Faculty & staff news
Posted: July 15, 2024ATSU
Robert Behnen, MBA, was named chief advancement officer, effective June 1. Behnen has served ATSU for more than 17 years, including the past year as interim vice president.
Lindsey Blake, executive assistant, president’s office, received the Employee Excellence Award for the Missouri campus for the third quarter of 2023.
Brian Castillo-Murillo, coordinator, diversity & inclusion, received the Employee Excellence Award for Arizona and California campuses for the first quarter of 2024.
Sonya Clark, coordinator, student accounts, finance, received the Employee Excellence Award for the Missouri campus for the fourth quarter of 2024.
Gary Cloud, PhD, MBA, vice president, strategic university partnerships, retired from ATSU on April 30.
Carrie Gaines, specialist, human resources, earned a master of public health degree from ATSU-CGHS.
John Gardner, PhD, MEd, director of policy & employee education, Title IX & civil rights coordinator, human resources, received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. State Celebration Commission of Missouri 2024 Distinguished Community Service Award.
Lee Ann Glowzenski, PhD, assistant director, university writing center, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Sara Grgurich, manager, sponsored programs, earned a master of public health degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Andrew Fresh joined ATSU as director of campus safety, effective March 18. Fresh is located on the Kirksville, Missouri, campus and oversees safety and security for all ATSU campuses and locations.
Gabe Hettinger, supervisor, boiler room, earned an undergraduate degree from Northwest Missouri State University.
MaKay Hettinger, assistant director, alumni relations, received her master of business administration degree in healthcare management from William Woods University.
Stephanie Hettinger, assistant controller, finance, earned a master of business administration degree from Northwest Missouri State University.
Nick Higginson, multimedia specialist, academic technologies, received the Employee Excellence Award for the Arizona and California campuses for the third quarter of 2023.
Rosemary Kuilan, administrative support, enrollment services, received the Missouri campus Employee Excellence Award for the first quarter of 2024.
Emily Magruder, director, budget & planning, finance, earned a master of business administration degree from Northwest Missouri State University.
Clinton Normore, MBA, chief diversity officer, was named a recipient of the 2024 Diamond Awards on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Not Alone Foundation Inc. and Academy of the Diamond Awards. He was honored in the category of Excellence in Higher Education Leadership [VP | Diversity & Inclusion], Philanthropy, Humanitarian & Community Engagement.
Oscar Overley joined ATSU as campus safety manager on the Mesa, Arizona, campus.
Gaylah Sublette, MBA, was named interim president of ATSU’s Missouri campus, effective July 1, overseeing ATSU-CGHS, ATSU-KCOM, ATSU-MOSDOH, and the St. Louis Dental Center.
Andrew Thompson was promoted to controller, budgets & financial reporting, in the Finance Office.
Dougherty Tsalabutie, MS, director, National Center for American Indian Health Professions, diversity & inclusion, earned a doctor of education in health professions degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Ted Wendel, PhD, was named president of ATSU’s Arizona and California campuses, effective July 1, overseeing ATSU-ASDOH, ATSU-ASHS, ATSU-SOMA, and ATSU-CHC.
ATSU-ASDOH
Andrea Baca Morales was promoted to dental assistant for orthodontics.
Jeffrey Cohen, DDS, assistant professor, was appointed comprehensive care unit faculty director.
Pauline Esparza was promoted to sterilization team lead.
Brenda Hernandez was promoted to dental assistant for orthodontics.
Noemi Kershner was promoted to education specialist.
Satish Kumar, DMD, MDSc, MS, professor and director, periodontics, was nominated and inducted as a fellow of the American College of Dentists.
Jeremy Sant, DDS, assistant professor, was promoted to director for advanced education in general dentistry.
Kirsten Voak, project coordinator, integrated community service partnerships, received the Employee Excellence Award for the Arizona and California campuses for the fourth quarter of 2023.
ATSU-ASHS
Shelley Baltodano, AuD, assistant professor, audiology, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Michael DePalma, DMSc, MHS, PA-C, DFAAPA, associate professor and director, biomedical sciences, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
David Doubblestein, PT, PhD, CLT, Cert MDT, LLCC, assistant professor, physical therapy, was appointed director of progress.
Jessica Hayes, PT, DPT, assistant professor, physical therapy, received the ATSU Innovation in Teaching for Learning award for her innovation “Canvas Learning Pathways.”
Tiffany Hines, PhD, MEd, assistant professor, speech-language pathology, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Kellie Huxel Bliven, PhD, ATC, professor and chair, interdisciplinary health sciences, received the Tony A. Mobley International Distinguished Alumni award from her alma mater, Indiana University School of
Public Health-Bloomington. This award honors graduates who have demonstrated outstanding personal and professional achievements in fostering the broad missions of public health. In addition, she graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Ivonne Maldonado De la Rosa, PhD, CCC-SLP, assistant professor, speech-language pathology, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s (TLC) 2023 Educational Research Course. She also became an ATSU-certified health sciences educator through the TLC’s Level Up! certificate program.
Lulu Martinez Nieto, PhD, associate professor, speech-language pathology, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2023 Educational Research Course.
Michele Tourné, PT, DPT, PCS, adjunct professor, physical therapy, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Tamara Valovich McLeod, PhD, ATC, FNATA, FNAK, FNAP, professor and chair, athletic training, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Malathy Venkatesh, PhD, CCC-SLP, assistant professor, speech-language pathology, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2023 Educational Research Course and 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Ashley White was promoted to program manager for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program.
ATSU-CGHS
Angel Baez Vega, PhD, adjunct faculty, health administration, earned a doctor of health sciences degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Erin Breitenbach, PhD, MEd, professor and chair, health professions education, authored a chapter in a new education textbook, Factors Influencing Doctoral Program Completion.
Bethany Clatt, academic advisor, public health, completed her master of science in education degree from Purdue Global.
Lihua Dishman, DBA, MBA, FACHE, associate professor, health administration, is the recipient of ATSU-CGHS’ 2024 Faculty Scholarship & Research/TOL Committee Technology Grant award. The funding will
be used for Techsmith’s Camtasia and Snagit software to enhance Dr. Dishman’s teaching. In addition, Dr. Dishman was elected to a third one-year term as chair of Michigan Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters’ Health and Human Services section.
John Fick, EdD, FACHE, associate professor, health administration, was appointed to the 2024 Annual Meeting Planning Committee of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. In addition, Dr. Fick was elected to a one-year term as vice chair of Michigan Academy of Sciences Arts and
Letters’ Health and Human Services section.
Nazgol Gharbi, DDS, MPH, ’19, adjunct faculty, public health, was awarded fellowships from the Pierre Fauchard Academy and International College of Dentists.
Mary-Katherine McNatt, DrPH, MPH, MCHES, CPH, COI, professor and chair, public health; Marsha Presley, PhD, MPH, research associate, public health; Louise Smith, MA, instructional designer; Susan
Thomas, MSEd, instructional designer; and Sue McDaniel, MS, instructional designer, received the ATSU Innovation in Teaching for Learning first runner-up award for their innovation “Outbreak Odyssey.” In addition, Dr. McNatt received the 2024 National Rural Health Association’s President’s Award.
Presley Melvin-Dean, MA, academic advisor, earned a master of public health degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Patrick Palmieri, DHSc, EdS, MBA, MSN, ACNP, RN, ’12, adjunct faculty, health sciences, was appointed to the Scopus Content Selection and Advisory Board as subject chair for nursing and health professions.
Michael Ryan, PhD, MS, adjunct faculty, kinesiology, earned a master of science in kinesiology degree from ATSU-CGHS.
Kathleen Thomas, DHA, adjunct faculty, health administration, was promoted to national director of registry research, analytics & measurement for the American Heart Association.
Susan Thomas, MSEd, instructional designer, earned a doctor of education in health professions degree from ATSU-CGHS.
ATSU-CHC
Jennifer Harrington, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, professor, was appointed department chair and director of the Central Coast Physician Assistant program, effective Jan. 2. Dr. Harrington previously served as director of didactic education.
Cristina Tipei, PA-C, assistant professor, physician assistant studies, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
ATSU-KCOM
Donna Hettinger was promoted to project coordinator for Clinical Affairs.
Patricia Lodato, PhD, assistant professor, microbiology, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Shanu Markand, PhD, assistant professor, anatomy, was awarded the 2023-24 A.T. Still Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Sumitra Miriyala, PhD, MBA, MPH, FAHA, associate professor, anatomy, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Kimberly Petre was promoted to assistant instruction coordinator for Medical Education.
ATSU-MOSDOH
Keely Carter was promoted to senior administrative assistant.
Grace Cason was promoted to student success coordinator.
Osariemen Okhuaihesuyi, BDS, FMCDS, assistant professor and director, integrated human sciences, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
ATSU-SOMA
Anna Campbell, PhD, associate professor and chair, anatomy, and John Olson, PhD, professor, anatomy, received the ATSU Innovation in Teaching for Learning second runner-up award for their innovation “The HoloCompanion App.”
Maurice Lee, MD, MPH, FAAFP, assistant professor, clinical science education, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Asynchronous Course Design Institute.
Erin McFadden, MD, assistant professor and co-regional director of medical education, received the Dr. Ann Preston Women in Medicine Award from the Pennsylvania Eastern Region Chapter of the American College of Physicians. Dr. McFadden serves as deputy chief medical officer of The Wright Center for Community Health and the medical director of The Wright Center’s Scranton Practice.