Honorary Doctorate Panel Members
Lisburn University awards honorary doctorates to distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including business, education, science, healthcare, technology, and social impact.
Lisburn University's Panel
Lisburn University’s Honorary Doctorate Panel members are carefully selected individuals who bring expertise from diverse sectors, like academics, business, technology, and social impact. Their collective knowledge ensures that the award is granted to individuals whose contributions align with the school’s mission of fostering leadership, innovation, and global impact.
Our Panel Members
James Whitfield brings over two decades of experience in corporate strategy and executive education. He previously held a senior faculty position at a leading business school, where he was recognized with multiple teaching excellence awards. His research focuses on organizational leadership and global market expansion.
Contacts:
James Whitfield
Professor of Business Strategy
Aiko Tanaka specializes in international curriculum design and cross-cultural learning frameworks. Her research supports the university’s global partnerships and student exchange programs.
Contacts:
Aiko Tanaka
Associate Professor of Global Education
Kelly Sanders leads student success initiatives at Lisburn University, with a focus on academic advising, retention strategy, and career readiness programs. She has built partnerships that connect students with real-world professional opportunities.
Contacts:
Kelly Sanders
Dean of Student Success
Kenji Watanabe researches applied economics and public policy, with particular interest in higher education financing models. He teaches both graduate and doctoral-level economics courses.
Contacts:
Kenji Watanabe
Associate Professor of Economics
Priya Kapoor is a legal scholar with expertise in constitutional and comparative law. She has held visiting faculty positions abroad and is a frequent contributor to academic law journals.
Contacts:
Priya Kapoor
Professor of Law
Thabo Nkosi is a senior lecturer whose work centers on global governance and cross-border policy. He has contributed to numerous academic publications and regularly represents the university at international education forums.
Contacts:
Thabo Nkosi
Senior Lecturer, International Relations
Everything You Need to Know
Frequently Asked Questions
As Vice President for Student Affairs at Lisburn University, Sophia Martinez leads efforts to support student success, campus engagement, and the overall student experience. She joined Lisburn University after earning her MA in Communications, and previously served as Director of Freshman and Transfer Programs, where she helped shape the university’s approach to student transitions and retention. Sophia holds both a BA and MA in Communications from Lisburn University and has dedicated much of her career to advancing student affairs within the College.
Contacts:
Harriet Erickson
Vice President, Student Affairs
David Miller was named Senior Advisor to the President in May 2018. An expert in corporate law, he teaches a wide range of courses at Lisburn University, including Contracts, Sales, Closely Held Business Organizations, Publicly Traded Corporations, Mergers & Acquisitions, International Law, and International Securities Regulation.
Contacts:
Wesley Clarke
Senior Advisor to the President
Aaliyah Jackson joined the Lisburn University faculty in 2002 and received tenure in 2007. Before joining the faculty, she was a visiting assistant professor at Syracuse University College of Law. Prior to that, she worked as a legal consultant at JPMorgan Chase, a contract attorney at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, and an assistant prosecutor for the Ministry of the Attorney General in Toronto, Canada.
Contacts:
Betty Bowman
Acting Vice President for Finance
With over four decades of law teaching experience, David Chen is a nationally recognized constitutionalist at Lisburn University. He has received numerous awards for his teaching, including the first-ever Pioneer Award for his commitment and dedication to students from the FIU Student Bar Association in 2004. Since then, students have voted him “Professor of the Year” multiple times.
Contacts:
Johnny Jones
Dean, Diversity and Compliance
Olivia Carter was a member of the faculty at Texas Tech University School of Law, where she held the Alvin R. Allison Distinguished Professorship and received every teaching award the law school and the university conferred. She was the Distinguished Fulbright Professor of American Constitutional Law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Greece in 1992. She now serves as Acting Vice President of Administration at Lisburn University.
Contacts:
Dennis Ruiz
Acting Vice President of Administration
Darius Johnson first joined Lisburn University in 2006 as Assistant Dean for Academic Support Programs. He served as Assistant Dean until 2013, when he became a full-time lecturer at the College. He teaches classes relating to legal theory and reasoning, race and law, gender and law, and commercial transactions.
Contacts:
Vernon Lowe
Assistant Vice President for Communications