The Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University welcomes faculty members to start the Fall 2025 term.
Accounting
Christine Gagnon
After serving last term as a special faculty member, Dr. Christine Gagnon returns to the App State faculty as an accounting practitioner in residence. Gagnon has more than 20 years of international executive experience, including her role as CFO of Roha Group Inc., a private equity firm that responsibly builds companies in Africa. Gagnon is a Certified Public Accountant who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. She holds a Master of Legal Studies from Washington University School of Law and is pursuing her Doctorate of Business Administration at UNC Charlotte. Gagnon can be reached by email, gagnoncd@appstate.edu.
TC Diddle
Teresa “TC” Diddle ’16, CPA, also rejoins the faculty as a lecturer after serving last term as a special faculty member. Diddle has worked across industries, becoming skilled in the nuances of accounting, tax work, and human resources, with expertise in helping customers analyze financial statements to inform decision-making and increase profitability. Diddle earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida Atlantic University and an MBA from App State. She can be reached by email, diddletm@appstate.edu.
Bill Strausbaugh
Bill Strausbaugh joins the faculty in the Department of Accounting as a lecturer. After graduating from Wake Forest University, Strausbaugh brings to the classroom experience in investment banking, as well as experience abroad in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. Strausbaugh is a Walker College graduate, having earned his BSBA in Accounting and Finance from App State. He earned his Master of Science in Accountancy from Wake Forest University. Strausbaugh can be reached by email, strausbaughwp@appstate.edu.
Computer Information Systems
The Department of Computer Information Systems welcomes three assistant professors to the faculty: Pranith Abbaraju, Cecilia Wu, and Zoey Ye.
Pranith Abbaraju
Dr. Pranith Abbaraju brings to the faculty a global perspective shaped by several years of industry experience working for multinational organizations such as Amazon.com, IBM, and two startups he co-founded. Abbaraju’s research interests are in the areas of mobile app ecosystems, cybersecurity, and children’s digital safety. Originally from Hyderabad in South India, Abbaraju came to the United States to pursue his master’s degree at Texas Tech University. He earned his Ph.D. from Clemson University. Abbaraju can be reached by email, abbarajup@appstate.edu.
Cecilia Wu
Dr. Shishi “Cecilia” Wu’s teaching experience spans information systems, marketing, and operations management. Her research centers on the affordances of short video platforms and their impact on user engagement and flow experience; business analytics leveraging online unstructured data and social media policies and governance; and the role of artificial intelligence in modern recruitment and organizational decision-making. Wu has collaborated on research projects with several leading technology firms, including Chengdu Mengxiang Technology Co., Ltd., where she explored AI-driven recruitment technologies and their impact on employment efficiency and fairness. Previously, Wu worked as a business analyst and project manager in various technology companies, gaining extensive experience in data-driven decision-making, strategic operations, and corporate strategy. Wu earned a B.A. in Advertising from Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College, an M.S. in Business Administration from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a Ph.D. in Information Systems for Data Science from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Wu can be reached by email, wus1@appstate.edu.
Zoey Ye
Dr. Ziwei "Zoey" Ye brings to the classroom three years of industry experience as a business analyst and database engineer in both tech companies and non-profit organizations. Ye is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute, whose teaching focuses on business/data analysis, project management, and information literacy. Ye’s research interests include digital platforms, business analytics, consumer behavior, and AI applications. Ye earned a bachelor’s degree from China University of Geosciences, a master’s degree from Jilin University, and a Ph.D. in Information Technology & Supply Chain Management from Old Dominion University. Ye can be reached by email, yez1@appstate.edu.
The Department of Computer Information Systems also welcomes five adjunct faculty members: Hailey Martin, Jeff Moretz, Kevin Patterson, Fletus Poston, and Jeff Schnegelberger.
Economics
David Campoverde
Dr. Pablo "David" Campoverde Varela is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Economics. He earned his PhD in economics from the University of Wyoming. Campoverde can be reached by email, campoverdevarelapd@appstate.edu.
Management
Melanie Ward
Melanie Ward joins App State’s faculty as a lecturer in the Department of Management. With experience teaching online, hybrid, and face-to-face classes, she brings a heart-centered approach to subjects like principles of management, which she previously taught at the University of South Carolina (USC). Ward is a two-time App State alumna, having earned her bachelor’s degree and MBA from the the university. Ward can be reached by email, wardmm@appstate.edu.
Ben Whitehead
Ben Whitehead returns to App State’s faculty as a practitioner in residence in the Department of Management, after previously serving as an adjunct faculty member. A general business counselor for App State’s Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC), Whitehead draws on his own experiences as a veteran, business owner, and counselor to help foster success for entrepreneurs in the High Country. Whitehead is an App State alumnus, having earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, an MBA, and a Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics degree from the university. He can be reached by email, whiteheadbt@appstate.edu.
The Department of Management also welcomes adjunct faculty member James Coley to the faculty.
Marketing & Supply Chain Management
Jason Riley
Jason Riley is an associate professor of supply chain management who previously taught at Sam Houston State University. Riley's research interests include retail distribution strategies, risk and disaster recovery, and supply chain management. He has published ten peer-reviewed articles in journals such as the International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management and the International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State, an MBA from Michigan State University, and a doctorate from Clemson University. Ward can be reached by email, rileyjm4@appstate.edu.
Collage of New Faculty Faces
