Walker College of Business

Walker College of Business, Appalachian State University

Mr. Richard Sparks retired from the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System in Boone, North Carolina as its President and CEO in January 2017. He graduated in 1976 from Appalachian State University with a BSBA degree in Health Care Management and then again in 1978 with the MBA degree. He was one of the first students in both of these newly created degree programs. He was a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and served as Regent of the College in the 1990's and is now a Life Fellow. After a forty-year career in Health Care Administration he is now an Adjunct Lecturer at Appalachian State University teaching Leadership and Ethics, Executive Skills in the Graduate Studies Program of the College of Business, and periodically courses in Health Care Management in the College of Health Sciences.

Assistant Director, Leadership Development, Appalachian State University

Doug Baer is the Assistant Director for Leadership Development and helps professionals discover who they are and how finding their passions can transform their lives. As a leadership professional and educator, leading by example is critically important to Doug. Integrity, positive team dynamics, and maintaining momentum towards achieving a shared vision are vital components of Doug's leadership style. With over fifteen years of experience in higher education, Doug works with student scholars to develop the skills to become citizen leaders. Doug is a certified Clifton Strengths coach, specializing in group and team dynamics. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Truman State University in Missouri and a Master in College Student Personnel Administration from the University of Central Missouri.

Associate Professor, College of Education, Appalachian State University

Dr. Peter (PJ) Nelsen is a professor in the College of Education at Appalachian State University.  He specializes in navigating interpersonal differences, especially around difficult conversations that involve value conflicts. His research centers on how the philosophy and strategies of nonviolent conflict resolution can bring people in deep conflict together. Prior to joining the faculty at Appalachian State, Dr. Nelsen worked as a group development and teamwork trainer/consultant for educational, therapeutic, and corporate organizations at the University of New Hampshire's Browne Center for Innovative Learning as well as Project Adventure, Inc. He holds a doctorate in the philosophy of education from the University of New Hampshire, and he is currently a certification candidate in conflict mediation with the Center for Nonviolent Communication.

Director, Dennis Thompson Chair & Professor, Leadership, Queen's University

Will Sparks is the Dennis Thompson Chair & Professor of Leadership at the McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte, where he also serves as the Director of the Office of Leadership Initiatives. He is a Visiting Professor of International Management with Franklin University in Lugano, Switzerland. In 2008, he founded the McColl School's M.S. in Organization Development (MSOD) Program and served as Director until 2013. He received the Fuqua Distinguished Educator Award for excellence in teaching at Queens in 2003 and 2005 and was awarded the inaugural McColl School Leadership in Teaching Award in 2009.

He is the author of the book "Actualized Leadership: Meeting Your Shadow & Maximizing Your Potential" (2019, SHRM Publishing) and the co-author (with Peter Browning) of the book "The Director's Manual: A Framework for Board Governance" (2016, Wiley). He holds a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy from Winthrop University and an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management from Appalachian State University. He completed his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Development under the direction of Dr. Jerry B. Harvey from The George Washington University's School of Business and Public Management, where his research focused on group dynamics, organizational culture, and leadership.