Faculty

• Dr. Reza Jalili

  

  K. H. William and Andrea Krueger Endowed Faculty Chair in Business Administration with a focus on Accounting
  Email: ajalili@nec.edu

  Expertise and Affiliations

  Expertise

  • Business economics
  • Experimental and behavioral economics
  • International accounting
  • Internal audit
  • Risk management
  • Research and publications in areas of managerial economics, quantitative methods, Middle Eastern economies, and behavioral economics

   

  Affiliations

  • Member of nine academic and professional organizations
  • Reviewer for six academic journals

   

  Educational Background
  PhD in Economics, University of New Hampshire
  MSA in Accounting, Bentley University
  MA in Economics, University of New Hampshire
  MBA in Managerial Accounting, James Madison University
  MS in Operation Management, Rensselaer Polytechnic institute
  BS in Accounting and Finance, N.I.O.C., College of Accountancy and Finance, Tehran, Iran

  Bio
  Dr. Jalili’s accounting career includes five years of experience as a staff accountant and supervising auditor, two years as an internal auditor, and three years as a chief financial officer. Beyond his hands-on accounting experience, he has worked as an independent consultant and has taught at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels for over 25 years.

  Dr. Jalili is married with two children. His interests include reading, formulating and solving problems, soccer, martial arts, mountain climbing, watching classic movies, opera, and old boxing matches.

Adjunct Faculty

• Michael Stagar

  

  Educational Background
  PhD (ABD) in Public Leadership: Specialization in Healthcare Administration—Finance and Compliance, Capella University
  MBA, Ashland University
  BS in Accounting/Paralegal, Dyke College
  BA in Political Science/Education/Social Studies, Cleveland State University

  Certifications and Licenses

  • Certified Public Accountant, Ohio
  • Certified Fraud Examiner, ACFE
  • Certified Identity Theft Risk
  • Management Specialist, ICFE
    Certified Professional in Healthcare Information Management Systems, HIMSS
  • Certified Professional in Therapeutic Hypothermia Life Support: protocol evaluation, development, implementation, and post-resuscitation care, University of Pennsylvania Center for Resuscitation Science
  • Certificate: Health Information Technology Professional—Implementation Support Specialist/Healthcare-EMR-EHR: Corporate College; Health Information Technology Consortium
  • Certified Grant Specialist, Research Associated & National Grant Writers Association
  • Certified Grant Administrator, Research Associated & National Grant Writers Association
  • Certified Instructor, Ohio-HS. Secondary: 1972–2006: License #CL1-00-2816: JJPX043
  • Certificated Paralegal and Legal Research, Myers University
  • Certificate RAC: CMS Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) Medicare Program: Implementation, Audit, and Appeals Culture
  • Certificate: ISO-9000/2001 Lead Auditor, Cuyahoga Community College: 2002–2008
  • Certificate: VHA—eHealth University Training: VeHU 2006-880H:Cprs GUI – U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs

   

  Research Interests
  Professional peer-reviewed book projects

  Bio
  With over 36 years of public accounting and fraud examinations and analysis, Michael Stagar provides their clientele’s legal staff with significant detection, deterrence, and prevention against fraud, waste, and abuse for business, non-profit, and governmental entities. Prevention begins with training; deterrence begins with internal control; detection begins with monitoring; investigation begins with a tip line and an ear to active listening.

• Tonja Gardner

  

  Bio
  Dr. Tonja A. Gardner holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana; a dual Master of Business Administration in Accounting and Management from Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas; and a Doctor of Business Administration in Accounting from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

  Dr. Gardner has been teaching accounting, business, and management courses for over a decade. Her professional accounting and managerial experience include senior-level roles in public accounting, higher education, non-profit businesses, property accounting, governmental entities, and small businesses, as well as health care for home health and long-term care facilities.

  Dr. Gardner is also the owner of Genuine Accounting Services, PLLC, which provides accounting and tax services, prepares governmental cost reports, and performs business and financial consulting.

  Dr. Gardner’s research has been in the importance of soft skills in the business environment. Her dissertation title was Exploring the Importance of Soft Skills Training for Accountants, which was a multiple case study to explore strategies regional accounting firm leaders use to train technical staff on soft skills needed for success, mentoring and leadership programs, and team-building initiatives.

  Dr. Gardner is married to Dr. Brian I. Gardner, Navy veteran, and they have three children: Mi’Toya, Jeremy, and Jamal.