Meet Our Team
Bud Gibson
Bud Gibson is Director of the EMU Center for Digital Engagement and its Digital Summer Clinic. He founded the Center and Clinic in 2015. In 2012, he launched EMU’s Digital Marketing Workshop, soon to be in its twelfth running. In addition to directing the center and the clinic, Bud is a professor of Integrated Marketing Communications at Eastern Michigan University’s College of Business. Before coming to EMU, Bud was a professor at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Early in his career, Bud worked at Deloitte Consulting, Arthur D. Little, and Catholic Relief Services. Bud has a BS from Georgetown University, an MBA from the Wharton School, and a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University. Bud has lived and worked in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Jorel McCree
Jorel is an account manager at Pinterest and a proud EMU grad.
Prior to Pinterest, Jorel was an account manager at iProspect (Dentsu Aegis Network) specializing in paid social and search strategies for multiple GM brands.
When he is not working, you can find him hanging out with family, volunteering, or binging a new series on Netflix.
Ian Sherk
Dr. Sufian Qrunfleh
Dr. Sufian Qrunfleh is an Associate Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management in the Marketing Department at Eastern Michigan University. He earned his Ph.D. in Manufacturing Management from The University of Toledo in Ohio. He routinely teaches operations management, supply chain management, and operations planning and scheduling in supply chain at both the undergraduate and MBA levels.
Dr. Qrunfleh research interests include supply chain management, information technology, and the alignment of the two. His work has been published in several conference proceedings as well as in academic journals. He has published in the International Journal of Production Research, Journal of Information Systems Management, Supply Chain Management: An international Journal, International Journal of Business Information Systems, and the Journal of Computer Information Systems. He is a member of the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) and The Association for Operations Management (APICS).
Dr. Kim Barker
Dr. Barker received her Ph.D. in Organizational Development from Benedictine University and has been a Full-Time Lecturer at EMU since 2017. Prior to coming to Eastern, she spent five years in Human Resources and over 15 years in Hospital Administration. She is the recipient of the Beryl Institute Scholar Grant and is the Vice President of the Board for the International Society for Organization Development and Change (ISODC). Her research interests include Global Organization Development, Cultural Competence and Dilemma Reconciliation, Conflict Resolution, Gender Equality in Organizations, Change and Compassionate-Lean-Humble Leadership.
Dr. Barker’s goal is to convey her passion as a Scholar-Practitioner to her students by getting them excited about best practices that will transform their work and life.
Emeritus Staff
Jamie Ward
Jamie Ward is an associate professor of public relations at Eastern Michigan University and the faculty adviser of the EMU Public Relations Student Society of America Eleanor Wright Chapter. Prior to entering academia, Jamie spent more than a decade in the nonprofit sector working to help nonprofit organizations advance their cause through strategic public relations. Her extensive background includes strategic development, branding, and storytelling for advocacy and engagement.
As an avid researcher and writer, Jamie is a contributor to PR News and Public Relations Journal as well as several additional peer reviewed journals. She is a noted speaker who frequently presents at national and international conferences and business events on topics related to public relations, storytelling, social media, crisis communication, and ethics. Jamie is (co)author of the following books: A Practical Guide to Ethics in Public Relations and Veteran Friendships Across Lifetimes: Brothers and Sisters in Arms.
Eric Wortman
The Center for Digital Engagement is located in Eastern Michigan University’s College of Business