Business Recognition and Promotions for the Week of May 19, 2024

Kwame Harrison, Raman Kumar and patricia lown has been named an Alumni Distinguished Professor by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

A professorship is a distinguished appointment, recognizing scholarship and service as well as teaching that has impacted the lives of generations of students. Less than 1 percent of the College of Engineering’s faculty hold this honor, and Mr. Kumar is the only active alumni distinguished professor in the Pamplin College of Business.

Harrison is the Edward S. Diggs Professor of Humanities and holds a joint appointment in Africana Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. He has been an active member of the Tech community since 2003 and has received numerous teaching awards at the university.

Harrison earned his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts. He is from Syracuse University.

Mr. Kumar, the RV and AF Oliver Professor in the Pamplin College of Management, was appointed to the faculty in 1985. He has spent his entire doctoral career at Tech University. His contributions to the university and the finance department have seen him serve in a variety of leadership roles and as a member of committees.

Mr. Kumar has received numerous teaching awards, including the 2015 William E. Wynne Award, five MBA Outstanding Faculty Awards, and the College of Business Teaching Excellence Award. Mr. Kumar also holds a Ph.D. from Dr. Pamplin. She has received the Teaching Excellence Award twice and also received the Holtzman Outstanding Educator Award.

Kumar holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Banaras Hindu University, a master’s degree in business administration from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, and a Ph.D. He is from the University of Pittsburgh.

Raun, a professor of theater arts in the School of Architecture, Arts and Design, joined the theater faculty in 1986. Her teaching has been recognized with multiple awards, including the College of Arts and Sciences Teaching Excellence Award and the William E. Wine Award. Awards for faculty achievement.

As the founder of the Center for Communication Science, Lown has worked with researchers around the world and used storytelling and theater techniques to help people share their expertise.

She has held a number of administrative positions, including founding director of the School of Performing Arts from 2007 to 2017, chair of the School of Theater Arts from 2002 to 2013, and assistant dean from 1994 to 2001. I’ve been doing it.

Raun has directed 21 theater productions, participated with students in 14 plays, and provided voice direction for more than 30 full-length productions. Recently, she collaborated both online and in-person with 20 graduate student researchers participating in a research training program funded by the National Science Foundation.

This spring, Raun will travel to Kenya to host an in-person summit that concludes a series of communication science workshops for the country’s young agricultural researchers.

rose fu Ms. Bradley will be appointed chair of the Bradley School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, effective January 1, 2025, making her the first woman to head the department since its founding in 1892. She will succeed Luke Lester, who has led the department since 2013.

ECE has grown to become one of the largest departments in the country, accounting for more than 10% of the university’s approximately $600 million in total research funding.

Hu comes to Virginia Tech from Utah State University, where he served as a professor and associate dean for research. She has published six books and over 300 journal articles and conference papers throughout her career. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Communications Magazine.

Mr. Hu received his Ph.D. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas in 1998. She earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from New York University in 1995. In 1992 she received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China.

Dwin Taylor will become Virginia Tech’s new vice president for campus planning, infrastructure and facilities, effective June 25.

Mr. Taylor joined the University in 2016 and currently serves as Assistant Vice President for Capital Buildings in the Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure and Facilities.

In his new role, Taylor will provide leadership in supporting Tech’s education, research and advocacy efforts. As vice president for campus planning, infrastructure, and facilities, he will oversee the management, maintenance, and development of the university’s campuses in the Blacksburg, Roanoke, and Washington, D.C., metropolitan areas. University research facilities located throughout the Commonwealth. Steger International Scholarship Center in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland.

Prior to joining Tech, Taylor served as an active duty naval officer for 27 years, achieving the rank of captain in the Civil Engineer Corps. He also worked in the design-build construction industry for the next five years.

Taylor graduated from Georgia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and earned a master’s degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in construction engineering/project management from the University of Texas. She also attended Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business’ Executive Management Program.

Taylor is a registered professional engineer.

Lisa Cundiff has joined Virginia Farm Credit as an operational support specialist based in the Roanoke branch.

Prior to joining FCV, Cundiff spent the majority of his career at large insurance companies, where he held a variety of roles ranging from insurance processor to customer retention to project support/compliance teams.

Outside of work, the Vinton native enjoys spending time with her husband and their adult children, in addition to their two dogs.

The Community Health Center of the New River Valley has added three members to its medical and dental staff. Dr. Kathy Callahan, Dr. Caitlin Cantrell and Melisa Loving.

Ms. Callahan will provide part-time gynecological care and drug therapy at the Christiansburg location. Mr. Callahan most recently served as chair of the clinical science department at Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg.

Her qualifications include being the founding medical director, physician, and board member of CHCNRV. She is the head of obstetrics. Associate Dean, Graduate School, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Callahan received his MD and MPH from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was a resident at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. She is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and has been certified by the Virginia Medical Board and the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 2005.

Loving has more than 10 years of experience as a registered nurse and family nurse practitioner. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Maryland, and then she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from West Virginia University. She then completed the Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Intensive Program at West Virginia Wesleyan University.

She comes to Community Health Center from Mon Health Wedgwood Primary Care & Psychiatry in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Ms. Cantrell joined Community Health Center from Charlottesville, where she provided general dentistry services as a practitioner’s assistant. Her extensive experience also includes working at free clinics and as part of her team of volunteers providing dental care to underserved communities.

After graduating from the College at Wise at the University of Virginia, he received his dental degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and completed his residency at the University of Virginia.

Cantrell has a volunteer leadership background and is a member of the American Dental Association.

The Roanoke Authority for Higher Education has announced the appointment of a president and CEO for Total Action for Progress. angela penn, Sen. david zetterleinand Del. Joe McNamaraand reappointment Del. Sam Rasoul to the board of directors.