Faculty & staff news

ATSU

Roxana Aguirre, EdD, MEd, was promoted to clinical rotation services administrator in the Arizona & California President’s Office.

Nora Alhaddad, MBA, was promoted to director, post-award compliance, for Sponsored Programs.

Kyle Allsup, specialist, academic technologies, received the Employee Excellence Award for the Arizona and California campuses for the third quarter of 2024.

Don Altman, DDS, DHSc, EdD, ’12, vice chancellor, academic support, was accepted as a peer reviewer by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Peer reviewer training will begin in 2025 with new HLC standards taking effect in September 2025.

Cameron Benson is a new boiler plant operator in the Boiler Room.

Lindsey Bird was promoted to application coordinator for Residential Admissions.

Lori Choate was promoted to assistant director for Sponsored Programs.

Chris Crismon was named director of Assessment & Accreditation. He was also accepted as a peer reviewer by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Peer reviewer training will begin in 2025 with new HLC standards taking effect in September 2025.

Alan Freeman, DM, senior director, patient care centers, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Course Design Institute.

Samantha Halterman was promoted to assistant director for Residential Admissions.

Charles Heckert is the new research coordinator II for Research Support.

Megan Hudnall was promoted to assistant director, student financial aid, for Enrollment Services.

Rosemary Kuilan is the new student accounts coordinator for Finance.

Kaylee Morgenstern was promoted to director for Enrollment Services.

Bobby Rogers, HVAC lead mechanic, maintenance, received the Missouri campus Employee Excellence Award for the third quarter of 2024.

Alexandria Stratton, MA, was promoted to admissions counselor for Residential Admissions.

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George Blue Spruce Jr., DDS, MPH, assistant dean, American Indian affairs, was inducted as a fellow in the American College of Dentists. Formally nominated in 2023, Dr. Blue Spruce received an inabsentia induction during an informal ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at the Heard Museum in Phoenix. In addition, Dr. Blue Spruce was recognized by ATSU with a proclamation declaring Nov. 19 as Dr. George Blue Spruce Jr. Day, honoring his lifelong dedication to advancing healthcare, education, and opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Alfredo Hernandez, DDS, MS, associate professor, predoctoral education, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Course Design Institute.

Mitzi Wasden, DDS, MS, adjunct faculty, predoctoral education, and Joseph Creech, DDS, adjunct faculty, predoctoral education, received the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 first runner-up Innovation in Teaching for Learning Award for their project, “Acting It Out: A Classroom Activity to Improve Knowledge and Visualization of Space Management Principles.”

ATSU-ASHS

Barton Anderson, DHSc, MS, ATC, ’03, professor, athletic training, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Course Design Institute.

Maria Centeno-Vazquez, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, associate professor and director, speech-language pathology, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Course Design Institute.

Rachel Geoghegan, DAT, MSHRD, assistant professor, athletic training, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Course Design Institute.

Sunna Khokhar was promoted to clinical student coordinator for the Physician Assistant Studies department.

Ivonne Maldonado de La Rosa, PhD, MS, CCC-SLP, assistant professor, speech-language pathology, was named one of the 2024 recipients of the Distinguished Early Career Professional Certificate from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Malathy Venkatesh, PhD, CCC-SLP, assistant professor, speech-language pathology, completed the Teaching & Learning Center’s Level Up! certificate program to become an ATSU-certified health sciences educator.

ATSU-CGHS

Lihua Dishman, DBA, FACHE, associate professor, health administration, was presented with the ACHE Service Award by the Midwest Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). The award recognizes Dr. Dishman’s commitment to the healthcare management profession through her activities and services furthering professional excellence.

Jodi Gamm, MBA, enrollment manager, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Course Design Institute.

Jaana Gold, DDS, PhD, MPH, CPH, professor, public health, received a scholarship to attend the Florida Policy Summit in Sarasota.

Marisa Hastie, EdD, MS, ACSM EP-C, PN-1, FACSM, dean, was appointed chair of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Ethics Committee for a three-year term. Additionally, Dr. Hastie was accepted as a peer reviewer by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Peer reviewer training will begin in 2025 with new HLC standards taking effect in September 2025.

Eric Matthews, PhD, MS, was named chair of the Doctor of Health Sciences program.

ATSU-CHC

Philip DaVisio, DMSc, MS, PA-C, CAQ-EM, ’19, assistant professor, physician assistant studies, was appointed to the Physician Assistant Board by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. He has been a supervisory physician assistant and hospital lead physician assistant at Kaiser Permanente since 2016 and assistant professor at ATSU-CHC since 2021. Dr. DaVisio is a member of the Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants, California Academy of Physician Assistants, and American Academy of Physician Associates.

ATSU-KCOM

Renu Agnihotri, MD, associate professor, biochemistry, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Course Design Institute.

Sara Funk, DPT, assistant professor, anatomy, received the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Innovation in Teaching for Learning Award for implementing the “First Patient Project” for first-year students in her gross anatomy course. The voluntary assignment led to nearly 100 creative projects that were then displayed at an art exhibition on the Missouri campus and at ATSU-KCOM’s Gift of Body Ceremony reception. Read more about Dr. Funk’s assignment on Page 42.

Jill Kerr, DO, ’86, was named director of ATSU Kirksville Family Medicine.

Whitney Marrs is the new curriculum coordinator for Medical Education.

Sumitra Miriyala, PhD, MBA, MPH, FAHA, associate professor, anatomy, was selected by the Society for Science’s 2024-25 Advocate Program. The program offers training, stipends, and year-round support to STEM educators and mentors helping students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds enter research fairs and competitions.

Dana Nelson, MA, executive director, advancement of osteopathic education, was selected for the inaugural American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Graduate Medical Education Development Fellowship.

ATSU-MOSDOH

Abdal Aziz Alfarra, BDS, DDS, MSc, assistant professor, clinical education, graduated from the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 Course Design Institute.

Gustavo Fernandes, DDS, DMD, PhD, MSc,MSD, associate professor and specialty care unit assistant director, clinical education, received the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2024 second runner-up Innovation in Teaching for Learning Award for the project “Innovating for an Accurate Diagnosis in Periodontics.”

Ana Niehoff, DDS, was promoted to assistant professor of clinical education at the St. Louis
Dental Center.

ATSU-SOMA

Lawrence LeBeau, DO, chair, graduate medical education, was selected for the inaugural American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Graduate Medical Education Development Fellowship.