Faculty & staff news
Posted: January 2, 2024ATSU
Courtney Bonnell, MBA, controller, finance, was selected for the 2023-24 National Association of College and University Business Officers Emerging Leaders Program, which helps participants enhance
leadership skills, expand cross-campus relationships, and build a professional network.
Alan Freeman, DMgt, MBA, FACHE, former CEO of Affinia Healthcare, joined ATSU as senior director of patient care centers. In addition, Dr. Freeman received the 2023 John Gilbert Award presented during the National Association of Community Health Centers Community Health Awards of Excellence at the 54th Annual Convention & Community Health Institute in San Diego. The award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated a level of excellence in the community healthcare field.
Matthew Heeren, JD, vice president & general counsel, was selected as U.S. Soccer’s National Girls Recreational Coach of the Year.
Corey Luebbering, practice-based research network coordinator, A.T. Still Research Institute, earned a master of public health degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Rebecca Nugent, administrative support, residential admissions, received the Employee Excellence Award for the Missouri campus for the second quarter of 2023.
Daniel Ochoa, general maintenance assistant, facilities, received the Distinguished Service Award for the Arizona campus during the 2023 ATSU Employee Recognition Ceremony.
Kim Perry, DDS, MSCS, associate vice president, university strategic partnerships, was welcomed as a member of the Social Mission Alliance Advisory Board.
Dalton Rolland, associate director of sustained giving, development, earned a master of public health degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Julie Speer, PhD, MS, instructional designer, Teaching & Learning Center, received the Employee Excellence Award for the Arizona and California campuses for the second quarter of 2023.
Julie Truitt, administrative support, learning resources & accommodation services, received the Missouri campus Employee Excellence Award for the fourth quarter of 2022.
Dustin Usher, MSCIS, CEH, ECSA, CCISO, deputy chief information security officer, information security, earned a master of science in kinesiology from ATSU-CGHS.
Lisa Weichelt, service worker, environmental services, received the Missouri campus Employee Excellence Award for the first quarter of 2023.
ATSU-ASDOH
Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, PhD, RDH, FSCDH, assistant dean for research, professor, was honored with the Esther Wilkins Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Dental Hygienists’ Association Annual Meeting in Chicago. This award recognizes the distinguished careers of individuals who have consistently and effectively contributed to the enrichment of the dental hygiene profession.
Jeffery Parent, DDS, associate dean, patient care & clinic education, retired from the School in June.
Jae Hyun Park, DMD, PhD, MSD, MS, professor and chair, postgraduate orthodontics, was announced as president-elect of the American Board of Orthodontics. His one-year term began May 1.
Colleen Trombly, MHSA, RDH, assistant professor, predoctoral education, retired from the School in June 2023.
ATSU-ASHS
María A. Centeno-Vázquez, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, associate professor and director, speech-language pathology, was elected as a fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for her remarkable contributions to graduate education and service, along with her superior strengths in
leadership.
Nick Cross, assessment coordinator, physician assistant studies, received the Employee Excellence Award for Arizona and California campuses for the first quarter of 2023.
Randy Danielsen, PhD, PA-C emeritus, DFAAPA, professor and director, medical science, received the Peer Corps Mighty Mentor award from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for his continued dedication to HLC’s mission to develop the next generation of peer corps leaders and advance the quality of higher learning.
Michelle DiBaise, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, ’14, professor and chair, physician assistant studies, was recognized at the 2023 National Association of Community Health Centers Community Health Institute
for her efforts in engaging community health centers to prepare healthcare professionals to deliver
quality care for underserved communities.
David Doubblestein, PT, PhD, CLT, Cert MDT, LLCC, assistant professor, physical therapy, received the Teaching & Learning Center’s first runner-up Innovation in Teaching for Learning Award for his project, “Mobile-Office Hours.”
Benjamin Gross, MOT, OTR/L, instructor, occupational therapy, was elected as treasurer of the American Occupational Therapy Association for a three-year term.
Kenneth Lam, ScD, ATC, FNATA, professor, interdisciplinary health sciences, received the 2023 Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer award and the 2023 Athletic Trainer Service award from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.
Ivonne Maldonado De la Rosa, PhD, MS, CCC-SLP, instructor, speech-language pathology, received the 2023 Junior Faculty of the Year award during the annual ATSU-ASHS faculty assembly. In addition, Dr.
Maldonado de La Rosa was named treasurer of the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Carrie Robinson, PT, DPT, OCS, assistant professor, physical therapy, received the Teaching & Learning Center’s second runner-up Innovation in Teaching for Learning Award for her project, “Progressive Clinical Cases Based on Student Decisions.”
Tania Shearon, MOT, CHT, PYT-C, assistant professor, director of curriculum, occupational therapy, earned a doctor of health sciences degree from ATSU-CGHS. In addition, she received the 2023 Educator of the Year award during the annual ATSU-ASHS faculty assembly.
Adam Story, PT, DPT, OTR/L, OTD, MTC, assistant professor, occupational therapy, received the 2023 Service of the Year award during the annual ATSU-ASHS faculty assembly.
Maggie Sudimack, MA, CCC-SLP, instructor, director of clinical education, speech-language pathology, was named recording secretary for the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Tamara Valovich McLeod, PhD, ATC, FNATA, FNAP, FNAK, professor and chair, athletic training, received the 2023 National Athletic Trainers’ Association Foundation Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research. In addition, she was inducted as a distinguished scholar fellow in the National Academies of Practice Athletic Training Academy.
Cailee Welch Bacon, PhD, ATC, associate professor, athletic training, was named a fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.
ATSU-CGHS
Candace Ayars, PhD, associate professor, health education, received the 2023 Professor of the Year award during the annual ATSU-CGHS Awards Banquet.
Vera Bannerman, MBA, academic advisor, received the ATSU-CGHS Outstanding Employee Award for customer focus at the 2023 ATSU Employee Recognition Ceremony.
Lihua Dishman, DBA, MBA, associate professor, health administration, was selected by the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) as an item writer to develop ACHE’s 2023-27 Board of Governors Certification Exam’s Practice Exam.
Jodi Gamm, MBA, was promoted to enrollment manager for ATSU-CGHS.
Jolynn Gardner, PhD, MA, CHES, joined the College as associate dean of academics, assessment & curricular innovation. Dr. Gardner earned a doctorate in community health education and healthcare administration and a master’s degree in health promotion management from The Ohio State University. Most recently, Dr. Gardner served as associate chair of the Department of Health Studies and director of the Master of Science program in health promotion management at American University.
Jaana Gold, DDS, PhD, MPH, CPH, professor, dental public health, received a scholarship to attend the 2023 Health Action Conference, “The Power of Community.” She also received the Michael Samuels Impact Award at the 2023 ATSU Employee Recognition Ceremony.
Laura Gray, PhD, EdS, MEd, adjunct professor, health education, received the 2023 Adjunct of the Year award for health professions education during the annual ATSU-CGHS Awards Banquet.
Marisa Hastie, EdD, MS, ACSM EP-C, PN-1, FACSM, dean and associate professor, began her presidency of the New England chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Joan Leafman, PhD, adjunct professor, public health, received the 2023 Michael Samuels Impact Award during the annual ATSU-CGHS Awards Banquet.
Debra Leners, PhD, RN, adjunct professor, nursing, received the 2023 Adjunct of the Year award for nursing during the annual ATSU-CGHS Awards Banquet.
Greg Loeben, PhD, MA, associate professor, public health, received the ATSU-CGHS Professor of the Year award at the 2023 ATSU Employee Recognition Ceremony.
Tracy Matthews, PhD, MA, adjunct professor, health sciences, received the 2023 Adjunct of the Year award for health sciences during the annual ATSU-CGHS Awards Banquet.
Sue McDaniel, MS, instructional designer, was announced as the incoming chair of the Missouri Quality Matters Consortium.
Mary-Katherine McNatt, DrPH, MPH, MCHES, CPH, COI, professor and chair, public health, was nominated and selected to serve on the 2023 National Rural Health Association Board of Trustees. In addition, she was elected to the Council on Education for Public Health Board of Councilors, and
she was appointed by the National Board of Public Health Examiners to be a Certified in Public Health exam question writer.
Dan Mikeska, DHSc, ’16, MS, ’12, adjunct professor, kinesiology, received the 2023 Adjunct of the Year award for kinesiology during the annual ATSU-CGHS Awards Banquet.
Heather Moore, DHA, MBA, adjunct professor, health administration, received the 2023 Adjunct of the Year award for health administration during the annual ATSU-CGHS Awards Banquet.
Patrick Palmieri, DHSc, EdS, MBA, MSN, ACNP, RN, ’12, is serving as senior collection editor for Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease.
Marni Valenzuela, MPH, adjunct professor, public health, received the 2023 Adjunct of the Year award for public health during the annual ATSU-CGHS Awards Banquet.
Nicole Webb, DNP, FNP-BC, joined the College as chair for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Dr. Webb’s nursing career began as a staff nurse in the hospital setting. In 2006, she obtained her master’s in nursing with a concentration in the family nurse practitioner track from the University of South Alabama. After entering into nursing education, she earned her doctor of nursing practice degree in 2010 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
ATSU-KCOM
William Brechue, PhD, professor and chair, physiology, received the A.T. Still Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching for basic sciences at the 2023 ATSU Employee Recognition Ceremony.
Alan Coonfield, coordinator, animal care, received the Distinguished Service Award for the Missouri campus during the 2023 ATSU Employee Recognition Ceremony. He retired in June.
Brian Degenhardt, DO, professor and director, A.T. Still Research Institute, received the Teaching & Learning Center’s Innovation in Teaching for Learning Award for his project, “System Providing Objective Feedback for Calibration of Palpation Skills.”
Valena Fiscus, DO, MPH, ’13, assistant professor, internal medicine, received the A.T. Still Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching for clinical sciences at the 2023 ATSU Employee Recognition Ceremony.
Patricia Sexton, DHEd, ’08, associate dean, medical education, was recognized by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners as the COMLEX-USA Level 1 Item Writer of the Year.
Vineet Singh, PhD, professor, microbiology, was invited by Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Ludhiana, Punjab, India, for a two-week visiting professorship in the Department of Veterinary Physiology & Biochemistry.
Karen Snider, DO, professor, osteopathic manipulative medicine, received the 2023 Distinguished Service Award from the American Osteopathic Association Board of Trustees for her accomplishments toward advancing osteopathic medicine.
Lex Towns, PhD, emeritus professor, anatomy, retired from the College in June after 50 years in medical education. Dr. Towns received the honorary doctor of osteopathy in education degree during ATSU-KCOM’s commencement ceremony.
ATSU-MOSDOH
Matthew Greaves, DDS, MS, comprehensive care unit director, published a textbook chapter with former faculty member Joan Davis, PhD. The chapter is titled “Oral Care of Persons with Cancer” in the sixth edition of “Darby and Walsh Dental Hygiene: Theory & Practice.”
Romana Muller, MSDH, RDH, assistant professor, clinical education, earned a doctor of education in health professions degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Ammar Musawi, MDS, BDS, MPH, assistant dean of preclinical education & simulation clinic, associate professor, received his U.S. certification of naturalization in February 2023.
Brooke Robinson, MPA, director, student success, received the Elsie Gaber Compassion & Integrity Award at the 2023 ATSU Employee Recognition Ceremony.
Herbert P. Silva, DMD, assistant professor, was inducted into Marquis Who’s Who.
ATSU-SOMA
Mariam Alshukri, MS, manager, medical education accreditation, assessment & integration, undergraduate medical education, earned a doctor of education in health professions degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Eboni Anderson, DHEd, assistant professor of public health, director of community-oriented
primary care, co-edited the book “Educator Well-Being in Academic Medicine,” published by the American Medical Association.
Jessi Barriga, operations specialist, retired from the School in January 2023.
Deborah Heath, DO, professor, was named chair of the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine department.
Erin Messer, PharmD, MBA, assistant professor, basic medical science education, earned a doctor of education in health professions degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Sharon Obadia, DO, FNAOME, ’97, was named dean of ATSU-SOMA, effective Jan. 1, 2023.