Paul Nicholas

Position: President

Paul Nicholas is a senior Business Management major with minors in Global Supply Chain Management and Business Analytics. Paul is from Bucks County, PA and joined JMU ASCM to expand his knowledge in supply chain management, network, gain leadership experience, and to introduce his peers to supply chain management. Paul is also a member of the Professional Fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon. A fun fact about Paul is that he loves to ski.

Katie Dorey

Position: Student Executive Director

Katie Dorey is a senior Computer Information Systems major with minors in Business Analytics and Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. Katie is from Ashburn, VA and joined the project to implement the inventory management system through Odoo. She currently manages this system and creates related learning resources for members of the JMU ASCM. A fun fact about Katie is that she has lived in four different countries.

MaKayla Kershner

Position: Vice President of External Affairs

MaKayla Kershner is a junior Accounting Major planning to minor in Global Supply Chain Management. MaKayla is from Verona, VA and gained interest in the supply chain industry after exploring different paths at JMU. MaKayla joined JMU ASCM to gain knowledge of the industry, network with industry professionals, and expand inventory management skills. Outside of the professional world, MaKayla has a strong passion for animal rescue, particularly dogs.

Wilson Nguyen

Position: Vice President

Wilson Nguyen is a Junior Finance major from Fairfax, Virginia. With a keen interest in all facets of business, Wilson took the initiative to join JMU ASCM. His primary motivation for this decision was to delve deeper into the realm of supply chain management, aiming to broaden his understanding and expertise in this specific area. A fun fact about Wilson is that he can play chess blindfolded. 

William Ritchie

William Ritchie is the CSX Professor of Management at James Madison University, where he teaches Strategic Supply Chain Management and Strategic Management. He is the JMU Faculty Advisor for the Africa Medical Relief Project. He earned his Ph.D. in Strategic Management (Research Methods concentration) and his MBA (International Management concentration), from Florida State University. His research focuses on quality standards, strategic performance measurement, spatial analytics, and nonprofit organization performance. He has published more than 40 manuscripts on these topics in premier scholarly journals such as Strategic Management Journal, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Journal of Business Logistics, Transportation Research, Management International Review, Journal of Healthcare Management, and Nonprofit Management & Leadership. His hobbies include sprint triathlons, sailing, restoring a classic car, and snow skiing.

Tilahun Goshu

Dr. Tilahun Goshu is Mihret Medical Supply’s Treasurer and one of their board of directors. He has over 27 years of healthcare, business, and community leadership experience. He is a successful entrepreneur, public speaker, poet, and an influential writer. He was a refugee from Kenya. In 2007, the U.S. government resettled him in Charlottesville, VA, through the help of the International Rescue Committee. He received his doctorate in nursing practice, a post master’s certification in adult-gerontology acute care NP, and a master’s degree in public health nursing leadership from the University of Virginia. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Liberty University. He is a proud member of the University of Virginia Health System and is in the process of joining the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System in Richmond.

Mark Smith

Mark serves as Mihret Medical Supply’s Executive Director and Chairman of the Board. He has a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Virginia Tech. His family includes two adopted sons from Ethiopia. Dr. Smith has served 30+ years as a career veterinarian in multiple roles and businesses, and has recently taught and assisted in development work in Africa. He has served in the past as a charter member of three other nonprofit humanitarian groups, helping them become established as ongoing entities today.

Mert Tokman

Dr. Mert Tokman holds a Ph.D. degree in Marketing and Supply Chain Management from the University of Alabama, Culverhouse College of Business. He is currently the Kenneth R. Bartee endowed professor in the marketing department at James Madison University (JMU). At JMU, he teaches Marketing and International Logistics at the undergraduate level and International Logistics and Supply Chain Management at the Master’s level. Dr. Tokman’s research focuses on the intersection between marketing and supply chain management – for instance, he has explored how logistics performance of suppliers affects consumers’ brand perceptions at the retail level. His work has been published in internationally esteemed journals such as Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business Logistics, International Journal of Logistics Management, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, and Journal of Marketing Channels.