Inaugural DBA Cohort - Fall 2025

Arianne Adams teaches Management and Marketing and Social Media Manager at Clayton State University’s College of Business. With a career spanning marketing, media, entrepreneurship, and higher education, she has led national campaigns, launched a digital agency, and produced a social media conference connecting wellness brands across North America. 

Her research interests include innovation management, digital transformation, and cross-industry knowledge transfer, especially how technologies like AI are reshaping entrepreneurship and marketing. Arianne’s proudest accomplishment is fulfilling a promise to her high school business teacher—to succeed in business and return to empower others. A first-generation American with roots in Liberia, she brings a global perspective to her work and is passionate about mentoring and cross-cultural storytelling that drives impact.

Umesh Amin is a Senior Specialist in Business Optimization with extensive experience in the Consumer-Packaged Goods industry. He excels at leveraging enterprise systems, data analytics, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver scalable solutions and measurable business value. Motivated to enhance his expertise in research and business analytics, he is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration to apply advanced analytical and technological approaches to solving complex business problems. 

His research interests focus on using data analytics to extract organizational insights that drive informed decision-making. Among his greatest professional accomplishments is integrating information technology with business processes and strategic priorities to optimize operations and improve efficiency. Originally from Gujarat, India, he follows a vegetarian diet, practices Hinduism, and enjoys playing cricket and tennis, as well as following sports and current affairs.

Rudy Victor Araujo is an Instructor at Columbia College with decades of experience in the public and financial sectors, both nationally and internationally. He has led transformative reforms across Latin America, advancing institutional development and promoting inclusive, transparent financial systems. Rudy is pursuing a DBA to expand his impact by contributing to the development of enduring knowledge that empowers future scholars, policymakers, and practitioners. 

His research interests focus on how emerging information technologies can improve policymaking and public sector service delivery. Among his proudest accomplishments is his work on reforms that enhance democratic participation and protect citizens’ financial rights. Rudy is an active tennis competitor and a proud grandfather of five, striving to lead by example.

Lou Burts is Senior Vice President of Sales at Regenesis Medical with extensive experience in medical sales and operations. He has held roles including sales representative, Regional Manager, General Manager, Area Director, and Vice President, and also has experience in Revenue Cycle Management as a consultant. 

Lou is pursuing a DBA to strengthen his ability to contribute at a strategic level through data-driven decision making and to support senior leaders in improving organizational effectiveness. His research interests focus on how leadership demographics impact an organization’s scalability and capacity for transformation. His greatest professional accomplishment is developing and coaching talent to achieve greater responsibilities and fulfill their potential. Outside of work, Lou is an avid scuba diver.

Eldrige Coelho is an Information Management Analyst at USAA with experience across information technology, enterprise security, insurance, education technology, and services industries. He is pursuing a DBA to deepen his expertise in business research, focusing on artificial intelligence and business analytics. His main research interest is in artificial intelligence (AI), especially its ethical challenges, including hallucinations and biases. 

He is particularly interested in how AI affects productivity and innovation, and how the relationship between humans and AI may evolve—whether AI will be used as a true collaborator or just a tool. Eldrige’s proudest professional achievement was leading a cross-functional team to implement a company-wide data analytics and governance initiative that boosted operational efficiency by 25% and reduced reporting time by over 40%. Outside of work, he enjoys building no-code apps and experimenting with emerging AI tools to stay hands-on with innovation.

Tim Flannery is the COO & Executive Pastor at First Melissa and the owner of F&B Holdings, LLC. His diverse career spans service as a U.S. Navy Search & Rescue Swimmer and Intelligence Officer, corporate executive, financial advisor, business owner, non-profit executive, and pastor. 

He considers his greatest professional accomplishment to be achieving success across such a broad range of fields, from military and corporate leadership to non-profit governance and ministry. Tim’s varied expertise fuels his interest in researching finance, management, leadership, investment, and higher education through the DBA program. Outside of work, Tim enjoys time with his wife, three grown children, and young grandson.

Jennifer Heldenfels Vega is a Senior Accounting Specialist at EOG Resources, focusing on financial reporting in the oil and gas industry. Rediscovering her passion for learning during graduate studies, she is pursuing a DBA with a research interest centered on how artificial intelligence will affect financial reporting, internal controls, GAAP, and SEC guidance. 

Her greatest professional accomplishment is leading the implementation of new FASB guidance that required updates to accounting processes and SEC reporting. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys golfing with her family. Additionally, her son is currently pursuing an accounting degree at Texas State.

Trevi Kelley is a faculty member at Texas State University with experience in information technology and government, including law enforcement and severance tax administration. She is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration to advance her career in academia and to further explore complex issues in crude oil and natural gas, including marketing costs and potential fraud in reporting. 

Her greatest professional accomplishments include overseeing the collection of $40 billion in severance taxes and coauthoring legislation to reduce fraud, as well as helping students achieve successful outcomes through her teaching and mentorship.

Zachary Kelley is an Associate Professor of Instruction with experience spanning transportation, logistics, supply-chain management, manufacturing, information technology, education, and law enforcement. He is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration to gain formal research expertise, enhancing his work with AI analytics and supporting his goal of transitioning to a tenure-track role. 

His greatest professional accomplishments include leading an international 3PL/4PL team for 15 years, impacting students’ lives through teaching, and receiving the Hubbard Award in law enforcement research. A fun fact about Zachary is that some of the projects from his previous business even put cargo into space, which always brings a smile to his face.

Kayla YS Kim serves as Chair of the Department of Food & Beverage and Event Management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, bringing over 23 years of experience as a hospitality educator and industry innovator. She is also the co-founder of Boba Robo, the first AI-powered boba tea robot platform in the U.S., which launched in 2020 and operates on multiple college campuses. 

Her motivation to pursue a Doctor of Business Administration stems from a desire to deepen her leadership, research, and strategic thinking skills while bridging academic knowledge with entrepreneurial innovation. Her research interests center on strategic management for AI-driven robotic businesses in healthcare. Outside of her professional work, Kayla is active in the Las Vegas Korean Chamber Choir and participates in global mission and outreach initiatives.

Mathew Marquez is the Principal at Calvary Chapel Christian Academy, with senior management experience as Deputy Chief of Operations in K–12 charter organizations, a background in supply chain and logistics management, and expertise as a Lean/Six Sigma Blackbelt. He chose to pursue a Doctor of Business Administration because of its practical application and relevance to real-world challenges. 

Mathew’s research interests lie in the intersection of change management and process improvement, particularly in using data to uncover root causes of persistent issues and implement lasting, impactful solutions. His greatest professional accomplishment is the development and scaling of business processes that enhance the quality and efficiency of services in public education.

Eric Maule is Associate Director at Raytheon and a retired U.S. Army officer, with extensive experience in the military, defense contracting, and business development. He is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration to further refine his expertise and enhance his executive leadership skills. His research interests focus on methodologies for new business development and strategies to drive organizational growth. 

Among his greatest professional accomplishments is completing 31 years of military service, including leading significant senior Army-level initiatives. Outside of work, Eric enjoys desert adventures with his military HMMWV and practices long-range shooting with his 50-caliber rifle, currently honing his skills to reach a one-mile target.

Mike Parrott is an Assistant Professor at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, with professional experience spanning entrepreneurship, corporate finance, film production, and military service. His proudest professional accomplishment is successfully bringing 65 Marines home from Southern Helmand, Afghanistan.

Driven to advance his career, strengthen his research expertise, and build consulting credibility, he is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration with an interest in further exploring entrepreneurship. Outside of work, he and his family are anticipating the arrival of their eighth child.

Donnie Plunkett is the Owner-Operator of Valleyboards LLC and a lifelong entrepreneur with a background in real estate and outdoor advertising. He founded the largest flat fee listing company in the Western U.S. in 2002 and successfully led it until its sale in 2020.

 Donnie is pursuing a DBA to challenge himself, refine his business thinking, and explore new opportunities. His research interests center on Reed’s 7 Pillars of Prosperity—free markets, sound money, rule of law, property rights, minimal taxation, minimal regulation, and minimizing uncertainty created by government. Donnie is married with three sons and enjoys CrossFit in his free time.

Manuel Rodriguez Jr. serves as a Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Department of Homeland Security. He has extensive experience working in the U.S. government, leading high-stakes operations in both military and federal service with measurable, lasting impact across multiple sectors. 

His motivation for pursuing a DBA is to strengthen strategic leadership in government, deepening his ability to integrate data into high-level policy and operational decisions—particularly in disaster recovery, budgeting, and process improvement. His research interests focus on leading organizational change with data-driven decision-making, leveraging his military leadership and federal service background to improve government efficiency, workforce development, and crisis response systems. 

Outside of work, Manuel enjoys photography, woodworking, and restoring old trucks.

Deboprosad Roy is a Lead Data Engineer at Visa Inc. with expertise in generative AI, machine learning, data warehousing, data mining, and software engineering. His motivation to pursue a DBA stems from a desire to combine advanced research with practical business solutions, exploring complex organizational challenges in a systematic way while contributing to both academic knowledge and management practices. His research interests center on AI-driven decision making, focusing on the balance between data insights and human judgment in strategic management. 

One of his greatest professional accomplishments was leading a global cross-functional team to design and implement a secure, high-volume financial data solution for VisaNet, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and performance. A fun fact about Deboprosad is that he enjoys gardening, finding plants “just as high-maintenance as people, but far less argumentative.”

Maurizio Turri is the founder and CEO of Vox Elements, an IT service provider specializing in retail solutions for supply chain and inventory tracking. He is also an Assistant Professor of Instruction at McCoy College, teaching business strategy and operations and supply chain management. With a career spanning product management, business development, and sales in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and aerospace, Maurizio now focuses on the retail sector, particularly vertically integrated luxury brands. 

His research interests include product traceability and authentication as emerging drivers of consumer trust. His proudest achievements include building his company from the ground up and mentoring students to reach their professional goals. Originally from Italy, he enjoys traveling back to visit family and friends, and spending free time with his wife and two sons.

Rusty Williams is the Global Line of Business Leader for Technology at Vaco, with 15 years of experience in professional services across the technology and finance sectors. His career has centered on executive leadership, recruiting, operations, and strategic growth. Rusty is pursuing a DBA to strengthen his data-driven leadership and expand his impact through mentorship and research. 

His research interests focus on how new managers can build successful, high-performing teams. A career highlight includes transforming Vaco’s technology unit from an unprofitable startup into a $15 million division. Rusty also serves on advisory boards for the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University and the Bunting College of Business & Technology at Georgia College. In his free time, he enjoys watching college football.

H. David Wright is the Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of TriscendNP, LLLP, with a background in financial services (insurance) and healthcare administration. A lifelong learner, David pursued the DBA to expand his impact—both within his company and in future roles as a teacher and consultant. His research interests focus on improving the quality of information used by nonprofit organizations, aiming to generate actionable insights that support their missions. 

David considers the founding and long-term success of TriscendNP one of his greatest professional achievements, citing the resilience built through entrepreneurship as a key personal strength. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, skiing, and was a collegiate golfer—his team was inducted into their university’s sports hall of fame.

Jack Ryan Zapata is a Senior Software Engineer at Dell with expertise spanning microchip design and manufacturing, eCommerce performance engineering, and maintaining stability in large-scale corporate software infrastructure. Driven by a desire to advance in leadership roles and set a high standard for his children, he is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration with a research interest in organizational structures that excel under optimal leadership. 

Among his professional accomplishments, Jack is proud of providing a stable platform for Dell’s eCommerce site, serving both internal teams and external corporate customers. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing video games, hiking, fishing, and hunting.