Master in Management
Core Faculty
Karen Clarke (Certified Treasury Professional; MAT, Southern Oregon University, 2007; Pacific Coast Banking School, University of Washington) brings more than 30 years of financial management experience into the classroom. She has taught accounting for 15 years, observing many changes in the financial reporting process. Much of her teaching focuses on budgeting, finance and accounting. She also teaches treasury management as an adjunct faculty for the Association of Financial Professionals. Karen teaches "Budget and Finance" and elective offerings related to those topics.
Kurt Knudsen (MA, UC-Davis; JD, Santa Clara University, 1991) teaches the "Legal Issues in Management" course. He provides legal advice and services for a wide range of businesses, including Butler Automotive Group, Capital Associates, and Falcon Northwest Computer Systems. His legal practice focuses primarily on business, government, and land use law. Kurt has also held executive positions at large organizations managing general services, contracting, business development, planning and construction.
Cynthia Scherr (MBA-Stanford Graduate School of Business; MTS-Harvard Divinity School) teaches Organizational Leadership both in Ashland and in Guanajuato. Cynthia studies organizational leadership in the context of her management consulting practice. She works with CEOs and leadership teams on strategic planning, team alignment and executive coaching and chairs two CEO peer groups in the Rogue Valley.
John Laughlin (DPA, 1990, University of Southern California) is an Associate Professor and former Dean of the School of Business. He teaches "Orientation to Capstone," as well as the Research and Capstone courses. His teaching and research interests include business and labor history, organizational training, and organizational change.
Joan McBee (DBA, Argosy University, 2007) teaches "Marketing for Private and Nonprofit Organizations." Prior to teaching, Joan sold mutual funds and real estate investments, financed nonconventional and commercial loans, and worked as a title officer for an escrow company.
Katie Pittman (MBA, San Francisco State University, 1989) teaches "Management Information Systems." Her background includes 18 years of work experience outside of academia, primarily in data analysis and in the development, maintenance, and administration of organizational information systems. She is currently completing a Ph.D. in Computer Information Systems at Nova Southeastern University.
Steve Schein (MS, Fielding Graduate University, 2004) teaches "Strategic Management." A CPA and former CEO, Steve Schein has more than 25 years of leadership, business development and senior management experience in a broad range of industries. His primary areas of interest include organizational leadership; strategic management; systems thinking; and the interdependence between leadership, strategy, culture, individual satisfaction and overall performance.
Hart Wilson (MM, Southern Oregon University, 2002) is a graduate of the MiM program and teaches the "Orientation to Graduate Study" seminar in the fall and spring. She also teaches Project Management as an elective offering in the program. Hart's professional background includes owning and operating a winery in Northeast Ohio for 10 years. Her interests lie in marketing, event management and teaching.
