Swathi Ravichandran

An Erie County Community Foundation board member since 2020, Swathi Ravichandran is a professor and founding director for the Cedar Fair resort and attraction management program at Bowling Green State University. Prior to this, she was on the faculty of the hospitality management program at Kent State University for 14 years. She also served as the provost’s fellow during 2017-18 and has generated $1.6 million in grants for projects related to enhancing students’ access to higher education and degree completion.

Ravichandran was named distinguished educator of the year by the Professional Convention Management Association in 2014. In 2015, the 131st general assembly of Ohio named her one of “Ohio’s finest educators.”

Ravichandran’s research focuses on human resources management and marketing in the hospitality industry. She has been published in several prestigious, peer-reviewed journals, and served as a commissioner for the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration. She has blogged for Restaurant Hospitality and EasyIce.com on human resources and legal issues and has been invited by international universities as a speaker and research fellow.

Ravichandran has taught a variety of classes in human resources management, marketing, legal issues, meetings management, internships, and advised for Kent State’s chapter of the Professional Convention Management Association. She is also a board member for Greater Sandusky Partnership and Shores and Islands.

Ravichandran earned her doctorate in foodservice and lodging management from Iowa State University, where she also received her MBA.