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Dr. Tara Feld received her Doctorate of Philosophy in Economics from the University of South Carolina and her bachelor's degree in economics and international business from Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, FL. She first joined Â鶹Éç in 1998 as an Economics faculty member, and later served as Chair of the Â鶹Éç Economics and Decision Sciences department (2018-19). Her administrative experience also includes serving as Acting Director of the School of Management and Marketing (2021-22), MBA Director (2019-24), and Associate Dean for the College of Business and Technology (2019-24).

Feld is currently the Vice President of the Alternatives Board of Directors, and a Â鶹Éç representative for the Governance Board for Advancing Smart Logistics. She has also served as a member of the President's Roundtable Advisory Board, Faculty Senate Vice Chair and Member, Â鶹Éç representative on the Illinois Articulation Initiative Business Panel, and a member of the President's Executive Institute.

Dr. Lin joined the Economics department in Fall 2009 after earning her Ph.D. in Economics from Binghamton University (SUNY) with specializations in Environmental Economics, Public Economics, and Econometrics. Her research lies in applied micro-economics problems with a special interest in the role of peer-group influence. She teaches a variety of courses ranging from introductory principles to graduate level mathematical economics and microeconomic theory. Dr. Lin has also pioneered the department’s online learning programs and teaches many of the online course offerings. She previously served as the Department's Graduate Coordinator (MS Quantitative Economics, MS Applied Statistics and Decision Analytics, and Certificate in Business Analytics) and graduate advisor for the Economics program. She currently serves as Associate Dean of the College of Business and Technology and the Interim Director for the newly merged School of Accounting, Finance, Economics, and Decision Sciences.

Debbie resides in Table Grove and has a B.S. in Photography/Media, a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Women’s Studies, and a M.S. in Instructional Technology and Telecommunications.

Since coming to the university, she has worked in many varied and interesting departments, including the Lab School, Music, Admissions, Purchasing, Communications, Women’s Center, Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center, Arts and Science Dean’s Office, Chemistry, Casa Latina, Advising, Agriculture, and currently the College of Business and Technology Dean’s Office. She is a true Leatherneck, since between her own family and her sister’s family 16 undergraduate and graduate degrees have been earned at Â鶹Éç.  She currently works as office manager in CBT and teaches sign language through the Speech, Pathology, Audiology Department.