests have focused on computational modeling for decision support
in complex systems, machine learning, and data mining. Education: Ph.D., in Artificial
Intelligence and Information Systems, University of Pittsburgh; M.B.A., University
of Hawaii, B.A., University of South Florida Prior to joining Duquesne, Tricia spent over 20 years working in Pittsburgh’s arts
and nonprofit sectors. A founding member of the nonprofit Handmade Arcade, she served
as its Executive Director for over eight years. Tricia is excited to bring her strategic
vision and understanding of communication and design to the School of Business. Education:
M.S. in Multimedia Technology and Digital Communication, Duquesne University; B.A.
in English Literature and Media Art, Chatham University Before joining Duquesne, Katy worked at Montana State University for seven years,
overseeing a team of accountants and managing finances for multiple departments. She
has a diverse accounting background in a variety of industries, including financial
services, tax and accounting offices, HVAC, solar, construction/restoration/mitigation,
and farming. Education: B.A. in Liberal Studies, California State University, Chico;
Certificate of Applied Science in Bookkeeping, Montana State University. Her previous roles include Admissions Coordinator and Student Success Manager at Pittsburgh
Technical College and member of the enrollment team at Mercyhurst University. Sloan
enjoys supporting students, staff, and the University as they work together to reach
their bigger goals. Education: B.A. in Integrative Arts, Penn State University Congratulations to Dr. Jim Weber on his retirement from teaching after 30 years of
dedicated service as a Professor of Business Ethics and Management. Jim has made invaluable contributions to the School through his teaching, research,
and role in helping to elevate ethics as a center of excellence. While stepping away
from full-time faculty life, Jim will be pursuing a variety of academic projects as
he continues to hold The Rev. Martin Hehir, C.S.Sp. Endowed Chair in Scholarly Excellence
over the next few years. We extend our thanks for his Congratulations to Dr. Jeff Roberts on his retirement from teaching after 18 years
as a Professor of Information Systems and Technology. His commitment to teaching and research had a tremendous impact on the lives and careers
of our students. We extend our heartfelt thanks and wish Jeff all the best as he enjoys
his retirement. Congratulations to Dean Nichols, the School of Business Tech Support Analyst and Lab
Manager, on his retirement after 25 years at Duquesne. Dean has played an important role in the School’s ongoing commitment to technology
and innovation. His dedication has helped the School stay at the forefront of technological
advancements key to maintaining an innovative learning environment for students and
faculty alike. Congratulations to Sharon Evans on her retirement as the Director of Business Administration
and Facilities at the School of Business for more than 17 years. Sharon prided herself on relational interactions across campus to effectively complete
all the facets of her role. She provided excellent support for two separate Deans.
She sincerely appreciated her staff and enjoyed working closely with them.Featured content
Dr. Yeonjeong (YJ) Kim, Assistant Professor of Management
Dr. Akwasi Opoku-Dakwa, Management and Marketing Department Chair and Associate Professor
of Management
Dr. Gokhan Sonaer, Economics and Finance Department Chair and Associate Professor
of Finance
Dr. William E. Spangler, Accounting, Information Systems, and Supply Chain Management
Department Chair and Professor of Information Systems and Technology
Tricia Brancolini-Foley, Program Director of Marketing and Communication
Katy Owens, Director of Business and Administration
Sloan Spinks, Administrative Assistant, Eugene P. Beard Center for Student Success
Heartfelt Thanks to Four Recent Retirees
enduring commitment and impact.