Faculty & staff news
Posted: April 13, 2026ATSU
Hailey Buesser was promoted to lead environmental service worker in Environmental Services.
Carlo Caroli, library technician II, A.T. Still Memorial Library, retired from the University after 17 years of
service.
Jamie Carroll, senior graphic artist, academic technologies, received the Missouri campus 2024 Distinguished Service Award at the annual ATSU employee recognition ceremony held in 2025.
Sarah Crossgrove, MBA, was named assistant vice chancellor of research & sponsored programs.
Brian Degenhardt, DO, assistant vice chancellor for osteopathic research, professor, and endowed chair for the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, A.T. Still Research Institute, received the 2025 Living Tribute Award from the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association.
Amy DeLeon, general accountant, finance, received the Missouri campus Employee Excellence Award for the third quarter of 2025.
Christopher Ferguson, analyst, administrative computing, information technology services development, received the Missouri campus Employee Excellence Award for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Justin Hodgkins was promoted to skilled general maintenance II of St. Louis plant operations.
Lane Kephart was promoted to HVAC mechanic in Maintenance.
Emma Long, MA, was promoted to museum registrar at the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dean Maag, manager, academic technologies, received the 2025 Distinguished Service Award from the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association.
Andrew Marble was promoted to senior biostatistician in Research Support.
Stephanie McGrew, DHSc, ’25, MHA, ’15, MPH, ’24, assistant director, diversity & inclusion, was selected to be a Department of Defense STEM ambassador. She traveled to Washington, D.C., to collaborate with other ambassadors and obtain resources to further STEM curriculum and education. Additionally, she was chosen as the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Field of STEM ambassador, which gives her the opportunity to speak at the NSTA national conference about ATSU’s Dreamline Pathways™
program.
Sara McVay, MBA, assistant director, payroll, human resources, received the Missouri campus Employee Excellence Award for the second quarter of 2025.
Kaylee Morgenstern, MBA, was named interim assistant vice chancellor of enrollment services.
Sara Seifert, MA, joined ATSU as director of campus safety. Seifert will be based on the Kirksville, Missouri, campus and will oversee safety and security for all ATSU campuses and locations.
Donna Sparks, director, admissions processing, admissions, retired from ATSU after 29 years of service.
Lisa Yount, MA, was promoted to human resources information systems analyst & auditor.
ATSU-ASDOH
Jean Brady, MA, RDH, instructor, dental hygiene, retired from ATSU-ASDOH in January.
Alyssa Esquer was promoted to inventory coordinator for on-site clinical education.
Yuli Gonzales, DMD, joined the School as a full-time prosthodontics faculty member.
Brandy Horak was promoted to clinic operations manager for orthodontic clinical education.
Dan Indech, DDS, joined the School as a full-time periodontics faculty member.
Erin Maruska, DMD, MPH, assistant professor, and Janet Woldt, PhD, MS, associate dean for student success, associate professor, received the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2025 Innovation in Teaching for Learning Award for their project titled “Innovative Approach to Professionalism and Ethics Education: AI Role-Playing.”
James Nelson was promoted to sterilization manager for on-site clinical education.
Melissa Nieves, MBA, was promoted to director of business operations & clinic analytics.
Jae Hyun Park, DMD, PhD, MSD, MS, professor and chair, postgraduate orthodontics, was honored with the 2025 Arthur A. Dugoni Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists. This award recognizes exceptional personal effort to advance the art and science of the orthodontic specialty and is given only under exceptional circumstances. Recipients must have at least 20 years’ experience in the practice of orthodontics and must exemplify a commitment to the pursuit of excellence and adherence to the highest ethical standards.
Craig Schwaderer was promoted to education specialist for preclinical education.
Rebecca Temp, DMD, was promoted to assistant professor for predoctoral instruction.
Devin Whipple joined the School as the business process analyst.
ATSU-ASHS
Jeffrey Andrion, PhD, associate professor, physical therapy, received the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2025 first runner-up Innovation in Teaching for Learning Award for the project titled “Embracing Vulnerability: The Art of Empathy.”
Curt Bay, PhD, professor and biostatistician, interdisciplinary health sciences, retired from the School after 19 years of service.
Jennifer Beal, MEd, assistant director, postprofessional physical therapy, received the Arizona and California campus Employee Excellence Award for the second quarter of 2025.
Rachel Geoghegan, DAT, MSHRD, assistant professor, athletic training, received the Teaching & Learning Center’s 2025 second runner-up Innovation in Teaching for Learning Award for the project titled “Empowering Learning: AI Tutors for Flexible and Engaging Online Learning.”
Rashida Grayson, department manager, physician assistant studies, received the Arizona campus Employee Excellence Award for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Kellie C. Huxel Bliven, PhD, ATC, FNAP, professor, chair of interdisciplinary health sciences, and director of clinical anatomy, completed the Teaching & Learning Center’s Level Up! certificate program, becoming an ATSU-certified health sciences educator.
Sunna Khokhar, clinical student liaison, physician assistant studies, received the Arizona and California campus Employee Excellence Award for the third quarter of 2025.
Zarin Mehta, PhD, CCC-A, FAAA, associate professor, audiology and speech-language pathology, was named a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Audiology, one of the profession’s highest honors.
Marlene Salas-Provance, PhD, MHA, MA, CCC-SLP, FNAP, FASHA, vice dean and professor, was elected to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Board of Directors as vice president for planning. She will serve as liaison to three boards, including the Multicultural Issues Board, International Issues Board, and Financial Planning Board.
Kimberly Skinner, AuD, PhD, associate professor, audiology, completed the Teaching & Learning Center’s Level Up! certificate program, becoming an ATSU-certified health sciences educator.
Amy J. Spies, PhD, assistant professor, clinical anatomy, interdisciplinary health sciences, earned board certification as a diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA), the field’s highest recognized professional credential. By earning this D-ABFA credential, Dr. Spies joins fewer than 200 professionals who have achieved this distinction since the ABFA’s founding in 1977.
Victoria Smith, PA-C, was promoted to assistant professor in the Physician Assistant Studies department.
Tamara Valovich McLeod, PhD, ATC, FNATA, FNAK, FNAP, professor and chair, athletic training, completed the Teaching & Learning Center’s Level Up! certificate program, becoming an ATSU-certified health sciences educator.
Malathy Venkatesh, PhD, CCCSLP, assistant professor, speech-language pathology, received the 2025 Marilyn Quintana Moline Mentorship Award from the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
ATSU-CGHS
Lihua Dishman, DBA, MBA, FACHE, professor, health administration, was elected to another one-year term as chair of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters’ Health and Human Services section.
John Fick, EdD, MS, FACHE, professor, health administration, was elected to another one-year term as vice chair of Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters’ Health and Human Services section. Dr. Fick was recertified as a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and was re-elected to serve a two-year term as a member at large on the Midwest Chapter of the ACHE board of directors. Additionally, he was appointed to serve on the Association of University Programs in Health Administration’s (AUPHA) Gary L. Filerman Prize for Educational Leadership Selection Committee for 2025-26, as well as on an AUPHA certification review team.
Julie Frantsve-Hawley, PhD, CAE, joined the College’s Public Health department as an assistant professor. Additionally, Dr. Frantsve-Hawley served on the American Association of Dental Educators and Journalists’ stakeholder panel, which released guidance on generative artificial intelligence use in dental
publishing.
Jolynn Gardner, PhD, CHES, associate dean of academics, assessment & curricular innovation, associate professor, was accepted to a global health leadership program offered by In-Sight Collaborative. The program focuses on development of an accompaniment model of humanitarian work.
E. LaVerne Manos, DNP, MS, NI-BC, FAMIA, joined the College as chair of the Health Administration & Nursing department. Dr. Manos has more than 14 years’ experience managing graduate nursing and health programs. She is nationally recognized for advancing accreditation standards, fostering faculty development, and driving student success in online and hybrid learning environments.
Sue McDaniel, MS, instructional designer, received the 2024 ATSU-CGHS Adjunct of the Year award at the annual ATSU employee recognition ceremony held in 2025.
Patrick Palmieri, DHSc, EdS, MBA, MSN, ACNP, RN, adjunct faculty, health sciences, was seated as a member of Florence Nightingale International Nursing Foundation’s board of directors, which is affiliated with the International Council of Nurses.
Jason Salas, MAEd, instructional designer, received the 2024 ATSU-CGHS Outstanding Employee Award at the annual ATSU employee recognition ceremony held in 2025.
ATSU-KCOM
Sara Funk, DPT, assistant professor, anatomy, received the 2024 A.T. Still Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching at the annual ATSU employee recognition ceremony held in 2025.
Timothy Geisbuhler, PhD, associate professor, physiology, retired from the College after 34 years of service.
Richard J. LaBaere II, DO, MPH, FAODME, associate dean, graduate medical education, received the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners’ (NBOME) Santucci Award, the organization’s highest honor. The Santucci Award is presented to members of NBOME’s board, staff, or committees with 10 or more years of service in recognition of outstanding contributions to the organization’s mission.
Patricia Sexton, DHEd, MS, FNAOME, ’08, associate dean of medical education, professor of family medicine, served as the Holt Distinguished Lecturer in Professionalism in Ethics as part of the Humanism in Medicine Symposium at University of the Incarnate Word. Dr. Sexton’s talk was titled “The Healing Touch: Humanism in Medicine Today.”
Margaret Wilson, DO, ’82, dean and professor, family medicine, was named Osteopathic Family Physician of the Year by the Missouri Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (MSACOFP). As MSACOFP’s most prestigious honor, this award recognizes an osteopathic family physician who has exemplified the principles of osteopathic family medicine and has achieved outstanding accomplishments and service for the betterment of the profession. Dr. Wilson was nominated for her Missouri roots and dedication to serving her patients and community, locally and beyond.
ATSU-MOSDOH
Marsela Aliaj, MS, was promoted to clinical system analyst at the St. Louis Dental Center.
Sara Bullock, MHA, project manager, accreditation, received the 2024 ATSU-MOSDOH Elsie Gaber Compassion & Integrity Award at the annual ATSU employee recognition ceremony held in 2025.
Brenda Burns was promoted to lead sterilization technician at the St. Louis Dental Center.
Sahaja Gannamaneni was promoted to education manager at the St. Louis Dental Center.
Hanan Omar, BDS, PhD, MSc, professor, was named associate dean of academic affairs & research. Additionally, Dr. Omar received the 2024 ATSU-MOSDOH Elsie Gaber Compassion & Integrity Award
at the annual ATSU employee recognition ceremony held in 2025.
Adepitan Owosho, BChD, DABOMP, FAAOMP, FAAOM, professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology and oral medicine, specialty care unit director for oral medicine, dental oncology, and urgent care, was inducted as a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Nigeria. Additionally, he served as the distinguished guest speaker for the 27th annual Shepard Lectureship at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Shaista Rashid, BDS, MS, MPH, associate professor, was named assistant dean of clinical affairs.
Kneka P. Smith, EdD, MPH, ’19, was named dean of ATSU-MOSDOH, effective June 22, 2026. Dr. Smith returns to ATSU from MaineHealth in Portland, Maine, where she has served as vice president for academic affairs since 2021. An accomplished leader and former dental director for the state of Arizona, Dr. Smith’s extensive background includes senior academic roles at the ATSU-KCOM, ATSU-MOSDOH, and University of New England College of Dental Medicine. Her deep roots with ATSU also include serving as associate dean for education and as a member of the inaugural leadership team at ATSU-ASDOH.
Dr. Smith earned her doctor of education in health professions education from ATSU-CGHS in 2019, and her master of public health in health policy and administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2006. Additionally, she currently holds a faculty appointment in public health and community medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine.
Danielle Williams was promoted to clinic care education manager for the Clinical Education department.
ATSU-SOMA
Andrew Grass, PhD, associate professor, was named chair of the Anatomy department.
Catherine Patrick, DO, clinical assistant professor and regional director of medical education, joined Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers (WMCHC) in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, as a primary care provider and associate program director of WMCHC’s Family Medicine Residency program.