Susan Alaniz

Susan Alaniz lives in the Fort Walton Beach, Florida local area as a recently retired US Air Force officer after nearly 22 years of service.  Alaniz served as a communications systems officer and as a political-military strategist.  Her master's degree is in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma and her undergraduate degree is a bachelor of science in Human Factors Engineering from the US Air Force Academy.  Susan also earned a minor in French.  Her research interest area is nation/state-building and the use of the military in non-traditional roles.  Aaniz has lived or worked in 14 different countries and hopes to experience many more.

Sumesh Arora

Sumesh Arora is the President of S3N Consulting, LLC and works with private businesses, non-profit organizations and state and federal agencies to provide project management, technology assessment, and grant writing and administering services. He contracts with the Mississippi Technology Alliance and is responsible for evaluating renewable energy projects that may bridge the gap between available resources and potential markets. Sumesh was born in India, and currently resides in Madison, Mississippi, with his wife and two children.

Mohammad Ashraf

Mohammad Ashrafwas born in Afghanistan and currently lives in New York. He works for the government of Afghanistan as agricultural development advisor since 2003. His major responsibilities include coordinating the assistance of the donor agencies, evaluating the training and capacity building requirements of the Ministry of Agriculture, and evaluating proposals to ensure consistency with the Ministry priority and Master plan. He completed his BS in agricultural business and MS in agricultural technology from the University of Central Missouri. He also has a Bachelor of Arts in computer science (software engineering) from the University of Guelph, Canada. His research interest area is the role of agriculture in economic development of Afghanistan.

Sharon Barnett-Myers

Scott Blough

Scott Bloughis Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Security Studies at Tiffin University, where he specializes in policy development, international crime, terrorism, international security, corrections, and information systems and technology. Prior to this appointment, Professor Blough served as the Chief of the Bureau of Adult Detention in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, where he had oversight of over 250 jails throughout Ohio. Professor Blough wrote the Minimum Standards for Jails in Ohio, which are the administrative rules governing jail operations in Ohio. Professor Blough also served as a lieutenant on the Marion (Ohio) Police Department, where he conducted numerous gang, drug, and gambling investigations. He supervised a multi-jurisdictional gambling task force and successfully investigated and prosecuted the two largest embezzlement cases in Marion’s history. Professor Blough has authored numerous publications on international justice and corrections issues and consults on justice policy, prison and jail design, security, and technology application in justice. Professor Blough is ABD from the University of Southern Mississippi International Development Program in the Security Studies Research Team.

Douglas Bottomly

Douglas Bottomlyis General Partner, at Blueen Ltd, providing business development services with a focus on business and technical solutions.  Blueen Ltd. is a venture marketing company with clients in United States, Africa and South America.  Past business experience includes Associate Publisher of the Jacksonville Business Quarterly; Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Access Power Inc., responsible for marketing in 16 countries including South America, Europe and Asia. Vice President of Sales for Right Management Consulting, Senior Business Development manager for AT&T and Product Manager for L’eggs. He was first to develop and market applications for interactive voice response systems and one of the pioneers to introduce VoIP systems globally. Dough has a 2 year associates diploma from Oxford University in computer science, an MBA in marketing from Jacksonville University and a B.A. Business Administration from Vanderbilt University.

Angela Bryan

William Buchanan

Sharon Camara

Sharon Camaralives in Atlanta, Georgia and works at AT&T providing staff support to an executive team in Information Technology.  She holds a master's degree in Health Systems Management (MHA) from Tulane University's School of Public Health and Bachelors degrees in English (BA) and Journalism (BS) from Boston University. Sharon's foci are in economic and cultural development. Her research interest is in West African trade. Sharon is originally from New Hampshire. Sharon is also president of the African Performing Arts Association (www.africanperformingarts.org).

Ernie Delgrosso

Meaza Demissie is an Associate Program Manager at the U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF) in Arlington, Virginia. She works on scientific capacity building in Russia and the south Caucasus, and on expanding CRDF’s university-based research programs in the developing world.  Prior to joining CRDF in 2008, she was a Project Assistant at Bread for the World Institute, which provides policy analysis on hunger and strategies to end it.  She holds a Master of Public Administration (non-profit Management concentration) from Southern University, Louisiana, U.S.A. and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Currently she is writing her dissertation on “The Natural Resource Curse and Economic Growth & Development in Sub-Saharan Africa” under the International Economic Development research team with Dr. Naghshpour's direction. Her research interest includes economic growth & development, social justice, sub-Saharan Africa and globalization. Meaza was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She speaks native Amharic, fluent English, some French, and beginning Spanish and Russian.

Rubi Devi

Rubi Devi is from Assam, one of the north-eastern states in India. She joined the IDV PhD program in fall, 2006 and since then I have been working as a graduate research assistant with Dr David L. Butler and Dr Edward Sayre in the USM, Hattiesburg campus.   Prior to joining the IDV PhD program, Rubi completed a masters’ degree in English Literature from Tezpur Central University, India and M. Phil in Folk-Culture from Gauhati University, India. She completed her bachelor of arts from Cotton College, Assam.  During Rubi’s bachelor degree, she majored in English literature with minors in history and economics.  As part of the IDV program, she chose political development as major and socio-cultural development as minor area of study.  However, she also shares my interest in economic and security issues as well. As a student of the International development, Rubi is trying to develop a pragmatic, interdisciplinary viewpoint which, she believes, is crucial to understand and analyze the world affairs. As a region she is focusing on South Asia region to work on during her dissertation process. The broad areas of Rubi’s research are democratic developments, ethnic conflict, gender and security, and socio-cultural change.

Patrick Ervin

Patrick Ervinresides in Greenville, Mississippi, with his wife Teresa and daughters, Ashley, Alexis and Allyson. He works work full time as a Community Educator for the state's fifth largest hospital. He also works part time as a writer for the Delta Democrat Times. Patrick received his bachelor of arts in Journalism/Public Relations (2002) and master of science in Community and Economic Development (2008) from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. Patrick’s areas of interest in the USM IDV PhD program include tourism, sports and global medical policy. He is also the author of "Frank and Dishonest: Expanding on Exaggeration," (2005), a book about tall tales impressed upon him by his late grandfather. His second book, "School Spirit" is due to be published later this year.

Jonathan Fink

Sydney Fletcher

A lifelong resident of Pascagoula, Mississippi, Sydney Fletcher is the Academic Business Instructor and Alpha Beta Gamma Advisor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College- Perkinston Campus. She has a B.B.A. in Business from the University of Mississippi and an MBA with a concentration in Economics from the University of South Alabama. Sydney is a member of the Economic Development team and her area of research interest is international economics. More specifically, how FTA impact development.

Dianne R. Jntl Forte

Denise Francois-Seeney

Pamela Gary-Forrest

Pamela Gary-Forrest's hometown is in Winona, Mississippi. She serves as Assistant Director of the Delta Research & Cultural Institute and Adjunct Professor in the Social Science Department at Mississippi Valley State University. Her research topic is:  Have the United States' efforts in sub-Saharan Africa been effective in the fight against poverty, HIV/AIDS and illiteracy?

Darren Gil

Darren Gil is a Northern California native. He entered the United States Army shortly after high school. After an honorable discharge he served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Darren resigned from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to take a commission as a Special Agent with the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). He has been an agent with ATF for over 22 years serving in various assignments across the United States. He is currently the Chief, Counterterrorism Division and the Liaison between ATF and the FBI for Counterterrorism. Darren has taught a variety of classes at various institutions across the country and around the world. These courses have included management, tactical emergency medicine/management, criminal justice and security related courses. Darren has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminology from the University of Maryland as well as a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Alabama. His major is Security Studies with a minor in Political Development. Darren is interested in rule of law, training police institutions abroad, decision-making in law enforcement/intelligence organizations, arms trafficking, and social disorganization theory and management response.

Tom Gonzalez

Tom Gonzalez presently resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and works at Fort Carson as the Command Sergeant Major of the 71st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group (more commonly known as the Bomb Squad).  The Army has 2 EOD Groups worldwide and Tom's area of operations is the Western half of the United States.  Currently he is deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, as the Task Force Troy Command Sergeant Major responsible for countering the infamous improvised explosive device that the enemy has become so fond of using. His education includes a Master in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a Master of Arts in Diplomacy from Norwich University, Vermont.  His undergraduate is a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. His concentration at USM is in Security with a minor concentration in Political Development and his regions of interest are in the Greater Middle East and South America.  His true topic of interest is how asymmetric warfare, tactics, and weapons affect national policy and nation building efforts.

Evelyn Green

Evelyn Kwan Green originates from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  She earned her B.S. Hotel and Restaurant Administration, Summa Cum Laude at The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) in 1986.  She left Hattiesburg for Miami, Florida, upon graduation to continue her career in the hotel industry.  She returned to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in 1988 where she resides today and has been an employee of the University for 21 years.  She has since earned two graduate degrees at Southern Miss: a Master in Business Administration with a marketing emphasis, and a Master of Science in Instructional Technology.  She is currently an instructor with the Department of Tourism Management at The University of Southern Mississippi, specializing in casino resort operations management and online instruction.  Evelyn is nationally recognized for contribution as a pioneer in the field of campus recreation marketing. Her area of research interest is in international tourism with a particular interest in the casino industry in Mississippi and the Asia-Pacific region.  Evelyn is also interested in gender-related issues regarding online education, particularly its impact on females in newly developed and developing countries.

Kim Guynn

Kim Guynn is a Fisheries Biologist for NOAA Fisheries in Pascagoula. She works on International Fisheries particularly regional fisheries management bodies. Masters Degree from USM (GCRL) in Coastal Biology Bachelor of Science from Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL. She is part of the International Political Development and Security Team with research interests in the effectiveness of International Treaties as they relate to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. Kim was born in Montgomery, AL, and raised in Baldwin County, AL, where she serves on two U.S. Delegations and is the current Chairperson on the Subcommittee on Implementation and Compliance for the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.

John Hays

John Hays is a retired attorney, and former CEO of e-GIX communications, a telecommunications holding company in Indianapolis consisting of six CELEC regional telephone companies. His current interests: skiing, sailing, reading and writing. His education includes: JD Law, Indiana University; MS International Relations, Troy University; and BA Business Management, Eastern Illinois University. His interests at the university include the International Political Development and Security Teams. His academic interest is concentrated on the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. His dissertation research subject is- Global Agricultural Price Supports: The Political and Economic Forces that Drive Unsustainable Agricultural Protectionism Policy. Born in Illinois, Hays had the good fortune to have parents who moved to Southern Florida in the 50’s. After retirement he returned to Sarasota and the friend she left behind many years ago. Hays currently serves on several Boards of Directors, and spends his free time observing the international scene. He and his wife have four children: Jon a colonial in the army, Wendy an OR nurse, Lisa in the hospitality business, and Steven a realtor. Hays is in the IDV program because it offers an opportunity to share ideas and opinions about the world, and why it is the way it is. The students and professors provide an eclectic view of world events that is mentally challenging and yet tempered with a camaraderie that will remain for many years.

Enrique Hurtado

Enrique Hurtado is a native of Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico and is the Director of Business and Trade Development for the Mississippi State Port Authority. At the port he is responsible for marketing and promoting the port overseas and within the US. Enrique is also General Director of Grupo Alir-Linoflax in Mexico and serves as advisor for the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME), a decentralized agency of the Mexican Foreign Ministry. Enrique received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Universidad Michoacana and a Masters degree in Economic Development from the University of Southern Mississippi. Enrique started his Economic and Trade Development carrier in 1999 working as an assistant for the Center of Community and Economic Development at USM.  In January 2001 he joined the Mississippi Development Authority as research analyst, few months later he was offered an International Trade Specialist position and later was promoted to the position of Senior Import and Export Manager for Latin America. In Mexico, he served as Marketing Director for Centro Mexicano International, Operations Manager for Carrier Transicold and as Project Supervisor for the Comision Federal de Electricidad.

Julie Jordan

Jim Kierulff

James Kierulff is building Energy Crop Growers Association of the Philippines, a non-profit organization dedicated to researching and proving socio-environmental best practices in the operation of biofuel related community development models. James travels to the Philippines to conduct monitoring of the program and develop its employees. Previously he spent two years in the Southern Philippines directing the economic development program of International Care Ministries. Prior to overseas activities he was a Dean of Academic Affairs at ITT Technical Institute. In addition to the above James has three years of college level teaching experience and over ten years of technology implementation experience. When not traveling overseas, James resides in Gulfport, Mississippi, pursuing his Ph.D. in International Development. His primary research focus is on energy and international development. Small farm ownership models are being developed utilizing socio-environmentally friendly approaches to energy crop cultivation. Impoverished agrarian populations are envisioned to use the new alternative energy industry to renew communities creating a relative, sustainable middle class. The theoretical focus is to examine various mechanisms including socio-cultural barriers to development, community development models and development in the face of industrial revolution. James has an MBA in Management and a B.A. in Marketing and Management from Seattle Pacific University.

Derek Kirbow

Neal Kringel

Neal Kringel was born and raised in southeastern Wisconsin.  Currently he is a US Air Force officer with almost 25 years of service stationed at NATO Joint Forces (JFC) Command, Brunssum, Netherlands.  The majority of his time the past decade plus has been spent as an African Regional Affairs Specialist.  He spent five years living in Africa (Kenya, and Gabon) and several years going there on short business and pleasure trips.  Neal also served as the commander of a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan from 2006-2007 and is currently working in the office of the Political Advisor to the JFC Commander.  Neal has a bachelor's degree in Broadfield Social Studies and Secondary Education from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a Master's in Education from Troy University.  He is currently a political and security team member with regional interests in Africa and Afghanistan.  His topical interest are nation building and ethnic/regional conflict.

Jean Larned

Native Texan Jean Garner Larned, a member of the renowned FBI Behavioral Science Unit (BSU), is a former Special Agent with the DEA and current criminal investigations instructor, researcher and case consultant with the BSU at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.  In addition to the responsibilities glamorized in shows like ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘Silence of the Lambs’, he also teaches ‘New Agent Training’ and the ‘National Academy’ which includes international and domestic law enforcement executives and leaders from around the world.  He earned a Masters degree in Behavioral Science from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, and a Bachelors degree in Journalism from California State University Long Beach.  Jean is a member of the Security Studies Research Team currently studying the impact of globalization on terrorism and the ‘Global War on Terrorism’.  Jean is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Virginia.  Concurrently, Jean is an Army officer in the United States Army Reserves working with wounded soldiers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan through the ‘Warrior Transition Units’ program. 

Gregg Lassen

Hale Laughlin

Bruce Lotarski

Bruce Lotarski was born and raised in Chicago, IL, and currently resides in Tampa, FL.  He is an Air Force Officer with over 22 years serving in Logistics and Operations at the U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, FL.  Bruce holds an M.B.A. from the University of South Florida, a B.S. in Computer Information Systems, and a B.A. in Business from the University of South Florida.  Currently he is a member of the Economic and Political research teams.  Bruce’s research interests include nation-state building, globalization, foreign direct investments, and infrastructure investments particularly in under-developed and post conflict nation-states of Africa and the Middle East.  

Patrick Maloney

Patrick Maloney is retired from the US Navy and is currently living in Duluth, Minnesota.  He was raised in Micronesia and has traveled around the world    His experiences from traveling and meeting people from all walks of life has created an increased awareness of the disparity between the rich and the poor.   His interest in the IDV program comes from a concern and a desire to understand the causes and corrective actions needed for the socio-economic issues found in developing countries.  He has a Masters of Nonprofit Management from Regis University and Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Great Falls.  As a member of the social/cultural and economic teams Patrick is interested in how cultural issues impede or help economic development in Pacific island nations.

Dan Manning

Dan Manning:  Kaiserslautern, Germany

Dan serves in the United States Air Force at the Headquarters of the United States Air Forces in Europe in Kaiserslautern, Germany, where he leads a team which is working to build partner capacity in the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.  His formal military training is as an A-10 fighter pilot. His bachelor's degree is in Computer Science from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.  His Master's degree is in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma. Dan is pursuing the Security Studies track.  His research interest is in the United States military's efforts to build partnership capacity in less-developed nations.  He is particularly interested in the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia and their transitions from Soviet occupation to active membership in NATO. Dan was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama but in his time in the military, he has lived in Germany for 6 years, Texas, and Arizona.

Mark McCoon

Mark McCoon is an Assistant Professor at Kettering University (formerly GMI) an engineering school in Michigan. He is a CPA as well as a CMA.  He began his career with one of the international accounting and consulting (big four) firms and then spent about 13 years as a consultant, mostly working in the bankruptcy reorganization field. Mark enrolled in the IDV program because it allows him the flexibility to study economics, taxation and the Caribbean – my research and personal interests. He has a BBA in accounting from the University of Michigan and an MBA with a concentration in economics from the University of Detroit.  Mark lives in Fenton, Michigan located between Flint and Ann Arbor with his charming wife Jill.  Mark is on the economics research team and has research interests in International taxation, Latin American and Caribbean taxation, Tax compliance, and Taxation and development.

Heather McGann

Heather McGann lives and works in Charlotte, NC.  She hails from Ohio.  Her career background involves higher education administration with an international focus.  She has a B.A. in Political Science from Kent State University and an MA in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University.  Her main research area is the Middle East where she has worked and lived.  She focuses on political and socio-cultural considerations of development in this region.

Rajya Lakshmi Meka

Josefer Montes

Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico and raised in Orlando, Florida, Josefer Montes is Director of Education at Antonelli College in Hattiesburg, MS, where he has served for 7 years.  As Director of Education his primary duties include the recruiting, hiring, training and evaluating of the faculty and the program directors.  This includes maintaining documentation as required by state and accrediting agencies. His undergraduate degree is in accounting from Southern Adventist University and he has an MBA from Florida Metropolitan University. Before entering the propriety college industry, Josefer worked in institutional advancement, sales and marketing and accounting. His research interests include tourism, faith-based development and religion and development.  Josefer currently resides in Lumberton, MS, with his wife Heather and their son Camden.

Martha Norman

Martha Normanwas born in Richmond, Virginia, while her father was in medical school. When she was two, she moved to Dothan, Alabama, where she was raised and where she eventually raised her family.  Martha attended Auburn University obtaining an undergraduate degree in Sociology with a double-minor in Political Science and a fifth-year teaching certification for post secondary education. She returned to school earning a Master’s Degree in International Relations from Troy University and eighteen hours past my Master’s Degree in all of the 3-letter prefixes that I teach for certification on the college level as an Instructor.  Currently she is an Adjunct Instructor at Troy University and Wallace Community College teaching U. S. History, Western Civilization, American National Government, and World Regional Geography, in person and on-line for e-Army.  My research interest is National Security as it is affected by U.S. demographic data; the necessity for a healthy workforce and a healthy fighting force. Specific research topics are Nutrition, Demography, and Food Security.

Pat O'Brien

Pat O'Brien is an Assistant Professor of Business at John Brown University, in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and the Director of Professional Studies Business Programs.  He is responsible for curriculum development of existing programs and implementation of new Professional Studies online programs. Most of his professional life has been devoted to IT; as an analyst, programmer, and as a manager of data processing and technical services.  Pat spent 16 years in consulting, twelve of which with his own company.  He earned an M.B.A. from Webster University, and a B.S. in Management from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).  Currently Pat lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with his wife Susan and has three sons.  Pat has taught at the Northwest Arkansas Community College, Webster University, and the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. He is a member of the Economic and Political Research teams with research interests in the Philippines, especially the impact of taxation on that economy, and Mexico and the impact of NAFTA on that society.

Frank Parker

Susan Peerzada

Susan Peerzada has a B.A. in Anthropology and M.A. in Urban Affairs from Queens College of the City University of New York. She was born in Kabul Afghanistan and spent twelve years of her life there.  After the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan she escaped her country of origin with her family and became a young refugee. In 1988 she came to the United States and has made New York her second homeland. Currently, she works as an academic advisor at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York. Her research interest includes social cultural development, gender in Islam and Muslim women empowerment.

Brian Peters

Brian Peters currently lives just outside Milwaukee, WI, and is married to his high school sweetheart and best friend, Missy. Brian is the Executive Director for a proprietary edu group in the Metro Milwaukee area, the Vice Chair for the
Jefferson County Republican Party, and is also involved with his company’s Government Relations Team. A recent highlight for Brian was when he received an invitation to act as an advisor for the 2009 Presidential Inauguration in which he spent the Inaugural week in Washington D.C. listening to speeches from Colin Powell, Erik Weihenmayer, as well as other government leaders. Brian holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, an M.B.A. from the University of Colorado, an M.S.A. from Central Michigan University, and has taken part in Executive Certification programs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Rian Plaswirth

Melissa Ravencraft

Melissa Ravencraft lives in Sumrall, Mississppi.  She was born in Columbia, Mississippi, and reared in both Sikeston, Missouri, and Sumrall, Mississippi.  Melissa is currently employeed at The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) where she is a coordinator for International Programs.  She received her masters and bachelors from Southern Miss in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and Spanish, respectively.  She is interested in international migration within the United States, especially in non--traditional receiving areas as it applies to women and children from Mexico and South America.  She is alo interested in women's issues around the globe, especially the inequality and abuse suffered at the hands of their counterparts, men.

Wendell Robbins

Kelly Robinson

Kelly Robinson, a native of Ellisville, MS, is currently employed as a Workforce Development Coordinator/IT Instructor at Jones County Junior College.  She manages a variety of workforce development projects throughout Jones’ eight-county district and teaches various information technology courses.  She holds a Master of Science degree in Engineering Technology from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University in Business Information Systems.  Her dissertation research focuses on Sustaining a Workforce After a Natural Disaster: A Closer Look at Temporary Public Employment Assistance after Hurricane Katrina.

Bo Sawysky

Bohdan S. Sawycky (“Bo”) was born in Zeven, Germany and was raised in New York City.  He spent over 32 years working as an international banker (with The Chase Manhattan Bank, State Street Bank and Trust Company, Deutsche Bank and Wachovia Corporation (from which he retired as a Senior Vice President).  During his career, Bo lived in Germany, Malaysia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom and traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia and the Arab Middle East.  Since his retirement in 2007, Bo has dedicated his time to community and philanthropic activities and scholarly pursuits.  He currently serves as: Director and Treasurer of the Self Reliance (NY) Federal Credit Union; Director and Treasurer of Plast Foundation, Inc.; Director of the USA/USA Program, and; Secretary of the UNCUA Supervisory Committee.  Additionally, he is a member of The Washington Group and the Royal Institute of International Affairs.  Bo graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from Siena College and he earned an M.S. in Diplomacy from Norwich University.  His scholarly interests include the resurgence of the Russian Federation as a regional/global power and the use of energy as political and economic tools.  Bo resides with his wife near Princeton, New Jersey.

Peter Spagnolo

I am Peter Spagnolo, I live in the small town of Emmett, Idaho where I serve as a general crimes investigator for the Gem County Sheriff’s Office.  As the title indicates, I investigate reported crimes in my jurisdiction but also write a weekly column for the local newspaper that deals with law enforcement and community issues, deal with public complaints, patrol the waterways of my county and serve as a member of the Special Reaction Team. My bachelor’s degree is from the University of the State of New York and I hold a Master of Arts in Diplomacy from Norwich University. I was born in Long Beach, California and moved to Idaho at a young age. I am on the Security Research and Political Development Teams and specialize in the studying phenomenon of international terrorism and political violence from a tactical and historical perspective.  I served in the US Army from 1977 to 1998 and did my last eleven years with the 5th Special Forces Group where I spent a great deal of time in Africa, the Middle East and the Asian Subcontinent where I developed an intense interest in the cultures of these areas. I speak, read and write Arabic.

Ranjana Srevatsan

Ranjana Srevatsan is from the Northern part of India and is now settled in Hattiesburg Mississippi since 2003. He completed his Masters in Economic Development from Southern Miss. Ranjana joined the IDV program in 2005 and is in the Economic Development team. He is writing his dissertation under Dr. Ken Malone. It explores the role of industry-university partnership in regional development and innovation in United States.

Ranjana worked in the Indian Institute of Management in India. His research interest has been in the Information and Technology, Innovation and Development. He works with The Department of Economic and Workforce Development at Southern Miss, presently working with East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, in Meridian, Mississippi.

Nora Todd

Nora Todd lives in Long Beach, MS., and is an instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College – Jefferson Davis Campus.  She teaches in the Social Studies Department a broad range of subjects.  She earned my BS and MS from University of Southern Mississippi in history.  She will work under the Securities Research Team in her doctoral pursuit with interests on the cost efficiency and societal gains/losses of capital punishment.  Nora expects to explore that topic internationally with an emphasis on the United States.  As a child, Nora’s father worked as a translator for the State Department and was bounced all over the world from one country to another.  It was a wonderful childhood filled with many advantages that she can see, with the benefit of hindsight that many children were not fortunate enough to have experienced.  Nora was actually born on an Air Force Base in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1960. 

Janelle Townes

Janelle Townes presently is an instructor at Virginia College in Jackson, Miss., where she teaches various business courses. She has also worked for WorldCom Broadband Solutions as a verification analyst and with IBM in Raleigh, N.C., as an income and expense accountant.

Mark Turner

Mark Turner currently lives in South Bend, Ind., and owns a retail store that he and his wife began in 2002. Prior to this entrepreneurial venture, Mark was a finance manager at Visteon Corp., and Ford Motor Co., in Dearborn, Mich. His work at Visteon and Ford included several positions in material cost management, manufacturing profit analysis, and vehicle line forecasting and production planning.

Patrick Turner

Patrick Turner received his Bachelor of Arts from Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio. During his undergraduate education, Patrick attended American University in Washington, D.C., taking part in the Washington semester exchange program, where he participated in lectures given by recognized leaders in the fields of criminal justice and national security. Patrick received his Master's of Science in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Homeland Security Administration from Tiffin University, Tiffin, Ohio. Patrick began the International Development Program (IDV) in January of 2008. His area of focus is on how the United States can effectively manage and interact with the political and militant sides of Hezbollah organizations throughout the world.

Pete Walley

Pete Walley, a fifth generation Mississippian, holds a bachelor of science in Aerospace Engineering from Mississippi State University (1969), and an MBA from Mississippi College (1973). His research interests include human capital especially as it affects economic development and in migration effects on human capital formation. He is currently working on his dissertation under the direction of Dr. Shahdad Naghshpour. He is a member of the Mississippi University Research Center, Institutions of Higher Learning and is director of long-range economic development planning for Mississippi. He currently serves as scoutmaster for Troop 8 Jackson, MS, the longest continuously charted scout troop in the United States.

Peter Wisniewski