Schmidthorst welcomes new faculty with wide-ranging expertise

Drew Blazsik joins the College with experience in finance education, curriculum development and applied financial modeling. He has held academic roles at Heidelberg University, Adrian College and Lourdes University, teaching a range of undergraduate and graduate finance courses.

Blazsik earned an MBA in finance, a Master of Arts in economics and a Master of Arts in criminal justice from the University of Toledo. He also holds several industry-recognized certifications, including Advanced Financial Modeler, Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst and Capital Markets and Securities Analyst. His background reflects a commitment to connecting classroom learning with current industry practices and preparing students for professional success.

Dr. Jafar Jafarov brings expertise in quantitative economics and econometrics to the Department of Business Analytics, Economics and Information Systems. He earned a Ph.D. in quantitative economics and econometrics from Georgia State University in 2026 and brings professional experience as an economist at the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan and as a project manager in market research in private industry.

Jafarov also has been recognized as a winner of a Math Olympiad, Business Case Competition and Public Policy and Administration Contest. Outside of his academic and professional work, he speaks four languages, has a degree in piano and is a fellow member of the Model United Nations community.

Dr. Mehak Kaushik joins the Schmidthorst College of Business with expertise in resource economics. She earned a Ph.D. in resource economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2026. Her research focuses on behavioral economics, public economics and experimental economics, examining how people make decisions and respond to policies, incentives and institutions.

Dr. Brandon Charpied joins the Department of Management with expertise in organizational behavior, management and conflict management. He serves as executive director of the Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society and executive director of the International Association for Conflict Management. He earned a Doctor of Business Administration in organizational behavior from Jacksonville University and an MBA from the Wall College of Business at Coastal Carolina University.

Before returning to the classroom for his MBA, Charpied was a PGA teaching pro at two highly ranked golf clubs.

John Kerr brings extensive leadership experience in supply chain and procurement. He has served as supply chain director at Kreate Inc. and vice president of procurement, supply chain and planning at Principle Business Enterprises. Kerr also earned an MBA in finance from the University of Toledo.

As an assistant teaching professor, AJ Martinez brings more than 30 years of experience in marketing, entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth to the Schmidthorst College of Business. He also has a strong background in helping organizations turn customer insights into successful products, brands and business strategies.

In the classroom, Martinez draws on his extensive industry experience to help students connect business concepts to real-world practice and prepare for success in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

Beth Wilkerson joins the Schmidthorst College of Business with 20 years of experience as a marketing and communications leader for global B2B brands. Her career has focused on building marketing functions, aligning strategy across global teams and leading through organizational change, including private equity transitions and major business milestones.

Wilkerson earned a Master of Business Administration from Bowling Green State University and a Bachelor of Arts in accounting and communication from Defiance College. 

Dr. Zakieh (Fatima) Kaveh joins the College as an assistant professor of marketing. She earned a Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Texas at El Paso and studies consumer behavior in technology-enabled service settings, with a focus on how emerging technologies shape decision-making and customer experiences.

Before entering academia, Kaveh worked as a marketing specialist for a healthcare technology startup, where she supported marketing strategy, digital marketing initiatives and business development.