Faculty

Amanda Fields is an Associate Professor of Biology in the School of Arts and Sciences with an office located at the Ottawa, Kansas, campus. She received her BA in biology from Ottawa University, her MS in biology from the University of Nebraska, and her DBA from Ottawa University. Her research at Nebraska focused on potential transmitters of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, specifically currency as a potential vector. Her DBA research project focused on how active learning strategies in an introductory biology classroom affected student performance and retention.

Amanda has been teaching at Ottawa University since 2012 and has taught various classes including Principles of Biology, Medical Terminology, Genetics, Developmental Biology Lab, Environmental Literature, Orientation to the Academy, Introduction to Nutrition, Microbiology Lab, and General Biology Lab. In 2023, Amanda was awarded the Faculty Teaching Award for exceptional engagement of students and learning and innovative pedagogy.

Dr. Kevin Marét is the President of the Professional and Online Campuses at Ottawa University. In addition to his duties as President, Marét conducts the University Wind Ensemble and teaches various music courses as the Associate Professor of Music. Previously, Dr. Marét served as the Dean of Arts and Sciences, Chair of the Creative Arts Division, the Interim Academic Dean at the Ottawa Campus, and the Academic Dean for OU Online. Dr. Marét served as the Fine Arts Coordinator for the Topeka Public School District, taught band in Missouri, instructed courses at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, was adjunct faculty at Grace University, Northwest Missouri State University, and was the Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Percussion Studies at McKendree University. His performance credits include the "United States Air Force Heartland of America Band" at Offutt AFB, Principal Percussionist with the Sioux City Symphony, and regular performances with the Kansas City, Omaha, and Lincoln Symphonies. His military band Sidewinder has performed on "The Ellen Show", "Entertainment Tonight”, "Fox and Friends”, and at the White House. Marét has performed with Placido Domingo, Patti LuPone, Idina Menzel, and Tommy Tune. His compositions can be heard in commercials, movie trailers, and television shows.

Dr. Marét holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Northwest Missouri State University, a Master of Music Education Degree, and a Doctorate in Musical Arts - Percussion Performance Degree from the Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Demetrius Anderson is a Licensed Social Worker and Professional Counselor with more than 25 years of experience in the human services field. He brings extensive expertise in social work, counseling, quality assurance, and higher education to Ottawa University’s Human Services Program. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (Bachelor of Social Work) and Lakeland University (Master of Arts in Counseling), Demetrius has dedicated his career to strengthening human service systems and improving outcomes for individuals, families, and communities throughout Wisconsin.

Throughout his career, Demetrius has been committed to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of behavioral health and human service programs. His background in quality assurance has provided him with extensive experience in program evaluation, compliance, continuous quality improvement, and the implementation of best practices. He also serves as a Peer Reviewer for the Council on Accreditation (COA), partnering with agencies across the country to evaluate programs and support the implementation of nationally recognized standards for clinical and social services.

Demetrius has worked with diverse populations across a broad range of human service settings, addressing complex social, behavioral, and mental health challenges. His empathetic, culturally responsive approach enables him to build meaningful relationships with individuals from all backgrounds. He believes every person possesses the capacity for growth, resilience, and positive change. Whether conducting program reviews, providing technical assistance, or teaching in the classroom, he emphasizes a person-centered approach that encourages lifelong learning and professional development.

As an Adjunct Instructor, Demetrius is passionate about preparing the next generation of human service professionals. He enjoys connecting classroom concepts with real-world practice, helping students understand the complexities of today’s social issues while fostering critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and professional excellence. His enthusiasm for teaching reflects his commitment to mentoring future leaders in the field.

Demetrius is known for his balanced approach to leadership—combining compassion, accountability, and high expectations. He believes effective advocacy requires both empathy and professional standards, creating environments where individuals feel supported while being challenged to achieve their full potential. Colleagues value his integrity, collaborative leadership style, and ability to navigate complex situations with professionalism and sound judgment.

Driven by a strong sense of purpose and service, Demetrius remains committed to advancing the human services profession through education, quality improvement, and leadership. His diverse experience in social work, counseling, and organizational excellence allows him to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the individuals, organizations, and communities he serves.

Dr. Usman Anjum joined Ottawa University in Surprise, Arizona, in July 2025 as an Associate Professor of Computer and Data Science. He has previously worked as a Research Associate at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, the University of Cincinnati, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

He holds a Ph.D. in Information Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master’s in Telecommunications from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor’s in Electronics Engineering from the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology. He is also a recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship.

Dr. Anjum has also held various academic and industry positions, including Executive Engineer at Siemens AG (2004–08), Executive Engineer at Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG (2008–09), Research Assistant at the University of Maryland (2010), Business Development Manager at Novateur Pvt. Ltd. (2012–14), and Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant at the University of Pittsburgh (2014–21). 

His expertise and research interest lies in AI, data science, machine and deep learning, and telecommunications.

Dr. Demelash Areda has been with Ottawa University, residential Campus in Surprise, Arizona since 2019. Prior to joining Ottawa University, Dr. Areda was a faculty member at Minnesota State University and Grand Canyon University. He is a broadly trained educator and researcher with several years of professional experiences in academia and industries. His areas of expertise include epidemiology, microbiology, public health, food safety, preventive medicine and veterinary medicine.

He is ACUE-credentialed faculty in effective college instruction program offered by the Association of Colleges and University Educators and the American Council on Education (ACUE-ACE).  He has worked and taught at various Universities and Colleges including Ottawa University, Minnesota State University, Arizona State University, Bryan University, Grand Canyon University, and Maricopa Community colleges.  He was a visiting scientist at Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (SMI/Karolinska Institute, Sweden)-Tuberculosis Laboratory; World Health organization (WHO) designated center for TB research and diagnosis. He has also attended and completed post-graduate and advanced professional trainings at various Universities including University of Minnesota, Harvard University, University of Arizona, and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.

Dr. Areda has also served as Subject Matter Expert (SME)-designed and developed course curricula) for various courses including General Biology (General BIO181L), Biostatistics for public health II (MPH 535) and Analytical Tools I (R statistical computing) (MAP 545), as well as Peer Reviewer for Microbiology-BIO205L curriculum, program review committee member for Pre-Physical Therapy program, Content Expert-Doctoral Thesis, and Lead faculty for  Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).

He has widely published scientific articles on peer reviewed journals and book chapters in the areas of epidemiology of infectious and zoonotic diseases. He has also served a scientific reviewer for several (over 14) peer-reviewed scholarly journals and editorial board member for two. He has served as grand award judge for International Science and Engineering Fair and currently Co-chair of Microbiology Judging category of Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2021.

He is a recipient of several fellowships awards including United Nations-Sustainable development goals (UN-SDG)-Open Pedagogy Faculty fellowship, Association of Colleges and University Educators (ACUE)- Effective Teaching Practice fellowship, American Society for Microbiology (ASM)-Science Teaching Fellowship (STF), American Society for Microbiology-Scientific Writing and Publishing Institute (SWPI) fellowship. His areas of research interest mainly include epidemiology, biostatistics/data analytics, microbiology and one Health. Concurrently, he has also developed an interest in research focusing on evaluation and implementation of effective classroom teaching, classroom assessment techniques, active student learning and integration of art methodologies in learning biology.  

He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Food Safety from Norwegian University of Life Sciences/NMBU (Oslo, Norway), Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine (MPVM) from University of California, Davis; Master of Public Health (MPH) from Grand Canyon University; and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from Addis Ababa University. He was also a postdoctoral scientist at the University of Arizona, working on NIH funded research grant aimed at elucidating mechanisms of host immune system evasion by Francisella tularensis.

In his spare time, he likes hiking, reading and volunteering at local church, community organizations and Habitat for Humanity.

Melinda Arnett is an Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Physiology in the School of Arts & Sciences. She has a joint appointment with the Physician Assistant Studies program at the Professional and Online campus in Overland Park, Kansas, and Biology in the School of Arts and Sciences located at the Ottawa, Kansas, campus. She received her BA in biology from Missouri State University, and her PhD from the University of Kansas Medical Center. She also completed two postdoctoral fellowships at Vanderbilt University Children’s Hospital and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Her research focused on the genetic mechanisms underlying the manifestation of lifelong psychiatric disorders following early-life stress. Melinda has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Eastern Kentucky University, University of Cincinnati, Miami University, University of Kansas, Vanderbilt University, and Rockhurst University. She has been teaching at Ottawa University since 2026 and teaches courses in Anatomy & Physiology.

Dr. Gayani Balasuriya is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Ottawa University, Kansas, and previously served as a Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant at Texas Tech University. Her research focuses on Primal-Dual Weak Galerkin Finite Element Methods, biomathematics, and graph theory.

Born and raised in Sri Lanka, a country known for its lush landscapes, rich culture, and warm communities, Dr. Balasuriya is passionate about making mathematics engaging and accessible. She delights in helping students discover the beauty and creativity within the subject.

Outside the classroom, she enjoys playing chess, drawing, knitting, and capturing the world through photography.

She earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, in 2022; M.S. in Mathematics from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, in 2019; and B.Sc. (Hons) in Mathematics from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, in 2016.

Dr. Steven Boese grew up on a small family farm (dairy, crop and stock) in rural South Dakota. This rural upbringing has continued to influence his values and goals in the areas of sustainability and food security. Steven received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in biology and minors in chemistry and geology from the University of Minnesota - Morris. After receiving a Master of Science degree in Forestry from the University of Missouri - Columbia, he spent 5 months in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire at that time) with Habitat for Humanity and African Inter Mennonite Missions. He then obtained a PhD in Plant Sciences from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. Dr. Boese has post-doctorate experience at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research in Ithaca, NY, and the Fruit and Vegetable Crops Department, Cornell University where he worked with global climate change research (before climate research became popular).

Dr. Boese joined Ottawa University Biology Department in August of 2007, teaching a wide range of biology courses at the organismal and higher levels of organization. Additionally, Dr. Boese teaches an interdisciplinary course on hunger issues and has co-taught an interdisciplinary course on disaster response, planning and assessment.

Along with sailing, gardening and woodworking, Dr. Boese is very active in community outreach. He has volunteered with the American Red Cross for local fire and disaster response, volunteered with OYAA and Imagine Art youth art clubs, presented numerous “Science Saturdays” at the community library, provided after-school programs, and worked with scouting groups for badges. Dr. Boese spearheaded the Math and Science Showcase effort that has brought several hundred area high school students to campus and has worked with the local school district to provide science enrichment for the middle school gifted program.

Dr. Bambi Burgard was named the Campus President for OUKS beginning June 1, 2024.

In addition to serving as the Campus President, Dr. Burgard maintains a small private practice as a provider at Behavioral Health Specialists. She helped introduce the counseling program at the University’s Kansas City campus, and taught courses for OU Online.

Dr. Burgard earned her PhD in counseling psychology at University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she was awarded the Kemper post-doctoral fellowship. Her graduate training included practicum experiences at Children’s Mercy Hospital, the VA Medical Center, a community mental health agency, and the university counseling center. Her APA-approved predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship were completed at University of Missouri-Kansas City’s counseling center.

Following the completion of her doctoral degree in 1999, Dr. Burgard began working in administrative roles and teaching undergraduate psychology courses at Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI). She served as executive vice president for academic affairs at KCAI from 2012-2022 before joining Ottawa University in 2023. Dr. Burgard is a member of the Kansas Psychological Association.

Ruth Burkhart, DNP, MA, RN- BC, LPCC. Ruth holds a doctorate degree in nursing (doctor of nursing practice), a master’s degree in nursing administration, and a master of arts degree in counseling. She is licensed as a Registered Nurse and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, and is a certified psychiatric/mental health nurse by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Dr. Burkhart’s professional background includes psychiatric nursing, counseling, nursing and health care administration, staff development, education, and conference speaker. Dr. Burkhart’s experience as an educator includes a three-year college/university teaching assignment in East Africa and as nursing faculty in the United States since 2007, teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels of education, and holding combined administrative and educator positions for part of that time. Dr. Burkhart was faculty at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico for several years, and currently is in the position of Director of Nursing and Associate Professor of Nursing Ottawa University, Overland Park, Kansas, campus.

Dr. Burkhart has had several professional appointments to local, state, national and international councils and coalitions, including a past appointment to the New Mexico Governor’s Mental Health Planning Council, and a two-year appointment to the Council of an international university in East Africa. She is a past White House appointee as Native American Representative to the Binational Substance Abuse Coalition (US/Mexico border). Dr. Burkhart’s public speaking experience is in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, and cultural competency. She has been a faculty advisor of the Student Nurses Association, a Sigma Theta Tau and Pi Omega (international nursing honor society) board member, member of the American Nurses Association, past president of District 14 and state board member of the New Mexico Nurses Association, member of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), and co-founder and faculty advisor for NAMI on Campus New Mexico State University (NMSU). She was a participant in New Mexico’s health care reform initiative, Health System Innovation, and regional implementation with this initiative through the Dona Ana Wellness Institute. Most recently, she was appointed to the Kansas State Board of Nursing in 2023.

Dr. Burkhart has had several professional appointments to local, state, national and international councils and coalitions, including a past appointment to the New Mexico Governor’s Mental Health Planning Council, and a two-year appointment to the Council of an international university in East Africa. She is a past White House appointee as Native American Representative to the Binational Substance Abuse Coalition (US/Mexico border). Dr. Burkhart’s public speaking experience is in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, and cultural competency. She has been a faculty advisor of the Student Nurses Association, a Sigma Theta Tau and Pi Omega (international nursing honor society) board member, member of the American Nurses Association, member of the New Mexico Native American Indian Nursing Association (NMNAINA), past president of District 14 and state board member of the New Mexico Nurses Association, member of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), and co-founder and faculty advisor for NAMI on Campus New Mexico State University (NMSU). She was a recent participant in New Mexico’s health care reform initiative, Health System Innovation, and regional implementation with this initiative through the Dona Ana Wellness Institute.

Lauren Curtright is an Associate Professor of English. Prior to joining Ottawa University in Surprise, Arizona in 2023, she was a member of the English faculty of Georgia State University’s Perimeter College and a Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She directed the University System of Georgia’s summer study abroad program in Paris, France in 2022 and 2023, and she taught literature and film courses in the USG’s summer program in Madrid, Spain in 2018 and its summer program in Paris in 2016 and 2019. Her scholarly publications include articles on Dorothy Richardson’s film writing, Edgar Allan Poe’s relationship with photography, and Mark Twain’s constructions of genealogy and race. She co-edited the book Sustainability and the City: Urban Poetics and Politics (Rowman & Littlefield’s Lexington Books, 2017) with Doris Bremm. She worked with a team to revise the open-source textbook Successful College Composition with a grant from Affordable Learning Georgia. Dr. Curtright has presented at many conferences including those held by the Modern Language Association, the International Gothic Association, the Nineteenth-Century Studies Association, Interdisciplinary Nineteenth-Century Studies, the Poe Studies Association, and the Nagoya American Studies Summer Seminars.

Dr. Curtright completed her PhD in English at the University of Minnesota focusing on cultural theory, film studies, and American literature. Before earning her MA in English from Indiana University, she was a valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida, where she majored in English, minored in anthropology, and participated in study abroad in Yucatán, Mexico.

Dr. Yana Dashevsky is the Associate Professor of Biology at OUAZ. She joined Ottawa University full time in 2018 at the opening of the Surprise campus in Arizona after having been an adjunct faculty for nearly 16 years.

Dr. Yana completed her bachelor’s degree in Biology graduated magna cum laude from Western New England University. She earned her doctorate degree from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, the only medical school in the country that combines conventional as well as holistic medicine curriculum. After completion of a two-year residency program in internal medicine, Dr. Yana focused on private practice and teaching. During her teaching experience, she was honored to be invited as a guest lecturer by many colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. Dr. Yana has extensive experience in course and curriculum development, as well as in academic advising and student mentoring.

Dr. Yana teaches general biology, microbiology, medical terminology, genetics, and human physiology. She is excited to share her knowledge and expertise with all of her students. In her classrooms, Dr. Yana strives to create a challenging, yet comfortable environment where each and every student has an opportunity to embark on a journey of personal growth and academic exploration.

Dr. DeWitt previously held a faculty position at Colorado Christian University in Northglenn, Colorado, where she served as a professor and the director of their RN-BSN program since 2008 . Dr. DeWitt has more than 20 years of experience in medical-surgical nursing, critical-care nursing, administration, nursing research, and nursing education. She is also active in the Nurses Christian Fellowship; the Arizona Nurses Association where she serves as a Peer Reviewer of Continuing Education; the Arizona League for Nursing as the Conference Planning Chairperson; the Arizona Organization of Nurse Executives as an education committee member; Sigma Theta Tau International; and has co-authored a book chapter in Teaching in Nursing.

Shannon Dyer is an associate professor of communication serving on the faculty at Ottawa University since 2005. She served as chair of the communication studies division for the residential campus in Kansas from 2005-2015. Prior to joining OU, Dyer served as a summer program instructor at Yale University and Northwestern University and has taught courses for Cornell University, Northwestern University, Loyola University of Chicago, and Lake Forest College. Her current projects include authoring and co-authoring web-based, open-source communication textbooks and conflict management program development.

Dyer completed her PhD in communication at Northwestern University. Her work with a top trial consulting firm in Chicago lead to her research on persuasion in juries and influence in groups.  She earned a Master of Science in Communication from Cornell University, and she has a B.A with majors in communication, psychology, art, and Spanish from Southwest Baptist University. Dyer coached five national championship teams for both Pi Kappa Delta and one for Delta Sigma Rho. PKD and DSR are national honor societies in speech and debate.  As an undergraduate competitor, Dyer’s team went undefeated for four years, including defending the PKD title for all four years.  Her award-winning undergraduate speeches were featured as examples in two speech textbooks.

Dr. Nikhila earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Physics from the Honors School of Panjab University, India. In 2015, she qualified the National Eligibility Test (NET-JRF) with All-India Rank of 31 and scored in the 95.34 percentile on the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). These achievements paved the way for her doctoral studies in High Energy Physics (Phenomenology) at Panjab University.

During her PhD journey, Dr. Nikhila published several research articles focused on mixing and mass matrices—mathematical frameworks that describe the structure and behavior of fundamental particles, particularly in their interactions and evolution over time. She was awarded her doctorate in December 2022.

Originally from Himachal Pradesh, a scenic state nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Dr. Nikhila enjoys a rich life beyond academia. Her interests include cooking Indian cuisine, playing volleyball, practicing yoga, and spending quality time with her family.

In August 2025, Dr. Nikhila joined Ottawa University, where she teaches a diverse array of Physics and Engineering courses.

Brianne Fulton Miller, Associate Professor of Art, is the Lead Faculty member for the art department at Ottawa University.  She received her A.A. with a concentration in art from Cottey College, her B.F.A. (photography) from Truman State University and her M.F.A. (ceramics) from Fort Hays State University. Professor Fulton Miller has taught since 2009, serving as Department Coordinator of the art department of Cottey College, as an Art Instructor at Crowder College for two years, and as a graduate teaching assistant at Fort Hays State University. Professionally, Brianne has exhibited her work in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New York, and Wyoming, and has a piece in the permanent collection of the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in Jingdezhen, China.  Brianne is currently the regional liaison for the Kansas Artists and Craftsmen Association, has been a featured panelist for the Arts Council of Johnson County’s SmArt Exchange series, and has juried several art competitions for professional and student arts organizations.  She is excited to engage with students at Ottawa University, and always looks forward to helping her students to achieve their own definitions of success.

Dr. Alaia Pilar Galiana-Abal is a French-educated clinical psychologist specializing in forensic neuropsychology. She teaches Psychology courses at OUKS where she is the Lead Faculty for the Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology, a new major that she has recently designed.

Dr. Galiana-Abal’s initial academic training started as social anthropologist studying Pakistani and North Indian rites of passage, and as a linguist specializing in South-East Asian languages. As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Galiana-Abal has been actively working as a consulting forensic psychologist and behavioral analyst in forensic and criminal cases involving violent crime, terrorist attacks, organizing crisis interventions and psychologically assessing perpetrators and survivors. In France, Dr. Galiana-Abal acquired solid experience working as a clinical neuropsychologist in both private practice and rehabilitation facilities dedicated to brain injury survivors. In this clinical context, she created a psychotherapy method (“Narrative Expressive Therapy”) that combines art-therapy, narrative therapy and psychodrama that has proven efficient in terms of enhancing acquired executive function, working memory and autobiographical memory deficits. Dr. Galiana-Abal has an extensive international experience working with clients of culturally diverse backgrounds (tribal, refugees and migrant patients) and with members of the LGBTQIA community, with a particular emphasis in supporting clients with transgender identities during the sex reassignment process.

Some of her main publications involve:

• PLANCHE, N., GALIANA y ABAL, P., JOUVENCEL (de), M. (2015). Can we identify clinical features in transgender patients in the process of sex reassignment? (Quelles sont les composantes cliniques du transsexualisme ? A propos de 212 cas de demandeurs de réassignation sexuelle) Médecine Légale du Vivant), 5-6, vol. 58, 1-1.
• GALIANA y ABAL, P. (2012).  Divine Transferences. Potentially Therapeutic Aspects of Ritual Offerings in the Rite of Darśan (Transferts vers le divin. Aspects potentiellement thérapeutiques de l‘offrande florale dans la pratique du darśan). Journal des Anthropologies. 123-124, 139-160.
•  GALIANA y ABAL, P. (2009). When God Heals…Darśan as a therapy? In Sébastia, B., Restoring Mental Health in India, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 97-124.

Teaching Interests:

• PSY 30153  Theories of personality
• PSY 31354 Physiological Psychology
• PSY 30353  Psychopathology
• PSY 37010  Culture, Gender & Psychopathology
• PSY 37037 Ethics in Psychology
• PSY 37020 Neuropsychology
• PSY 37021 TBI, Cognitive & Behavioral Disorders
• PSY 37002 Criminal Psychology
• PSY 49010 Advanced Criminal Psychopathology
• PSY/SOC 20253 Gender & Sexuality
• PSY 37040 Psychology and the Law
• PSY 37001 Psychology of Terrorism
• PSY 37000 Criminal Profiling

Research Interests:
Dr. Galiana-Abal’s main research focuses on 1) the psychological processes triggered by devotional ritual performance, 2) the emergence of religious experiences and psychotic-like stages secondary to acquired brain injuries, 3) the culturally-related therapeutic processes in diverse populations, and 4) violent acting outs and their potential correlation with neuropsychological disorders.

Prior to joining Ottawa University, Dr. Paul Ginsberg worked as a postdoctoral fellow for the Center for Genomics at the University of Kansas. There, he investigated evolution and population dynamics of chromosomal evolution using genomic and cytogenetic approaches in Drosophila (fruit flies). He completed his PhD at the University of Georgia in 2022, and his Bachelor of Science at the University of California, Davis in 2014. Dr. Ginsberg has broad interest in wildlife biology, ecology, evolutionary genetics, molecular genetics, and speciation (the process of one evolutionary lineage becoming two independent lineages). 

In his spare time he enjoys reading, collecting flies, cooking, hiking and camping.

Andrew Hazucha is Professor of English and chair of the Arts and Humanities division at Ottawa University.  A scholar of eighteenth-century British literature, he also regularly teaches interdisciplinary team-taught courses on Irish and Scottish literature, and he has taken groups of Ottawa students to Ireland and Scotland’s Orkney Islands on eight separate occasions.  He has written over a dozen articles on topics as various as William Wordsworth, Nelson Algren, Conor McPherson, the 1977 Chicago L-train crash, and the poetry of former Kansas City Royals pitcher Dan Quisenberry.  His essay entitled “The Subplot as A-Plot: The Function of Baseball in Yoko Ogawa’s The Housekeeper and the Professor” is due to appear in the Spring/Summer 2019 issue of Aethlon.

Hazucha organizes the annual Baseball in Literature and Culture conference hosted by Ottawa University and is the co-editor, with Gerald C. Wood, of the volume Northsiders: Essays on the History and Culture of the Chicago Cubs (McFarland Press, 2008).

Megan Kelly DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC serves as the BSN Clinical and Practicum Coordinator at Ottawa University.  She is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with more than 13 years of nursing experience spanning acute psychiatric care, outpatient mental health treatment, nursing education, and clinical leadership.  In her current role, Dr. Kelly coordinates clinical experiences, develops partnerships with healthcare organizations, and works closely with students and faculty to support meaningful clinical learning opportunities.

Dr. Kelly is passionate about preparing the next generation of nurses through evidence-based education, hands-on learning, and student mentorship.  Her professional interests include examining the impacts of nurse burnout on patient care, mental health treatment, clinical education, and case management care.

Dr. Lancaster's professional background includes emergency and acute care nursing, education leadership, and teaching. She has been a nurse for almost twenty years, with the last six years devoted to education. Her doctoral concentration was Executive Leadership, with her project focus on implementing practice change in a rural clinic for the poor and underserved. Dr. Lancaster's experience as an educator includes roles in leadership as Associate Dean and instructor for ADN and BSN programs before joining the nursing team at Ottawa University. 

Mahsa Maghsoudi is an Assistant Professor and the Kansas Counseling Program Director in the School of Arts and Sciences with an office located at the Overland Park, Kansas, campus. She received her B.A. in Counseling and Guidance from Allameh Tabatabaei University, her M.S. in Counseling from the University of North Texas, and her Ph.D. from University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research examines practical approaches to enhance counselor educators and clinical supervisors’ competence focused on education and supervision of counselors-in-training regarding serving underrepresented and marginalized populations.

Mahsa has been teaching at Ottawa University since 2026 and has taught various classes including the Enneagram Personality in Counseling, Identities and Experiences, Techniques of Counseling, Practicum and Internship, Foundations of Counseling, Group Counseling, and Counseling Theories. Mahsa has served as an Initial Reader/Consultant for the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, and has severed on the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board’s Professional Counseling Advisory Committee, in addition to chairing several committees of the American Counseling Association and the Kansas Counseling Association.

Dr. Patricia A. Marsh is the Associate Professor of Psychology. She joined the Ottawa University Surprise, AZ campus in the Fall of 2021.

Dr. Marsh completed her BS degree in Psychology and minor in Biology at DePaul University (Chicago, IL).  She then earned her MS degree in Psychology and a PhD in Social & Personality Psychology both from Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS).

Since the Spring of 1999, Dr. Marsh has been an Instructor, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor of Psychology at several institutions in Kansas and Missouri before moving to Arizona, such as Highland Community College (Wamego, KS campus), Manhattan Area Technical College (KS), Kansas State University (K-State) night program, Missouri Western State University, University of Central Missouri (UG and GR programs), and Park University (Parkville, MO).

Throughout her career, she taught ~17 different content courses, most are in psychology.  She has been an invited Trainer (e.g., research methodology) for a Tactical Psychological Operations Company for the U.S. Army Reserves and an Invited Keynote Speaker at the Northwest Summit for Teaching Senior Capstone, St. Martin’s University, Lacey, WA. She has mentored students on approximately 100 research projects (e.g., presentations, honors, independent studies, and theses). Dr. Marsh has also been an Assistant Director for the Office of Assessment (student learning) at K-State.  Before coming to OUAZ, she worked for five years as the Senior Data Analyst for the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University.

Dr. Marsh teaches general psychology, social psychology, theories of personality, physiological psychology, research design and analysis, psychopathology, history and systems of psychology, and the in-person psychology capstone, along with the mathematics (MAT) version of Introduction to Statistics.

An inspirational quote: “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a NEW DREAM” C. S. Lewis

Prof. Jack McMorris was named Assistant Professor of Engineering at the Surprise Campus of Ottawa University in 2024. McMorris graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Engineering in 2022 and Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Business Administration in 2022 both from Ottawa University. He was awarded a M.S. in Electrical Engineering with Distinction from UHI Perth in 2025. McMorris has a passion for teaching and instructing students especially in electrical engineering courses and laboratories. His role in conducting professional engineering research in order to develop the electrical engineering course curriculum distinguishes his academic career and success.

McMorris’ graduate research focused on microgrid technology, with a particular emphasis on the use of Artificial Intelligence. His work explored how AI could be integrated into existing grid systems to forecast demand and predict potential system failures by analyzing both real-time and historical data. Since starting his teaching career in 2022, McMorris has demonstrated a strong passion for preparing engineering students for their respective careers, ensuring that student professional development is an integral part of his teaching and the curriculum.

Dr. Karen Ohnesorge is currently the Dean of The School of Arts & Sciences, Dean of Instruction at The College and professor of English.  She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee, both with highest honors.  She earned her master’s in English-creative writing from New York University and her doctorate in English from the University of Kansas.

She has served as adjunct instructor for Neosho County Community College Extension in Ottawa, Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Mass. and Johnson County Community College.

Dr. Ohnesorge’s past experience involves assistant editor for the American Art Review, director for the Academic Achievement Center in Ottawa, project assistant and support services coordinator for Supportive Educational Services/Student Support Services at the University of Kansas, project coordinator for TRIO Dissemination Partnership & Dean’s Scholars Program and associate director of Academic Programs for Excellence at the University of Kansas, and director of the Center for Excellence at OU.

Dr. Ohnesorge has extensive published works, has conducted several conference presentations, and holds many honors including OU’s College Class of 1966 Award from the Senior Class for having “changed lives and challenged students to achieve.”

Andrew Potter joined Ottawa University Surprise in January of 2021 as a member of the communication department. As of 2024, he serves as the Department Chair of Communication Studies and the Assistant Coach of the Forensics team. From 2022 to 2024 he served as the Disability Services Coordinator for the Surprise campus. 

Andrew has been teaching in higher education since 2017 as an adjunct faculty for Front Range Community College and Grand Canyon University. In 2012, he received his bachelor's degree in history from New Mexico State University. After receiving his bachelor's Degree, he spent a year teaching English in Beijing, China where he fell in love with teaching and pursued a career in higher education. In 2015 he returned to NMSU to pursue a degree in Communication studies. He received his Master of Arts in Communication Studies in 2017 and earned the Blaine Goss Teaching Award for his work as a graduate assistant.

Mahesh Ranpati Dewage is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Ottawa University’s residential campus in Surprise, Arizona, since July 2025. Prior to joining Ottawa University, he served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant at the University of Texas at Dallas, a Teaching Assistant at Western Illinois University, an Adjunct Mathematics Faculty at the American College of Higher Education, and a Demonstrator/Temporary Lecturer in the Department of Physics at the University of Kelaniya. He earned his PhD in Mathematics in 2025 from the University of Texas at Dallas, where he also completed an MS in Mathematics with a Data Science specialization and a Graduate Certificate in Data Science in 2023. He holds an MS in Mathematics from Western Illinois University (2019) and a BSc in Mathematical Physics from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (2015).

Dr. Ranpati Dewage has taught a wide range of undergraduate mathematics courses, including Discrete Mathematics, Calculus I–III, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Probability, and Inferential Statistics. He also has experience mentoring graduate students in advanced courses such as Machine Learning & Control Theory and Numerical Analysis. In addition to mathematics, he has taught physics, including introductory laboratory courses in elementary physics.

A broadly trained applied mathematician, Dr. Ranpati Dewage works at the intersection of stochastic dynamic programming, impulse control, optimization, and machine learning, with a focus on decision-making under uncertainty. His research develops inventory control models that integrate dynamic pricing and voluntary environmental protection, advancing sustainable operations through (s,S)-type policies and their extensions. He is also actively engaged in applications of mathematics and control theory in biology, infectious disease modeling, cancer therapy, and environmental pollution control, including game-theoretic approaches to sustainability.

His scholarly contributions include peer-reviewed publications and ongoing manuscripts on dynamic environmental and pricing policies in inventory control. He has presented his research at multiple venues, including a conference talk on heuristic algorithms for optimal circle packing at the Graduate Research Conference of Western Illinois University and an earlier presentation on topological insulator nanofilms at the International Research Symposium on Pure and Applied Sciences at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. He remains active in professional organizations such as INFORMS, SIAM, and the AMS. Dr. Ranpati Dewage’s honors include the Mei Lein Fellowship from the University of Texas at Dallas (2024) and the Glenn Ayre Mathematics Award for excellence in graduate studies at Western Illinois University (2019).

Dr. Ranpati Dewage has also been active in leadership and service. He initiated the Expanding Horizons interdisciplinary colloquium series at Ottawa University in Fall 2025. At the University of Texas at Dallas, he served as Vice President of the Sri Lankan Student Association (May 2022–April 2023) and volunteered at the Special Metrics in Complex Geometry Conference (May 2022). He also worked as a summer camp counselor for a science, art, and cosplay camp at Western Illinois University (Summer 2019), where he was a Graduate Student Representative for both the Math Department and the Math Club (Fall 2019). He was also a facilitator for a teacher training workshop for secondary school Bio System Technology teachers at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (July 2016).

Outside of academics, he enjoys hiking, volleyball, running, and kayaking. He also pursues physics and other theoretical and abstract disciplines as a hobby. One of his favorite quotes is by Richard Feynman: “Study hard what interests you the most in the most undisciplined, irreverent, and original manner possible.”

Dr. Clarence Rohrbaugh joined the Ottawa University, Ottawa campus in the Spring of 2024. His PhD in experimental psychology is from Kansas State University where he studied human judgement and decision making.

Dr. Rohrbaugh has published research and given conference presentations in the field of judgment and decision making and written a chapter on decision making in the Handbook of Applied Cognition. He was Chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences at his previous university for 15 years. During his tenure there he helped establish the protocols for research involving human participants and was Chair of the Institutional Review Board. With help from the school Dean he established the first physical research lab for the department of psychology. His work in student retention, outcomes assessment, and strategic planning lead the department to numerous successful University and Higher Learning Commission reviews.

As a classroom facilitator Dr. Rohrbaugh has taught numerous courses including cognitive psychology, physiology, sensation and perception, statistics, and research design. He has mentored numerous students who have presented their research at national and regional conferences and provided tutoring for students in need. His focus on students was recognized by his receipt of the Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award.

Outside of academics, Dr. Rohrbaugh has worked as the assistant director for emergency energy assistance in Maryland, general manager of a printing and mailing company in Washington, D.C., and customer order specialist for THD. He has a wife and six adult children, and dabbles in model rocketry, genealogy, and online gaming.

Rachele Salvini is a writer, translator, and educator specializing in creative writing. She is the Director of the Writing Center at Ottawa University, where she teaches a variety of English and writing classes. 

She is mostly a fiction and creative nonfiction writer. She grew up in Italy, where she pursued a BA at University of Florence, but studied abroad in Oslo, Norway, and at Sarah Lawrence College, New York. She pursued a MA in Creative Writing at University of Westminster, London, and then a PhD in English and Creative Writing at Oklahoma State University, where she taught Composition, Creative Writing, and Technical Writing. 

She was the Emerging Writer Lecturer at Gettysburg College, where she taught introductory and advanced creative writing classes. During her time at Gettysburg, she published two novels in Italy, No Big Deal and Pelli, with Nottetempo Editore. Her chapbook Oklahoma Bestiary was the runner-up for the 2023 Quarterly West Chapbook Award and came out in 2025 for Quarterly West. Her novella Shittysburg is forthcoming in Italy with Pidgin Edizioni. 

She’s currently self-translating her first novel from Italian to English and finishing a collection of stories about animals in Oklahoma, while pursuing her passion for teaching writing to the wonderful students at Ottawa University.

Jordie Smith serves as an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies and the 14^th Director of Forensics Programs for the Alpha Chapter of Pi Kappa Delta at Ottawa University; a fraternal program boasting over 100 years of collegiate debate competition. He competed in debate for Hutchinson Community College between 2004-2006 before accepting a Presidential Scholarship to study Communication and Media Arts at Sterling College. While competing for Sterling College, Smith was awarded two first-round bids to the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence and the American Forensics Association National Speech Tournament. He graduated cum laude from Sterling College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Media Arts while serving in the student government, collegiate newspaper, and playing on the golf team.  

Smith accepted a graduate assistantship to Wichita State University’s Elliot School of Communication, where he served as the graduate student representative for the faculty senate while studying Strategic Communication and Public Relations. Smith’s research in Crisis Communication was honored at the Southern States Communication Association where he received top paper honors for his work on the Ouachita National Park Floods. Upon graduation Smith served as the Director of Marketing for a regional security alarm company while simultaneously writing for the Haysville Sun Times as a Sports Journalist.  

Smith returned to the classroom and began work on a Doctor of Philosophy in Education Administration with a concentration in Business through the University of the Cumberlands. While teaching in Texas, Smith served as an instructor for the Texas Correctional Facilities Education program and the Non-Commissioned Officers Education Program at Fort Hood. His academic research is concentrated on Crisis Communication in Executive settings.

Volunteer Activities
Habitat for Humanity, Pet Resource Center, I also enjoy contributing to local charities through running activities!

Hobbies
Recreational volleyball and running-- currently training for multiple full and half marathons, reading Sci/fi and fantasy books, traveling, spending time with my partner and pets (Merlin and Hamilton)

Favorite Quote
"Every action you take is a vote for the person you want to become." James Clear, Atomic Habits

Performer, composer, arranger, educator and arts administrator Dan Thomas has received countless performance awards, and has performed, recorded and presented with some of the most influential jazz artists and pedagogues in nearly every state in the continental US, Canada, and abroad. Thomas’ CDs, City Scope, Musical Sanctuary and Voyage continue to receive critical acclaim, and acknowledgement on the national airplay charts.

Thomas has held previous appointments having served as the Executive Director and CEO of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra. For nearly two decades, he served on the Doctoral faculty and as the co-chair of the Jazz Studies Program at UMKC’s Conservatory of Music and Dance with Bobby Watson. His students perform throughout the globe and teach at the highest levels, and have appeared many times at the Kennedy Center’s Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program, Jazz Port Townsend workshops, the Monterey Jazz Festival, and JEN. Students have been recognized in numerous jazz competitions and received many awards, notably in Downbeat, by Thelonious Monk, MTNA, Yamaha, ITG, Name, Music for All, Grammy, Bard Summer Jazz Academy (JALCO), the National Youth Orchestra and the Vandoren jazz saxophone competition, among other.

Thomas holds performing artist/educator endorsements with Yamaha, Vandoren, Locoparasaxo, WeWOOD and Roo Pads.

Dr. Thomas is recognized internationally as an expert in the areas of youth firesetting and adult arson. He has consulted with both the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the National Association of State Fire Marshals to help establish standards of care for mental health interventions with youth firesetters. Through his consulting company, Psychological Fire Rescue, he has worked with numerous fire service and law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada regarding critical incident stress management and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Dr. Thomas was in private practice for more than 12 years. He has also worked in numerous healthcare settings including hospitals, a state hospital, group homes, and residential treatment centers. He has held positions with both the City of Goodyear and City of Phoenix fire departments. Dr. Thomas also served as Interim Emergency Manager for the City of Goodyear. He is the co-author of Responding to Psychological Emergencies: A Field Guide and Case Studies for Emergency Responders: Psychosocial, Ethical, and Leadership Dimensions.

Dr. Thomas was formerly the Program Chair of Fire Administration at Arizona State University and Director of Fire Science at Estrella Mountain Community College. He is a member of and a Past President of the Arizona Psychological Association. He is the Chair of Youth Firesetter Intervention for National Fire Protection Association. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Psychology Training Consortium and the Board of Directors for the Arizona Fire & Burn Educators Association. Dr. Thomas was also a Senior Teaching Fellow with the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics.

Dr. Dennis J. Tyner was named president of Ottawa University-Arizona in May 2019. This came after Tyner had served as senior vice president and provost of OUAZ from its inception in February 2017, helping build the university’s new Surprise, Arizona, residential campus from the ground up. His tireless work in OUAZ’s first two years of existence led to him being named “Most Influential Person in Valley Education” by Arizona Foothills Magazine in its “Best of Our Valley 2020” awards.

Tyner joined Ottawa University in January 2007 as vice president and provost of the university’s 155-year-old campus in Ottawa, Kan.  He has been teaching at the collegiate level since 1986, when he began lecturing at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. Immediately prior to coming to Ottawa University, Dr. Tyner served for eight years as dean of the David Crawford School of Engineering at Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the nation. In that capacity, he helped to reverse a decade long trend of declining enrollment, and was able to substantially increase the number of undergraduate engineering students enrolled at the school. During that time, he was instrumental in the development of new undergraduate program offerings. He also designed an annual Engineering Summer Camp and a semi-annual Engineering Showcase, and he established the school’s first online graduate program.

The Boston native earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University in 1985, 1986, and 1992, respectively.  His primary research focused on applying digital communication methods in magnetic storage systems to increase the storage capacity of magnetic media. He published several articles on his research and presented his results at national and international conferences.  While pursuing his bachelors and masters degrees, Tyner was employed by GTE as a member of the Radio Products Group within the company’s Communication Systems Division. There, he was part of a team that developed the secure communication radios for the aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise, and for the NASA Space Shuttle.

After earning his doctorate, Tyner joined the faculty at Norwich University as an assistant professor of Electrical Engineering, where he developed and taught new courses in communications and digital signal processing. In addition to his academic work, he served Norwich University in several other areas during his 14 years of employment with them, including admissions, facilities operations, student activities and athletics.  He also served as a textbook reviewer for Prentice Hall Publishers, and authored two solutions manuals for electric circuits textbooks that he evaluated.

Tyner is a member of Tau Beta Pi, the National Engineering Honor Society, and he served as advisor to Norwich’s student chapter from 1994 to 2006. He was instrumental in helping the chapter achieve national recognition, as they were twice voted as the R.C. Matthews Most Outstanding Chapter, and were twice runners-up.  In 1997, Tyner received Tau Beta Pi’s “Most Outstanding Advisor” award. That same year, he was also selected to serve the organization as a facilitator for their award-winning “Engineering Futures” program, whereupon he traveled to schools across the nation to deliver seminars on public speaking, interpersonal skills, analytical problem solving, meeting management, and team chartering. Additionally, he has taught engineering students for more than 20 years at every institution for which he has served.

Tyner and his wife, Patricia, reside in Surprise, Ariz. They have eight grown children, and a grandchild. His wife and five of their children are graduates of Ottawa University.

Lee Ann Weiler is Professor in Charge of Expressive Art Therapy and adjunct instructor for the Master of Counselling (MAC) program at Ottawa University since August of 2022. She completed her bachelor’s degree in addictions counseling – clinical (2016) and master’s degree in professional counseling – clinical (2018) from Ottawa University.

Lee Ann is a Licensed Professional Counselor – Supervisor, Expressive Art Therapist, and Clinical Certified Trauma Professional (CCTP) in Tempe, Arizona. Currently attending Capella University for a PhD in Psychology with a concentration in Education.

I enjoy spending time with my children, grandchildren, and my four-legged companion, Gunner! I reside in the far east valley and enjoy the openness of the Superstition Mountains.

Dr. Young’s professional background includes pediatric nursing, faculty development, education, and extensive experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in child abuse and emergency department care. She has more than 15 years of nursing experience, including 10 years of nurse practitioner experience. Dr. Young’s experience as an educator includes two years as a hospital based BSN clinical instructor for various universities, one year student teaching in an undergraduate nursing program, and two years teaching in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs prior to joining the nursing faculty at Ottawa University.

Dr. Xiaobin Zuo is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. He joined the University in the fall of 2019.

Dr. Zuo teaches a range of chemistry courses, including Concepts of Chemistry and Lab, General Chemistry I and II with Labs, and Organic Chemistry I and II with Labs. His teaching emphasizes hands-on learning and connecting chemical principles to real-world applications.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Zuo has served as Chair of the American Chemical Society (ACS) Wakarusa Valley Local Section since 2023. He also serves as the Program Coordinator of the ACS Project SEED Program in Kansas, which provides economically disadvantaged high school students with opportunities to participate in mentored research experiences in chemistry and related disciplines.

Dr. Karen Bryson holds the faculty rank of Professor of Psychology and Human Services. Karen earned a Ph.D. in Human Science from Saybrook University and earned a Master’s degree in Counseling from Bradley University. She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Karen began working at Ottawa in April of 2005.

Karen has extensive experience teaching Ottawa’s Liberal Arts, Psychology, and Human Services programs. She serves at the Lead Faculty for Liberal Arts for APGS. She was part of the initial faculty team, who helped develop Ottawa’s early online teaching standards and she has been teaching regularly for online since its start as a unit in January of 2008. Karen also serves as a Phase I Certification instructor, a Phase II mentor and a Phase III peer reviewer for Ottawa Online.

In her personal life, Karen is an award-winning/optioned screenwriter, produced playwright and best-selling novelist. Karen has been writing since she learned to read and fell in love with books. When she's not at her computer creating new stories, Karen enjoys spending time with her husband, who is an Ottawa graduate, and their bloodhounds.

Christine Currier comes to the Adawe Center from the OU Psychology Department, where she has taught as an adjunct, and most recently as a full-time interim psychology instructor. She has a background in career development, retention services, and counseling, holding a Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Kansas and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Ottawa University.

Christy served as the Director of Career Development for Park University where she worked as a team with other career directors to create a consortium to better serve the needs of small-college students. For Avila University, Christy implemented several new programs, including a First-Year Seminar, with the goal of improving student retention.

Recently, she has worked seeing individual clients as a Cognitive Therapist. Christy has been active in organizations such as Hope House and Communities in Schools. She enjoys writing and directing children’s dramas for the First Baptist Church. Christy and her husband, Don, also an OU alum, have 3 children.

Dr. Steven Foulke is a Professor of History at Ottawa University at the Ottawa, KS campus. He holds a doctoral degree in Geography from the University of Kansas.  He earned an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Wyoming and B.A. degrees in History and English from McPherson (KS) College.  Prior to joining Ottawa University in 2004, he taught at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, and Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas.

Dr. Foulke teaches a variety of American history courses at Ottawa University, as well as classes in geography, and has had the pleasure of teaching abroad on several occasions.  In 2007 and 2013 he was awarded a Fulbright Teaching Award by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars and taught American history and culture classes at the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, Macedonia.  In the summer of 2010 Steven traveled to Paraguay and taught a geography course at Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.  And for several years, Dr. Foulke conducted week-long seminars focusing on the cultural geography of the United States at Phillips Universität in Marburg, Germany.

Dr. Foulke resides in Ottawa, Kansas with his wife, Carine Ullom.  They have two sons, Schuyler and Stefan.  In his spare time, Dr. Foulke enjoys gardening, bicycling, and disc golf. 

After earning his BA degree in French with a minor in German and music at Kansas State University, Dr. Mordy studied for one year as a Fulbright in Paris and Lille, France.  The next year he returned to K-State as a Ford Foundation Scholar to pursue his MA in French.  One year later Dr. Mordy began his doctorate in French language and literature with a minor in German at the University of Kansas on a NDEA Title IV scholarship, completing all requirements in 1979.

Following his two-year teaching position as a teaching assistant at KU, Dr. Mordy taught French at West Texas State University.  Since 1973 he has been teaching foreign languages at Ottawa University, namely French and Spanish, and serving university wide as the International Student Advisor.  Dr. Mordy is also advisor to the Whole Earth Club and Sigma Alpha.  He has received several awards including the OU Board of Trustees Award for Excellence; honorary membership in the OU Alumni Association; two study abroad scholarships from the American Association of Teachers of French to study in Quebec, Canada, and France; and the prestigious rank of Chevalier in the Palmes Académiques from the French Government.

In his limited free time Dr. Mordy plays tuba in the Ottawa City Band, exchanges correspondence with former international students and attends occasional plays and concerts.  

Dr. Sherlin is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Disability Services Coordinator at OUAZ. He joined Ottawa University full time in 2017 at the opening of the Surprise campus in Arizona after having been an adjunct faculty.  He completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology (2000) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, master’s degree in clinical psychology (2003), and PhD in psychology (2008) from Capella University, Minneapolis. In 2013, Dr. Sherlin completed a PhD re-specialization and post-doctoral fellowship in sport and performance psychology. In 2018, he completed a master’s degree in professional counseling with an emphasis in expressive arts therapy from Ottawa University, Phoenix. He will complete a master of fine arts in photography in 2021. 

Dr. Sherlin has had an extensive career in providing patient services, academic research and instruction, and entrepreneurial endeavors in mental health care. He is one of the world’s leading experts and a leader in the research and use of neuroscience for improving human performance. He has led research partnerships with Red Bull North America’s High-Performance Center, USA Track & Field, US military Special Operations Forces, local and federal level law enforcement agencies, Fortune 500 companies and professional teams in multiple sports in many countries.  He has published this work in the academic literature and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, BBC, Sports Illustrated, CNN, ESPN, CBS, Popular Science, Bicycling, Outdoor Magazine and more.

He provides services in clinical counseling as well as sport and performance psychology consulting to individuals, families, teams and organizations through his private practice. Dr. Sherlin is a licensed counselor in the state of Arizona and is listed in the United States Olympic Committee Sport Psychology and Mental Training Registry. He is a certified mental performance consultant by the Association of Applied Sport Psychology; certified by the International Board of Quantitative Electrophysiology (IBQE); certified at the Diplomat level in by the International Board of Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG); is Biofeedback Certification International Alliance Board certified in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback (BCN, BCB); and is an equine certified professional by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (ECP). Dr. Sherlin has served on the board of directors for the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research, the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance and the International Board of Quantitative Electrophysiology in a number of elected positions including the president/chairman.

A native of St. Joseph Island in Canada, Dr. Marjorie Swann joined Ottawa University in August 2021 as a professor of English. An expert on 17th-century British literature, Swann received her BA in English from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and her MPhil and DPhil from Oxford University.

Prior to joining the OU faculty, Swann taught at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. She has also taught at Princeton, Southern Methodist University, the University of North Texas and the University of Kansas, where she was also the director of the Museum Studies Program.

Swann is the author of the book Curiosities and Texts: The Culture of Collecting in Early Modern England and the editor of Oxford University Press’s new edition of Izaak Walton’s celebrated fishing manual The Compleat Angler. First printed in 1653, The Compleat Angler has become the most famous book about outdoor recreation ever published, rivalling the King James Bible in the sheer number of times it has been reprinted. Swann’s new edition emphasizes Walton’s continued relevance as a pioneering environmental writer.

When she’s not grading papers, Dr. Swann walks her dog and tries to grow native plants and heirloom vegetables.

Dr. William "Bill" Tsutsui is an award-winning historian, a passionate classroom teacher, and a seasoned academic leader with a record of innovation. Born in New York City and raised in Texas, he holds degrees from Harvard, Oxford, and Princeton. He began his academic career at the University of Kansas, where over 17 years on the faculty, he served as Acting Director of KU’s Center for East Asian Studies, Chair of the Department of History, and Associate Dean for International Studies in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. From 2010 to 2014, he was Dean of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. From June 2014 through December 2019, he served as President of Hendrix College, a top-tier national liberal arts college founded in 1876 and located in Conway, Arkansas. In 2020-2021, he was the Edwin O. Reischauer Distinguished Visiting Professor at Harvard University.

At the University of Kansas, Bill led the planning and establishment of the Center for Global and International Studies; coordinated efforts to win $8 million in federal funding for KU’s five area studies centers; and created a range of new programs for study abroad in East Asia, service learning, distance education, and professional development for K-12 teachers. As Dean of Dedman College at SMU, Bill led the development and implementation of Dedman College’s first strategic plan; raised over $25 million for the college as part of SMU’s Second Century Campaign; oversaw the creation of a new visual identity and marketing plan for the college; and established the Dedman College Interdisciplinary Institute, the Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery, three new majors, three new minors, two master’s degrees, and a joint Ph.D. in biostatistics with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.

At Hendrix, Bill stressed accessibility and affordability, diversity and inclusion, a commitment to the core values of a residential liberal arts education, and connecting with the college’s United Methodist and Arkansas heritage. Under his leadership, Hendrix gained national attention for initiatives including the Hendrix Arkansas Advantage (which offered scholarships covering full demonstrated financial need to qualified Arkansas high school graduates), the Aspire Scholars (which created partnerships with eight schools and organizations to bring Pell-eligible students to Hendrix), and Career Term (an intensive boot camp in employment-focused skills and mindsets for all sophomores). During his presidency, Hendrix recruited the most diverse classes in college history and set a record 70% four-year graduation rate. Bill secured three of the five largest individual gifts ever given to Hendrix, including $26 million from the estate of Mary Ann Dawkins and $10.5 million from the Windgate Foundation. Be Hendrix, launched in 2016, surpassed $103 million—the most ever in a Hendrix fundraising campaign—by 2019. Two donor-funded new facilities transformed the core of the Hendrix campus: a 16,000-square-foot welcome center opened in September 2017 and the Miller Creative Quad, a $17-million mixed-use project combining student housing, a museum of art, music facilities, and an auditorium, opened in 2019.

In his first year at Ottawa University, Bill led a broadly based and inclusive strategic planning effort, spearheaded an initiative to build endowed scholarship funds for students in need, and stewarded the creation of the institution’s first doctoral degree and a new master’s in applied psychology.  To encourage engagement and collaboration across the University, Bill established new forums for communications and community input, stressed transparency in decision-making, and sought to build a University-wide problem-solving culture.

Bill is the author or editor of eight books, including Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters (2004), which was called a “cult classic” by the New York Times. At KU, he received a 2001 Kemper Award for Teaching Excellence and won the Steeples Faculty Award for service to the people of Kansas. He has served on the NCAA D–III Presidents Council and is currently on the boards of the Association for Asian Studies, the US–Japan Council, and the Japan–US Bridging Foundation.  In 2020 he was appointed a Commissioner of the Japan–US Friendship Commission and a Panelist on CULCON (the US–Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange).

He has been married for 33 years to Dr. Marjorie Swann, a professor of English at Hendrix, and they are caregivers to two cats and a dog. Bill is passionate (and opinionated) about BBQ and slightly ashamed to be level 40 on Pokémon Go.