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Chancellor's office

Candid ATSUs President, Dr. Craig Phelps.

Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84

Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84, serves as chancellor of ATSU. He has led the University since being named president in 2012. Prior to his chancellorship and presidency, Dr. Phelps served as ATSU’s executive vice president for strategic initiatives and as provost of ATSU’s Mesa, Arizona, campus for 12 years, overseeing the development and operations of School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA), Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH), and Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS).

As a primary care sports medicine physician with board certification in family medicine, Dr. Phelps practiced for more than 20 years in the Phoenix metropolitan area. He served as primary care physician for the NBA Phoenix Suns and WNBA Phoenix Mercury, physician for Ballet Arizona, and team physician for Grand Canyon University, Scottsdale Community College, Paradise Valley Community College, and Gateway Community College.

Dr. Phelps is a fellow of the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine and a member of the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association. He served as the 2013-14 president of the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association.

In 2012, Dr. Phelps was named to the Phoenix Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs and Top-Level Executives. He was chosen as one of the Phoenix-area’s 25 most admired executives based on past achievements and ongoing outstanding leadership.

Craig M. Phelps, DO, ‘84
Chancellor
Phone: 660.626.2391

Learn more about Chancellor Phelps

Office Staff +
- Norine Eitel, MBA
  Chief of Staff, Secretary of the Board
  
  Phone: 660.626.2391
  Email: neitel@atsu.edu
  
  Norine Eitel, MBA, serves as assistant to the president, secretary to the board, and University liaison to the Higher Learning Commission. Employed with the University since 1984, Eitel worked in human resources and sponsored programs prior to her appointment to the president’s staff. In 2009, she was awarded KOAA honorary membership.
  
  Eitel received a certificate and two undergraduate degrees from Truman State University and her master’s degree from William Woods University. Eitel served four terms on the La Plata R-II school board.
  
  Amanda Anders
  Senior Executive Assistant
  
  Phone: 660.626.2391
  Email: amandaanders@atsu.edu
  
  Lindsey Blake
  Executive Assistant
  
  Phone: 660.626.2639
  Email: lindseyblake@atsu.edu
  
  Cynthia (Cindy) Kaye
  Senior Executive Assistant
  
  Phone: 480.219.6010
  Email: ckaye@atsu.edu

Chancellor's Executive Cabinet +
- Don Altman, DDS, DHSc, EdD, MPH, MBA, MA
  Vice Chancellor for Academic Support
  
  Phone: 660.626.2395
  Email: daltman@atsu.edu
  
  Don Altman, DDS, DHSc, EdD, MPH, MBA, MA, is ATSU’s vice chancellor for academic support. Dr. Altman has worked at ATSU since 2006, first as program chair, Master of Public Health – Dental Emphasis, in the School of Health Management (now ATSU-CGHS); then as director, Public Health and Research at ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health; and later as department chair, Public Health in the School of Health Management.
  
  His other roles at the University included dean of ATSU’s College of Graduate Health Studies (ATSU-CGHS) and most recently associate vice president, academic affairs.
  
  Prior to coming to ATSU, Dr. Altman served consecutively as regional dental director, Texas Department of Health; chief, Office of Oral Health, Arizona Department of Public Health Services; and national dental director, the Principal Financial Group.
  
  Dr. Altman is nationally and regionally recognized for his professional activities, having served as president of both the American Board of Dental Public Health and the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners.
  
  His accreditation background includes continuing interaction with the Higher Learning Commission, the Council on Education for Public Health, and the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
  
  Bob Behnen, MBA
  Chief Advancement Officer
  
  Phone: 660.626.2395
  Email: rbehnen@atsu.edu
  
  Bob Behnen, MBA, is ATSU’s Chief Advancement Officer. In this role, Behnen oversees University development, alumni relations, and the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine. He has a master of business administration degree from William Woods University and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri.
  
  Behnen previously served as ATSU’s associate vice president of university advancement since November 2016, as well as director of development since January 2007, and as assistant director of development from 1997-2000. In the intervening years, Behnen was elected to and served northeast Missouri residents as a member of the Missouri State House of Representatives. While in the House, he chaired the Licensing & Registration committee and worked to establish the Missouri Rural Enterprise and Innovation Center (MERIC), which promotes new technologies and businesses in rural parts of the state. Behnen has served on the MERIC board since 2007, and is currently board president.
  
  Behnen has been involved with several successful fundraising campaigns at ATSU, including projects for the Thompson Campus Center, Connell Information Technologies Center, and renovation of the Centennial Park clock. He has been honored by the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association with the Distinguished Service Award (2013) and Honorary Member Award (2018).
  
  Randy Danielsen, PhD, PA-C Emeritus, DFAAPA
  Chair, University Faculty Senate
  
  Phone: 480.219.6009
  Email: rdanielsen@atsu.edu
  
  Norine Eitel, MBA
  Chief of Staff & Secretary to the Board, Office of the Chancellor
  
  Phone: 660.626.2391
  Email: neitel@atsu.edu
  
  Norine Eitel, MBA, serves as Chief of Staff & Secretary to the Board and University liaison to the Higher Learning Commission. Employed with the University since 1984, Eitel worked in human resources and sponsored programs prior to her appointment to the president’s staff. In 2009, she was awarded KOAA honorary membership.
  
  Eitel received a certificate and two undergraduate degrees from Truman State University and her master’s degree from William Woods University. Eitel served four terms on the La Plata R-II school board.
  
  Dana Funderburk, CPA, MBA
  Chief Financial Officer
  
  Phone: 660.626.2781
  Email: danafunderburk@atsu.edu
  
  Dana Funderburk, CPA, MBA, joined ATSU in 2016 as associate vice president for finance. With more than 30 years in public accounting, corporate finance, and higher education administration, she will provide leadership and oversight for all aspects of the University's comprehensive financial administration and human resources.
  
  Funderburk earned her bachelor of science in accountancy degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Illinois, and master of business administration degree from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. She is a registered certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Prior to joining ATSU, she served as vice president for finance/CFO at Greenville University in Greenville, Illinois.
  
  Lori Haxton, MA
  Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
  
  Phone: 660.626.2236
  Email: lhaxton@atsu.edu
  
  Lori Haxton, MA, is ATSU’s Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs overseeing Admissions, Enrollment Services, Learning & Disability Resources, Behavioral Health Wellness Counseling, Wellness Programs, the National Center for American Indian Health Professions, Student On-campus Housing, and Student Life. Employed with the University since 1988, her focus in higher education includes residential life, admissions, alumni services, and student affairs.
  
  Haxton holds a faculty appointment with the ATSU-KCOM Family Medicine department. She is active with numerous University committees and professional organizations and is a faculty adviser for student governance and multiple student organizations.
  
  Haxton was honored with a Distinguished Service Award from ATSU and the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association (KOAA) and was awarded a KOAA honorary membership. She is also the recipient of the MAOPS Medallion Service Award.
  
  Haxton received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and her master’s degree from Truman State University.
  
  Matthew R. Heeren, JD
  Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel
  
  Phone: 660.626.2522
  Email: mheeren@atsu.edu
  
  Matthew R. Heeren, JD, received his undergraduate degree from Truman State University and a juris doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Prior to joining A.T. Still University, Mr. Heeren served as general counsel of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and deputy general counsel to the governor of the state of Missouri.
  
  Mr. Heeren has served as vice president since 2008, overseeing legal affairs for A.T. Still University campuses and the Board of Trustees, compliance, insurance, risk management, information privacy, and Missouri and federal legislative affairs. Mr. Heeren is a member of Missouri Bar and the Arizona Bar.
  
  Mr. Heeren currently serves as past president on the board of directors for the Kirksville Regional Economic Development, Inc. Over the years Mr. Heeren has been actively engaged in the local community, serving on several other boards including the Adair County Public Library, Chariton Valley Association, Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, Rotary, and the Northern Missouri Futbol Club.
  
  Bryan Krusniak, MBA
  Chief Information Officer
  
  Phone: 660.626.2364
  Email: BKrusniak@atsu.edu
  
  Mr. Krusniak joined the ATSU family in November 1998 as director of information technology and services (ITS). Throughout these years, he has developed a team of professionals who has guided the University though significant technology changes and institutional growth. Mr. Krusniak and the ITS team have worked with a variety of vendors to prepare the technology infrastructure necessary for new facilities/services and with students and faculty to integrate iPads into the curriculum of several programs. Mr. Krusniak and the team are increasingly building processes to secure ATSU data and address complex compliance requirements. In addition to his years at ATSU, Mr. Krusniak has worked in the automotive industry and as a management consultant. He has a bachelor of science in engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Mr. Krusniak’s experience, commitment to service, and ability to integrate people, technology, and processes will help guide ATSU into a world that continues to blend the human touch with technology.
  
  Clinton J. Normore, MBA
  Chief Diversity Officer
  
  Phone: 623.251.4705
  Email: cnormore@atsu.edu
  
  Clinton Normore, MBA, is the Chief Diversity Officer. He began as the inaugural director of diversity at A.T. Still University of Health Sciences (ATSU) in September 2013, and was promoted to associate vice president in 2016. Mr. Normore leads a University-wide diversity effort, working with faculty, staff, students, deans, and leadership at the University’s highest levels in support of ATSU’s mission of providing healthcare to the underserved. Mr. Normore was a National Institution on Minority Health Disparities Scholar in 2015. He is a trained Civil Rights Investigator and is a certified Campus Security Authority. Since joining ATSU, Mr. Normore has been instrumental in developing a framework for diversity and a diversity strategic plan. Under his leadership, the University was the first health professions university to receive Insight into Diversity's coveted Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for seven consecutive years (2017-23). Since August 2014, he has been a faculty member of ATSU’s Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health, and is currently conducting research on cultural proficiency. He chairs ATSU’s Advisory Council On Diversity, and serves on many University-level committees and task forces. Normore worked at Oklahoma City University from 2001-13, and was a member of the 1988 University of Kansas national championship basketball team. He has also served as a police officer, owned several businesses, taught and coached at the high school level and was an assistant women’s basketball coach for Oklahoma City University’s 2012 national championship team.
  
  Sean O'Connor, MBA
  Chief Marketing Officer
  
  Phone: 480.245.6252
  Email: seanoconnor@atsu.edu
  
  As Chief Marketing Officer, Sean O'Connor, MBA, is responsible for the direction and development of strategic institutional, cross-departmental, and programmatic online and residential marketing initiatives for ATSU's global online and residential enrollment. The focus is to continue elevating the University's brand by developing innovative content, data-driven strategies, progressive brand experiences, and market-aligned solutions in support of ATSU's mission and position as First in Whole Person Healthcare.
  
  Sean brings over 30 years of extensive experience leading in-house marketing and advertising agency teams developing integrated, strategy-driven solutions, innovative content, and forward-thinking branding.
  
  Kim Butler Perry, DDS, MSCS, FACD
  Associate Professor and Chief Partnership Officer
  
  Phone: 480.219.6053
  Email: kbperry@atsu.edu
  
  Kim Butler Perry, DDS, MSCS, FACD, is an associate professor and chief partnership officer at ATSU. She has served as the University’s associate vice president of strategic partnerships and the inaugural associate dean of clinical operations for ATSU-Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health’s St. Louis Dental Center, and the dental director and vice president for dental services for Affinia Healthcare in St. Louis. Before coming to ATSU, Dr. Perry served as associate dean of clinical affairs and associate professor in the Office of Restorative Sciences at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee, from 2012-2014. In 2003, she joined Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A&M Health Science Center. As an associate professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences, Dr. Perry taught D1-D3 pre-clinical and clinical curricula and was the course director for Dental Materials.
  
  After earning her DDS from UNC Chapel Hill School of Dentistry and completing a one-year General Practice Residency program at Meharry Hubbard Hospital, Dr. Perry served four years in the U.S. Army Dental Corps. She later opened two dental clinics in underserved areas. She was selected as the first dental faculty member in the U.S. to enter an NIH Roadmap Clinical and Translational Research Scholar Master’s Program. She graduated with distinction from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.
  
  Dr. Perry is a fellow of the American College of Dentists and contributed to the NIH’s 2021 report, “Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges.” She is a past Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the 2017 93rd President of the National Dental Association. Dr. Perry was appointed to the HRSA Federal Advisory Committee on Training and Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry and holds memberships in several national organizations and nonprofit boards.
  
  Dr. Perry has more than 36 years of experience in leadership, clinical care, and scholarly work in health disparities, receiving numerous awards and recognitions, including Army commendations and achievement medals.
  
  Gaylah Sublette, MBA
  Interim President of Missouri Campus
  
  Phone: 660.626.2860
  Email: presidentmo@atsu.edu
  
  Gaylah Sublette, MBA, has dedicated her professional career of 37 years to growth and leadership in higher education. As interim president of ATSU’s Missouri Campus, Ms. Sublette’s focus includes the College of Graduate Health Studies, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health, and the St. Louis Dental Center.
  
  Ms. Sublette joined ATSU in October 1987 and has successfully worked with faculty, staff, and students in securing federal, state, and private grant funding as well as increasing the University’s presence in scholarly activity.
  
  Ms. Sublette holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Truman State University and an MBA from William Woods University. Prior to becoming vice president for research & sponsored programs in 2019, Ms. Sublette established ATSU’s Department of Sponsored Programs while playing a key role in the formation of ATSU’s Department of Research Support, A.T. Still Research Institute, and the Interdisciplinary Research Committee. Her areas of expertise include research and grants administration, research and grant policies and procedures, strategic planning, regulatory and internal control systems, pre-award services, budget and contract negotiations, research and grants compliance, cross-functional team engagement, and staff development and leadership.
  
  Ms. Sublette has been an active member of the Society for Research Administrators International, National Council of University Research Administrators, and National Grants Management Association. In spring 2019, she received ATSU’s Distinguished Service Award for her dedication to faculty, staff, and students. In 2004, she was awarded honorary membership in the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association.
  
  Within the local community, Ms. Sublette has served in a voluntary capacity as chair of Mark Twain Behavioral Health's Board of Directors, a private not-for-profit Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic serving northeast Missouri since 1975. At the national level, in June 2024 Ms. Sublette completed one year as vice chair of the Council of Osteopathic Researchers leadership with the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.
  
  O.T. Wendel, PhD
  President of Arizona & California campuses
  
  Phone: 480.219.6011
  Email: twendel@atsu.edu
  
  O.T. Wendel, PhD, is the president for the Arizona and California Campuses of ATSU and provides leadership, management, and oversight for both campuses. Dr. Wendel earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Andrews College in North Carolina and his master’s and doctoral degrees in pharmacology from Wake Forest University.
  
  For five years, Dr. Wendel was on faculty at Wake Forest University Bowman Gray School of Medicine and published several papers on neuropharmacology. During this time, he worked as a physician assistant (PA) faculty member to begin the second PA program in the United States and contributed to the publication of the first comprehensive curriculum for the education of PAs.
  
  Dr. Wendel joined the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine as a member of the department of pharmacology in 1979 before moving to the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) in 1986. While at COMP, he served as an associate professor of pharmacology and an assistant dean of medical education. In 1991, he was promoted to dean of the School of Health Professions at Western University (formerly COMP) and went on to serve as COMP’s vice president for planning and assessment.
  
  In 1998, Dr. Wendel joined ATSU’s Mesa, Arizona, campus (formerly Southwest Center for Osteopathic Medical Education and Allied Health Sciences) as associate provost and dean of the faculty. Additionally, he held the position of vice president for operations and then, senior vice president for university planning and strategic initiatives before being appointed to his present role at ATSU.

Past presidents +
- A.T. Still University
  
  2008-2012 W. Jack Magruder, EdD
  
  1997-2008 James J. McGovern, PhD
  
  Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
  
  1996- 1997 Phyllis J. Blondefield, PhD (Interim)
  
  1984- 1996 Fred C. Tinning, PhD
  
  1983-1984 Max T. Gutensohn, DO (Interim)
  
  1973-1983 H. Charles Moore, PhD
  
  1972-1973 Morris R. Thompson, DSc (Hon.)
  
  Kirksville College of Osteopathy and Surgery
  
  Aug 1946-July 1972 Morris R. Thompson, DSc (Hon.)
  
  June 1944-Aug 1946 Morris R Thompson, DSc (Hon.) (Executive Vice President and Acting President)
  
  1926-1943 George M. Laughlin, DO
  
  Combined School (Kirksville Osteopathic College)
  
  1924-1926 George M. Laughlin, DO
  
  A.T. Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery
  
  1922-1924 George M. Laughlin, DO
  
  American School of Osteopathy
  
  1922-1924 Summerfield S. Still, LLM, DO
  
  1919-1922 George Still, MD, DO
  
  1918-1919 George Still, MD, DO (Vice President and Acting President)
  
  1892-1917 Andrew Taylor Still, DO

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Chancellor's office

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Past presidents +

A.T. Still University

Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine

Kirksville College of Osteopathy and Surgery

Combined School (Kirksville Osteopathic College)

A.T. Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery

American School of Osteopathy

Overview

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