Department of Marketing, Sports Business & Construction Management

Ted is the Director of Esports and also teaches Event Management and Esports Management. He graduated with a Masters of Esports Management Degree from Miami University (OH) in 2024. He has been involved in the Cincinnati/NKY esports scene since 2016 primarily as a tournament/event organizer but also as a competitor and a leader within the local community. He's worked with companies such as Allmid, Gameworks, and Arcade Legacy to bring fun and competitive esports events featuring a multitude of games to the Cincinnati/NKY area.

Majed Dabdoub received a BS in Civil Engineering from Ohio University in 1981 and a Masters in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1989. He has worked for the city of Cincinnati for 30 years and while there managed the building and zoning division of the building department. His experience includes more than 34 years in building design and construction as well as the application of building codes and standards. He also consults locally, nationally and internationally. Majed has been teaching at NKU since 1991.

Dr. Anh Dang is an Associate Professor of Marketing. Prior to joining NKU, she earned her Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Old Dominion University. At Old Dominion University, she taught a variety of courses including Introduction to Business, Principles of Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Social Media Marketing, and Marketing on the Internet. In these classes, she connected students with the local business community such as the Norfolk Foster Care and the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers through term projects. Her research focuses on digital marketing, consumer behavior, and corporate social responsibility. She has published papers in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Business Research and the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. Her research proposal won the competitive Wharton Customer Analytic Initiative – Bazaarvoice Research Opportunity from the University of Pennsylvania in 2015. She also has multiple papers presented at national and international conferences.

Sean Foley joined the Haile College of Business in 2000 and has worn many hats during his tenure. He teaches a variety of courses in construction, including: Architectural Drafting and CAD, Building Information Modeling, Construction Equipment Management, and Construction Surveying and Layout.

Sean earned his Ph.D. at Miami University (OH), an MST and his B.S. in construction management from Northern Kentucky University.

Jennifer Gardner has served as the Director of the Sports Business and Event Management Program at Northern Kentucky University since 2012. She is responsible for the oversight of the the operations of the undergraduate academic program and a also develops and manages business relationships with sport and entertainment organizations to establish volunteer, internship and job opportunities for students. Gardner also is the faculty advisor for the Sport Business Club at NKU. She came to NKU after 18 years of experience in both collegiate and professional athletics. Before joining NKU, Gardner served as the joined Associate Athletic Director for the University of Cincinnati Athletics Department from 2006-2012. At UC, she served as a major gifts officer responsible for scholarships and capital initiatives in the UCATS Office, in which she successfully solicited and met fundraising goals for such projects as the Sheakley Athletics Center. Additionally, she coordinated all hospitality programs, VIP events, customer service initiatives, retention efforts and benefits for high end donors.Prior to her arrival at UC, Gardner spent seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds as the director of premium sales and service. During her tenure, she developed a Founders Suite Program in which six companies contributed more than $7 million in luxury suite revenue three years prior to the ballpark opening. She was instrumental in setting a new Major League Baseball record of selling out 61 luxury suites in 37 days and saw a 75 percent sales increase of diamond, scout and club seating areas in six month's time. Gardner oversaw the sales and service of 600 premium accounts representing significant revenue for the team, while spearheading renewal initiatives and incentive programs for suite and season ticket holders.Gardner also had a three-year stint as the Cincinnati Bengals assistant director of premium seat sales. She was a member of the sales team responsible for meeting the sales goals of luxury suites and club seats in order to move forward in the construction of Paul Brown Stadium. Her other notable achievements included the development of hospitality programming and events for premium seat holders and execution of VIP experiences at the Bengals training camp site in Georgetown, Ky. A 1993 graduate of the University of Dayton, Gardner began her career at The Kempton Group, a sport and event marketing firm in Cincinnati, as an account service manager. She worked primarily with the 1996 U.S. Open Golf Championship, including the development of the hospitality program for General Motors' Delphi Automotive Systems on behalf of their participation in the championship. Gardner earned her bachelor of arts in communication with an emphasis in broadcasting and public relations from UD before going on to pursue her master of arts in communication with an emphasis in organizational communication from Miami University (OH) in 1994. She and her husband, Brian, have two children; Chloe and Sydney.

Chip Heath is a Lecturer of Marketing at Haile College of Business at NKU where he currently teaches a variety of courses including marketing principles and digital marketing. He is also a faculty lead in the accelerated online program. He has earned an MBA from Northern Illinois University with a concentration in information systems and a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. He also attended the Ph.D. in Business Administration - Marketing program at the University of Kentucky. Chip brings with him a wealth of teaching experience, having taught courses in Marketing Principles, Consumer Behavior, Marketing Research, Marketing Strategy, Business Marketing, Personal Selling, Promotions, Advertising, and Psychology in Business. He has also created both graduate and undergraduate courses in Internet Marketing and E-Commerce. Adept at teaching in both large and class environments, Chip has taught classes as small as 7 in a small classroom and as large as 530 in a large auditorium. His teaching experience includes appointments at the University of Kentucky, Northern Illinois University, Xavier University, and most recently Eastern Kentucky University. He also taught previously here at Northern Kentucky University. Aesthetics and consumer behavior issues online are the predominant areas of his research. Chip's publications have appeared in the Journal of Electronic Commerce Research as well as book chapters in Contemporary Research In E-Marketing, Volume 1 and Online Consumer Psychology: Understanding and Influencing Behavior in the Virtual World. He also has numerous conference presentations at the major conferences within the Marketing discipline. Chip's current research focuses on beauty and product design as well as consumptive responses to product proportionality. Outside the classroom, He enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, watching live music, and learning taekwondo with his teenager. Chip is also a huge hockey fan.

Dr. Boshra Karimi is an Associate Professor of Construction Management at Northern Kentucky University. She received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Construction Management) from Oklahoma State University and joined NKU in August 2018. Prior to that, Boshra earned her B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tehran and her M.Sc in Industrial Engineering and Management from Sharif University of Technology. Additionally, she attained the LEED Green Associate accreditation.

Boshra has over nine years of experience in teaching. She was an instructor at Ershad Damavand University, a visiting instructor in the School of International Studies and Outreach at Oklahoma State University, and a teaching associate in the School of Construction Management Technology at Oklahoma State University.

Boshra also has over 14 years of experience in the industry. She has worked at Neyrperse Company as an Engineering Expert, Supervisor in the Mapna Group, Mechanical Engineering Supervisor in construction (Professional Engineer) in the Iranian Construction Engineers Organization, and Consultant in Roll-2-Roll Technologies, LLC in Oklahoma.

Boshra's research interests include sustainable project management, sustainability assessment, sustainable technology implementation, supply chain management, decision-making modeling, and big data application in construction. Her research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. Boshra teaches Sustainable Construction, Mechanical Systems for Construction, Soils and Foundation Interaction, Introduction to Construction Management, Sustainability in Old and New Architecture, and Construction Estimating. She also created a study abroad program for construction management students in winter 2022 and took them to Italy to explore sustainability in old and new structures.

Boshra has received many awards, such as the “NKU HCOB Outstanding Teaching Award” in 2024, the "ASC Regional Teaching Award" in 2023, the "NKU Faculty Summer Fellowship" in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, the “Robberson Summer Research and Creative Activity Fellowship” in 2017, the “Calvin & Marilyn Vogt Endowed Scholarship” in 2016, the “Outstanding Teaching Performance Award” in 2014 and 2015, and the “Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Scholarship” in 2014.

Dr. Levin is an Associate Professor of Marketing. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky and has been on the faculty at NKU since 2000. Dr. Levin has published articles in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Quirk’s Marketing Research Review, the Journal of Current Research and Issues in Advertising and the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship. He regularly presents his research at conferences such as the American Marketing Association and Association of Consumer Research, and is an active consultant for a variety of marketing research suppliers and client firms in the consumer packaged goods and sports and entertainment industries. In 2001, Dr. Levin helped create the Marketing Research Partnership Program (MRP²) at NKU with a mission of creating excitement for students interested in marketing research careers and networking with the vast array of top marketing research suppliers in the Greater Cincinnati region. Since the program’s beginnings, over sixty NKU students have been placed in jobs at partnering firms, and dozens of successful marketing researchers have delivered guest lectures on NKU’s campus. The program is regularly recognized as one of the university’s most unique and successful examples of public engagement.

Dr. Mittal holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from BITS, Pilani, India, an MBA in marketing from IIMA, India, and a Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Pittsburgh. He has previously been on the faculty of SUNY, Buffalo and the University of Miami and a visiting professor at University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Dr. Mittal's recent course offerings have included consumer/customer behavior, marketing communications, e-marketing, and services marketing, both in bachelor’s and MBA programs. His research has focused on consumer perceptions and decision processes, measurement and modeling of consumer attitudes, brand loyalty and brand equity, and management of customer response to marketing programs. His research has been published in such prestigious journals as Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Retailing, etc. His 1993 paper in Journal of Marketing (“Here Is the Beef: Factors, Segments, and Determinants in Public Attitudes on Advertising”), coauthored with Richard Pollay, won “the best 5-year contribution” award in advertising from the American Marketing Association. His paper in the Journal of Services Marketing (“Why Do Customers Switch? The Dynamics of Satisfaction versus Loyalty”) won the best article award for the year 1998 from MCB University Press, U.K.Dr. Mittal has authored four books: Consumer Behavior: How Humans Think, Feel, and Act in the Marketplace (2008, Open Mentis www.mycbbook.com), Customer Behavior: Consumer Behavior and Beyond (1999, Dryden Press), Customer Behavior: A Managerial Perspective (Thomson Learning, 2002), and Valuespace: Winning the battle for Market Leadership, an Executive Reader on Customer Value (McGraw Hill, 2001, www.myvaluespace.com).Dr. Mittal has been Associate Editor of the Journal of Business Research (2000-2003), and now serves on the editorial board of that journal and of Psychology & Marketing.

Bridget Nichols is a Professor of Marketing and Sports Business. She earned her Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing and consumer behavior from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Bridget joined NKU in August, 2010. Prior to coming to NKU, she earned her B.S. in marketing (2000) and M.B.A (2004) from the University of Tampa in Tampa, FL. She has taught several classes at NKU including marketing principles, marketing management, consumer behavior, sports marketing and research, sports public relations, and sports promotions. At the University of Tennessee she also taught courses in products & services management, marketing research, strategic corporate management, principles of marketing and logistics, and integrated marketing communications. Her primary research areas of interest are consumer emotions and behavior, cause-marketing in sports, and food/health related marketing. Her work has been published in several peer reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., Bridget was employed with Environmental Lighting Concepts (FL), RJ Reynolds Tobacco (FL/NC), and Creative Loafing Publishing (FL/GA) where she was responsible for multiple marketing activities including in media buying, advertising design and planning, market analysis, market research, sponsorship design and sales, and business development. Bridget has a long history of involvement in sports including four years as an NCAA-Division II athlete (swimming), participating in multiple Olympic distance and sprint distance triathlons, and is an avid CrossFitter.

David Raska is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Haile College of Business at NKU where he teaches marketing principles and marketing research. He recently completed his dissertation on the effects of fluency-based marketing messages on self-indulgent consumption and was awarded a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Washington State University. David joined the Department of Marketing at NKU in Fall 2009. Prior to that, he received an M.S. in Education from the Technical University of Liberec, Czech Republic, in 1999 and an M.S. in Management of Technology from the University of Alabama at Huntsville in 2003. His research on corporate social responsibility, brand advertising, and consumer behavior has been presented at national and international conferences and several of his research projects are currently under review or in preparation for submittal to marketing journals. In 2009, David was recognized as the Aspen Institute Research Fellow for the Beyond Grey Pinstripes research survey, an alternative ranking of business schools that spotlights innovative full-time MBA programs leading the way in the integration of issues concerning social and environmental stewardship into the curriculum.David’s industry experience reflects his personal passion for outdoor sports and includes distribution, retailing, and brand management in the outdoor industry, particularly in East European markets. David continues to be an active consultant in the outdoor industry and is currently developing consultancy-based relationships with U.S. as well as European outdoor manufacturers interested in the integration of social impact management into their marketing practices.

Kim Roush is a Lecturer of Marketing at Haile College of Business at NKU. She earned her MBA with a focus in Marketing from Duquesne University (2014) and her B.S. in Marketing from Butler University (2010). Kim currently teaches Marketing in the Digital Age and Global Marketing, and has previously taught Integrated Marketing Communications, Social Media Marketing, Retail Management, and Principles of Marketing courses. Her primary research area is Marketing Teaching Pedagogy, especially in the area of bringing social media use into the classroom.

Prior to her academic career, Kim was employed by PPG Industries as a Brand Manager where she was responsible for the marketing and promotional plans for two of the company’s largest brands.

Dr. Ihab Saad is Professor of Construction Management and an alumnus of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. He received his Ph.D. in 1996 from the department of Civil Engineering and Construction. He has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry primarily in the civil/construction project management area. Dr. Saad received his Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from Cairo University in his native country Egypt in 1984, and 1993 respectively, in addition to a higher diploma in construction project management (equivalent to another M.Sc. from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt). He has worked for a top 10 worldwide project management firm, and offered training in Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, in addition to the United States.He has taught at his Alma Mater, the University of Kentucky, in addition to Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, and most recently at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio where he was voted “Faculty of the Year” by construction science students in June 2011.His work experience includes roles as a field engineer, cost engineer, senior scheduler, and project manager. His research interests include project sustainability, innovative project delivery systems, multimedia applications in project documentation, and construction organizations’ behavior and lessons learned. He has published in peer reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences.Dr. Saad is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and a registered Professional Engineer in Egypt and Qatar. He has received university and national teaching awards and coached several 1st place winning teams in national and regional construction competitions.

Jose Luis Saavedra Torres is an Assistant Professor of Marketing. He holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing from the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Prior to coming to NKU, he earned his MBA (1999) from IESA (Venezuela) and Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and his B.A. in communication with a concentration in advertising and PR from Universidad del Zulia (Venezuela).

His areas of interest include B2B sales, branding and experiential and digital consumption. His work has been published in the Journal of Product and Brand Management, Marketing Management Journal, Journal of Retail and Consumer Services, and Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., Jose worked for more than 15 years in a marketing and sales capacity at several organizations including advertising agencies, mobile carriers, retail chain stores, automotive (Toyota), and print/digital media.

Shelley Volpenhein is the Director of Sales Program and an Assistant Teaching Professor at Haile College of Business at NKU. She was formerly the Director of Season Tickets for the Cincinnati Reds where she spent 18+ years developing creative strategies to grow the fan base with her team. Shelley thrives on building lasting relationships and crafting memorable customer experiences. With a Master’s in Sport Administration from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Economics from Eastern Kentucky University, she’s strategic, flexible, and has collected a lot of good stories along the way. Outside of work, Shelley enjoys life with her husband, Tim Volpenhein, a Managing Director at Deloitte, and their two boys, ages 8 and 12. Beyond work, Shelley is happiest surrounded by her close-knit circle of family and friends, always finding joy in exercise, travel, and sharing a good laugh.

Eileen Weisenbach Keller is a Professor of Marketing in the Haile College of Business at Northern Kentucky University. Dr. Keller's research focuses on pedagogical advances in higher education. In her prior role as Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Students and founding Director of the Center for Student Excellence she helped transform the college by developing structure for the college which added professional development, career mapping, and interviewing skills to the curriculum and culture. Increases in student internships and the development and spread of Experiential Learning in the college under Dr. Keller's management also contributed to the change in culture and improvement in student skills and job placements. Dr. Keller currently bookends marketing majors by teaching marketing principles (the introductory class) and marketing strategy (the capstone). She actively incorporates experiential learning in the heart of the marketing curriculum by integrating Selling Skills, a required course for marketing majors, with active selling of real products and services to alumni who work in sales. Whether attending class in Kentucky or Bremen Germany, NKU students experience the marketing subjects she teaches; they don't just review them.