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MBU Community Update: Summer 2023

The following MBU Community Update provides information on personnel changes — new hires, internal transitions/promotions, and departures — since last January. 

The list was sourced from offices and departments across the university, but may not be comprehensive. If you would like to add information, please email [email protected]. 

New Faculty and Staff

Academic Affairs

  • Cooper O’Neil (he/him), Student Services and Records Coordinator, Registrar’s Office (in-person)

Admissions and Financial Aid

  • Kaycee Gnatowski, Transfer Credit and Retention Specialist     
  • Kelsey Heathcoat (she/her), Financial Aid Counselor (in-person)     
  • Mirela Muftarevic, Associate Director of Admissions       

Business and Finance

  • Sherry Martin, Payroll Administrator    
  • Kaitlyn Nuckoles, Student Accounts Coordinator    

Dining Services

  • Prince Antwi, Kitchen Assistant
  • James Bridges, Dining Room Attendant    
  • Lindsey Burke, Administrative Assistant   
  • Diego Lemus, University Cafe Associate    
  • Kevin Lewis, Cook    
  • Courtney Roane, Director
  • Valerie Organ, University Cafe Associate    

Facilities 

  • William “Trey” Miller, Grounds Technician  
  • Marisa Strickler, Housekeeper    

Gold College of Arts and Sciences

  • Kelsey Harrison, Adjunct Faculty, Theatre     
  • Sharon Jacobs, Adjunct Faculty  
  • Hsini Leary, Adjunct Faculty
  • Kayla Meyer, Adjunct Faculty 

McCree Center for Life Success     

  • Thy Nguyen, Executive Director

Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences

  • Leslie Edwards (she/her), Administrative Assistant, Nurse Anesthesiology Program (in-person)    
  • Kelly Elmore, Adjunct Faculty (moving to full-time faculty in August), Nurse Anesthesiology Program (fully remote)    
  • Abbigail Fietzer, Adjunct Faculty, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program     
  • Robert Harvill, Technical Support Specialist    
  • Barrie Holt, MBA (she/her), Operations Manager (in-person)     
  • Skyler Hutchins (she/her), Academic Affairs and Program Assistant (in-person)   
  • Gregg Jeffries (he/him), Technical Support Specialist (in-person) 
  • Juliana Jimenez, Adjunct Faculty, Health Sciences     
  • Lisa McVey, Adjunct Faculty, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program     
  • Cassandra Pasquariello Wallace, Adjunct Faculty, Exercise Science Program     
  • Stephanie Roane, Adjunct Faculty, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
  • Catherine Turner (she/her), PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, Program Director, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (in-person)     
  • Joni Watling, Adjunct Faculty, Occupational Therapy Program     
  • Amy Wielar, DNAP, CRNA, Assistant Program Director, Nurse Anesthesiology Program (hybrid)

Palmer College of Professional Studies

  • Stephen Dunnivant, Adjunct Faculty, School of Education
  • Margaret Echols, Support Coordinator, Teacher Education Program   
  • Paul Gavoni, Adjunct Faculty Member, School of Education
  • Deborah Margolies-Delarosa, Adjunct Faculty

Student Engagement

  • Jovita Jacob Selwyn, Residential Area Coordinator   

Internal Transitions and Promotions

Academic Affairs

  • Raven Showalter, Assistant Director, Spencer Center 

Admissions and Financial Aid

  • Lisa Newman (she/her), Associate Director of Financial Aid (in-person)

    • Formerly Assistant Director of Financial Aid
  • Christopher Schulz, Senior Admissions Counselor 

Athletics

  • Felipe Juarez, Head Men’s Soccer Coach 

Information Technology

  • Tyler Matherly, Cyber Security Analyst 
  • Kendal White, Network Systems Administrator 

McCree Center for Life Success

  • Christina Harris, MLS (she/her), Director

    • Formerly Outreach and Instruction, Grafton Library 
  • Kristen Sill, Director of Employer Relations and Workforce Development (hybrid) 

    • Formerly Business Development and Operations Associate, Palmer College

Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences

  • Shannon Kolecki, Administrative Assistant, Occupational Therapy Program 
  • Jennifer McPherson, DNP, CRNA, CHSE, Program Director, Nurse Anesthesiology Program (hybrid)

    • Formerly Assistant Program Director, Nurse Anesthesiology Program

Palmer College of Professional Studies

  • Sunghil “Calvin” Chung, PhD (he/him), Associate Professor, School of Business (in-person) 

    • Formerly Assistant Professor, School of Business     
  • Pari Paluszak, EdD, Program Director/Assistant Professor, School of Education (hybrid)

    • Formerly Field Placement Coordinator, School of Education (current contact: Jennifer Hackley)       

Student Engagement

  • Samuel Irons, MS (they/them), Director of Student Leadership and Engagement 

    • Formerly Director of Student Activities and LGBTQ Resources 

Departures

Academic Affairs

  • David Black, Digital Projects and Academic Engagement Librarian
  • Jennifer Jones, Administrative Specialist
  • Tynisha Willingham, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer

Admissions and Financial Aid

  • Lisa Cohe, Associate Director of Admissions (Online)
  • McKayla Cotton, Admissions Counselor

Athletics

  • Meghan Austin, Head Women’s Basketball Coach

    • Current Contact: Tom Byrnes, Athletics Director
  • Brittany DeVane, Graduate Assistant Coach, Women’s Basketball

    • Current Contact: Tom Byrnes, Athletics Director
  • Stephen Peters, Director of Events and Student Engagement 

    • Current Contact: Tom Byrnes, Athletics Director
  • Rene Ramirez, Graduate Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach

    • Current Contact: Felipe Juarez, Head Coach, Men’s Soccer
  • Erik Recke, Graduate Assistant Coach, Men’s and Women’s Soccer

    • Current Contact: Amanda Evans, Head Coach, Women’s Soccer, or Felipe Juarez, Head Coach, Men’s Soccer
  • Ray Tricarico, Assistant Baseball Coach

    • Current Contact: Scott Hearn, Head Baseball Coach

Business and Finance

  • Brad Clatterbuck, Campus Store Manager
  • Logan Reusser, Student Accounts Coordinator
  • Ashley Shiflett, Administrative Assistant and Collections Specialist   
  • Debbie Snyder, Accounting Coordinator   

Dining Services

  • Mary Almarode, University Cafe Manager
  • Lisa Joiner, University Cafe Associate/Barista   
  • Emmanuel Maclin, Dining Room Attendant 
  • Maia Ott, University Cafe Associate/Barista   

Facilities

  • Tsebaot Gebretekle, Housekeeper   
  • Amber Price, Housekeeper   
  • Dustin Smith, Supervisor of Grounds/Campus Support   

    • Current Contact: Reggie Slaughter, Associate Vice President, Facilities and Capital Planning
  • Phyllis Thompson, Housekeeper   

Gold College of Arts and Sciences

  • Louise Freeman Davis, PhD, BCBA, LBA, Professor of Psychology
  • Amy Miller, PhD, Associate Professor of Asian Studies
  • Marina Omar, PhD, Assistant Professor of Political Science
  • Craig Robertson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Music/Choir Director  

    • Current Contact: Lise Keiter, PhD, Professor of Music 
  • Robert Robinson, Assistant Professor of Sociology
  • Martha Saunders, Assistant Professor of Studio Art

    • Current Contact: Kerry Cooke, Associate Dean, School of Visual and Performing Arts, PhD
  • Jim Sconyers, Associate Professor of Studio Art/Studio Art Chair

    • Current Contact: Kerry Cooke, Associate Dean, School of Visual and Performing Arts, PhD
  • Edward Scott, PhD, Associate Professor of Philosophy
  • Nawaraj Sharma Paudel, PhD, Assistant Professor of Economics
  • Annmarie Trost, Instructor of Chemistry
  • Anne Wick, PhD, Assistant Professor of Music

    • Current Contact: Lise Keiter, PhD, Professor of Music 

Information Technology

  • Michael Engle, Systems Administrator
  • Jeff Overholtzer, Director of Project Management and Planning
  • Casey Swats, Hardware Services Coordinator

Integrated Communications

  • Eric Wallace, Manager of News and Media Relations

    • Current contact: Liesel Crosier, Associate Vice President of University Communication and Editorial Direction

Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences

  • Deborah Diaz, PT, MA, PhD, Director, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
  • Johanna Newman, DNAP, CRNA, Founding Nurse Anesthesiology Program Director

    • Current Contact: Jennifer McPherson, DNP, CRNA, CHSE, Program Director, Nurse Anesthesiology Program 
  • Thomas Newman, PhD, LAT, ATC, Assistant Professor of Biology/Health Sciences

    • Current Contact: Brian Miller, PhD, Program Director, Health Sciences
  • Sherry Roper, PhD, RN, Associate Professor, RN-to-BSN Program

    • Current Contact: Pam Dressler, DNP, RN, RN-BSN Program Director
  • Lisa Shoaf, PT, DPT, PhD, Dean 

Palmer College of Professional Studies

  • Joel Croichy, Learning Experience Designer (Online Programs)
  • Beth Easterling, PhD, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
  • JinYoung Kang, PhD, Assistant Professor of Business

    • Current Contact: Cathy “Cat” Ferris McPherson, ’78, MBA, Associate Dean, School of Business
  • Brianna Kurtz, PhD, Assistant Professor of Education
  • Angela Wilson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Education

    • Current Contact: Pam Bailey, PhD, Associate Dean, School of Education

Student Engagement

  • Destinee Greer, First Year Experience Advisor
  • Learie Nurse, PhD, Associate Vice President of Student Engagement

    • Current Contact: Ernest Jeffries, PhD, Vice President of Student Engagement 

Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership and MBU Band

  • CMS Gerald Johnson, Sr. Enlisted Advisor

    • Current Contact: Brig. Gen. Terry Djuric, USAF, Retired
  • Alex Ward, Percussion Instructor, MBU Band

    • Current Contact: Richard Adams, MBU Band Director