Joan Benek-Rivera, Bloomsburg, was promoted in July to assistant dean at the College of Business at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. She previously served as chairperson of the Department of Management in the College of Business, from 2005.

A graduate of Panther Valley High School, Benek-Rivera earned a BBA and MBA from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, and her PhD from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.Benek-Rivera says she especially enjoys meeting students at Bloomsburg University from the Panther Valley area, whose parents she knows.One of her career highlights includes the period of January through June of 2012, when she was part of a faculty exchange, teaching university students in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.Benek-Rivera is originally from Lansford. She is the daughter of Angela Benek of Lansford.