Ph.D. Program Faculty

Ph.D. Program Faculty

The true strength of our program lies in the flexibility and creativity of our professors and the opportunities that they afford our students. As always, the faculty welcomes your inquiries and suggestions. Please feel free to email any of our outstanding faculty members.

Don Chaney, Ph.D., MCHES Chair, Dept. of Health Science Professor Research Interests: Application of Technology in Health Education and Health Promotion, Online Learning, & eHealth Literacy

Elizabeth “Beth” Chaney, Ph.D., MCHES Professor Research Interests: Instrument Development and Program Evaluation in Health Education

Elizabeth “Lizze” Elder, Ph.D., LAT, ATC AT Program Director Associate Professor Research Interests: Shoulder & Elbow Injury, Injury Prevention, and Adolescent Health

Sara Hendrix, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Hands in Health and Eta Sigma Gamma Advisor, Research Interests: Global Health, Women’s Health, and Workplace Wellness

Nayoung Kim, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Addiction prevention and treatment, Health data science, Implementation Science, healthcare workforce development

Adam Knowlden, Ph.D., MBA, CHES®, Associate Professor Research Interests: Childhood Obesity and Unintentional Injuries from Inadequate Sleep

Deidre Leaver-Dunn, Ph.D., LAT, ATC Associate Dean Associate Professor Research Interests: Athletic Training, Sports Medicine, Adolescent Health, and Disordered Eating

Tiffany Marcantonio, PhD., CHES, LAC Assistant Professor Research Interest: Sexual Violence Prevention, Sexual Consent Communication, Substance Use, Alcohol and Cannabis Use, Bystander Intervention

Ryan Moran, Ph.D., LAT, ATC Assistant Professor Research Interests: Athletic Training, Sports Medicine, and Sport-Related Concussion

Jen Nickelson, Ph.D., RD, MCHES®, Associate Professor Research Interests: Maternal & Child Health, Parental Influences on Children’s Eating Behaviors, Breastfeeding, Childhood Obesity Prevention, and Community-Based Participatory Research

Tasmiah Nuzhath, DrPH, Assistant Professor Research Interests: Vaccine Hesitancy, Equitable access to Maternal, Childhood and Adolescent vaccination, Culturally Competent Provider care, Community Based Participatory Research, and Global Health

Michael Stellefson, Ph.D., MCHES® Professor, Ph.D. Program Coordinator Research Interests: Health Disparities, COPD, Chronic Disease Self-Management, and Electronic Health (eHealth) Literacy

Lori Turner, Ph.D., RD, Professor Research Interests: Osteoporosis Prevention, Dietary Behaviors, and Health Behavior Theory

Stuart Usdan, Ph.D., Dean of College of Human Environmental Sciences, Professor Research Interests: Substance Abuse and Alcohol Prevention and College Health

Jessica Wallace, Ph.D., LAT, ATC Assistant Professor Research Interests: Athletic Training, Sports Medicine, and SportRelated Concussion

Amanda Wilkerson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Research Interests: Sedentary Behavior & Physical Activity, Workplace Health Promotion, Utilization of Health Behavior Theoretical Models, and Program Evaluation

Yingwei Yang, Ph.D., CPH, CHES, Assistant Professor, Research Interest: Youth Violence, Firearm Injury Prevention, Adolescent Suicidal Behaviors, Polysubstance use, Community Safety, and Research Methods (e.g., Structural Equation Modeling, Photovoice)

Jeri Zemke, PhD, LAT, ATC – AT Program Clinical Education Coordinator, Associate Professor, Research Interests: Lower Extremity Injury Prevention and Diagnostics, Disordered Eating, Patient-Centered Care and Healthcare Administration

Taylor Zingg, PhD, Assistant Professor, Research Interests: Parent-Adolescent Communication and Long-Term Health Behaviors and Outcomes, m-Health Interventions, and Program Evaluation