Economic Development, Public Policy, Taxation
Bernard Weinstein, Ph.D., is an economist and associate director of SMU's Maguire Energy Institute. He is the author or co-author of numerous books, monographs and articles on economic development, public policy and taxation. His expertise has been used on these and energy-related issues in articles published by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times and many regional newspapers and magazines.
Community Development, Economic Development, Economic justice, Education, Food Education, Food Insecurity, Food Justice, health and wellness, Social Justice, Urban Farming
Stephen Ritz is an internationally-acclaimed, award-winning educator, author of best-selling book, The Power Of A Plant, and founder of Green Bronx Machine. Known as "America's Favorite Teacher," Stephen is responsible for creating the first edible classroom in the world, which he has evolved into the National Health, Wellness and Learning Center. Using his acclaimed, proprietary whole-school curriculum designed around urban agriculture aligned to key school performance indicators that grow healthy students and schools, Stephen and his students have grown and distributed more than 115,000 pounds of vegetables in the South Bronx. In the process, Stephen has moved school attendance from 40 percent to 93 percent daily and helped provide 2,200 youth jobs in the Bronx. The State University of New York uses his curriculum to train elementary school teachers statewide in all content areas, while New York City Department of Education offers professional learning credits for all Green Bronx Machine professional development. The curriculum also is being used in hundreds of schools across the United States, and internationally in Colombia, Canada, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and beyond. Recently honored with the 2020 Change-Maker Award by NYC Food Policy Center, Stephen also has been recognized as a Top Ten Finalist for the Global Teacher Prize, and named as both a Global Humanitarian and Food Tank Hero. He and his students have presented at the Obama White House three times, been featured on the cover of TIME for KIDS and are the subject of a new, full-feature documentary called, “Generation Growth.” Stephen is available to speak on topics, including: Education • Education Post-COVID: What Teachers, Students and Parents Will Need for Successful Transition Back to the Classroom • The 21st Century Education Ecosystem: Linking Food and Nutrition to Learning and Academic Achievement to Workforce Development and Living Wage Jobs to Justice, the Environment and Fully Circular Economy Communities • Social-Emotional Learning • Project-based Learning • Compassion is the New Curriculum Food Justice/Food Insecurity • Urban Farming • Food and Economic Justice through Ag – Urban, Rural, Suburban • Food Insecurity in the U.S. • The 21st Century Education Ecosystem: Linking Food and Nutrition to Learning and Academic Achievement to Workforce Development and Living Wage Jobs to Justice, the Environment and Fully Circular Economy Communities Community Health and Wellness • The 21st Century Education Ecosystem: Linking Food and Nutrition to Learning and Academic Achievement to Workforce Development and Living Wage Jobs to Justice, the Environment and Fully Circular Economy Communities • Next Gen Sustainability Leaders • Childhood Obesity and Diabetes
Associate Professor of Law; Director, Community Economic Development Clinic
Albany Law Schoolaccess to justice, Business Law, Economic Development, Housing Policy
Professor Edward W. De Barbieri teaches courses in community economic development law and directs the Community Economic Development Clinic, which focuses on community-based transactional skills and advocacy. His scholarship examines ways the public can engage in land use approvals and economic development activities and how that engagement can lead to reforms in economic and social systems. His articles have appeared or are forthcoming in the Fordham Law Review, Florida State University Law Review, Cardozo Law Review, Fordham Urban Law Journal, and Journal of Affordable Housing & Community Development Law. Prior to joining the Albany Law School faculty in 2016, Professor De Barbieri directed a community economic development clinic at Brooklyn Law School, and was an Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law at New York University School of Law. His background also includes work as a legal services attorney at the Community Development Project of the Urban Justice Center, beginning as an Equal Justice Works fellow. He spent his final year of law school conducting research in Ireland as a Fulbright fellow, and is a graduate of Yale Divinity School, where he concentrated in religious ethics. LL.M. National University of Ireland, Cork, MAR Yale Divinity School, J.D. Brooklyn Law School
Associate Professor and Public Administration Program Coordinator
University of West FloridaEconomic Development, Public Policy, Sustainable Development
Dr. Haris Alibašić is an Associate Professor and the Public Administration Program Coordinator at the University of West Florida. Dr. Alibašić brings 27 years of expertise and experience in the public sector, including working for the United Nations Mission, NATO, and the Office of High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina and SouthEast Europe. In Grand Rapids, he directed energy, sustainability, legislative affairs, and climate resilience policies and programs for Grand Rapids, the second-largest city in Michigan. He implemented resilience strategies resulting in significantly reduced energy usage and cost and spurring significant renewable energy investments and the development of a climate resilience plan for the region. In 2022, Dr. Alibašić served as a Fulbright Project Specialist in the Republic of Kosovo's Prime Minister Office of Strategic Planning, where he completed the project of National Development Strategy and National Energy Strategy alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Dr. Alibašić has over 17 years of experience teaching graduate and undergraduate in public policy, public administration, economic development, and sustainability courses at Grand Valley State University, Central Michigan University, and Davenport University. As an associate professor at UWF, he teaches doctoral and graduate-level in public service and administrative ethics, the political economy, strategic management, leadership, public budgeting and finance, and public administration. During his tenure at the University of West Florida, Dr. Alibašić presented at regional, national, and international conferences on a wide range of topics, including governance, climate resilience, strategic planning, sustainability and administration, post-genocide resilience and development, and was quoted in regional, state, national, and international media on these topics. As a Fulbright Project Specialist, in 2022, Dr. Alibašić completed a project for the Republic of Kosovo's Prime Minister's Office of Strategic Planning in coordination with the European Union Ministry of Integration and the U.S. Department of State, which included the following specific project activities: - A full review and suggested refinements to the National Development Strategy 2030 (NDS 2030), including specific suggestions for messaging, editorial changes, and alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including writing the English version of the vision for the NDS 2030. - Writing the Green Agenda proposal draft to be included in the NDS 2030 and to align with the SDGs. - Reviewing and recommending modifications to the National Strategic Management Framework, namely the placement of the environmental goals in the NDS 2030. - Examining and suggesting revisions to the National Energy Strategy, including suggestions for aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), peak load management, and cybersecurity threat information. - Reviewing the Administrative Burden Reduction documents and offering comments and suggestions for additional considerations. - Meeting with the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and the Minister of the Local Government Affairs. - At the invitation of the Director of the Office of Strategic Planning, attending the Joint Steering Committee chaired by the Prime Minister, with several ministers, and representatives of the international community, including the UN in Kosovo and the World Health Organization. In addition, Dr. Alibašić is a partner in the Florida League of Cities Municipal Research Program. Through the Partners in Municipal Research Program, the Center for Municipal Research & Innovation serves as a link between Florida's public policy researchers and municipal governments, bridging the gap between academics and public policymakers and administrators. For the past two years, he led the UWF interdisciplinary team of undergraduate and graduate students to the statewide Municipal Modernization competition organized by the Florida League of Cities and held in Orlando, FL. He presented at the FLC symposium on climate resilience and hosted a webinar on climate resilience and sustainability planning. In March 2017, Dr. Alibašić was appointed by the City Council to the City of Pensacola Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Task Force at the recommendation of local community members and an elected official. On November 8, 2018, Dr. Alibašić presented the Task Force's final recommendations to the City of Pensacola Council. In December 2018, he was interviewed for a WUWF radio segment on climate change in the region and discussed the Task Force climate resilience report. In 2013, Dr. Alibašić advised the Resilient Communities of America on climate resilience and went on to serve as co-chair for the energy sector of the White House Climate Preparedness and Resilience Task Force in 2014. Dr. Alibašić received the 2012 West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC) – The C.R. Evenson Award, and the 2011 Grand Valley State University's Sustainability Champion Award. In November of 2016, he won the prestigious Sustainable Hall of Fame Merit Award from West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum. In January 2017, he received an Emerging Scholar Award at Thirteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic, and Social Sustainability and the On Sustainability Research Network, held in Rio, Brazil. He also received a 2017 Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI) Certificate of Appreciation and November 28th of 2016 State of Michigan Special Tribute. In 2018, Dr. Alibašić received the CEPS Outstanding Contribution in Research Award. Dr. Alibašić has written, presented, and published extensively on the topics of ethics, sustainability, climate resilience, economic development, and sustainable energy. He is the author of the book Sustainability and Resilience Planning for Local Governments: The Quadruple Bottom Line Strategy, published in June of 2018 by Springer. Dr. Alibašić has presented at numerous national, regional, and international conferences on sustainability, resilience, economic development, and ethics, including in Brazil, Costa Rica, Monte Negro, Italy, Austria, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has been interviewed and quoted in local, national, and international media for his expertise and research in sustainability, resilience, and ethics. He has been interviewed and quoted in local, national, and international media for his expertise and research in sustainability, resilience, and ethics. Research Interests: - Climate Resilience and Sustainability Planning - Ethics, Integrity, Administrative Evil, Moral Inversion - Sustainable Energy, Renewable Energy, and Energy Efficiency - Corporate Social Responsibility Editorial Boards for Peer-Reviewed Journals: - Dr. Alibašić was a Section Editor for the Creighton Journal of Interdisciplinary Leadership and a regular peer-reviewer for the Public Administration Review, Energy Policy, Sustainability, International Journal of Climate Change: Impacts and Responses, Energies, and other journals. - From 2018-2019 he served on the Executive Review Board and as a Digital Media Strategist for Public Integrity, a double-blind peer-review journal on ethics and integrity. - With Dr. Jonathan Rose, Dr. Alibašić was a co-editor for the special issue of the Public Integrity symposium "Fake 鶹ý, Post-truth, and Alternative facts: Lying and Integrity in the Public Sector." - He is the lead editor of the special issue for the University of Sarajevo peer-reviewed journal for social studies, Pregled, the symposium entitled Strategic Sustainability and Climate Resilience Planning and Policies in Southeast Europe. Degrees & Institutions: Dr. Alibašić holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (BBA) in International Business and Marketing and a Master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Grand Valley State University (GVSU). Dr. Alibašić earned a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University, where he was a recipient of the Doctoral Scholarship, Commitment to Social Change. Dr. Alibašić is actively involved with the Bosnian American community and served as a past president of the Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB). He is a past board member of the Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina, an international expert team member of the Institute for Research of Genocide (Canada). He received a North American Bosniaks’ Special Recognition Award in 2013 for outstanding contributions to the advancement of Bosniaks and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Current Courses: Graduate Courses: Public Service Ethics Political Economy of Public Administration Leadership Strategic Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations Administration Capstone Policy Lab: Disaster Preparedness and Resillience Doctoral Courses: Public Budgeting and Finance (PAD 7004) Strategic Management (PAD7409) Administrative Ethics (PAD7003) Classes Taught: Graduate Courses: Government Contract Law (UWF) Public Budgeting (UWF) Policy Lab: School Violence and Ethics (UWF) Introduction to Sustainability (GVSU) Building Sustainable Communities (GVSU) Building Sustainable Public-serving Organizations (GVSU) Practicum in Decision Making for Sustainability (GVSU) Implementing Sustainability in Organizations (GVSU) Sustainability (GVSU) Metropolitan Politics and Administration (GVSU) Public Policy Analysis (GVSU) Managing for Sustainability (DU) Undergraduate courses: Public Administration in American Society (UWF) Business Ethics (DU) Business Research (DU) Sustainable Business Strategies (DU) Sustainability Theory and Practice (DU) International Business (DU) International Management (DU) Public Administration Management (DU) PUBLICATIONS: PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS Book (Refereed): Alibašić, H. (2022). Strategic Resilience and Sustainability Planning: Management Strategies for Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Communities and Organizations. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/9783030911584 Alibašić, H. (2018). Sustainability and Resilience Planning for Local Governments: The Quadruple Bottom Line Strategy. Springer. https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319725673 Journals (Refereed): Atkinson, C. L., & Alibašić, H. (2023). Prospects for Governance and Climate Change Resilience in Peatland Management in Indonesia. Sustainability 15, no. 3: 1839. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15031839 Alibašić H., & Atkinson CL. (2022). 鶹ýpaper Coverage of Government Contracting in the United States: Fueling a Narrative of Distrust and Incompetence. Journalism and Media. 2022; 3(4):650-664. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia3040043 Atkinson, C.L., Alibašić, H., & Nyarko, E.O. (2022). Diversity Management in the Public Sector for Sustainable, Inclusive Organizations: Ideals and Practices in Northwest Florida. Public Integrity. doi: 10.1080/10999922.2022.2034339 Alibašić, H. (2020). The Administrative and Ethical Considerations of Climate Resilience: The Politics and Consequences of Climate Change. Public Integrity. DOI: 10.1080/10999922.2020.1838142 Alibašić, H., and Crawley, W. (2020). Applying Good Governance through Policy Labs: Sustainable Solutions for Universities and Local Governments. The International Journal of Social Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context 17 (1): 13-25. doi:10.18848/2325-1115/CGP/v17i01/13-25. Douthat, T., Morgan J.D., Alibašić, H., & Grant, A. (2020). Passive building characteristics, and summertime residential energy use: A spatial analysis of energy efficiency in Gainesville, FL. Building and Environment, 169, 106542. Alibašić, H. & Rose, J. (2019) Fake 鶹ý in Context: Truth and Untruths, Public Integrity, 21 (5), 463-468, DOI: 10.1080/10999922.2019.1622359 Alibašić, H. (2019) Brexit by Toby Haynes: Moral and Ethical Irrelevance and Naïve Expectations, Public Integrity, 21:5, 537-542, DOI: 10.1080/10999922.2019.162679 Feldman, D., & Alibašić, H. (2019). The Remarkable 2018 “Velvet Revolution”: Armenia's Experiment Against Political Corruption. Public Integrity, 21 (4), 420-432. Alibašić, H. (2018). Paris Climate Accord sans the USA: The Role of Local Governments in Confronting the Effects of Climate Change and Increasing Resilience. The Global Studies Journal. The Global Studies Journal 11 (2): 33-39. doi:10.18848/1835-4432/CGP/v11i02/33-39. Alibašić, H. (2018). Leadership Strategies for Embedding Sustainability and Resilience in Organizations with an Emphasis on Sustainable Energy. Creighton Journal of Interdisciplinary Leadership, 4(1), 17-26. Alibašić, H. (2018). The Nexus of Sustainability and Climate Resilience Planning: Embedding Climate Resilience Policies in Local Governments. The International Journal of Climate Change: Impacts and Responses 10 (2): 21-33. doi:10.18848/1835-7156/CGP/v10i02/21-33. Davis, J. Alibašić, H., Norris, S. (2018). Corporate Leadership in Sustainability: A Green Ranking Performance-Based Approach to Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Positive Marketing Impact. Creighton Journal of Interdisciplinary Leadership. 4(1), 3-6. Alibašić, H., & Crawley, W. (2018). Developing and Continuing Sustainability-Related Academic Programming: Observations of Emerging Practices. Creighton Journal of Interdisciplinary Leadership, 4 (1), 27-34. Alibašić, H. (2018). Book Review: Abraham Unger, Business Improvement Districts in the United States: Private Government and Public Consequences. Public Administration Review, 78 (11), 169–172. doi:10.1111/puar.12899 Alibašić, H. (2017). Measuring Sustainability Impact in Local Governments Using the Quadruple Bottom Line Approach. The International Journal of Sustainability Policy and Practice 13 (3), 37-45. https://doi.org/10.18848/2325-1166/CGP/v13i03/37-45 Alibašić, H. (2015). Reconciling the past in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Genocide Denial and the Role of Moral Inversion. PREGLED: Peer-reviewed journal for Social Issues - ISSN 1986-5244 of the University of Sarajevo. Vol. 3, 2015. Alibašić, H. (2013, September). Korištenje primijenjene održivosti za inovacije u organizacijama (Bosnian)/Using Applied Sustainability to Innovate in Organizations. Pregled-Periodical for Social Issues No. 2/2013 Volume LIV. Alibašić, H. (2012). Warning shots over Bosnia/Pucnji upozorenja iznad Bosne. Yearbook of the Bosniak Cultural Community "Preporod" (1/2012)/Godišnjak Bošnjačke zajednice culture Preporod. Ibraković, Dž. & Alibašić, H. (2010). Zaznamovana Bosna in Hercegovina (ali o zgodovinskem blatenju Bosne in Hercegovine (Slovenian language). Otočjeo. Letn. 2, št. 4 (2010), str. 82-108. Alibašić, H. (2009). The global economic crisis: Dangers and possibilities/Globalna Ekonomska Kriza: Opasnosti i mogućnosti. Academic Journal Pregled, Journal for Social Issues, 50, 2, 233- 245 Ibraković, Dž. & Alibašić, H. (2007). Marked Bosnia and Herzegovina/Obilježena Bosna i Hercegovina. Yearbook of the Bosnian Cultural Community "Preporod" (1/2007)/Godišnjak Bošnjačke zajednice kulture "Preporod" (Bosnian) (01/2007) Book Chapters (Refereed): Alibašić, H. & Budnick, K. (2020). Administering Evil in Flint: The State-Sanctioned Traumatization of an Entire Community. Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International AG, Cham, Switzerland. Alibašić, H. (2020). Post-genocide Recovery and Governance. In Jurkiewicz, C.E. (Ed.) (2020). Global Corruption and Management: Translating Theory Into Action. 3rd Edition. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. Alibašić, H. & Morgan, J. D. (2020). Coastal Climate Readiness and Preparedness: Comparative Review of the State of Florida and Cuba. Springer. Perception, Design and Ecology of the Built Environment: A Focus on The Global South. Springer. https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030258788 Alibašić, H. (2020). Sustainable Procurement. In Farazmand, A. (Ed.) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International AG, Cham, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_3427-1 Alibašić, H. (2018). Ethics and Sustainability in Local Government. In Farazmand, A. (Ed.) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International AG, Cham, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_3427-1 Alibašić, H. (2018). Sustainability as Organizational Strategy. In Farazmand, A. (Ed.) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International Publishing AG, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_3433-1 Alibašić, H. (2018). Leading Climate Change at the Local Government Level. In Farazmand, A. (Ed.) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International Publishing, AG, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_3428-1 Alibašić, H. (2018). Ethics of Resiliency in Crisis Management. In Farazmand, A. (Ed.) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International Publishing, AG, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5 Alibašić, H. (2018) Role of Corporations in Addressing Climate Change. In Farazmand, A. (eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International Publishing, AG, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_3429-1 Alibašić, H. (2018). Alibašić, H. (2018). Redesigning Organizations for Maximum Resiliency in Dynamic Environments. In Farazmand, A. (Ed.) (2018). Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International Publishing AG, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_3431-2 Alibašić, H. (2017). Sustainable Energy Policy for State and Local Governments. In Farazmand, A. (Ed.) (2017). Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International Publishing Ag, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_3430-1 Balfour, D. and Alibašić, H. (2016). Administrative Evil. In Farazmand, A. (Ed.)(2016). Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International Publishing, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_1119-1 NON-REFEREED PUBLICATIONS: Mantravadi, S. and Alibašić, H. (2016). Hurricane Matthew: Effect on Healthcare and Community Resilience. The American Journal of Managed Care. Alibašić, H. (2015). A Case Study on Implementing Sustainable and Resilient Energy Initiatives in Water and Sewer Systems. Water Technology Magazine: http://www.gaccmidwest.org/fil eadmin/ahk_chicago/4._INITIATI VEN_PROGRAMME/GAWT_I nitiative/GAWT_MAGAZINE_2015-2 016_WEB.pdf Alibašić, H. (2015) Foreword/Uvod in Ibraković, Dž. (2015). Bosnian lens of the World/Bosanska vizura svijeta. Sarajevo, Bosnia: Bošnjačka Asocijacija. Alibašić, H. (2015,2016) (Lead author). City of Grand Rapids’ FY 2017 – FY 2021 Sustainability Plan. sustainablegr.org Alibašić, H. (2015) (Lead author). City of Grand Rapids’ Five Year Sustainability Progress Report. sustainablegr.org Alibašić, H. (2014-05-03). Michigan Cities Building a Sustainable Energy Platform: Holland, Ann Arbor and Beyond. TriplePundit People, Planet, Profit. Alibašić, H. (2014-05-02). Planning and Implementing Climate Resiliency in Grand Rapids. The Review Magazine. Michigan Municipal League. Alibašić, H. (2014-05-01). Michigan Cities Building a Sustainable Energy Platform: Focus on Grand Rapids. TriplePundit People, Planet, Profit. Alibašić, H. (2014-02). Dayton in Bosnia and Herzegovina: 18 Years of Experiment in Democratic Governance/ Dayton u Bosni i Hercegovini: 18 godina eksperimenta u demokratskom upravljanju. Institute for Research of Genocide, Canada and Congress of North American Bosniaks. Alibašić, H. (2013, December 4). Grand Rapids Publishes Climate Resiliency Report. TriplePundit People, Planet, Profit. triplepundit.com Alibašić, H. (2013). The Impact of Applied Sustainable Energy Management on Local Governments. Ph.D. Dissertation. ProQuest/UMI Alibašić, H. (2013, November 1). The evolution of sustainability planning in Grand Rapids. TriplePundit People, Planet, Profit. Alibašić, H. (2013, July 29). Local governments must take charge of building resilient communities. TriplePundit People, Planet, Profit. Alibašić, H. (2013). Building sustainable and resilient Grand Rapids. German American Water Technology Magazine 2013/2014. 28-31. Alibašić, H. (2012, August 30). How energy efficiency strategy pays off in Grand Rapids. TriplePundit People, Planet, Profit. Čekić, S., Lavić, S. Ramić, E. Alibašić, H. (2012, March). The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a Historical Fact. Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB); Institute for Research of Genocide, Canada; Bosniak Cultural Community "Preporod" Alibašić, H. (2011). Sustainability and stewardship – An energy strategy for Grand Rapids. Mi-Biz. AREAS OF ACADEMIC INTEREST: Sustainability and Resilience Planning Corporate Social Responsibility Sustainable Energy Ethics, Integrity, Governance, Administrative Evil Local Governments
State Director for the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center SBTDC
University of Arkansas at Little RockEconomic Development, Small Business
Laura Fine is the state director for the Arkansas SBTDC hosted by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She joined the program in 1989 initially engaged in training and communications roles prior to becoming Assistant State Director in 1992 and then Associate State Director in 2013. She was named state director in 2017. Prior to joining the Arkansas SBTDC, Fine was a trainer and special projects manager for Levi Strauss & Co.
She leads the ASBTDC statewide network of 11 offices with more than 60 team members. ASBTDC is currently performing on six projects federally funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
A member of the America’s SBDC Network Board of Directors, Fine also serves on the national Marketing and Operations Committees and previously served on the Accreditation Committee. She was recognized by Arkansas Business in its annual Arkansas 250 listing in 2019 and 2020 as one of Arkansas’ Most Influential Leaders in Economic Development. She represents the Arkansas SBTDC with the Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, and the Arkansas Community & Economic Development Alliance.
Fine earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from the University of Central Arkansas. She is an active member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock where she currently serves on the Finance Team.
East Asia, Economic Development, Korea, North Korea, World History
Michael Seth is a professor of history at James Madison University where he has taught courses on Korea, Asia and world history since 1998. His research is on Korean history, including South Korea’s educational and economic development, and on North Korea. He has also done research on states with limited recognition.
His publications include: Education Fever: Society, Politics and the Pursuit of Schooling in South Korea (2002), A Concise History of Korea (Second edition 2016), and North Korea: A History (2018). He is the editor of the Routledge Handbook of Modern Korean History (2016) and co-editor of A History of Korean Education(2015). Outside of JMU Seth has worked with international human rights organizations, and as a consultant on educational development projects.
He has a doctorate in history from the University of Hawaii. Before coming to JMU he lived and worked in Africa and in East Asia for fourteen years.