Doctor of Business Administration

Class of 2026 - In-Person Program

 

Abdulla Albuflasa
Head of Inspection – Bahrain Defense Force
Abdulla Albuflasa serves as the head of inspection in the Occupational Health and Safety Department of the Bahrain Defense Force. In this role, he maintains the procedures and standards in each department within the country’s defense force. He also participates on inspection committees, analyzes surveys and survey analysis reports, and conducts field inspections.

Prior to assuming the head of inspection position in 2015, he served in auditor positions in the quality and the financial audit departments.

Albuflasa is pursing a doctor of business administration because he believes people should never stop improving their skills and knowledge. He wants to focus on studying organizational behavior and the importance of managing human resources and the psychology of personnel. In particular, he wants to zone in on studying ways redesign workplaces to reduce quiet quits in modern work environments.

He earned an MBA from Coventry University in the United Kingdom and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the New York Institute of Technology.

Danielle Bartlett
Owner/CEO - DB Home Organizer & Interior Design
Danielle Bartlett is the owner and CEO of DB Home Organization & Interior Design. Her role involves setting the overall vision and direction of the business.

She is responsible for strategic decision-making, guiding the creative direction of design projects, and ensuring the company operates efficiently. Additionally, her duties include overseeing financial aspects, managing client relationships, leading and developing her team, and staying abreast of industry trends to maintain a competitive edge.

She has held senior management positions in the hospitality industry. Beyond business, she is a coach for the USF Business Development Club and is dedicated to guiding aspiring professionals, nurturing growth, and shaping the next generation of business leaders.

She earned an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary social sciences from the University of South Florida.

Aaron Baty
Senior Academic Instructor – Joint Special Operations University
Aaron Baty is a senior academic instructor of the National Resistance Course in the College of Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict within the Joint Special Operations University.

He retired from a 20-year military career in U.S. Special Operations. Most recently he served as the chief of investigations in the Office of the Inspector General at the United States Special Operations Command.

He is an expert in regulatory compliance, risk analysis and internal audit process. He believes effective leadership and management are not one-size-fits-all solutions but instead require adaptability, critical thinking, and continuous development.

He considers himself a life-long learner and is eager to bring his two decades of lessons from the military into the academic realm.

He earned an MBA from the University of South Florida, a master’s degree in operational studies from the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and a bachelor’s degree in human resources management from Drexel University.

Sean S. Bridges
President/CEO - B2E Technology Consulting Firm
Sean Bridges is the president and CEO of B2E Technology Consulting Firm where he oversees the company’s vision and culture development.

He is an experienced technology professional and serial entrepreneur with a drive to have a global impact through community impact and empowerment through entrepreneurship, Christian values, education, compassion, benevolence, optimism and hope.

He has spent the past 30-plus years learning and developing at all levels of technology with some of the best technology companies in the U.S. and the world.

He earned an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in information systems from the University of Phoenix.

Kim Bruce
Managing Director – CIBC Bank USA
Kim Bruce is the managing director at CIBC Bank USA. In this role, she leads market coverage and collaboration between lines of business including private banking, wealth management and commercial real estate.

In 2018, she led the opening and expansion for CIBC Bank in west and north Florida, with Tampa serving as the hub. Her team focuses on serving private equity sponsors and middle market companies with revenues between $25 million to $2 billion by delivering senior debt, treasury, capital markets and investment banking solutions.

Prior to CIBC Bank, Bruce has served in senior leadership roles at Bank of America, LaSalle Bank, Wachovia Bank, and Barnett Bank.

She currently serves on the board of the Florida Aquarium as the immediate past chair as well as Florida Health Sciences.

She earned an executive MBA from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Notre Dame.

Nicholas Calcutti
Manager of IT Operations – US Assure
Nicholas Calcutti is the manager of IT operations at US Assure, a builders risk insurance company based in Jacksonville, Florida. In this role, he oversees the IT infrastructure and manages a team that maintains the security and availability of information technology resources in the office and the cloud.

Prior to US Assure, he worked at the Clay County Board of Commissioners as the MIS manager, overseeing the 15-person MIS department which provided technology solutions and support across departments in the county.

He earned a master’s degree in information technology management from Western Governors University and a bachelor’s degree in computer systems Networking and Telecommunications from Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Megan Clarke
Performance Excellence Specialist – Lee Health
Megan Clarke serves as a performance excellence specialist at Lee Health. In this role, she is able to use both her background of research and healthcare operations experience to guide leaders to their highest potential.

With a background in clinical research, she uses analytical insights to support executive leaders in project, program and portfolio management. Her experience in healthcare strategic project management gives her a unique perspective in driving healthcare towards excellence and achieving results in clinical quality and safety.

She helped build the pediatric neurosurgery program at Golisano Children’s Hospital through a strategic partnership with All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

She earned a master’s degree in kinesiology from Pennsylvania State University, and a master’s and bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Appalachian State University.

Jeremy Dobes
Vice president of financial analysis and reporting - PSCU
Jeremy Dobes is the vice president of financial analysis and reporting for PSCU, the largest credit union service organization in the U.S.

Dobes has worked at PSCU since 2016 where he also served as a finance manager and a senior financial analyst. His prior roles included serving as a senior financial analyst at Acclaris and as a senior business analyst at Kforce.

He received the Dave Serlo President’s Award at PSCU and the Corporate Employee of the Year award at Kforce.

He earned a master’s degree in accounting and financial management from the University of Maryland University College and a bachelor’s degree in management from Eckerd College.

Tim Dunnigan
CEO – MMS Products / Founder – CaptureTec, LLC
Tim Dunnigan is the CEO of MMS Products and is the founder of CaptureTec, where he currently leads investment, growth strategy and product development for both companies.

Prior to these roles, Dunnigan was COO and co-founder of Talon Aerolytics where he built the nation’s largest drone services business from inception to expansion to all 50 states. At the time of his departure, the company was valued at $130 million.

He is also a thought leader and serial entrepreneur who served 22 years in the U.S. Army as a soldier, a non-commissioned officer, and a commissioned officer where he filled a myriad of dynamic leadership roles and global assignments.

He earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership and management from Amridge University and a bachelor’s degree in human development from Southern Christian University.

Thomas Feindt
Executive Vice President – Grow Financial Federal Credit Union
Thomas Feindt is the executive vice president at Grow Financial Federal Credit Union.
Feindt works with his team to expand the company into new markets, defining the corporate culture and offering new lines of business. Not only does he help the company expand the number of physical locations, but also to visualize a future larger than its past.

He has nearly 20 years of experience as a credit union executive. Since joining Grow Financial in 2011, he has pushed the company to consider “opportunity costs” of not growing and has moved the organization to reflect more of a “what’s possible” mindset.

He earned an MBA from Queens University of Charlotte and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from High Point University.

Richard “Bryan” Ford
Assistant Program Manager – U.S. Army Civil Service
Richard “Bryan” Ford is the assistant program manager at the U.S. Army Civil Service. In this role, he is involved with the planning, budgeting, and setting up of environmental control chambers for the Army.

Currently he is exploring the top-performing flight simulators for Army aviators. He wants to identify simulators that excel in fidelity, transportability, maintenance, and other crucial aspects.

He has 13 years of Army aviation experience from a mechanical role to serving as a pilot in command. He actively participated in planning battalion-level missions and attended tactical operations school where he learned about threat avoidance/defeat and aircraft survivability.

Ford initially served in the Army as an Apache helicopter mechanic. He transitioned to become a Blackhawk helicopter pilot and tactical operations officer. After his military service, he worked as a government contractor, overseeing the maintenance of 35 Apache simulators.

He earned an MBA from Rollins College and a bachelor’s degree in supervision and management from Daytona State College.

Byron Halliburton
Director of Beverage – The Tampa EDITION
Byron Halliburton is the director of beverage at The Tampa EDITION, a 172-room lifestyle hotel in the Marriott International luxury portfolio. In this role, he is the subject matter expert in wine and spirits, coordinates with vendors and develops and executes standard operating procedures.

His previous experience includes serving as the general manager of the Oystercatchers Restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, as the director of culinary and beverage at the W Hotel French Quarter and the food and beverage manager at the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans.
Halliburton also spent 20 years as a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.

He earned an MBA from Louisiana State University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southwestern College.

Helene Johnson
Career Transition Specialist – HCJ Strategic Advisory
Helene Johnson is a strategist focused on supporting individuals who are facing career challenges due to age-related job transitions. She provides personalized guidance, resources, and strategies to help these individuals navigate the job market, identify suitable career opportunities, and successfully remain in the workforce. She empowers her clients to leverage their experience and skills while overcoming age-related barriers in their professional journeys.

Johnson has been in the information technology world for 45 years. For the past 30 years, she has worked as a strategist in the government contractor world, culminating in owning her own consultancy and founding two nonprofits. 

She earned a master’s degree in organizational transformation from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in information technology from the University of Baltimore.

Joel Kotanko
Branch Chief – U.S. Army Signal Corps
Joel Kotanko is the branch chief for the Functional Area Branch within the Signal Leader Development College in the U.S. Army’s Signal Corps. In this role, he manages the courses that specifically train the Army’s information technology specialists.

As an information systems engineer, he also instructs within some of the courses. The college educates Signal soldiers/officers in the Army and graduates about 600 students each year.

Kotanko ensures that the day-to-day operations of the courses are executed and manages about 30 department of the Army civilians, Army non-commissioned officers, and officers.
As an Army officer, he has managed civilians and Army personnel for over 13 years, both in combat and in more mundane circumstances.

He earned a master’s degree in writing from National University, a master’s degree in management and leadership from Liberty University, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Andrews University.

Sean LaNeve
CEO - PainTEQ
Sean LaNeve is the CEO of PainTEQ where he establishes the strategic direction of the company. He oversees the company’s operational execution and financial performance as well as interfaces with market analysts, investors, and the banking community.

He was a successful intrapreneur in the technology space and then switched industries to become an entrepreneur in healthcare. He invented medical technology used to treat chronic low back pain and holds over 12 patents related to the therapy. The company conducts extensive research on the safety, efficacy, and durability of the system to protect patients.

He earned an MBA from Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida.

Shu Chin Li
Portfolio Strategist – Towneley Capital Management
Shu Chin Li is a portfolio strategist for Towneley Capital Management, an advisory firm where she has worked for the past 20 years. In this role, she helps clients achieve long-term financial success through research-based strategies.

Among her many duties, she identifies big picture issues in the economy and financial markets, provides market-related studies or articles, conducts investment portfolio analysis, and manages portfolios to achieve better risk-adjusted returns.

Her goal for the doctor of business administration program is to conduct research to analyze how museums can use big data to make better informed decisions, improve exhibit planning, and create a more enjoyable visiting experience.

She earned an MBA from New York University, a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Toronto, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from National Chung Hsing University.

Michael Lortz
Michael Lortz has been a contractor for U.S. Special Operations Command, serving as an instructor of cyber intelligence and an intelligence analyst. He’s worked in strategic headquarters around the world. And has taught at the Joint Special Operations University.

Lortz describes himself as someone fascinated by processes but also enamored by creativity. He has been able to balance a career in defense with a side hustle as a writer. While he taught cyber intelligence, he also did stand-up comedy and self-published a novel.

He earned an MBA from the University of South Florida, a master’s degree in international affairs and a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from Florida State University.

Alex Reutov
Director of Visa Consulting and Analytics – Visa
Alex Reutov is the director of the Visa Consulting and Analytics and Community Financial Institutions at Visa. In this role, he leads the core consulting business in the northeast region for the community banks and credit unions segment.

Reutov has over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry where he has held numerous leadership roles. His prior positions include serving as the head of business operations for the First Ukranian International Bank in Ukraine, as a regional director at Bank Renaissance Credit, and as a sales and marketing manager at OTP Capital.

In pursuing a doctor of business administration, he wants to further his research on well-being at work, happiness and productivity, community impact, and leadership and organizational development.

He earned an MBA in general management from the University of Sheffield, a master’s and bachelor’s degree in international business from Odesa Mechnikov National University in Ukraine, and an associate’s degree in accounting from Odesa Mechnikov National University.

Jake Simpson
Partner and Director of Special Projects - Sylint
Jake Simpson is a partner and the director of special projects at Sylint. In this role, he directs incident response matters and offers strategic cybersecurity guidance to a diverse clientele on both national and international scales.

He has developed innovative solutions for securing critical infrastructure, is frequently involved in cybercrime investigations and collaborates with multiple federal law enforcement agencies, and is a thought leader in the industry through participation in think-tanks and speaking engagements.

Prior to Sylint, Simpson contributed significantly to the Department of Defense where he served as a contractor specializing in the development of interconnected and secure systems for aerospace applications. His portfolio includes the design of secure air-to-air communications systems, mission systems ground training simulators, and the implementation of various modular airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance platforms.

He earned a master’s degree in intelligence studies and a bachelor’s degree in information technology and cybersecurity from the University of South Florida.

Angela Sklenka
Senior Vice President / Chief Administrative Officer / Chief Human Resource Officer – University of South Florida
Angela Sklenka is the senior vice president, chief administrative officer and chief human resource officer for the University of South Florida’s Academic Health Medical School. In this role, she leads an HR organization of over 200 associates and all HR functions serving 55,000 students and 15,000 employees.

Prior to joining USF in 2020, Sklenka served as the vice president of human resources at the Compass Group in Charlotte, North Carolina for two years and 10 months at Gentherm, serving as their global director for human resources systems and processes.

Before that, Sklenka held numerous human resources leadership positions at the University of Cincinnati.

She earned a master’s degree in human resources and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Cincinnati.

Nicole Stuart
Enterprise Integration Strategist - PSCU
Nicole Stuart is the enterprise integration strategist at PSCU, the largest credit union service organization in the U.S. In this role, Stuart created a new enterprise integration group and developed a framework by which all mergers and acquisitions activity could be evaluated and delivered.

Prior to PSCU, she held project manager and program management leadership roles in various industries.

In pursuing a doctor of business administration, she wants to combine academic learning with real world business application by conducting research in the mergers and acquisitions space focusing on post contract execution integration.

She earned an MBA and a master’s degree in public policy management from Carnegie Mellon University, a master’s degree in project management from the Keller Graduate School of Management, and a bachelor’s degree in operations and information technology from Boston University.

Jimmy Waller
Agency Principal – Waller Insurance Partners, Inc. and Waller Insurance Agency
Jimmy Waller is the agency principal at Waller Insurance Partners and Waller Insurance Agency. The full-service agency specializes in providing insurance, financial and risk management solutions to family-owned businesses in central and southwest Florida.

With over 25 years of experience in the insurance and construction industries, Waller’s individual practice is with family-owned companies in industries such as construction, manufacturing, distribution, automotive, hospitality, financial services, engineering and healthcare.

He is also the executive director of the company’s nonprofit Center for Advancement of Family Enterprise Excellence.

He earned an MBA from Florida Southern College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Wingate University.

Kong Le (Wiley) Wong
Senior Technical Program Manager – Intel Microelectronics
Kong Le “Wiley” Wong is the senior technical program manager at Intel Microelectronics. His experience in the information technology field spans two decades.

He holds a wealth of diverse international experiences and an unwavering passion for innovation. Having navigated pivotal roles in major technology companies, he brings a seasoned perspective as a senior technical program manager at Intel Microelectronics.
Wong has held leadership roles at prominent technology companies such as Intel, Dell, IBM and HP in branch offices throughout Southeast Asia.

He earned a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Technology Malaysia and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Putra Malaysia.