Tenure Recipients for Academic Year 25-26
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Brenda Bradshaw is an Assistant Professor and Program Director for the Undergraduate Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Program in the Gene W. Hirschfeld School of Dental Hygiene at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. A double alumna of ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Bradshaw earned her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene in 2006 and her Master of Science in Dental Hygiene in 2014.
Dr. Marvin T. Chiles is a Richmond, Virginia, native and recently defended PhD in African American History from the University of Georgia. Chiles is an expert on American race relations, and his dissertation investigated racial reconciliation in the modern South, focusing specifically on Richmond from the Brown v. Board of Education decision to the present.
Dr. John Crosby is an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Strome College of Business at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. He was formerly on the finance faculty at the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. His research interests include international finance, macro-finance, asset pricing, risk and risk premia, derivatives, currency markets and the measurement of portfolio performance.
Dr. Duong is an Associate Professor of Accounting at the School of Accountancy, Strome College of Business, and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). Before joining ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, she taught a range of accounting courses at Salisbury University and the University of Texas at El Paso. She teaches Financial Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, and International and Advanced Accounting to undergraduate and graduate students.
Her research focuses on corporate disclosure and corporate governance, with publications in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Journal of Accounting, Auditing, and Finance, Journal of International Accounting Research, Quarterly Journal of Finance, Advances in Accounting, and Journal of Accounting and Public Policy.
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Before joining ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Dr. Ashok was a post-doctoral associate at Stony Brook University, from where he graduated with a PhD in Computer Science. His primary research focus is in Human-Centered Computing, and he is particularly interested in designing and developing AI-driven assistive technologies for people with vision impairments.
Dr. Garber is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the DNP Advanced Practice Program at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ (ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ) School of Nursing. She is a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner with over 28 years of experience including private practice, school-based health, and virtual care. Dr. Garber is a published author and an accomplished speaker. She has presented internationally on the topics of telehealth best practices, APRN telehealth practice, telehealth policy, telehealth education, and school-based telehealth.
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Md M. Hasan is an associate professor of accounting at the School of Accountancy in the Strome College of Business. Dr. Hasan obtained his Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2019. Dr. Hasan’s research interests include empirical research on internal governance and managerial effects (managerial ability, CEO power, subordinate executives, top management team, labor unions), auditing (internal control weaknesses, cybersecurity breaches), and financial accounting and reporting (earnings management).
Dr. Janice Hawkins serves as the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. A dedicated nurse educator for over 30 years, she has held multiple leadership roles within the Ellmer School of Nursing, supporting both undergraduate and graduate programs. She is a board-certified Clinical Nurse Specialist and a Certified Global Nurse Consultant. Dr. Hawkins currently serves as the Virginia State Leader for the United Nations Foundation's Shot@Life campaign and previously acted as a UN Liaison for Sigma Theta Tau International. Her clinical background is in community health and maternal-child nursing, where she developed a strong commitment to advocating for underserved populations. A retired U.S. Army nurse, Dr. Hawkins has traveled extensively, deepening her understanding of the social determinants of health and the global need for equitable access to life-saving vaccines. She has been a dedicated member of the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ faculty since 2001.
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Dr. Sheila K. Keener is an Assistant Professor of Management at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. She completed her Ph.D. in Business from Virginia Commonwealth University and has an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Radford University. Her research focuses on human resources topics, such as employee selection. In addition, she studies a variety of issues related to testing, measurement, and research integrity.
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Dr. Kyle Lambert is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry within the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. He attended the University of New Haven where he developed an interest in organic chemistry while pursing undergraduate research, exploring ways to construct alkaloid natural products.
Selena J. Layden, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA earned her doctorate degree from the College of William & Mary in Education Policy, Planning, and Leadership with an emphasis in Special Education Administration. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the doctoral level. Dr. Layden has worked with individuals with disabilities in the home, school, work, and community settings. She worked as a special education administrator in two different school districts. Prior to coming to ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Dr. Layden served as the Assistant Director for Training for a grant supported center for autism, providing training and technical assistance for school districts across Virginia.
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Dr. Kate Mattingly has taught and written about dance for 20 years. Her undergraduate degree from Princeton University is in the history and theory of architecture. Her MFA in Dance is from New York University, and her doctorate in perÂformance studies with a designated emphasis in new media studies is from the University of California, Berkeley.
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Dr. Natalia Pilato is a community-based artist, educator, and scholar who’s work focuses on building the social capital of target communities through artistic processes. Her large scale national and international community-based mural projects have engaged thousands of inter-generational community members in both the design process and the painting of the murals. Natalia Pilato holds a Ph.D. in Art Education from the Pennsylvania State University. She attended her program as a Bunton Waller Graduate Fellow and has received numerous awards of recognition, which include: The Joy of Giving Something Award; Imagining America Scholarship; the Creative Achievement Award from the P.S.U College of Arts and Architecture; the Ingrid P. Holtzman Award; Brian Betzler Memorial Scholarship; Alumni Honors Award; the American Association of University Women Outstanding Achievement Award, and the Business and Professional Women Opportunity Grant. Currently Dr. Pilato lives in Norfolk VA and is an
Assistant professor of Art Education and the Director of the Art Education Program at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ.
Dr. Michael Pokojovy is an Associate Professor of Data Science and School of Data Science Statistics Fellow at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Norfolk, VA. He holds PhD and Dipl.-Math. degrees in Mathematical Sciences (with minor in Computer Science), both from the University of Konstanz, Germany. His research interests include Statistical & Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics, Scientific Computing, etc.
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Veronica L. Thomas is an Associate Professor at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. Her expertise is in the area of consumer psychology, and her research focuses on consumer-brand relationships. Her research appears in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, and Marketing Letters, among other prestigious peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Thomas also serves as an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Advertising, and she sits on the review board of the Journal of Advertising and Psychology & Marketing. Dr. Thomas has received national media coverage for her expertise and research in outlets such as MarketWatch, Forbes, and Cosmopolitan.
Ling Tuo, Ph.D., CPA, CMA, is Associate Professor of the School of Accountancy in the Strome College of Business at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. Dr. Tuo earned her Ph.D. in Business with an emphasis in Accounting from University of Memphis in 2015. Prior to coming to Old Dominion, Dr. Tuo was Assistant Professor of Accounting at Lawrence Technological University in Michigan.
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Jennifer L. Whytlaw is an Associate Professor of Applied GIS in the Department of Political Science and Geography and is the current Geography Program Director at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. She is a certified GIS Professional (GISP), has a Part 107 certificate, and holds a Ph.D. in Geography with 20+ years’ experience working in the geospatial industry. Her work experience has involved working in both private-sector and academic environments.
Dr. Brandi Woodell a sociologist interested in sexuality, gender, social psychology, religion, spatial inequality, sexual minority health disparities, and qualitative and mixed method methodologies.
Dr. Jian Wu is an assistant professor in the Computer Science Department at the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Norfolk, VA. Before joining ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Dr. Jian Wu was an assistant teaching professor in College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) at the Pennsylvania State University.
Promotion to Full Professor
Dr. Abdullah Al-Taiar (MD, DCH, MSc, PhD, FACE) is a physician epidemiologist with an MD degree. Dr. Al-Taiar received his graduate training in Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (London University) in the UK, including master level training in Biostatistics and PhD in Epidemiology. He is a fellow (by distinction) of the Faculty of Public Health, Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom. He is a fellow of the American College of Epidemiology (FACE).
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Dr. James Blando, Ph.D., is currently a Professor at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ in the School of Community and Environmental Health. Prior to his faculty appointment, Dr. Blando was a researcher for 12 years at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services where he designed and conducted several diverse projects in environmental and occupational health funded by NIOSH, EPA, and CDC.
Dr. Jonna Bobzien is a coordinator for ASD Certificate Program and Adapted Curriculum. She is a teacher educator with an emphasis in areas of severe disabilites and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Prior special education teacher with 10 years of experience.
Ann Bruhn, BSDH, MS is an instructor at the School of Dental Hygiene, ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. Bruhn teaches Radiology and clinical care, and has four years experience in clinical practice.
Dr. Laura C. Chezan is a Professor of Special Education in the Department of Human Movement Studies and Special Education in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies. She is the Program Director for the Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate Program and the PhD in Special Education at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. Her research interests focus on functional communication for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, quality of life, and technology-delivered evidence-based training for educators.
Dr. Adam Eckerd is a Professor with the School of Public Service at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. He conducts research on organizational and individual decision making in complex settings, particularly as it relates to how risk is assessed and how information is used to manage public and nonprofit programs and policies. Adam’s work investigates issues of environmental policy and land use, public participation, and program evaluation.
Dr. Elizabeth Groeneveld (Ph.D., University of Guelph) is a Professor in Women’s Studies. Her research in the area of feminist media studies explores third- and post-wave feminist publishing, specifically zines and magazines.
Dr. Lin Guo is Professor of Marketing at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. Before joining ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ in 2021, she held the position of Associate Professor at the University of New Hampshire. Her research focuses on three key areas: service co-production, customer-service provider relationships, and consumer social media usage and communication.
Dr. Tina Gustin has over 35-years of advanced practice nursing experience. She received her undergraduate degree from the Medical College of Virginia, which is now Virginia Commonwealth University. She received her master’s degree as a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist from the University of Virginia, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. She is currently an Assistant Professor at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ School of Nursing where she teaches in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program.
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Jeff Moe grew up in an Air Force family and received his doctorate in Counselor Education & Supervision from the University of Toledo. Dr. Moe began his career in Texas, and he joined ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ's counseling program July 2013. He lives in Norfolk with his life partner of 15 years and their two dogs.
Dr. Brian Nedvin, tenor, is an Associate Professor at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ where he is the Director of Vocal Studies, a studio teacher, and the professor of English, Italian, French, and German diction.
Dr. Emily Ondracek-Peterson is a leader in numerous fields: performance, artistic direction, arts advocacy, administration, education, career research, entrepreneurship, and academia. She holds performance degrees from The Juilliard School and a doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University. As violinist, she has received acclaim from leading publications including The New York Times, been soloist with ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and recorded for leading record labels. Dr. Ondracek-Peterson is a leader in multiple organizations – Executive Director of the Diehn School at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and Festival Director of the Crested Butte Music Festival. Additionally, she holds an MBA with specializations in both Leadership and Entrepreneurship.
Dr. Douglas T. Owens is a Professor of Music, the F. Ludwig Diehn Endowed Chair in Music, Graduate Program Director, and a past Chairperson of the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Diehn School of Music. He earned the Doctor of Arts degree in Music with emphases in Music Education and Jazz Pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado in 2003. Dr. Owens earned the Master of Music in Trumpet Performance in 1986 and the Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1983, each from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Dr. Otilia Popescu received the Engineering Diploma and M.S. degree from the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest, Romania, and the PhD degree from Rutgers University, all in Electrical and Computer Engineering. While at Rutgers her research was conducted at WINLAB in the area of wireless communications. Her research interests are in the general areas of communication systems, control theory, signal processing and engineering education. She is currently a Professor in the Department of Engineering Technology, ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ in Norfolk, Virginia, where her teaching covers electrical circuits, systems and signals, and communications courses.
Dr. Richards studies technical communication and rhetoric. His research focuses on environmental risk communication, user experience design, and writing pedagogy.
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Dr. Tang’s research interests include consumer well-being, services marketing, and consumer online communication. His research has appeared in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Marketing Letters, and others. He is currently serving as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Consumer Affairs. He is a member of the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Service Research and the Journal of Advertising Research.
Dr. Veronica L. Thomas is a Professor at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ in the Department of Psychology. Her expertise is in the area of consumer psychology, and her research focuses on social influence in the context of consumer-brand relationships, advertising, and sales.
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Dr. Weber is a Professor in the Department of History and the Graduate Program Director for the M.A. Program in History. He specializes in U.S. labor and immigration history, with a focus on the U.S.-Mexico border region. His publications include From South Texas to the Nation: The Exploitation of Mexican Labor in the Twentieth Century (UNC Press, 2015) ​and William Hanson and the Texas-Mexico Border: Violence, Corruption, and the Making of the Gatekeeper State (University of Texas Press, 2024).
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Dr. Yusuke Yamani is a Full Professor of Psychology and Civil and Environmental Engineering at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. He received the B.A. degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from the State University of New York at Geneseo, 2008, the M.S. degree in Human Factors from Institute of Aviation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, and the Ph.D. degree in Psychology from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013. His research program focuses on basic and applied aspects of attention, perception and cognition. He is a recipient of the University Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor and a Fellow of American Psychology Association (Division 21: Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology), Human Factors & Ergonomics Society, and Psychonomic Society.
Dr. Lei Zhang is a Professor of Real Estate in the Department of Finance at the Strome College of Business, ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. She serves as a Corresponding Editor for Urban Studies and is a member of the Editorial Board of Housing Studies. From 2021 to 2025, she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Review of Regional Studies. Dr. Zhang’s research specializes in real estate and housing economics, with a particular focus on the factors that influence real estate values, housing market dynamics, and regional economic growth.
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Dr. Joshua Zingher is a scholar of elections and political behavior, with a particular focus on race, class, and identity. Dr. Zimgher also teaches research methods courses where he attempt to get students excited about empirical social sciences.
Promotion from Teaching Assistant Professor to Teaching Associate Professor
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Dennis Harvey has worked in the insurance industry for over 25 years, taught at community colleges, and has managed and owned agencies in the community. His research interests include Insurance and Risk Management.
Frances Holman is a senior leader with strong financial and managerial background fueled with the dedication to both train and lead organizations. Completed the EMBA program at William & Mary (2008) and MSA at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ (2014), bringing a current perspective in finance and education to supplement over four decades of professional accounting experience.
Samuel Johnson is a seasoned professional with a significant level of business and professional experience. He was a partner in the Richmond office of Cherry Bekaert LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, through April 30, 2021.
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Promotion from Teaching Associate Professor to Teaching Professor
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Alicia DeFonzo is an award-winner professor and author of the WWII nonfiction narrative The Time Left Between Us (Potomac Books, 2022). Featured on CNBC and NPR, DeFonzo has been the literary guest for the 80th anniversary of D-Day ceremonies in Normandy as well as the Battle of the Bulge celebration by the Ambassador of Luxembourg. A professor of Writing and Literature at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and former Fulbright Specialist, she is a frequent literary guest and contributing writer to NPR programs and regional expert on banned books and literary censorship.
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Dr. Kelly S. Rippard is an experienced instructional designer, curriculum specialist, English educator, and teaching professor in instructional technology. She has both a BA and MA in English, a second MS in Secondary Education, and a PhD in Education. During her doctoral studies, she focused on curriculum and instruction, instructional design technology, and research methods. Her current research areas include technology methods and practices for pre-service teachers, using AI in the classroom, and multicultural education.
Dr. Chad Wiener studied history and philosophy at the University of Georgia (1997), earned a MA at University Chicago focusing on history methodology (1999), and returned to UGA to work on Plato and Aristotle writing his dissertation on the latter's biology, earning his PhD in 2008.
Promotion from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer
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Ms. Alvaro-Sanchez is a passionate Spanish Instructor with nine years of expertise delivering dynamic lessons at both Face-to-Face and Online college levels. She is committed to fostering a love for language and culture, and thrives on creating interactive and engaging environments that accelerate learning. She has a proven track record in curriculum development, instructional design, and Spanish linguistics.
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Promotion from Senior Lecturer to Master Lecturer
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Mr. Daniels has over 30 years of experience in organizational management and leadership, communications systems, information systems, management consulting, change management, employee and leadership development and quality improvement in both government and commercial enterprises.
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Shahin holds his B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering, M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D. in Structural Engineering, second M.Sc. in Geotechnical Engineering and second Ph.D. in Fluid Mechanics. He has considerable industrial experience. He has been involved in the design of residential, industrial and commercial high-rise buildings. He is familiar with several different design methodologies, various 3D analysis and design software, UBC, AISC, AASHTO and ACI codes. Up to now, he has done various researches in solid mechanics, soil mechanics, and fluid mechanics areas and the results of his studies have been disseminated as several international conference papers, journal articles, and two books.
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Clinical Faculty Promotions
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