Georgia Perimeter College Newsroom

GPC Experts

Are you looking for a dynamic speaker for a coming event? Are you seeking knowledgeable input about a topic? Georgia Perimeter College’s faculty and staff include a variety of subject area experts who may fit your need. We’ve identified many below. But be sure to check back because our list continues to grow.

Astronomy/Physics

Dr. Laura Whitlock

Areas of expertise: 
Astronomy, particularly high energy astronomy (i.e. black holes, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, meteorites)
Physics
History of astronomy and physics

Role at GPC: Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy; Department Chair of Mathematics, Science, Business and Computer Science, Alpharetta

Degrees:
Bachelor of Science, Physics, Rhodes College
Doctorate, Physics, University of Florida

 

Economics

Mark Flowers

Areas of Expertise:
Development economics
Fiscal and monetary policy

Role at GPC: Instructor of Economics

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, Physics, Florida State University
Master of Science, Economics, Florida State University

Dr. M. James Kahiga

Areas of Expertise:
Economic and political development involving East Africa (Kenya in particular)
Higher education in Kenya
Issues of higher education in the United States

Role at GPC: Chair, Business and Physical Education Department, Online

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, Economics and Urban/Community Studies, New Jersey City University
Master of Arts, Economics, Rutgers University
Doctorate, Higher Education, University of Georgia

Roger Lignugaris

Areas of Expertise:
Labor: unions, collective bargaining, negotiations, grievance administration in a union environment and labor arbitration. Includes work with the United Steelworkers and the Teamsters.

Role at GPC: Instructor of Microeconomics

Degrees:
Bachelor of Science, Industrial Management, Georgia Institute of Technology
Master of Business Administration, Labor Relations, University of New Orleans
Further graduate study: Georgia State University, Labor Law

Education

Dr. Mary F. Mattson

Areas of Expertise:
Middle/Secondary Language Arts education
Cultural diversity issues in education
Integrating students with disabilities into general education

Role at GPC: Professor of Education

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, English, Georgia State University
Master of Education, Secondary English Education, Georgia State University
Doctorate; English Education, Curriculum, Instruction; Georgia State University

Deborah Arnold

Areas of Expertise:
Foundations in education
Parental involvement in early childhood education
Education career strategies
Diversity in education

Role at GPC: Student Records Advisor, Learning Support

Degrees:
Bachelor of Science, Bethune Cookman University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Master of Education, Capella University
Educational Specialist, Capella University

Employment/Human Resources

Jim Rasmus

Areas of expertise:
Leadership
Job search steps and tips

Role at GPC: Chief Human Resources Officer

Degrees:
Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, University of Illinois
Master of Arts, Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Illinois

History

Dr. Paul S. Hudson

Areas of Expertise:
Time capsules
Atlanta history
Georgia history
James Edward Oglethorpe
Stone Mountain

Role at GPC: Associate Professor of History 

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, History, Oglethorpe University
Master of Arts, History, University of Georgia
Doctorate, History, Georgia State University

International Affairs/Global History

Dr. Crystal Garrett

Areas of Expertise:
International affairs
African American women in foreign policy
Military, global issues, political science

Role at GPC: Assistant Professor of Political Science

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science; Clark Atlanta University
Master of Arts, Public Administration, Clark Atlanta University
Master of Business Administration, Mercer University
Doctorate, Political Science/International Affairs and Foreign Policy; Clark Atlanta U.

Literature

Deborah Byrd

Areas of Expertise:
British poets of the 19th century Romantic Era
19th and 20th century American writers

Role at GPC: Assistant Professor of English

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, English, Milligan College
Master of Arts, English, University of Chicago

Political Science

Tamra Ortgies-Young

Areas of Expertise:
American government, public administration, global issues
American cultural and political history
Service learning and civic engagement
Academic advising, retention, college success
Women's issues
Andragogy (art/science of teaching adults) and SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning)

Role at GPC: Assistant professor of Political Science

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Master of Public Administration, Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Adam P. Stone

Areas of Expertise:
American politics
Georgia politics
Southern politics

Role at GPC: Associate professor of Political Science

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of California-Berkeley
Master of Arts, Politics, Brandeis University

Robert J. King

Areas of Expertise:
American government
Middle Eastern politics
Global issues (specific experience in Morocco, Romania [under Ceausescu Communist dictatorship], Italy, China and the Peace Corps.)

Role at GPC: Associate Professor of Political Science

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, Linguistics, University of California
Master of Arts, Applied Linguistics (with concentration in ESL), University of Florida
Master of Arts, ABD, Political Science/Comparative Politics/Politics of Developing Countries, Emory University

Political Science/Criminal Justice

John Siler

Areas of Expertise:

Georgia state and local government, Georgia criminal justice, serial killers

Role at GPC:  Instructor, Criminal Justice and Political Science

Degrees: 

Bachelor of Arts, Mass Media, University of North Carolina
Master of Science, Criminal Justice, Georgia State University
Master of Public Administration, Georgia State University

Sociology

Dr. Susan Cody

Areas of Expertise:
Gender inequality
Work/family conflict
Women in religion
Race, SES, and mental health
Perceptions of the voluntary childless

Role at GPC: Dean of Social Sciences, associate professor of Sociology

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology, English: Jacksonville University
Master of Arts, Sociology, University of Florida
Doctorate, Sociology, University of Florida

Dr. Sherry P. Smith

Areas of Expertise:
Careers for counselors and social workers
Social class inequalities

Role at GPC: Associate professor of Sociology

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, Language and International Trade, Clemson University
Master of Arts, Sociology, Middle Tennessee State University
Doctorate, Sociology, University of South Carolina

Sports History

Dr. Ken Fenster

Areas of Expertise:
Baseball History
Atlanta Crackers
Earl Mann
Baseball Integration

Role at GPC: Professor of History

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, History, Transylvania University
Master of Arts, History, Marquette University
Doctorate, History, Marquette University

Writing/Communications

Louise McKinney

Areas of Expertise:
Freelance/staff writing and editing
Magazine journalism
Professional writing (corporate, technical, public relations, marketing)
Poetry
Travel writing
Canadian studies

Role at GPC: Assistant professor of English

Degrees Held:
Bachelor of Arts, English, York University
Master of Arts, Victorian Studies, University of Toronto

Bethany Hines

Areas of Expertise:
Music
Writing
Journalism/Media
Public Speaking

Role at GPC: Adjunct Professor of Public Speaking 

Degrees:
Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies, Minor: Radio TV, Arkansas State University
Master of Arts, Communication Studies, Arkansas State University