Scholarly and
Professional Development

Eric Matthews, Ph.D., DHSc, MSed, MA | Professor and Chair, Department of Health Sciences

Dr. Matthews has served on the Health Sciences faculty for over 12 years and, having served as the Interim Chair last year, was recently named Chair of the Department of Health Sciences. His professional medical preparation is in the field of Diagnostic Imaging. Dr. Matthews is certified in Diagnostic Radiography, Cardiovascular-Interventional Technology, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. He is also a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission; additionally, he is a Quality Matters Master Reviewer, Program Reviewer, and Facilitator for the online APPQMR course and the Quality Matters Teaching Online Certificate series of workshops.

He completed his Ph.D. in education at Southern Illinois University with an emphasis in adult and vocational/technical education (Workforce Education and Development). He recently completed a Doctor of Health Sciences degree at Nova Southeastern University. He also holds graduate degrees in Education (Administration and Supervision) and Museum Studies. Prior to coming to ATSU, he was the program director of the radiography program at Southern Illinois University. Dr. Matthews has taught numerous courses on medical and educational history, his primary research interest. He enjoys qualitative-historical research and has served as a subject matter expert for several state and national organizations and museums on the topic of 19th century American medicine.

Jason Salas, M.A.Ed., Career Services Coordinator and Instructional Designer, ATSU-CGHS

Jason serves as the Career Services Coordinator for the College of Graduate Health Studies (CGHS) at A.T. Still University, providing targeted career support to graduate students and working professionals in the health professions. With over 15 years of experience in instructional design and more than 5 years in career education roles, he brings a unique blend of expertise in curriculum development, adult learning, and career services. Jason is a certified Quality Matters Peer Reviewer and is anticipated to complete the Online Learning Consortium’s Advanced Instructional Designer Certificate Program in 2024.

He holds a Master of Arts in Education, with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction, from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and a Bachelor’s degree in English from William Jewell College. His professional background includes instructional design, career services, and teaching roles at institutions such as A.T. Still University and the University of Missouri, as well as corporate learning and development in healthcare IT and banking industries. He also has experience applying the Baldrige Excellence Framework to improve organizational performance and align operations with strategic goals. Jason is dedicated to advancing professional development and career readiness, tailoring his approach to meet the unique needs of working professionals in healthcare.

Dr. Marsha Presley | Research Associate

Marsha Presley, PhD, MPH is a Research Associate with the Department of Public Health and the Office of Scholarly and Professional Development (OSPD) in the College of Graduate Health Studies (CGHS) at A.T. Still University.

Marsha was a NASA scientist for 20 years. She mapped Martian data to analyze the Martian surface, performed seminal experiments on the thermal conductivity of particulate materials, participated in fieldwork in the Simpson Desert (Outback) of Australia, and was on the Science Team of the DS-2 Mars Microprobes.

A rare metabolic disease inspired her to change careers. She joined CGHS in 2010 and obtained her MPH. Now her research is focused on social determinants of health.

Marsha earned her MPH from A.T. Still University, a PhD in Geological Sciences from Arizona State University, an MA in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis, and a BS in Chemistry from the University of CA, Davis.