AUM Faculty & Staff
Directory
Darlene Adkins
Assistant Professor | College of Business
Dr. Adkins is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Auburn University at Montgomery, where she has been teaching since 2020. Dr. Adkins earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Kennesaw State University, with a dissertation focused on the impact of regulatory interventions on broker-dealer audit quality. She also holds a Master of Accountancy from Virginia Commonwealth University, an MBA from Old Dominion University, and multiple certifications, including a Certificate in Public Administration.
Dr. Adkins brings over two decades of experience in both academia and industry, having held teaching positions at institutions like the University of Tennessee at Martin and Box Hill College Kuwait. In addition, she has extensive industry experience, including roles in finance and auditing for organizations such as the Department of Health and Human Services, Lynchburg Community Action Group Inc., and public accounting firms. Her research interests focus on accounting curriculum development, audit quality, and the PCAOB inspection process.
William Lyle
Assistant Professor | College of Business
William Lyle, DBA, CMA, CFE is an experienced accounting educator and researcher that currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Auburn University at Montgomery. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Florida, where his dissertation focused on the effects of information on tax evasion. He also has a Master of Science in Taxation and a Master of Business Administration from Robert Morris University, as well as dual bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Business from the University of Pittsburgh.
In addition to his educational qualifications, William is a Certified Managerial Accountant (CMA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
His research primarily focuses on behavioral accounting, fraud, accounting education, and decision aids. His recent work includes research on occupational fraud, comparisons of traditional and non-traditional doctoral programs, and the effects of tax software on reporting behavior. He has published and presented numerous papers in prestigious journals and conferences
Rhonda Seay
Senior Lecturer; Master of Accountacy Advisor | College of Business
Walter Smith
Associate Professor | College of Business
Walter Smith is an Associate Professor at Auburn University at Montgomery. He earned a BSBA in Production and Operations Management) from The Ohio State University, a BA in Accounting from Marietta College, and a Ph.D. in Accounting from The Ohio State University with minors in microeconomics and decision theory. Walter’s work experience includes the construction and retail industries. He is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and completed the Experiential Education Academy at the National Society for Experiential Education. His primary research interests are accounting education and student success. Walter teaches undergraduate and graduate accounting courses at AUM and is actively involved in service activities for the School of Accountancy, College of Business, and AUM.
