A group of advisory board members sitting at a conference room table with blue sky behind them.

ISE Advisory Board

The ISE Department receives valuable guidance from its advisory board members. The board keeps the department connected with industry trends.

Last Updated: 05/28/2026 | All information is accurate and still up-to-date

Advisory Board Members
Advisory Board Chair Notes

The ISE Department receives valuable guidance from its advisory board. The board helps keep the department at the forefront of the field and ahead of the needs of industry. They also help to strengthen relationships with students, faculty, community, and alums. Board members help to connect the department with industry leaders.

Members

Sheila Benny

Co-founder and President at Optricity Corporation (Retired)

Neil Brittain

Global People and Organization Director for Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Lisa Cook

Enterprise Data Management Executive, Bank of America

David Cornejo

Director of Data Science, GSK

Tracy Doaks

President and CEO of MCNC

Jonathan Drum

Technical Program Manager, Google

Candance Gingles

Director of Quality Engineering, Pfizer (Retired)

Tao Hong

Duke Energy Distinguished Professor, UNC Charlotte

Jeff Johnson

Owner of JWJ Energy

Pinar Keskinocak

H. Milton and Carolyn J. Stewart School Chair and Professor, Georgia Tech

Angela Lanning

COO, Premier’s Informatics and Technology Services Group

Tim McMahon

Managing Director of Global Commerce Mergers and Acquisition, Accenture

Tammy Montgomery

Specialist Master, Deloitte Consulting

Professional portrait of a man with short gray hair wearing a dark suit, light blue shirt and striped tie. He stands in front of a blue textured background and faces the camera with a calm, professional expression.

Patrick Murray

Director, Global Consumer Sales Development, Intel Corporation (Retired)

Professional portrait of a smiling man with short gray hair wearing a light purple button-down shirt. He stands inside a manufacturing facility with blurred industrial equipment and overhead lighting in the background.

Keith Nichols

Vice President of Manufacturing at Century Furniture

Devon Person

Vice President of Supply Chain Operations, Foot Locker

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Rich Rosselle

Director, Lenovo ISG GSC Strategy

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Natalia Summerville

Director of Applied Data Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

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Spencer Thompson

Lead Engineer of Environmental Technology, EOS North America

Anita Vila-Parrish

Sr. Manager of Product, Amazon Pharmacy

Advisory Board Chair Notes

In each edition of inGear magazine, you hear directly from the advisory board chair about the department’s progress and future direction. In addition, the chair shares insights on important initiatives, upcoming opportunities and industry trends. As a result, you stay informed about the department’s current achievements and plans. Through these updates, you also remain connected to the NC State ISE community and its continued growth.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2025

Candance Gingles, advisory board chair, shares her thoughts on the value of an NC State ISE degree and how alums can get involved with the department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2024

Jeff Johnson, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on alumni engagement and student leadership in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2023

Jeff Johnson, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on leadership transitions and the future opportunities shaping the ISE Department.

Wide portrait of Stuart Nisbet, an NC State Computer Science alumnus and business executive, smiling in front of a blue background.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2022

Stuart Nisbet, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on Fitts-Woolard Hall and alumni engagement in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2021

Stuart Nisbet, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on Gayle Lanier, Fitts-Woolard Hall, the Day of Giving and connecting with ISE.

Wide portrait of Gayle Lanier, an NC State alumna and business leader, smiling against a light gray background.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Spring 2021

Gayle Lanier, advisory board chair, shares her thoughts on Fitts-Woolard Hall and the national impact of NC State ISE leadership.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2020

Gayle Lanier, advisory board chair, shares her thoughts on the transition into Fitts-Woolard Hall and alumni engagement in the ISE Department.

Wide portrait of Larry Bowman, an NC State alumnus and business executive, smiling in a suit and red striped tie.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Spring 2020

Larry Bowman, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on the opening of Fitts-Woolard Hall and alumni engagement in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2019

Larry Bowman, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on graduate student recruitment and the future of Fitts-Woolard Hall in the ISE Department.

Wide portrait of Joe Pleasant, an NC State alumnus and business executive, wearing a dark suit and patterned tie against a gray background.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Spring 2019

Joe Pleasant, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on alumni engagement and the future growth of the ISE Department.

Wide portrait of Ed Fitts, an NC State Industrial Engineering leader and distinguished alumnus, smiling against a dark background.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2018

Ed Fitts, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on leadership transitions and the ISE Department’s future growth.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Spring 2018

Ed Fitts, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on student recruitment and the future of Fitts-Woolard Hall in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2017

Ed Fitts, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on department leadership transitions and the ISE Department’s future growth.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Spring 2017

Ed Fitts, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on advanced manufacturing and national program rankings in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2016

Ed Fitts, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on manufacturing innovation and faculty leadership in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Spring 2016

Ed Fitts, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on industry partnerships and student career success in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2015

Ed Fitts, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on national rankings and student career success in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Summer 2015

Ed Fitts, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on student research success and industry partnerships in the ISE Department.

Wide portrait of Tim Scrounce, an NC State alumnus and business leader, smiling in a checkered shirt against a blue background.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Spring 2015

Tim Scrounce, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on record student growth and healthcare partnerships in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2014

Tim Scrounce, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on global ISE leadership and alumni engagement in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Spring 2014

Tim Scrounce, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on record enrollment growth and alumni support in the ISE Department.

Advisory Board Chair Notes | Fall 2013

Ed Fitts, advisory board chair, shares his thoughts on additive manufacturing research and industry partnerships in the ISE Department.

The Advantages of an Advisory Board

An advisory board gives your college department many important advantages. It brings outside ideas that help you improve your program. Board members often include professionals, alumni and community leaders with real-world experience. They help you keep your program current. In addition, they offer advice to help match your courses with industry needs. This makes your students better prepared for jobs.

Board members may also connect you with internships, co-ops and job openings. These opportunities give your students real experience. Moreover, board members can support your department by helping raise money or build partnerships with businesses and groups. They also review your curriculum and suggest changes to improve your program. This feedback helps you stay ahead in your field. By working closely with faculty and students, they help guide future goals and decisions.

When you include alumni on your board, you keep strong ties with past students. Their stories can inspire current students. Furthermore, alumni support helps grow your department’s reputation and network. Overall, an advisory board adds value by giving support, sharing experience and helping your department grow. With their help, you can prepare students for success in a fast-changing world.