The Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University welcomes 16 new faculty and staff members to start the Spring 2025 term.
Department of Accounting
The Department of Accounting welcomes two special faculty members, one to the Boone Campus and one to the Hickory Campus.
Christine D. Gagnon, CPA
Christine D. Gagnon joins the App State faculty as a special faculty member in accounting, teaching on the Hickory Campus. Gagnon brings more than 20 years of international executive experience to the classroom, including her role as CFO of Roha Group Inc., a private equity firm that responsibly builds companies in Africa. Previously, Gagnon has held leadership roles at Honeywell, Ernst & Young, PwC, and OneWest Bank, as well as faculty roles at the University of California - Irvine and California State University - Fullerton. Gagnon is a Certified Public Accountant; Gagnon 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. Her doctoral research focuses on assessing the ROI on investments in artificial intelligence. Gagnon can be reached by email, gagnoncd@appstate.edu.
Angela Munsie
Angela Munsie joins App State as a special faculty member in the Department of Accounting, bringing 25+ years of experience as a financial professional to the university. Most recently, she has served in leadership roles in manufacturing and distribution, where she managed financial operations, optimized ERP systems, and implemented strategies to enhance efficiency and drive revenue growth. Munsie earned BSBA and BS in Accounting degrees from High Point University and a Master of Science in Accounting and MBA from New England College. Munsie can be reached by email, munsieae@appstate.edu.
Department of Computer Information Systems
Dr. Joonghee Lee has been appointed as an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Information Systems, and J. Heath Huggins, Robert Menard, and Jim Webb join the department as special faculty members.
Dr. Joonghee Lee
Dr. Joonghee Lee brings extensive academic and industry experience as an assistant professor in the Walker College of Business. He previously taught in App State’s Beaver College of Health Sciences, was a graduate instructor at Auburn University’s Harbert School of Business, and managed IT projects for Cheil Industries Inc., a Samsung affiliate. Lee is passionate about integrating technology into business education and promoting data-driven decision-making; his research focuses on the adoption of information technology, health informatics, and the ethical implications of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Lee is currently exploring the behavioral and ethical dimensions of AI adoption, including how generative AI tools influence human collaboration and decision-making. Lee holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Systems from Auburn University. He can be reached by email, leej12@appstate.edu.
J. Heath Huggins, CPA
Joining App State as a special faculty member, J. Heath Huggins will teach executive skills. A CPA and Certified Treasury Professional, Huggins owns Huggins CPA, PLLC, and is senior director of finance for the CSD Social Venture Fund, where he manages an investment portfolio spanning diverse industries and collaborates with business founders at various stages of growth. Previously, Huggins taught at Western Piedmont Community College and served as a consultant for US Capital Global. Huggins holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and law from Western Carolina University, a Master of Accountancy from Gardner-Webb University, an MBA from App State, and a Master of Fintech and Analytics from Wake Forest University. Huggins can be reached by email, hugginsjh1@appstate.edu.
Robert (Bob) Menard
Bob Menard is also a special faculty member in the Department of Computer Information Systems. Menard holds a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University, an MBA from Drury University, and a Master of Science in Information Technology from East Carolina University. He can be reached by email, menardrs@appstate.edu.
James (Jim) Jim Webb
App State Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Jim Webb joins the Department of Computer Information Systems as a special faculty member. As CISO, Webb is responsible for advancing the management of risks related to information resources and fostering resilient and safe computing environments for the university community. Webb’s research interests include CyberSecurity, AI and Algorithmic Regulation and Safety, and Interoperation of AI and Human Intuition. Webb holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of Georgia and an MS in CyberSecurity from Georgia Institute of Technology. He can be reached by email, webbjt@appstate.edu.
Department of Finance, Banking & Insurance
Claire Cours joins the Department of Finance, Banking & Insurance as a special faculty member, and Lili Page recently joined the department as an administrative support specialist.
Claire Cours
Claire Cours joins App State’s faculty as a special faculty member teaching business law. She brings to the role 30+ years of experience as an attorney, partner, and mediator in North Carolina and Florida. An advocate for education, Cours has taught at elementary, middle, and high school levels and has studied at Cambridge, Queens, and Trinity Colleges in England, The University of Warsaw in Poland, and Stetson University. Additionally, Cours holds a bachelor’s in education from Emory University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida. Cours can be reached by email, courscl@appstate.edu.
Lili Page
Lili Page joined App State’s staff in October 2024 and serves as an administrative support specialist for the Department of Finance, Banking & Insurance. Page brings more than 15 years of work experience from the United States Air Force, serving as an active-duty Geospatial Intelligence Analyst and with military children as an Education Technician. She holds an Associate in Science in Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University. Page can be reached by phone, (828) 262-4030, or by email, gonzalezl@appstate.edu.
Department of Management
Michelle Barnhart, Benjamin Whitehead, Samantha Howell, and Nick Dyson join the Department of Management as special faculty members, bringing a broad range of professional and academic experience.
Michelle Barnhart
Michelle Barnhart brings 16 years of manufacturing industry experience to App State’s faculty, including eight years of employment with Timken, a global manufacturing company of 19,000 employees in 46 countries. At Timken, Barnhart serves as HR Manager responsible for 650+ team members in strategic workforce planning and development and implementing an HR strategy that aligns with the business and market needs, among others. Barnhart’s research interests focus on barriers to employment for persons with physical disabilities in a manufacturing environment. Barnhart holds a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership and an MBA in human resource management from Southern New Hampshire. She can be reached by email, barnhartmr@appstate.edu.
Samantha Howell
Samantha B. Howell brings 35 years of experience as Vice President and Human Resources Business Partner for Leggett & Platt and Hanes Companies, Inc. to App State’s faculty. Howell holds an MBA from Lenoir-Rhyne University. Howell is deeply entrenched in the Catawba County area serving in various capacities at her church and Safe Harbor providing financial coaching to women in recovery. She can be reached by email, howellsb2@appstate.edu.
Nick Dyson
Dyson is CEO of Dyson Leadership, which provides customized training to clients in leadership, management, communication, and more. He has previously served as a human resources information systems analyst and an instructor for Catawba Valley Community College. He holds an associate’s degree from Catawba Valley Community College and a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA from Liberty University. Dyson can be reached by email, dysonnj@appstate.edu.
Benjamin Whitehead
Ben Whitehead joins App State’s faculty and teaches strategic management. 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, MBA, and Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics degrees from the university. He can be reached by email, whiteheadbt@appstate.edu.
Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management
Matt Tate
Matthew (Matt) Tate joins the Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management as a special faculty member. Tate is a senior marketing specialist for App State’s Office of University Communications with 10+ years of experience developing strategic marketing and communication plans for diverse customer segments. Previously, he was a reporter, writer, and editor for publications across North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Tate earned a BS in Communications from App State, an MA in Media Management from the University of Missouri, and an Ed.S. in Higher Education from App State. He can be reached by email, tateme2@appstate.edu.
Business Career Services
Three new faculty members join the Walker College of Business to teach Business 2001, a course that develops professional skills in students that will help them meet career goals.
Laura Fonseca
Laura Fonseca has previously served as an academic coordinator for App State’s Upward Bound, a program that develops student success in local high school students. She is interested in applicant tracking systems and focuses on identifying individuals’ values and goals and matching them to opportunities that can develop relevant, requisite skills. Fonseca holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MA in Professional School Counseling from App State. She can be reached by email, fonsecalp@appstate.edu.
Evan Hager
Evan Hager will serve as a lecturer at App State. He brings to the faculty industry experience at Gartner, Salesforce, Meta, TikTok, and Zillow. Hager is a Walker College alumnus, holding a BSBA in Management from App State, and he earned an MBA from Louisiana State University. Hager can be reached by email, hagerea1@appstate.edu.
Kate Wiggins
Kate Wiggins brings expertise to the App State faculty in leadership development through experience with two trade associations and as a coach in North Carolina State University’s B Corp Clinic, which helps companies improve their social and environmental impact. She previously taught business and entrepreneurship at Montana State University and owned a small business in Montana. Wiggins earned a BS in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MA in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi. Wiggins can be reached by email, wigginsc1@appstate.edu.
