Biographical note

Donald I. Barker has authored, coauthored, and contributed to 40 cutting-edge and best-selling textbooks on subjects ranging from computer operating systems and expert systems to Internet research and social media marketing. Mr. Barker holds an M.B.A. from Eastern Washington University. As an assistant professor of information systems at Gonzaga University, he was honored with the Best Theoretical Paper Award by the International Business Schools Computer Users Group Annual North American Conference. He also received several Jepson Scholarship Awards for notable publications in the field of artificial intelligence. As senior editor of PC AI Magazine, he wrote popular columns for the magazine and BotSpot.com. For more information about Mr. Barker, visit: www.linkedin.com/in/donaldibarker. Krista E. Neher (B.B.A., Wilfrid Laurier University) is the CEO of Boot Camp Digital, author of the Social Media Field Guide, international speaker and managing director of the Institute for Social Media at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Krista is a social media marketing pioneer, having created one of the first corporate Twitter accounts in 2007 when she was VP marketing at an Internet start-up company. By leveraging social media, Krista built the company to 40,000 registered users in four months, beating out competitors who spent millions of dollars on marketing. Prior to this work, Krista spent over five years at Procter & Gamble in a career spanning marketing and finance in which she worked on the largest global businesses. As the founder of Boot Camp Digital, a company that specializes in social media marketing training and consulting, Krista has worked with countless small and medium businesses as well as market leaders including Procter & Gamble, GE, 5/3 Bank, and the United States Senate Office of Education and Training. Krista speaks regularly at industry-leading trade shows, conferences, and corporate engagements around the world. As the managing director of the Institute for Social Media at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, she created and manages the accredited social media marketing certification program. Krista is passionate about social media and has been an avid blogger and social network user since 2007. For more information about Krista, visit: www.linkedin.com/in/kristaneher. Melissa S. Barker is a digital marketing consultant and public speaker, currently working with Jive Software, Puppet Labs, and Gates NextGen Open Source Courseware Grant. She has coauthored five textbooks, including the best-selling Internet Research Illustrated. In 2010, she created the first accredited social media marketing certificate in Washington State. She teaches search and social media marketing, as well as other related courses at Spokane Falls Community College. Melissa holds a B.A. in public relations and advertising from Gonzaga University, and an M.B.A. from Willamette University (expected in 2016). She has held key roles in digital marketing management at Siber Systems, Own Point of Sale, Integra Telecom, Jive Software, and Oregon Public Broadcasting. Melissa has become a recognized authority on LinkedIn, and a sought-after speaker at conferences, such as InnoTech and ITEXPO. For more information, visit: www.linkedin.com/in/melissasbarker. Nicholas F. Bormann holds a Ph.D. in economics at George Mason University). He received his undergraduate education at Gonzaga University, graduating with a B.S. in economics and a B.A. in political science, with a concentration in women's/gender studies. Dr. Bormann is a two-time recipient of the Albert Mann Award for intercollegiate policy debate and qualified for the National Debate Tournament four times, advancing to elimination rounds twice. A member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the economics honor society, his 2010 paper on the effect of state minimum wage laws on unemployment was presented at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research Conference. For more information about Dr. Bormann, visit: www.linkedin.com/in/nfbormann.