Our Instructors

Megan Hill

MarComm

Megan Hill is a highly motivated leader with nearly 20 years of experience in brand marketing, corporate communications, public relations, crisis management, executive communications and employee engagement. Megan has a proven history in driving accelerated global growth for multibillion dollar organizations, with expertise in international expansion and new market entry. Currently, Megan is the Director, U.S. Communications for The Wendy’s Company, headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. She was recently promoted to oversee external and internal communications strategies for the brand, with a focus on Marketing, Operations and Development. She is the Communications business partner to Wendy’s U.S. President and Chief Marketing Officer, and is a member of the U.S. Marketing Leadership Team.

Prior to this role, Megan supported Wendy’s International business since joining the brand in February 2020. She led Corporate Communications and Public Relations strategies that contributed to significant milestones for the brand. Throughout her career, Megan has represented high profile brands across a diverse range of sectors, including CPG, healthcare, QSR and financial services. She thrives in fast-paced environments and navigates complex organizational structures, with experience working in Fortune 500 companies, advertising agencies, and a tech start-up.

Daniel Schuerman

Finance

Daniel Schuerman is a financially disciplined, process driven, analytical problem-solving leader with experience in various industries including Manufacturing, Distribution, and Professional Services. Daniel has diverse experience as an executive leader who is energized by long term business strategy, M&A diligence, and integration, and impacting short term financial objectives including cash flow, budgets, and data analysis. Additional experience with IT strategy and projects including risk management, compliance, facility, and infrastructure improvements.

Allison Ditmer

MarComm

Allison Ditmer has her BSBA in Marketing and MBA from Bowling Green State University. She spent 15 years at Abbott before deciding to utilize her digital marketing background and pursue building her content and freelance writing business. When she’s not helping organizations build their brands online with strategic content, she’s with her family traveling to national parks and spending time with her two kids.

Stacy Martin

Business

Alan Miller

MarComm

Alan Miller teaches journalism at Denison University. He served as executive editor of The Columbus Dispatch and regional editor for USA Today Network Ohio’s 21 newsrooms from 2015-2022. He started at The Dispatch as a reporter in 1984 and rose through the ranks to become managing editor in 2004 and editor in 2015. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from Ohio University.

Amanda Swanson

Analytics

Amanda Swanson is a statistician and (Otterbein) MBA graduate with 15 years of product development experience, concentrated on leveraging data-focused innovation and problem solving techniques. Identifying consumer problems and optimizing possible solutions (products) is her career passion. She has had the opportunity to share her skills with companies like Nestle, E&J Gallo Winery, and Disney and also enjoys watching baseball and practicing yoga in her free time.

Daniel Alejandro Baca

MarComm

Daniel Alejandro Baca is a Senior Paid Media Strategist with a degree in Marketing and New Media from the Rochester Institute of Technology. With 9 years of experience in the field, Daniel specializes in omni-channel marketing strategy and data-driven paid media strategy. His career includes notable work with companies like Abercrombie & Fitch and Upwork. Daniel is passionate about achieving results-driven efficiency across media programs, budget optimization, and streamlining processes. In his free time, he enjoys following Formula 1, soccer, and tennis.

Molly Queen

MarComm

Molly Queen is President and Founder of Monarch Consulting as a boutique consulting firm in the digital marketing space. Clients range from startups to multinational companies. Prior to that, Molly was in an executive role at Abbott where she led the inhouse agency. In that role she led creative services, digital strategy, UX, social media, e-commerce and marketing systems. During her tenure, she and her team built the inhouse agency from a small production shop to a 145 person, full-service agency that scaled to support strategic planning, brand campaigns and product launches.

Jeremy Banta

Logistics

Jeremy Banta is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel with over 30 years of experience in civilian and military logistics. He is a Professor of Supply Chain Management at Columbus State and co-founder of the Ohio Supply Chain Academic Network. He serves on multiple school and organizational boards, as well as being a member of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. His 20-year military career includes 15 years of full-time service in the Ohio National Guard and deployments to Iraq and Kuwait.

Lauren Burke

Analytics

Lauren Burke is a Data Scientist at CoverMyMeds, where she builds models and systems that improve understanding of user needs, enhance products, and discover opportunities. She began her data science career in the retail space, developing solutions across several areas including supply chain, inventory management, and enterprise business. Lauren is the Director of Operations of Women in Analytics, where her primary focus lies in strategy and community growth. She also hosts the WIA After Hours podcast. Lauren serves as a Core Advisor on the Midwest Big Data Hub’s Community Advisory Panel, a member of TECH CORPS’ Regional Steering Committee, Chair of COSI’s KINETIC Board, and a founding member of scikit-learn’s Communication Team.

Tanya Zyabkina

Analytics

Tanya Zyabkina is a data analytics expert with over 15 years of experience in Marketing and Consumer Analytics. She works as a Marketing Performance Analytics Director at The Ohio State University. and her prior experience includes consulting and building the analytics function for Fortune 500 companies in the retail and telecom industries. Tanya’s areas of expertise cover various analytics applications, from data engineering to digital analytics to campaign effectiveness measurement. She holds an MBA from The Ohio State University and completed graduate coursework in Data Science and Econometrics.

Louann Cummings

Finance

Louann Cummings, Emeritus Professor at the University of Findlay and former Fulbright Scholar and Specialist. She was recently awarded the distinction of Emeritus professor. Louann received her BA in economics from Denison University, an MBA from the University of Toledo, and a Doctor of Business Administration from Case Western Reserve University and is a licensed CPA.  She also worked for Root Learning, Inc. developing learning map technologies for companies such as Harley-Davidson, ATT Wireless, Motorola, UPS, and Whirlpool. Her passion is helping students and colleagues, regardless of their course of study, become exceptional global leaders who truly make a difference.

Neil Collins

MarComm

Neil’s passion for education and career development drew him to Denison Edge, first as the lead Marketing & Brand Strategy instructor, and now the lead of business development for Denison Edge. Among other things, Neil is the President and Founder of Results Marketing Group. Previously Neil has served in marketing leadership roles for national consumer brands like Aquafresh, Renu, and Classico Italian foods. He later served as CEO for an accredited career education business and CMO for a major independent supplier of energy to millions of customers, both households and businesses. Currently, Neil serves as a Leader at Innovate New Albany, a business incubator and a hub for innovators and entrepreneurs who are serious about building businesses that are both valuable and sustainable.

Karen Simonian

Business

Karen Simonian is an experienced writer, editor, and nonprofit fundraiser. Karen worked for the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University for 25 years, focused variously on grant writing, stakeholder communications, media relations, and strategic messaging. As co-interim head of advancement in 2024, she oversaw major philanthropic initiatives; directed and implemented the grants program; and co-led a fundraising team. Over the years, she secured major funding for the Wex’s nonprofit affiliate (Wexner Center Foundation) from such entities as the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and significantly expanded and diversified the center’s funding sources. She also directed the center’s media relations efforts, procuring coverage in such outlets as the New York Times, the New Yorker, Vogue, and Artforum, and on CBS News Sunday Morning, PBS News Hour, and NPR. Prior to joining the Wex, Simonian was an award-winning writer and arts editor for Columbus newsweekly The Other Paper, and wrote for Columbus Monthly magazine and other outlets. Simonian has served on grants, PR, and marketing panels and committees over the years, and currently serves on the Columbus Metropolitan Club Program Committee. She has been a board member of Dine Originals Columbus, co-chair of the Columbus Arts Marketing Association, and a fellow of the Next Generation of Leaders program at the Jefferson Center’s Academy for Leadership & Governance. She holds a B.A. in English/journalism from Miami University, and attended the university’s campus in Luxembourg.