2007-2008 Presenters

Jerry Ault

Jerry Ault has been the manager of the Central Mailing Department at Ball State University since 1967.  Prior to that time, he was a mail clerk in that same department.  During his career, Jerry has received numerous awards which include helping to establish the National Association of College and University Mail Services.  In 1993, he was the recipient of the Industry Excellence Award from the United States Postal Service.  Jerry also received the Business Affairs Meritorious Service Award in April 2002.  In 2007, he successfully completed a course with the United States Postal Service as a Mail Piece Quality Control Specialist.

Brenda Bailey-Hughes

Brenda Bailey-Hughes is faculty member at the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, where she teaches Business Communication. Brenda also consults with a variety of businesses and higher education institutions on organizational communication and employee-performance issues. She regularly presents at conferences and workshops on a variety of topics. Her clients include the Central Association of College and University Business Officers, Cardinal Health Organization, Ball State University, the City of Indianapolis, American Speech and Hearing Association, and International Association of Administrative Professionals. Brenda is the author of Administrative Assistant (Crisp, 1998). Brenda has a Master of Arts Degree in Organizational Communication and Professional Development from Ball State University.

Larry Beck

Larry Beck is the associate director of the Career Center at Ball State University. He is responsible for student employment programs, information systems, office administration, and strategic planning. Larry holds graduate degrees in both college student personnel administration and information and communication sciences from Ball State University. Larry has participated on numerous boards of national and local professional and civic associations. He is currently an assembly member of the Midwest Association of Colleges and Employers; he is a past president of the Indiana Personnel Association and founding board member of the Career Development Professionals of Indiana. Larry has also served as a vice president of the East Central Indiana Human Resources Association.

Judith Moore Burke

Judy Moore Burke has been Director of Human Resources at Ball State University since 1999. Prior to that time, she was Assistant Director of Human Resources for Academic Affairs and Director of Training and Development. During her career at the university, she has delivered many training programs on various management topics-interviewing and hiring, performance appraisals, discipline and terminations, etc. Judy received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Indiana University in Business Education. She also has two master's degrees from Ball State University-one in education and one in management. In 1995, she successfully completed her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.

Terry Burke

As a Training and Human Resource Specialist, Terry Burke wears many hats at Ball State including Human Resource Development, training, and all aspects of Human Resources at Facilities Planning and Sports Facilities management.  A member of East Central Indiana Human Resource Association, and Big 10 & Friends Trainers group, Burke is certified in Myers Briggs Behavioral Type Indicator, Kepner Tregoe PS/DM, and Neuro Linguistics Programming Practitioner with over 20 years experience in Human Resource Development.  Burke completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University and a Master's degree from Ball State in Adult and Community education with a minor in educational psychology.

Donna Burkhardt

Donna Burkhardt graduated with a B.S. from the University of Illinois.  Until joining Indiana University, her career focused primarily in the private sector in the field of education.  Donna has developed and facilitated training to all levels of personnel at client companies such as Bayer, Dow Elanco, and Novartis.  Training includes technical, sales, leadership, management, sales management, customer service, communication skills, computer programs, train the trainer, and other topics.  She joined Indiana University in May, 2002 to develop training for the Human Resource Management System that was implemented in October, 2002.  She continues to train new staff on the system as well as developing and facilitating Training and Development programs offered by Indiana University Human Resource Services.

Dr. Marilyn Chalupa

Dr. Marilyn R. Chalupa is an associate professor in the Information Systems and Operations Management Department and has been teaching technology and business communications courses at Ball State University since 1988.  She is active in her professional organizations by holding several executive board offices acting as reviewer for professional journals, and publishing her research in the top journals in her field.  She has received several research awards and is currently president-elect of the Organizational Systems Research Association (OSRA). 

Diane Drake

Diane Drake is a Muncie native. She graduated from Ball State University's Honors College in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. Diane joined the University Human Resource Services staff in 2001 as the Leave Programs Specialist/Budget Coordinator. In her current position, she handles all aspects of the various leave programs at the university. In particular, she is responsible for administering the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). She also assists university employees who want to further their education through the Fee Remission/Educational Assistance Program.

Debra Nelson Dunbar

Debra Nelson Dunbar has been working with universities, companies, health care institutions and financial institutions for the last 14 years. She is a University Consultant for Employee and Organizational Development within University Human Resource Services at Indiana University and is responsible for providing training and consulting for seven Indiana University campuses. She also has a consulting business and works with a myriad of businesses and organizations on an annual basis. Debra conducts approximately 300 training programs on an annual basis and typically works on 30 consulting projects per year. She has a bachelor's degree in Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology from DePauw University and a Master of Science Degree in Higher Education from Indiana University.

Sali Kay Falling, J.D.

Sali Kay Falling received her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Anderson University in 1986, and then completed a graduate program in Health Science leading to the Master of Arts Degree in 1988 from Ball State University. Ms. Falling received her Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the Indiana University School of Law in December of 1995. In February of 2001, she became the first Director of University Compliance, and Executive Director of University Compliance at Ball State University. As Executive Director of University Compliance, Ms. Falling oversees and coordinates activity involving a number of university-wide compliance issues. Ms. Falling has also served as an instructor in the Department of Physiology and Health Science.

Dr. Peggy Fisher

Dr. Peggy Fisher is a Ball State University faculty member. She teaches courses in Organizational Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Nonverbal Communication, Small Group Communication, Interviewing, Business and Professional Communication, and Research Methods in Communication. She also is responsible for coordinating the university's graduate and undergraduate internship programs. She has presented over 27 papers at national and regional conferences in the areas of communication apprehension, jury research, organizational communication, interpersonal communication, research methods, and mass communication. She has chapters in three books, as well as her own book titled Organizational Communication: Theory and Behavior, published by Allyn and Bacon.

Louis W. George

Lou George is the Services Supervisor for the Transportation Department of Facilities Planning and Management. Lou is a retired Army Captain, who specialized in automotive and electronics maintenance. He joined Ball State University in 2000 after a career in the National Guard, Department of Defense and commercial dealerships. He has attended Ball State and Vincennes Universities, majoring in Industrial Education and Technology. Lou has had extensive training in maintenance operations, OSHA and EPA compliance. He is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the BSU fleet, to include buses, cars, trucks, stationary generators and all other engine driven equipment. Lou researches and writes the specifications for all buses, cars, and trucks purchased by the university. Lou is also a key proponent for alternative fuels use and lower emissions for the BSU fleet.

Andrew F. Gothreau

Andrew Gothreau is the Assistant Director of Human Resources, Training and Development.  Andy is a retired U.S. Army Colonel.  He joined Ball State University in 2000 following a career in the army and various positions in the private sector.  He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and has master's degrees from Indiana University (Political Science) and Shippensburg University (Public Administration).  Andy is a certified training consultant and Langevin Learning Services certified master trainer.  Andy is responsible for organizing approximately 80 workshops annually that address a variety of topics from "Attitude Development" to "Zestful Living."  He also facilitates training sessions including "Coaching," "Effective Presentations," and "Time Management."

Steven Graunke

Steven Graunke has been the Assessment Research Analyst in Ball State's Office of Academic Assessment and Institutional Research since 2004.  During that time, he has administered numerous surveys, conducted focus groups, and engaged in a wide variety of assessment projects with various offices and academic departments throughout campus.  In addition, Steven has published articles in the Journal of College Student Development and the NACADA Journal; and has presented at the Annual Conference on the First Year Experience as well as the Indiana Association for Institutional Research Annual Conference.  His research interests include first-year students, retention issues, and survey methodology. 

Beth Neilson Hahn

Beth Neilson Hahn has 30 years of health education experience. Beth has been a contract faculty member in Ball State's Department of Physiology and Health Science since 2003. Prior to teaching at Ball State Beth served as Director of the Health Enhancement Program for Clarian Employees in Indianapolis.  Earlier she was the Clinic Manager of the Barrington Health Center, a community health center for medically indigent populations in Indianapolis.   For several years, Beth was an Associate Director at Ball State's Fisher Institute for Wellness.  She also has worked in community health education and patient education positions in Indianapolis, Portland and Muncie, Indiana.  Beth received her Bachelor of Science Degree and Masters Degree from the Department of Physiology and Health Science. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist.

Dale Hahn

Dale Hahn has been a professor in the Department of Physiology and Health Science at Ball State University for nearly three decades.  He has also served in teaching and administrative capacities at Ohio State University and Georgetown College.  He has co-authored three college textbooks (Understanding Your Health, Focus on Health, and Drugs: Issues for Today) that are used at hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.  He is an active runner and enjoys outdoor pursuits in his spare time. 

Tatiana Kolovou

Tatiana A. Kolovou, is a training consultant for the Department of Employee and Organizational Development in Human Resource Services of Indiana University in Bloomington.  Tatiana designs and conducts seminars, facilitates retreats and helps staff and faculty of Indiana University accomplish optimal work performance through Organizational Development consulting.  Tatiana has a Masters in Business Administration and owns Team Performance, a professional development and consulting company that specializes in the higher education and corporate sectors.  She conducts seminars in a variety of topics with an emphasis on cross-cultural communication, lifestyle design and balance and workplace effectiveness.  Tatiana is a professional member of the American Society for Training & Development and the National Speakers Association.  She conducts workshops at national conventions and has given professional presentations in 15 countries.

David G. Lewis

David G. Lewis is certified by Purdue University and the University of Oklahoma in diversity facilitation and is a certified trainer for Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.  David has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Illinois State University where he also did his graduate work in political science.  He was the 1966 recipient of the Great Lakes Association of Chicago and University Housing Officers (GLACUHO) Outstanding Presentation Award for his presentation, "Walk Your Talk."  As a speaker he has spoken to numerous association, corporate, and not-for-profit audiences.  His presentations include motivational and educational topics.

Larry Markle 

Larry Markle is the Director of Disabled Student Development at Ball State.  He was Assistant Director for five years prior to becoming director.  Larry is involved in several regional and national groups and is a past president of the Indiana Association on Higher Education and Disability.  Larry presents annually to numerous national and regional groups on issues pertaining to disability and postsecondary education, with an emphasis on topics related to the transition to and from college for students with disabilities and disability athletics.  Larry holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Ball State.

Erica Glynn Nelson

Erica Glynn Nelson is Managing Consultant of nelson performance development, LLC, training and consulting practice. She is a trainer, consultant, author, and mediator, who has worked with professionals in a variety of industries in performance improvement. She is a certified mediator through the Center for Conflict Resolution, the Center for the Study of Alternative Dispute Resolution and a mediator with the Cook County Court System. Erica earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts in Journalism and English; she has a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Connecticut in Educational Administration and Counseling. She is a member of the American Society for Training and Development. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.

Mike Polites

Mike Polites has helped hundreds of people overcome their fear of giving presentations.  He believes that learning to be more comfortable in front of an audience can truly benefit everyone's career.  As a past-president of a local Toastmaster's International group, Mike became the Indiana State Champion of Humorous Speaking.  After earning a bachelor's degree in Speech Communication from Ball State University, Mike worked in sales and consulting.  In addition to his educational and teaching experiences, he served as a university ambassador while visiting Asia and Europe.  He later went back to Ball State and obtained both a Certified Training Certificate and a Master of Arts in Communication Studies with an emphasis on training and consulting in organizations.

Janet Puckett

Janet is the student employment representative for on-campus employer services at the Ball State University Career Center.  She coordinates all aspects of student employment services including supervisor training and student payroll activities.  During her 15 years of employment she has been a part of a group that developed and implemented a model program for supervising student employees, coordinated the conversion of the student job database to a web based application, and contributed to the development of an electronic process that allows employers to conduct all student payroll activities.  Janet has served on the Student Affairs Enrollment Management Awards & Recognition steering committee and is a member of the National Student Employment Association.

Gracie Reiff

As the Compensation & Human Resource Specialist, Gracie Reiff has both human resource and compensation responsibilities.  She earned her CCP, Certified Compensation Professional, designation from WorldatWork and is a member of Compensation and Benefits Professional of Indiana and the East Central Indiana Human Resource Association.  Gracie has been at Ball State University since 2000 and had over 15 years of human resource experience before joining the university.  Gracie's Bachelor of Science degree is from Purdue University and she has a Master's of Business Administration from Ball State University.

Debra Smith

Debra Smith is a nationally respected consultant, speaker, and seminar leader with extensive business experience. She has served as business manager for a management-consulting group where she was responsible for financial accountability and customer relations. She has a bachelor's degree and a Master of Business Administration Degree in Management from Golden Gate University. She is the author of several audio and video tape programs and the co-author of three books. Every year Debra travels to more than 150 cities to deliver her high-energy, interactive seminars to meet the needs of managerial, supervisory, professional, and support personnel. She has trained more than 200,000 people from organizations in the private sector and government, as well as numerous colleges and universities.

J. Michelle Sybesma

J. Michelle Sybesma is a consultant, trainer, author, and speaker with Professional Skills Consulting.  She founded the business in 1999, helping other organizations to bridge the skills gap between the educational and private sectors.  Her areas of growth and professional development have allowed her to work from coast to coast for rapidly growing and transitioning companies, non-profits, universities, and governmental agencies.  A unique life-twist also made Michelle a personal expert on the topic of identify theft.  As a result, she married the knowledge gained from this experience and her professional skills to bring fascinating learning experience to that of Identity Theft in the Workplace.

Rhonda Thomas

Rhonda Thomas has been a Human Resources Representative at Ball State University since 1999. Prior to that time, she worked for Ball Corporation for 22 years in various Human Resources roles, the most recent as Director of Employment Practices and Manager of Employee Relations. Rhonda received her Bachelor of Science Degree and Associate of Arts Degree from Ball State University.

Lisa Thomason

Lisa Thomason has served as Health Educator at Ball State University since 2004.  She coordinates health outreach activities on campus, including presentations for classrooms, residence halls, and student organizations, campus-wide health awareness activities, and special interest classes offered through the Health Center.  Lisa has a bachelor's degree in Nutrition from Middle Tennessee State University, and a master's degree in Public Health Education from Western Kentucky University.  She is also credentialed as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).

Rhodene Upchurch

Rhodene Upchurch is currently the Purchasing Systems Coordinator for Ball State University and in this capacity, delivers training and support for multiple purchasing systems. She is responsible for information systems, project and workflow management. Rhodene holds a bachelor's degree in management and communication from Concordia University Wisconsin and successfully completed Ball State's certified training consultant institute. Rhodene participates and serves in the SETA International Users Group, Midwest SCT FAS/FRS Users Group, and the National Association of Educational Buyers

Karen Valencic

Karen Valencic, President of Spiral Impact, began her work in the performance improvement industry in 1992.  Karen brings a unique and diverse background to her work.  She is a degreed mechanical engineer with ten years experience in the field.  She is also a black belt in the martial art, aikido.  She integrates these backgrounds beautifully with current communication technology.  Karen is active in CIASTD and has served on the Board of Directors for six years.  She is also an adjunct professor at Butler University.  Karen created and produced an audio set "Spiral Impact – The Power to Get it Done With Grace, Volume 1" in  2004.  Her first book, "Spiral Impact – The Power to Get It Done with Grace" will be published in September 2007. 

Ross Walter

Ross Walter is Superintendent of Building Maintenance at Ball State University. His duties include the scheduling of Craft Shop projects for campus building renovations, electrical upgrades, daily maintenance repairs, project designs, special projects, and overseeing outside contractors. Ross has a bachelor's degree from Ball State University in Industrial Education and Technology. Currently, Ross is a member of the Skills Training Committee and a member of the Advisory Board for the Construction Management Program in the Department of Industry and Technology.

Michael Williams

Michael Williams is the supervisor for the Ball State Electric Shop and Plumbing/Welding Shops.  He has held this position since 2005. Mike began his career with Ball State in 1998 and has supervised each of the individual shops listed above.  Before coming to BSU, he worked 15 years in the substation department for Indiana & Michigan Electric Company and another 15 years at Wink Electric and KaRo Electric, Muncie, Indiana.  In 2002, Mike received his associate degree from BSU.

Gina Zanardelli

Gina Zanardelli has been a Staff Psychologist at Ball State University's Counseling Center since 2002. She specializes in career counseling, group counseling, and psychological assessment. She also teaches as an adjunct professor for the Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University, her Master of Science degree from Western Maryland College. She earned her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2002 and her Indiana license and endorsement as a Health Service Provider in Psychology in 2003.