DBA Cohort 3

Background Originally from Costa Rica, Oscar Barzuna moved to North Carolina in 2010 in order to further his business education via an MBA at Gardner-Webb University. Oscar earned his bachelor’s in accounting from Universidad de Costa Rica. For over a decade, he has expanded his professional expertise in accounting, finance and higher education. Oscar has been […]

Background A Solution Architect for Badger Meter that supports utility customers during both the sales and project implementation stages. Integral to the Solution Architect role is the development of the right metering solution and the meter reading technology for each utility that will meet and exceed its goals and objectives.  Craig Cardella obtained a Bachelor’s […]

Background Since July 2017, Kevin Claiborne has worked as the Information Management Officer for the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (the Old Guard), known as the escort to the President.  He supports a 21 personnel team enabling classified and unclassified network accessibility for roughly 900 end users spanning Fort Myer, VA and Fort Belvoir, VA. Within […]

Background Robert is the President and Managing Partner of eVision Partners, Inc., a management consulting firm that focuses on working with state departments of transportation, transit agencies and other public sector organizations to plan for, manage and execute large-scale business transformation projects. Prior to starting eVision Partners in 2009, Robert worked in leadership and executive […]

Background Richard Gerdts’s academic and work history are a mix of engineering and business.  Most of his formal education is technical, including a B.S. in Computer Engineering and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Penn State University, and an M.S. in Computer Engineering from NC State University.  Richard used that knowledge to work in the […]

Background Kim Harris is a versatile, accomplished professional with a diverse background spanning academia, business operations, data analytics and process improvement. Kim’s entrepreneurial mindset, combined with technological skills, is propelling her into executive leadership and advisory positions where she can effectively drive innovation and growth in operations, strategy and business transformation. With her expansive experience […]

Background Xiaowen He is currently working as a manager, corporate accounting and FP&A in the EnPro Industries Inc., a diversified manufacturer of proprietary engineered products used in critical applications. Her main responsibility included corporate accounting, FP&A, company budget and forecast. She obtained a B.S. in Finance at Dongbei University of Finance and Economy in China […]

Background Mark is the Charlotte market leader for Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ), a publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). He is responsible for all day-to-day operations in the region including serving customers, managing and leasing assets, and seeking new opportunities to grow the company.  Mark’s career in commercial real estate (CRE) has included stints […]

Background Michael Hook’s collegiate career began at Queens University of Charlotte where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2001. Four years later he completed his MBA at Pfeiffer University. After undergrad, his professional career began at Windstream Communications as an analyst providing data for call center revenue tracking and supporting incoming call volume. […]

Background Michael Kelly is a Pittsburgh, PA native that has spent a good deal of his professional career in other cities including Newark (DE), New York City metro area, Chicago and Charlotte.  He completed his undergraduate studies at Susquehanna University (Selinsgrove, PA) with a B.S. in Business Administration with a Focus in Finance. After 15 […]