Experts

Dr. Tony Alonso works at the intersection of theology and culture, with a particular focus on worship and ritual practices. In addition to his scholarly work, Alonso is a Latin Grammy-nominated composer of sacred music and the author of over 200 published compositions and arrangements—including a commission to compose the responsorial psalm for the first Mass Pope Francis celebrated in the United States in 2015.

Carol Anderson, PhD, Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies, is a nationally recognized historian, educator, and author. Her research focuses on public policy, particularly the ways that domestic and international policies intersect through the issues of race, justice, and equality in the US.

Zach Binney is an Assistant Professor of Quantitative Theory and Methods at Emory University’s Oxford college. His research currently sits at the intersection of sports and public health, focusing on sports injuries and athlete health.

Mary Anne Bobinski, LLM, JD, is Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law at Emory School of Law. She is the first female dean since the law school’s founding in 1916. Her research and teaching interests include torts, health law, health care finance, reproductive health law issues, bioethics, and legal aspects of HIV infection.

Maria Davis, PhD, is a teaching professor of Spanish at Emory University’s Oxford College. She is an expert in Latin American and American literature with a focus on Latin American boom writers and 20th century American theatre.

Tasha Dobbin-Bennett, PhD, is an associate professor of art history and studio art at Emory University’s Oxford College. She is an expert in art history, Egyptology, forensic anthropology, public history, ethics of museum collecting and repatriation, identification of fakes and forgeries, archaeological practice, and museum and gallery curation.

Kimberly Eck, MPH, PhD is the senior associate vice president for research at Emory University where she assists with developing and implementing university-wide strategies to advance the research enterprise. She leads the Office of Research Development and Training Grant Support Office. She also founded and leads the National Organization of Research Development Professionals Consultants Program, a national program that supports emerging research institutions from throughout the country in building sustainable research capacity.

Bridgette Gunnels, PhD, is associate dean and director of the Center for Pathways and Purpose at Emory University’s Oxford College. She is also a scholar in Latin American literature from the 20th century and has taught many courses on the subject. Her main areas of expertise include Latin American identity, economic and environmental histories, and diaspora studies.

David Howard, PhD, is an associate professor of health policy and management at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health. He is a health economist by training, and his research employs economics and statistics to better understand physician decision-making and its implications for public policy. He is knowledgeable about Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and drug pricing.

As Assistant Vice Provost, Shinsaeng (Shinn) Ko, MS, leads a team of dedicated professionals who serves Emory University’s diverse, vibrant international community through advocacy, collaboration, education, intercultural competency and leadership training, programming, policy consultation, and U.S. immigration regulatory/policy expertise.

Ed Lee, EdD, is senior director of inclusivity for Emory College of Arts and Sciences. He previously served as senior director of the Alben W. Barkley Forum for Debate, Deliberation, and Dialogue, which houses Emory’s nationally acclaimed debate team. He continues to support the organization as a senior adviser, is a relentless advocate for public debate and dialogue, and is a national media commentator for US presidential debates and the use of arguments in public discourse.

Rebecca Martin, PhD, is vice president for Global Health and director of the Emory Global Health Institute at Emory University. She is also a research professor in HDGH/RSPH. Her expertise is in global health, health systems strengthening, surveillance systems and emergency preparedness and response, immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases, HIV, maternal and child health, and global health diplomacy and governance.

Daphne Orr is the senior director of Global Oxford, which is housed in the Oxford College's Center for Pathways and Purpose (CPP). With her guidance and under the umbrella of CPP, Global Oxford will sharpen Oxford's focus on helping students broaden their worldview and foster inclusive, worldwide perspectives.

Pablo Palomino, PhD, is a historian and associate professor of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Emory University’s Oxford College. His research focuses on the transnational formation of Latin America as a cultural religion.

Susan Reynolds is an Associate Professor of Catholic Studies and Interim Director of Catholic Studies at Emory's Candler School of Theology. She is a Catholic theologian and ethnographer whose research examines the intersection of ecclesiology and lived practice.

Tsepak Rigzin, MA, BEd, is an assistant teaching professor and language coordinator in Tibetan at Emory University. His areas of expertise include Tibetan history, culture, and literature.

Fred Smith Jr., JD, associate professor at Emory School of Law, is a scholar of the federal judiciary and constitutional law. His research focuses on accountability, federal jurisdiction, and state sovereignty.

Tom Smith, PhD, is considered a specialist in the areas of labor economics, pricing, film finance, sports economics and finance, and the economics of the entertainment and health care industries. 

Suhas Sridharan is an associate professor of accounting at Emory’s Goizueta Business School. Her research focuses on corporate political finance and how financial connections are impacted by political organizations. She specifically looks at the role of lobbying and campaign contributions in the policymaking process.

Miriam Udel, PhD, is associate professor of German Studies and Judith London Evans Director of the Tam Institute of Jewish Studies at Emory University, where her teaching focuses on Yiddish language, literature, and culture.

Saloni Firasta Vastani, PhD, joined the faculty in 2016 after an extensive career in corporate America. She has experience in the travel and technology industries in both domestic and international markets including South America, Asia, and Europe. Vastani’s research interests are focused on pricing strategy and innovation management. She is interested in how buyers consciously and subconsciously process price information, remember it, and use it to make purchase decisions.