The Center for Business and Talent Development (CBTD)

Judy Smetana is currently serving as an Associate Professor and the HRD Graduate Program Coordinator in the Kelce College of Business, Pittsburg State University. 

She teaches Leadership, Organization Development and Change, Evidence-Based Leadership Coaching and Behavioral [including Disc] Assessments for HRD Professionals. Prior to coming to PSU she worked in human resources for 20+ years both nationally and internationally.

She holds a Ph.D. in Human Resources Development focusing on Organizational Performance and Change from Colorado State University as well as an MBA from Webster University and a Magister from the University of Vienna/Austria in History and Slavic Studies.

Judy has a grown son, Martin, who works in the drone industry, a significant other, her husband George, with whom she reconnected eight years ago. They first met as students, in Heidelberg Germany many moons ago!

In her free time she enjoys hiking with her border collie Stella Blue and Australian shepherds Nala and Misty K. as well as reading, writing, traveling, and dabbling in photography.

Dr. Krissy Lewis is an Assistant Professor in the Kelce College of Business at Pittsburg State University and a coach, facilitator, and organizational development practitioner. With more than 20 years of experience working with people and organizations across a wide range of industries, she brings a thoughtful, grounded approach to professional learning and growth. 

Krissy’s work centers on helping people think clearly, work better together, and navigate complex workplace situations with confidence and care. She values collaboration, reflection, and learning through experience, and she designs sessions that invite participants to engage, practice, and make meaning together rather than sit and listen.

Her workshops are interactive, practical, and intentionally hands-on. Participants can expect real scenarios, thoughtful conversation, and activities that make learning relevant, energizing, and useful long after the session ends.

Dr. Mark L. Johnson is currently a University Professor in the Kelce College of Business at PSU. 

For 40 years, Dr. Mark L. Johnson has been an advocate for student achievement and success, in and out of the classroom.  He has served on 5 national boards of directors in the field of career and technical Education, including President of the Association for Career and Technical Education T& I Division and a member of the ACTE National Board of Directors.  He is also a frequent presenter at state, national, and international conferences.  He has been named PSU Outstanding Faculty three times as well as being awarded the College of Technology’s Excellence in Teaching Award.  In 2000, he was named the National Career and Technical Educator of the Year by the National Association for Career and Technical Education.  Since 2014, he has been contracted by the Entertainment Industry as a Training Consultant for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stagehand Employees, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, the Union of Painters and Allied Trades, the Utility Workers Union of America, and the United Alliance of Plumbers and Pipefitters, having taught nearly 4,000 industry trainers in more than 40 cities across the US and Canada. In 2022, he was appointed by Lt. Governor Toland to serve as a member of the Kansas Apprenticeship Council, in which he serves as Council Secretary. He holds a black belt in Innovation Engineering, is a Distinguished Toastmaster, and holds the Association for Talent Development's Master Trainer Certification. He is the author of "Powerful Presentations that Connect", a book published by Kendall Hunt Publishing and his newest book “Training Design Simplified: Breaking Tradition,” released by Manuscripts Press in March of 2025.
 
Locally, he is involved in numerous activities.  He is a member of the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce and was awarded its Chamber Volunteer of the Year in 2012. He was most recently awarded the city’s highest honor, the Spirit of Pittsburg Award in 2022.  He is the co-chair of Youth Leadership, a program which he helped create that has served nearly 13,000 students in every school in Crawford County, Kansas over the last 23 years.