Shorter University welcomes 22 new full-time faculty members to the campus for the 2011-2012 academic year

September 7, 2011 - Shorter University welcomed 22 new full-time faculty members to the campus for the 2011-2012 academic year. Classes began on Aug. 18.

	Kristy Brown will serve as assistant professor of education. Brown received a bachelor’s degree in education, a master’s degree in special education, and an Education Specialist degree in reading from Stetson University. Her prior experience includes serving Shorter University as an adjunct faculty member and the assistant women’s basketball coach. Brown also taught English and reading at New Smyrna Beach High and was a kindergarten and fourth grade teacher at Woodward Elementary.
	Dr. Sarah Kathryn Cantrell will serve as assistant professor of English and French. Dr. Cantrell earned a doctoral degree in comparative literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received a Master of Arts degree in French languages and literatures from Vanderbilt University and a bachelor’s degree in French and Elementary Education from Centre College.
	Stephanie Cash will serve as assistant professor of music. Cash earned a Master of Music in Choral Music Education from the University of Kentucky. She received her bachelor’s degree in music education, both vocal and instrumental, from Morehead State University. Cash was a teaching assistant at Florida State University and the University of Kentucky, an adjunct instructor and choral director at Tallahassee Community College, a journeyman for the International Mission Board and a choral director for Conkwright Middle School and North Cobb High School.
	Dr. Kelley Castlin-Gacutan joins the faculty as assistant professor of education and director of the Center for Teacher Preparation. Castlin-Gacutan earned a doctoral degree in education leadership from Nova Southeastern University and a master’s degree in early childhood education from Brenau University. She also received a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University in psychology, with a minor in sociology. Castlin-Gacutan’s experience includes director of grants for Nogales Unified School District No.1; serving as accountability and school improvement specialist for Clarke County Schools; principal for Clarke Middle School, Lockheed Elementary, and Pine Forest Elementary; and assistant principal for Lockheed and Dunleith elementary schools.
	Rick Crawford will serve as assistant professor of political science. Mr. Crawford earned his Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University College of Law, a Master of Arts in Political Science from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Jacksonville State University. His experience includes working as an adjunct professor for the State University of West Georgia and Georgia Highlands; being in private law practice in Cedartown, Ga.; and serving as Chief Magistrate Judge of Polk County and judge for the municipal courts of Cedartown and Rockmart, Ga.
Photo Coming Soon!	Dr. Janet Grier joins the faculty as assistant professor of education and assistant site director for Shorter University’s Riverdale campus. She earned a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Argosy University, an Education Specialist degree from the University of Sarasota, and a master’s degree in education from Troy State University. Grier’s experience includes serving as an adjunct professor at Lesley University, assistant principal at Dowell and Argyle elementary schools, learner support strategist at Brumby Elementary, and grade EIP teacher and 2nd grade teacher at Bryant Elementary School.
Photo Coming Soon!	Angela L. Haynes will serve as assistant professor of nursing. Haynes is completing requirements for the doctoral degree in nursing practice from the University of Alabama. She holds a master’s degree in nursing and in public health from Emory University, a bachelor’s degree in science from Emory University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Converse College. Her experience includes working as a family nurse practitioner for Health Connection, Inc., co-director at the Earthquake Displaces Relief Center in Haiti, cardiac nurse at Emory University Hospital, executive director for Georgia Partnership for Caring Foundation, Inc., project director for Foundation de L’Espoir in Haiti and consultant for Eternal Hope in Haiti.
	Dr. Kimberly A. Hays will serve as assistant professor of biology. She earned her doctoral degree in philosophy and zoology from Oklahoma State University, as well as a Master of Science degree in Zoology. Her bachelor’s degree was received in biology from Jacksonville State University. Hays’ experience includes work as a postdoctoral researcher for Oklahoma State University, tutor for Academic Services for Student Athletes, instructor at Oklahoma State University Upward Bound, facilitator for Academic Services for student athletes, graduate teaching associate for human physiology laboratory and graduate teaching assistant for introduction to biology laboratory.
	Ann M. Hook joins the faculty as assistant professor of nursing. She received her Master of Science degree in Nursing from the University of West Georgia and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee. Hook’s experience includes serving as an adjunct instructor at Shorter University and nurse navigator for Cancer Navigators.
	Dr. Leah Williamson Howell joins the faculty as assistant professor of biology. She earned her doctoral degree in genetics from Clemson University after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Shorter University. Howell’s experience includes work as a guest lecturer in genetics and a graduate teaching assistant at Clemson University and as a teaching assistant at Shorter University.
	Kim Hunsucker will serve as chemistry lab coordinator and instructor of natural science. She received her Master of Science degree in Chemistry at Emory University after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry at Berry College. Hunsucker’s prior experiences include serving as a teacher at Chapel Hill High School and Coosa High School, visiting instructor of chemistry at Berry College, substitute teacher for Cherokee County school district, research associate II at EntreMed, Inc. and research and teaching assistant at both Emory University and Berry College.
	Dr. Earl Kellett joins the faculty as assistant professor of Christian studies. He earned a doctoral degree in philosophy, a Master of Divinity in Biblical Languages and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Kellett’s experience includes work as a project coordinator and research assistant in the Center for New Testament Textual Studies and adjunct instructor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, tutor at Georgia Highlands College, and adjunct instructor at Shorter University.
	Dr. Qiang Lu will serve as assistant professor of physics. He earned his doctoral degree in theoretical physics from Nankai University in Tianjin, China, a Master of Science in Physics from Dalian University of Technology in Dalian, China, and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Northeast Forest University in Harbin, China. Lu’s experience includes working as an adjunct professor at CUNY Medgar Evers College teaching physics, delivering 360 lecture hours on numerical methods and MATLAB to more than 30 graduate students in China and 720 lecture hours on theoretical mechanics to more than 100 biophysics undergraduates in China, and more than 13 years conducting and assisting extensive research in biological studies.
	Gina G. McDaniel will serve as associate professor of business. She earned her master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in economics and financial investments from Bellarmine College and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Economics from Transylvania University. McDaniel’s prior experiences include serving as an assistant professor of business at Shorter University, instructor of business at Georgia Highlands College, instructor and program coordinator of business technology at Lexington Community College, instructor and job placement director at Kentucky College of Business, and economic research assistant at the University of Kentucky.
	Tanya Naguszewski joins the faculty as assistant professor of nursing. Her degrees include a Master of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of West Georgia and an associate’s degree in nursing from Floyd College (now Georgia Highlands College). Naguszewski’s experiences include work as a simulation lab instructor at Georgia Highlands College; a registered nurse at Coosa Valley Home Health, an Amedisys Company; a cardiac nurse at Redmond Regional Medical Center; and a cardiac nurse at Hutchinson Medical Center.
	Dr. Barsha Pickell will serve as assistant professor of political science. She earned her doctoral degree in government from the University of Virginia, a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Tennessee, and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Carson-Newman College. Pickell’s experience includes serving as an assistant professor at Charleston Southern University, an adjunct instructor at Carson-Newman College and a teacher at Lenoir City High School.
Photo Coming Soon!	Sondra L. Smith joins the faculty as assistant professor of accounting. She earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in accounting from the University of West Georgia and is a certified public accountant. Smith’s prior experiences include serving as a lecturer in accounting and an adjunct instructor at the University of West Georgia; an instructor and program manager at West Central Technical College; an auditor for Holmes & Robinson, P.C.; a plant accountant and controller for Trent Tube; a financial analyst for the Sabre Group; and a staff accountant for Wasdin, Darnell, Penland and Holmes.
	Dr. Roxy Lowry Swails will serve as assistant professor of chemistry. Her degrees include a doctorate in philosophy and organometallic chemistry from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from George Fox University. Swails has served as a visiting assistant professor of chemistry at Mercer University; a post-doctoral researcher for the University of North Carolina; a research assistant, inorganic laboratory teaching assistant and teaching assistant at the University of Florida; an undergraduate and graduate research assistant at George Fox University; and an NSF-SURF undergraduate research participant at Texas A&M.
Photo Coming Soon!	Dr. Jennell Marie Talley will serve as assistant professor of chemistry. She earned her doctoral degree from the department of biological sciences at Vanderbilt University and a bachelor’s degree in science with a minor in chemistry from Shorter University. Talley helped design the Introduction to Biology Lab (1011) with Christopher Brown at Shorter University. Her other experiences include working as a guest lecturer, Advanced Genetics Lecture, Allele specifity, and Introduction to Genetics Lecture, Yeast Genetics, at Vanderbilt University; a teaching affiliate for the Center of Teaching and teaching assistant for Introduction to Biology Lab at Vanderbilt University; a mentor for Howard Hughes Medical Investigator Summer Science Program; and a journal club discussion facilitator for the Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy.
	Elizabeth E. Taylor joins the faculty as assistant professor of music and director of bands. She received a master’s degree in music education from Northeast Louisiana University and a bachelor’s degree in music education from Georgia Southern College. Taylor’s experience includes being director of bands at Wayne County High School, director of bands and chorus at Bacon County Schools, associate director of bands at West Laurens High School, and graduate assistant of university bands at Northeast Louisiana University.
	Dr. Katherine F. Weeks will serve as assistant professor of biology. Weeks earned a doctoral degree in biological sciences, a Master of Science in Plant and Environmental Science, and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Clemson University. She also received an associate’s degree in science from Trident Technical College. Her experiences include work as a lecturer for biological science and a laboratory teaching assistant for biological sciences at Clemson University.
	Dr. Aisha Williams will serve as assistant professor of human services and field placement coordinator. Williams earned her doctoral degree in philosophy from Clark Atlanta University and a master’s degree in social work from Washington University. Her experience includes working as a guest lecturer at Clark Atlanta University, Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work, and Argosy University.

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christian University committed to excellence in education. Since 2003, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Shorter among the South’s best baccalaureate colleges. The University offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas as well as undergraduate degree programs for working adults, the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Arts in Leadership and the Master of Accountancy.  Online courses and degree programs are also available. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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