Athletic Training Faculty
Tom Godar
Tom Godar received his B.S. in athletic training from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and his M.S. in health management from Lindenwood in 2003. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree from Lindenwood University in instructional leadership with an emphasis in higher education administration. Godar joined the faculty in 2003, and from 2003 to 2015, he served as a clinical athletic trainer in the athletics department and an assistant professor in the athletic training program. He became the clinical education coordinator for the athletic training program in 2005, and he was promoted to associate professor in 2009. In 2016, he assumed the position of the program director for the athletic training program.
Michael Nolan - PhD
Michael earned his PhD in Health Sciences in Athletic Training at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. He also holds a B.S. in Athletic Training from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an M.S.Ed. in Kinesiology from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Michael joined the Lindenwood University faculty in the fall of 2023. He is an Assistant Professor in the College of Science, Technology, and Health and the Coordinator of Clinical Education in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program. Before Lindenwood, Michael was a clinical athletic trainer from 2009-2018 at Missouri Baptist University, SIU-Carbondale, and AAA minor league baseball. He can still be found with a sling pack and AT bag on occasion at area sporting events to stay current in clinical practice.
Michael is a certified and licensed athletic trainer in Missouri and transitioned from clinical athletic training to full-time academics in 2018 after serving as an adjunct instructor and clinical preceptor. Michael is married to his wife, Whitney, and they have three children: Madelyn, Katelyn, and Grant.
Athletic Training Staff
Clinical Preceptors
Dan Brennan - MAEd, LAT, ATC
Dan Brennan is entering his 16th year as an Athletic Trainer at Lindenwood University in 2022-23. Brennan is responsible for providing athletic training services to the Lindenwood University women's volleyball team as well as the men's and women’s wrestling programs.
Prior to coming to Lindenwood, Brennan worked as an Assistant Athletic Trainer at Western Kentucky University for four years and then moved on to St. John’s Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis, where he worked in the Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Department for 17 years.
Brennan received his Master’s Degree in Education from Western Kentucky University and he also earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Health and Safety Education.
Brennan and his wife, Susan, have four sons: Joe, Matt, Danny, and Ryan.
Zachary Brown
Zachary Brown is entering his third year as an assistant athletic trainer at Lindenwood in 2022-23. Brown is responsible for athletic training of Lindenwood baseball and men's soccer.
Brown is a BOC certified athletic trainer and is licensed in the state of Missouri. He received his Bachelor's of Science Degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 2017. Brown went on to earn his Master's of Science Degree from Purdue University Fort Wayne in 2020, where he also served as the athletic trainer for the Mastodons baseball team.
Michael Heffner
Michael Heffner is entering his 26th year as a Licensed Athletic Trainer and first with Lindenwood University. He will be primarily working with the Men’s and Women’s ACHA Hockey Teams.
A native of Independence, MO Heffner graduated from Southwest Missouri State University (MO State) with a B.S. in Athletic Training. He has worked every level of hockey imaginable amassing over 200 Professional, 750 Junior and countless Collegiate, High School and youth hockey games worked.
Mike resides in Wentzville, MO with his wife, son and dog.
Megan (Hicks) Kelly
Megan Kelly entered Lindenwood working as a Graduate Assistant for football and men’s volleyball eventually being hired on as an Assistant Athletic Trainer providing coverage for football. Kelly received her undergraduate degree from Aquinas College in Athletic Training and continued on to receive her Master of Arts in Sports Management from Lindenwood University in the spring of 2020. Her certificates include Corrective Exercise Specialist and Blood Flow Restriction. Prior to Lindenwood, Kelly was an intern at Eastern Michigan University with their football program.
Kelly was a member of the Track and Field team at Aquinas College participating in the javelin and shot put events. Kelly is a native of Harrison Township, Michigan.
Kristin Trotter - MAEd, LAT, ATC
Kristin Trotter, MS, ATC, LAT, arrived at Lindenwood University in March of 2017 as the Assistant Athletic Director, Head Athletic Trainer. She currently oversees the 12 athletic trainers within the Sports Medicine department and is responsible for providing athletic training services to the men's and women's golf teams.
Prior to her arrival at Lindenwood University, Trotter spent 10 years at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, including the last three years as the Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine. During her time at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, she oversaw the athletic training and strength and conditioning staffs and worked directly with the women’s basketball team as well as the golf, softball, swimming and diving, and volleyball teams.
Trotter earned her Bachelors of Science Degree in Athletic Training from Millikin University in 2005, and went on to earn her Masters of Science Degree in Athletic Administration in 2007 from Eastern Illinois University while working as a graduate assistant athletic trainer with the track and field teams.
Trotter is a member of NATA and the College Athletic Trainers Society and is SASTM certified.
Biological Sciences Faculty
Dr. Alison Albee
Dr. Alison Albee received her B.S. in molecular biology from Purdue University and her Ph.D. in biochemistry from University of Wisconsin-Madison. She came to St. Louis to pursue her post-doctoral studies in genetics at Washington University before joining the faculty at Lindenwood University in 2013. Her current research interests lie in understanding how the cilium, a cellular organelle implicated in various human diseases, develops and functions using a combination of cell biology, genetics, and biochemistry.
Dr. Joshua S. Neely
A graduate of Washington State University’s Ph.D. program in biological sciences, Dr. Neely has worked in higher education since 1998. His academic interests include botany, genetics, and evolutionary theory.
Dr. Chad Welsh
Dr. Chad Welsh is a Microbiologist and Immunologist with an interest in bacterial infections and the cellular response. After receiving his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Middle Tennessee State University he attended the University of Louisville Medical School to earn his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology in 2003. Dr. Welsh has been teaching here at Lindenwood since Fall 2010 where he can be found teaching varied courses from Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Virology amongst many others. His current undergraduate research interests focus on cellular biological responses bacterial pathogens.
Dr. Megan Woltz
Dr. Megan Woltz received her B.S. in environmental science with an ecology concentration from North Carolina State University in 2007 and her Ph.D. in entomology & ecology from Michigan State University in 2013. While at MSU, she studied landscape effects on insect communities in agroecosystems and completed a Certification in Teaching College Science. As a post-doctoral researcher at Oregon State University, Woltz taught entomology and studied biological control of the invasive spotted wing drosophila in fruit crops. Woltz has been teaching full-time at Lindenwood since 2015 and regularly teaches biodiversity, ecology, and writing for biology. She uses active learning to enhance student comprehension and engagement. Woltz embeds course content into activities designed to practice scientific skills like quantitative reasoning, hypothesis testing, and graph interpretation. She also enjoys mentoring undergraduates in research on insects in urban and suburban environments.
Chemistry Faculty
Dr. Ricardo Delgado
Dr. Delgado has a background in organometallic synthesis, and teaches General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry. He has his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry from University of Missouri—St. Louis, and his B.S. degree in chemistry from Texas A&M University – Kingsville (formerly Texas A&I.) His research interests are in the development of synthetic organic laboratory experiments and organometallic chemistry.
Dr. Jennifer Firestine
Dr. Firestine has a background in instrumental and analytical chemistry. She teaches General Chemistry, Introduction to Chemical Literature and Laboratory Safety, Applications of Forensic Science, Analytical Chemistry, and Instrumental Analysis. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in chemistry from Eastern Oregon State College (now Eastern Oregon University) and her Ph.D. in Bioanalytical Chemistry from Arizona State University where she specialized in MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Her scientific interests are in new instrumental methods and how they can best be applied to education.
Jennifer Fraser
Professor Fraser has a background in Surface and Colloidal Chemistry. She teaches General Chemistry, Concepts in Chemistry, and Freshman Seminar courses. Professor Fraser earned her BA and MS(R) in Chemistry from Saint Louis University where she researched The Physiochemical Properties of Langmuir Monolayers Composed of Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, and Oxysterols. Upon earning her MS(R) she was an adjunct at various colleges and universities around the St. Louis area, including Lindenwood University, until she became full time in fall 2017. Her interests include Chemistry Education and Outreach.
Dr. Scott Hasty
Dr. Hasty has a background in synthetic organic chemistry. He teaches General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry I, and Organic Chemistry II. Dr. Hasty earned his BS, MS, and PhD degrees from the University of Missouri St. Louis. After receiving his PhD, he taught as an adjunct instructor at McKendree and Southeast Missouri State Universities before arriving at Lindenwood. His research interests involve developing methodologies towards expeditious oligosaccharide synthesis.
Dr. Michael Ibele
Dr. Ibele has a background in surface and colloidal chemistry and teaches General Chemistry, Introduction to Chemical Literature and Laboratory Safety, Polymers, Physical Chemistry I (Thermodynamics and Kinetics) and Physical Chemistry II (Quantum Mechanics). He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina and his Ph. D. in Chemistry from Penn State University, where his research focused on the synthesis and characterization of artificial, bacteria-sized particles which could propel themselves through solution. His interests are in the field of physical and materials chemistry.
Dr. Darla Jia
Dr. Jia has a background in inorganic chemistry and teaches General Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, and Inorganic Chemistry. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from North Dakota State University and her Ph.D. from the University of California-Irvine. Her scientific interests are in the synthesis and characterization of transition metal complexes.
Computer Science Faculty
Dr. Stephen Blythe
Dr. Blythe is a Computer Scientist with interests in algorithms and systems. He received a B.S. in Computer and Information Sciences from the University of Delaware in 1990. He then earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1993 and 1997, respectively. He has worked as a programmer in industry, and joined the faculty at St. Louis University and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville University for 11 years before joining the faculty at Lindenwood. He has taught a variety of courses, ranging from introductory programming to senior projects. His research interests include distributed systems, algorithm design and analysis, high-level synthesis, and Computer Science education. Dr. Blythe lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Trina and children Katherine, William, and Emily. Beyond his academic interests, Dr. Blythe enjoys reading, baseball, tennis, ballroom dance, and traveling.
Zheng Huang
Zheng Huang received his Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 2013 and M.S in Software Engineering at North Dakota State University. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Software Engineering and Cybersecurity at North Dakota State University. His research focuses on spatial awareness in cross-device interaction.
Before joining Lindenwood University, Mr. Huang served as an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Illinois College from 2019, where he taught a wide range of computer science courses. He is a strong proponent of active learning, utilizing various in-class activities to engage students and help them grasp abstract computer science concepts.
Mr. Huang's research has been widely recognized and published in top-ranking journals in his field. This includes four peer-reviewed journal articles (three of which he first-authored) and one peer-reviewed conference article. His work has appeared in the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, which is ranked #4 in Human-Computer Interaction , and Multimedia Tools and Applications, ranked #1 in Multimedia .
He currently resides in O’Fallon with his family and enjoys cheering on his son’s athletic endeavors, particularly in hockey and fencing.
Jordyn Mayfield
Ms. Mayfield is a Computer Scientist with interests in computer science education and in introductory programming concepts. She received both her B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science from Missouri University of Science and Technology, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. During her time there, she took on a variety of teaching positions that ultimately reinforced her passion for education. Her exposure to different class sizes and formats has further sparked her interest in the learning process. In addition to her prior teaching experiences, she has also worked in industry, where she has held positions in data analysis and in systems engineering. Outside of academia, Ms. Mayfield enjoys fashion, roller skating, crocheting, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty
Dr. Weston Anderson
Dr. Weston Anderson received his Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice from the University of Louisville. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Utah State University in Sociology and his Master of Criminal Justice from Weber State University. Dr. Anderson is an Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and teaches criminology and criminal justice systems. His research interests include police officer backstabbing and police training effectiveness.
Dr. Heather Donovan
Heather Donovan, at Lindenwood since 2017, is a professor in the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department. She received her BA and Pepperdine University, MS at University of New Haven, and JD and Washington University in St. Louis. Before joining Lindenwood, she worked as a criminal defense attorney in the St. Charles trial office of the Missouri Public Defender. Her passions in the criminology and criminal justice field are juvenile justice and mental health issues in the criminal justice system.
Dr. Rachael Gossett
Rachael Gossett earned her Doctor of Philosophy and master's degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminology from The Ohio State University. She also holds a bachelor's degree from Ohio State in Psychology and Criminology. Rachael has a breadth of research interests including homicide, sexually oriented offenses, personality disorders, psychological/emotional abuse, inequities in the criminal justice system, anti-human trafficking initiatives, and offender populations. Her master’s thesis utilizes insights gleaned from interviews she conducted with incarcerated fathers at several Ohio prisons and her dissertation is concerned with individual perceptions of improper police behavior following a face-to-face contact utilizing a subset of the National Crime Victimization Survey. Rachael served as an adjunct instructor for The Ohio State University, Stetson University and Capital University while engaging in various projects for the private sector including a market research and security consulting firm. Most recently she worked in public service for the state of Ohio. Rachael has experience teaching Criminology, The Criminal Justice System, Social Class and Crime, Women, Crime, and The Criminal Justice System, Social Aspects of Deviance, Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Criminological Research, Research Methods in Criminal Justice, Drug Laws, Contemporary Issues in Criminology, Victimology, Race Crime and Punishment, Drugs and Society and a Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice. She is engaged in various research projects, scholarly activities, and reviews textbooks and academic journal article submissions.
Darren Marhanka
Darren Marhanka is a former police officer with nearly 18 years of law enforcement experience. He served in a variety of roles throughout his police career, but he is most proud of his work with the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. Marhanka started as a patrol officer and eventually found himself working in the detective unit. He investigated almost any type of crime out there. Marhanka interacted with thousands of people throughout his time on the police department as well, finding it to be a very fulfilling career. Marhanka came to Lindenwood in 2002 as an adjunct faculty member. In 2004, he accepted a position with Lindenwood as an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice. Marhanka loves doing things on the water: jet skiing, boating, scuba diving, fishing, you name it. He loves spending time with his wife, parents, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, cousins, the "whole gang." He loves Jimmy Buffett music and goes to his concerts. Marhanka is a self-described "Parrothead Pirate." Life is about living, so go out and live it!
Dr. Billi Patzius
Dr. Billi Patzius received her B.S. in criminal justice, B.A. in psychology, and M.A. in criminology from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. She later received an M.A. in professional counseling from Lindenwood University and a Ph.D. from Saint Louis University. She is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and her courses include Criminology, Juvenile Justice, Victimology, Senior Seminar, and Criminal Minds. Dr. Patzius is the Faculty Athletics Representative for Student Life Sports and she serves as the Advisor for the Pi Beta Mu chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma - the National Criminal Justice Honor Society. She is the Co-Advisor for the Criminal Justice Student Association and she oversees internship and volunteer opportunities for Criminology and Criminal Justice students. Her research interests include police misconduct and reform, juvenile justice and delinquency, and victimization among special populations. Dr. Patzius served as the Associate Dean for the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences within the School of Sciences from 2017-2021 and she was the Criminal Justice Department Chair from 2015-2017.
Dr. Pernell Witherspoon
Dr. Pernell Witherspoon was born and raised in St. Louis, MO and is a product of the St. Louis Public School System. Receiving a football scholarship, he attended Southeast Missouri State University and subsequently joined the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, where he patrolled and worked undercover narcotics. Dr. Witherspoon then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he continued to work as an undercover narcotic agent until his return home to St. Louis. Dr. Witherspoon completed his 16 year police career as a sergeant for the City of Hazelwood. During the end of his career, he returned to school where he completed a Master’s degree and PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Dr. Witherspoon joined Lindenwood University’s Criminal Justice Department in 2005. His teaching and research interests are racial issues within the criminal justice system, policing, juvenile justice, criminal justice ethics, and he has found a new interest in criminal justice ethnography. While Dr. Witherspoon continues to make teaching college students a priority, it does not keep him from his hobbies of praising God, boating, running, and enjoying the pleasures of life.
Environmental Sciences Faculty
Dr. Ana Londoño
Dr. Ana Londoño graduated with a B.E. in geological engineering from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and an M.S. and Ph.D. in geology from the University of Cincinnati. Londoño has seven years of experience in geologic mapping in the government sector and 11 years of experience teaching at the university level. Her professional interests are diverse and interdisciplinary. Her research deals with the interactions between geologic processes and humans, including landscape modifications by pre-Columbian cultures in southern Peru, agricultural practices under water stress conditions, and 3-D mapping of geologic processes and archaeological sites. In addition, she studies natural hazards, such as landslides, and flooding and earthquakes in the Midwest.
Dr. Robin R. Rodriguez
Dr. Rodriguez earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in soil science at Utah State University, an M.S. in civil (Environ.) engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a Ph.D. in soil science (soil chemistry) from Oklahoma State University, and a Graduate Certificate in clinical toxicology from the University of Florida. She has worked in the environmental industry for more than 25 years as a consultant on chemically contaminated hazardous waste sites. She has taught at the university level since 2004. She specializes in environmental risk assessment for both human and wildlife exposures to chemically contaminated media. In her lengthy career, she has designed and executed environmental risk assessments for over 100 chemically contaminated sites.
Exercise Science Faculty
Lori Crow
Lori Crow has a Master of Science degree in human performance from Pittsburg State University. For more than a decade, she was the owner and president/CEO of a local corporate fitness company. Currently, she owns a local athletic facility, where she serves as president/CEO and program director. Crow has nearly 30 years of experience in the health and fitness industry and has served as a coach for more than 35 years. Crow has taught at Lindenwood University since 2011 and is passionate about sharing her knowledge and expertise with future professionals in the field.
Susan Gustafson
Susan Gustafson earned a B.S. in dietetics from Fontbonne University, an M.S.Ed. in kinesiology from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, and a certificate in biosecurity & disaster preparedness from Saint Louis University. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in health promotion & wellness at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. In previous positions, she was the director of fitness at Lifelong Fitness, LLC, a researcher for Saint Louis University, and had her own business as a neurodevelopmental specialist. She began her career at Lindenwood University as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Exercise Science before being hired as a fulltime instructor in the College of Science, Technology, and Health. Her previous teaching experiences have been as an instructor at SIUE in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior, and an adjunct instructor at St. Charles Community College in the Department of Biology.
Dr. Chad Kerksick
Dr. Kerksick is currently an associate professor of exercise science in the Exercise Science Department in the College of Science, Technology, and Health at Lindenwood University. He currently serves as the director of the Exercise and Performance Nutrition Laboratory (www.lindenwood.edu/epnl) and the Master of Science in Health Sciences program at Lindenwood University. His primary research interests include sport nutrition as well as the biochemical, cellular, and molecular adaptations relative to various forms of exercise and nutrition interventions, primarily those that promote muscle hypertrophy, prevent muscle atrophy, and promote health and recovery in healthy as well as clinical populations.
Dr. Petey Mumford
Dr. Mumford has an M.Ed. in exercise science from Wichita State University and a Ph.D. in kinesiology from Auburn University. His research expertise focuses on examining the impact of exercise and nutrition interventions on physiological, molecular, and genetic outcomes in human, animal, and cell culture models. Dr. Mumford actively conducts research in these areas in the EPNL with undergraduate and graduate students. In addition to research, he teaches classes at the undergraduate and graduate level and enjoys mentoring students during their academic journeys.
Dr. Scott Richmond
Dr. Richmond earned a bachelor’s degree from Truman State University, then an M.S. and Ph.D. in exercise physiology from the University of Kansas. Following his graduate work, Richmond was a post-doctoral research scholar at Washington University-School of Medicine. His teaching background ranges from introductory and general education to upper-level majors courses and graduate courses. He has also supervised numerous student research projects, which have presented at local, regional, and international conferences.
Dr. Cynthia Schroeder
Dr. Schroeder earned a Ph.D. in Exercise Science from the University of Kansas, an M.S. in Exercise Science and Cardiac Rehabilitation from Northeastern Illinois University and a B.S. in Physical Education and Athletic Training at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She has more than 15 years of professional experience teaching and researching in the area of Exercise Science and working as a Certified Athletic Trainer at the high school, university and professional levels.
Dr. Kyle Sunderland
Dr. Sunderland has a background in exercise physiology focusing on the cellular and molecular effects of exercise on metabolism. He conducts research in the EPNL with undergraduate and graduate students, evaluating the influence of training and nutrition on metabolic alterations in both healthy and obese/diabetic populations. Dr. Sunderland teaches courses in exercise physiology, metabolism, and testing. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in exercise science from Fresno State University and his Ph.D. in exercise physiology from the University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Kate Tessmer
Dr. Tessmer earned a Ph.D. in health and physical activity-exercise physiology from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.S.Ed. in PE-exercise science from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, and a B.A. in PE-management from Blackburn College. She is an A.C.S.M. Certified Exercise Physiologist. Currently, Dr. Tessmer serves as the associate dean for the College of Science, Technology, and Health.
Mathematics Faculty
Dr. Wojciech Golik
Dr. Golik is a numerical analyst with research papers on fast numerical solutions of differential and integral equations and on wavelet applications in electromagnetics. He has an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Poznan Technological University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Mathematics from New Mexico State University. He has over 30 years of experience in teaching at the university level. He teaches a wide variety of courses including Calculus, Linear Algebra, Partial Differential Equations, Numerical Analysis, History of Mathematics, and Statistics. He conducts research projects with undergraduates in numerical analysis.
Dr. Nikhil Gupta
Nikhil Gupta received his B.A. in mathematics from Princeton University in 2009. He spent the 2009 academic year as a teaching fellow in mathematics at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass. In 2016, he obtained his Ph.D. in mathematics from Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. Gupta’s research deals with generalizations of periodic functions called automorphic functions; this area of research lies at the intersection of harmonic analysis and number theory. In addition to research, Gupta is a dedicated teacher, having taught numerous courses at the undergraduate level during his tenure as a graduate student. He looks forward to sharing his love and enthusiasm for mathematics with his students at Lindenwood.
Dr. Erin Martin
Dr. Martin received a B.S. in applied mathematics from the University of Missouri – Rolla (now Missouri S&T) in 2004. She completed her M.S. and Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Arkansas in 2006 and 2008, respectively. After completing her graduate studies, she served as a faculty member and administrator at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo., for nine years before joining the Lindenwood faculty in 2017. She has taught a variety of mathematics courses, ranging from Intermediate Algebra to Advanced Calculus. She is a strong proponent of active learning, particularly inquiry-based learning, and is actively engaged in undergraduate research. Besides working with students to conduct research in her own areas of geometric analysis and partial differential equations, she has led projects on topics ranging from graph theory to applied math.
Mary Silverglate
Mary Silverglate earned a Master of Arts in Mathematics at Saint Louis University in 2023, where she also taught undergraduate courses. While teaching at Kelly Miller Middle School in Washington, DC and Life for Life Academy High School in St. Louis, Missouri, she earned her Master of Science in Education at Johns Hopkins University in 2019. Prior to mathematics teaching, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Statistics and Economics from the University of Chicago in 2017, where she did social science research in private, non-profit, and university settings. She still focuses her research and continuing education on the intersection of mathematics, education, and social science, focusing on how to best support students who come into the college classroom from underserved communities and non-traditional backgrounds.
Academic interests:
Mathematics education, statistics, graph theory, teacher preparation
Dr. Nick Wintz
Dr. Nick Wintz is a control theorist whose publications examine processes with continuous, discrete and hybrid measurements. He received his BS and MA in mathematics from Marshall University in Huntington, WV. His master’s thesis was "Eigenvalue comparisons for an impulsive boundary value problem with Sturm-Liouville boundary conditions," written under the direction of Dr. Bonita A. Lawrence. While at Marshall, he served as a Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant. He continued his doctoral work at Missouri University of Science and Technology (formally University of Missouri-Rolla) in Rolla, MO. His dissertation was “The Kalman filter on time scales” under the direction of Dr. Martin Bohner. While at Rolla, he also earned a Graduate Certificate in Financial Mathematics.
Nursing Faculty
Dr. Darrell DeMartino
Dr. Darrell DeMartino is a dual board-certified nurse practitioner (family, acute care), registered nurse, and paramedic. He has been practicing in healthcare for nearly 30 years. He started his career in emergency medical services, then became a nurse, then advanced to nurse practitioner. Dr. DeMartino has practiced paramedicine/nursing in urban and suburban areas of New York, Texas, Michigan, and Missouri. His most recent clinical experiences have been in the emergency department (RN) and as a critical care nurse practitioner in the ICU.
Dr. DeMartino has significant experience in curriculum development and instructional design. He has taught Paramedicine and Nursing in the community college and university settings. He routinely educates aspirating healthcare students in the clinical settings; and served as a clinical nurse educator for a large hospital system.
His areas of interest are using technology to teach in healthcare (e.g., VR), psychometrics, informatics, and interprofessional education. Professionally, Dr. DeMartino has served an item writer for a national licensing examination, serves as accreditation reviewer, and has been in leadership roles in several national organizations.
He joined Lindenwood University in 2017.
Meridith Vogeler
Meridith Vogeler joined the Department of Health Sciences in the College of Science, Technology and Health at Lindenwood University in August 2023. Meridith (Mer) is passionate about human sciences and nursing education and loves to create a dynamic, fun, and educational teaching environment with her students. Mer is an accomplished nurse educator and registered nurse with noted experience in the classroom, laboratory and delivering quality patient care. Mer has spent her time focusing on emergency and critical care medicine. In addition, she also practices as an NCLEX expert by facilitating review sessions for new graduate nursing students preparing to take their national licensure exam. By joining the educational staff at Lindenwood University Mer brings with her leadership attributes, mentoring skills and enthusiasm for educating students. Meridith and her husband Brian have a total of 7 kids and are constantly managing their ever-evolving household. “During the first part of my career years I was the manager of our household. My job duties consisted of raising kids, attending sporting events, and being a chauffeur. I got my start late in the field of nursing and over the past 8 years I have built a career of developing and molding new nurses.” Mer received her degree in 2018 from Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College and completed my Master of Nursing in 2022 at Northwest Missouri State University. Mer is a native of Salt Lake City, Utah and have called St. Louis home since 1992. In her spare time, Mer enjoys playing pickleball, crafting and spending time with my family and friends.
Paramedicine Faculty
Janet Schulte
Janet Schulte is a published author and recognized expert in EMS education. She has over 40 years of teaching experience in the community college and EMS Academy settings. She has provided subject matter expertise and item writing to various EMS publishers and national organizations. Janet has volunteered her time to the American Heart Association since 1976 by serving on various committees and leadership roles as ACLS, BLS, and PALS Training Center Coordinator / Faculty, Regional Faculty, and National/International Training Faculty. Janet coordinates the paramedicine skill/scenario labs, American Heart Association classes, and other programs for the University and the community.
Physical Education, Wellness and Recreation Faculty
Dr. Annie Alameda
Dr. Alameda is a professor and chair of the Physical Education, Health, and Wellness Department in the College of Science, Technology, and Health at Lindenwood University. She earned a Doctor of Education from Lindenwood University in instructional leadership, a Master of Science in nutrition and dietetics from Saint Louis University, and a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and exercise science from Illinois State University. She serves as one of the liaisons for the College of Science, Technology, and Health and the employee wellness program through Human Resources to develop and implement programming for the university. Dr. Alameda currently teaches classes in health and nutrition, stress management, and community health. In her time at Lindenwood, she has received the University Service Award for her commitment to health and wellness in the Lindenwood community. She enjoys sharing her passion for living a well-balanced, fulfilling life and hopes that her classes give students the knowledge and skills to influence positive health behaviors in their chosen fields.
Heather Pennington
Heather Pennington has taught at Lindenwood University since 2010 as an assistant professor in the College of Science, Technology, and Health. In 2014, she initiated the creation of a new minor in adapted sports and recreation. Pennington received her master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in exercise science from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. She has obtained the NSCA CSCS and CSPS and NASPE CAPE certifications, among a few others. Throughout her career, Pennington has worked for 21 years in the field of adapted sports and therapeutic recreation. This included 11 years at the Lakeshore Foundation Olympic and Paralympic Training Site in Birmingham. She has also traveled the country speaking and serving as a consultant for adapted sports, recreation, and fitness to professionals and people with all types of disabilities and has done so with organizations such as United States Paralympic Military Program, U.S. Paralympic Sport Development Program, and more. She has taught at the university level for 20 years, specializing in adapted sport, exercise, and recreation for nine years.
Physics and Pre-Engineering
Dr. John Hauck
B.S. Electrical Engineering - Parks College of St. Louis University 1993
M.S. Physics - Georgia Tech 1996
Ph.D. Physics (General Relativity) University of Missouri - Columbia 2003
Psychology Faculty
The psychology program faculty consists of some award-winning full-time members with terminal degrees in their area of expertise. We, along with our part-time instructors, offer a wide array of courses from different fields within psychology.
Dr. Stephanie Afful
Dr. Afful is a social psychologist who studies race, specifically racial identity, racism, and interracial relationships. She received her BA in Psychology and Sociology from Drury University and PhD in Social Psychology from Saint Louis University. Dr. Afful teaches courses on Social Psychology, Motivation & Emotion, Human Sexuality, and Health Psychology. She also serves as a co-advisor for the Lindenwood chapter of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology. Dr. Afful was the recipient of the 2016-2017 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2018-2019 Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award. Dr. Afful will also serve as the 2025 President of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (APA Division 2).
Dr. Sara Bagley
Dr. Bagley is an experimental psychologist who specializes in behavioral/cognitive neuroscience. She earned her BA in Psychology and Mathematics from Westminster College and her MSR and PhD from Saint Louis University. She teaches courses on Behavioral Science Statistics, Behavioral Neuroscience, Learning & Memory, Sensation & Perception, Health Psychology, Personality, and other special topics courses. Her research interests involve the connections between stress (as measured by physiological changes in the body) and cognition (memory and time perception), but has other perceptual/cognitive research interests. Dr. Bagley was the recipient of the 2018-2019 Assessment Champion Award and the 2019-2020 President’s Scholar-Teacher Award.
Dr. Colleen Biri
Dr. Biri is a clinical psychologist who has specialized in the assessment and treatment of children. She received her BA in Psychology from Missouri State University, and her MA degree in Clinical Psychology and PsyD degree from The Georgia School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Biri’s courses include Child Development, Parenting, Abnormal Psychology, Psychological Testing, Careers in Psychology, and Senior Seminar. She also serves as a co-advisor for the Lindenwood chapter of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology. Dr. Biri was the recipient of the 2015-2016 President's Scholar-Teacher Award.
Dr. Rebecca Foushée
Dr. Foushée is a developmental psychologist who studies how environmental influences shape perceptual development during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. She received her BS degree in Psychology and English, and MS and PhD degrees in Developmental and Biological Psychology from Virginia Tech. At Lindenwood, Dr. Foushée teaches courses on Human Development, Behavior Modification, Psychology of Adolescence, Psychology of Women, and Death and Dying. She also conducts research on best practices in teaching and advising in psychology, and serves as a co-advisor for the Psychology Interest Club. Dr. Foushée was the recipient of the 2017-2018 LSGA Teacher of the Year Award and the 2019-2020 ROAR Excellence in Teaching Award.
Dr. Brittany Goodman
Dr. Goodman is an experimental psychologist specializing in clinical neuroscience. Her research interests involve the psychophysiology of trauma and traumatic stress, including changes in the autonomic nervous system following trauma exposure. She earned her BA in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Psychology and Health Sciences and a minor in Italian Studies from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her MA and PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. At Lindenwood she teaches courses in Principles of Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, and Psychology of Trauma.
Dr. Michiko Nohara-LeClair
Dr. Nohara-LeClair is an experimental psychologist who specialized in psycholinguistic research. She earned her BSc degrees in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of Toronto, her MASc degree from the University of Waterloo, and her PhD from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Nohara-LeClair also completed postdoctoral fellowships at Concordia University in Montreal and the University of Kansas. She teaches Principles of Psychology, Cultural Psychology, Japanese Culture, Society, and Mind, Cognitive Psychology, and Psychology Research Labs. Dr. Nohara-LeClair supervises the Lindenwood Participant Pool and the Student Employee Program for the department and is co-sponsor of the Psychology Interest Club. Dr. Nohara-LeClair was the recipient of the 2008-2009 President's Scholar-Teacher Award, the 2018-2019 LSGA Teacher of the Year Award, a 2019-2020 Q2 Award, and the 2023-2024 RISE Award for Accessibility (Inclusion).
Public Health Faculty
Dr. Amy Estlund
Amy Estlund earned a B.S. in biomedical sciences from Marquette University and an M.P.H. in behavioral science from Emory University. She worked in health education, youth development, and program management in the nonprofit sector for eight years in Atlanta and rural Georgia. She then transitioned to community-based participatory research at Saint Louis University, followed by clinical research at Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine. She completed her Ph.D. in public health from Saint Louis University. Her research interests focus on sexual and reproductive health, school health and culture, health policy, and dissemination and implementation. Estlund looks forward to engaging students in research and bringing relevant experiences from her nonprofit work to the classroom to enhance student learning.
Dr. Amanda Harrod
Amanda Harrod earned her undergraduate biology degree from Washington University. She completed her master’s degree in public health and doctorate in public health studies at Saint Louis University. Her research interests include social determinants of health and maternal and child health. Harrod has worked with various public health programs across the country. Her previous experience includes working with the Congressional Hunger Center, Fremont Public Association, National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, Obesity Prevention Center, and March of Dimes. She was also the project director for the National Children’s Study Gateway Study Center based at Saint Louis University. She provided fiscal and administrative oversight for multiple subcontracts and four Study locations in both Missouri and Illinois. Harrod is a member of Generate Health, a coalition that mobilizes and inspires the St. Louis region to advance racial equity in pregnancy outcomes, family well-being, and community health. She enjoys sharing her passion for public health with students at Lindenwood University.
Dr. Catherine Shoff
Catherine Shoff earned her Ph.D. in public health studies and M.P.H. in behavioral science/epidemiology from Saint Louis University. Prior to that, she completed a B.S. in combined sciences from Santa Clara University. Catherine’s work aims to reduce health inequalities in the Saint Louis region through community-academic partnerships. Specifically, her research explores food insecurity, social determinants of health, child health, and community engagement. She enjoys creating an active learning environment for students through community projects and engaging students in research.
Sociology Faculty
Dr. Suzanne Stoelting
Dr. Suzanne Stoelting holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Her areas of expertise include sport sociology, gender, and sexuality. Her current research focuses gay and lesbian youth suicide. Suzanne has taught a wide range of undergraduate sociology courses including introduction, sociological theory, stratification, race and ethnicity, sociology of gender, sociology of sport, social deviance, urban sociology, social problems, and applied sociology. She has also supervised many sociology internships and collaborated with students on undergraduate sociology research projects.
