Valpo LEAD’s 2019-2020 Cohort

The following Valparaiso University faculty and staff were selected to be a part of the 2019-2020 Valpo LEAD’s cohort.

Christina Hearne is a proud native of Gary, IN who has been a part of the Valparaiso University community for the last eight years. Her time at the institution began in August 2011, as a student in Valparaiso University’s Social Work Department. During this time she served in various roles as a student leader. Upon obtaining her Bachelor’s in Social Work from Valpo in 2015, Christina worked as a caregiver for adults with disabilities in LaPorte, IN and then a Community Outreach Specialist focusing on Gary’s homeless population before returning to Valpo in September 2016 as Coordinator of the Disability Support Services office.   In November of 2018, Christina became the Director of the Access and Accommodations Resource Center (formerly known as Disability Support Services). As Director of the Access and Accommodations Resource, Christina is responsible for ensuring that students with disabilities are provided equitable access to education and collegiate life here at Valpo. Christina is also adjunct faculty in the Valparaiso University Social Work Department;  she teaches SOCW 260 Diverse Populations: Human Rights & Justice.  Beyond her role as director and recently acquired adjunct faculty member Christina serves in numerous capacities on campus including CIVC, Black Student Organization advisor, and Welcome Project contributor. In terms of professional organizations, she is a member of the national Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), IN-AHEAD, and the National Association of Social workers.

Christina lives by the saying,  “ I am because we are.” Throughout her undergraduate, graduate, and current career she has pushed for inclusion and equitable access to resources for all people in the hope that our society will learn to truly value diversity. When Christina is not at work, she serves as a youth leader in her local church. She enjoys spending time with her family and exploring nature.

Tiffany Kolba completed a B.A./M.A. in mathematics at Johns Hopkins University in 2006 and then received her Ph.D. in mathematics from Duke University in 2012.  She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Valpo, where she has worked for the past seven years.  Her research interests are in probability theory and applied statistics, and she especially enjoys involving undergraduate students in research projects.  Tiffany serves as the academic advisor for the statistics major and the applied statistics minor, and she recently received the Valparaiso University Excellence in Teaching Award in the area of curriculum development.

Erin oversees all Study Abroad operations and also serves as primary advisor for the Valpo Study Centers in Cambridge, UK, Reutlingen, Germany, as well as some exchange and partner programs. Additionally, she provides support for spring break and summer faculty-led programs. Prior to Valpo, she worked at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Center for International Education as their Study Abroad Financial Specialist. She worked primarily with day-to-day financial matters, but also helped guide students looking for funding for their study abroad programs and collaborated with the Financial Aid Office. She has a B.A. in German from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and an M.A. in languages, literature, and translation with an emphasis in German from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. During her undergraduate studies, she spent a semester abroad at the University of Kassel in Germany.

Dr. Anton Lewis currently teaches as an assistant Professor of Accounting, at Valparaiso University, Indiana. His taught courses consist of teaching undergraduate financial accountancy and managerial accountancy, as well undergraduate audit and accounting information systems classes.

Dr. Lewis’s dissertation research utilized Critical Race Theory to investigate the experience of Black accountants in the UK through qualitative methods. Future research goals include expanding my research to develop critical models and conceptual frameworks of multicultural diversity of accountants in government bodies and accountancy organizations in the United States.

As Assistant Director of Multicultural Programs, Janelle is responsible for coordinating the SMART Connections mentorship program; developing and implementing retention strategies for academically at-risk populations; coordinating scholarship programs administered by the OMP; advising Alliance, Black Student Organization (BSO), and Women of Worth (WoW); and assisting in the development of OMP programs.

Janelle is originally from Indianapolis, IN and studied Psychology at Ball State University in Muncie, IN. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, Janelle accepted a position at Washington State University where she served as a Residential Education Director. After spending a couple of years on the west coast, Janelle returned to the midwest to attend Illinois State University where she earned her Masters of Science in Education with a focus in College Student Personnel Administration. After completing her degree, she worked at Northwestern University for several years as a Residence Director. She has been involved in multicultural affairs throughout her undergraduate, graduate, and professional career and is excited to continue supporting diversity and inclusion at Valpo. Professionally, Janelle is the Career and Professional Development Chair for the African-American Knowledge Community within NASPA. She is an avid Colts fan and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Anne Raich is currently serving as an Associate Professor and the Department Chair in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Valparaiso University where she has been a faculty member since 2016. Prof. Raich completed her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, her M.S. at Carnegie Mellon University and her undergraduate studies at West Virginia University. After a two-year postdoctoral position at the University of Illinois, she served for four years as an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University and for 11 years as an Assistant and Associate Professor at Lafayette College. Her research seeks to develop application-driven computational models using soft computing methods to assist engineers in the conceptual design of structures, structural damage identification and effective control strategy design. She has received a NSF CAREER Award and also NSF REU and MRI funding for collaborative research efforts.

Prof. Raich teaches a project-based, first year engineering course, mechanics and dynamics, and structural analysis and design at Valparaiso. She is also the structural advisor for senior capstone design. She is working with department faculty to implement a new environmental engineering program and with college faculty to support new KEEN network initiatives.

Richard Sévère has been at Valparaiso University for three years as an Associate Professor of Medieval Literature. He also teaches Business and Professional Writing in addition to Core and other courses in the English Department. Richard earned his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Florida A&M University and his PhD from Purdue University. In addition to his published work on Male Friendship in Medieval Romance, he is also Co-Editor of the recent book on social justice in the writing center– Out in the Center: Public Controversies and Private Struggles.

Dr. Woike started her current role of Assistant Director for Training at Valparaiso University Counseling Center in August of 2015. She earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Oklahoma, her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Valparaiso University, and her Bachelor of Philosophy from Miami of Ohio University. Dr. Woike is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Indiana. She is a generalist practitioner who utilizes an integrative approach to therapy and often draws from client-centered, interpersonal, emotion-focused, feminist, cognitive-behavioral, and solution-focused techniques. Dr. Woike is a member of the American Psychological Association. She is passionate about supervision and clinical work. Dr. Woike’s personal interests include Walt Disney World and spending time with her husband, 2 daughters, and energetic Husky, Callie.

Jennifer Zatarski started at Valparaiso University in September 2018. She holds a B.A. in Business Management from North Central College. Her role as an Assistant Controller utilizes her prior experience in the hospitality, construction, and not-for-profit industries. She enjoys the breadth of work in her role that gives her the opportunity to dig into details with one task and prepare reports with the next task. Jennifer believes in continuous improvement in personal and professional growth as well as processes. She resides in Valparaiso and enjoys spending time with family, cooking, gardening, and the arts.

Professor Zaweski joined the faculty in the summer of 2016 and serves as the Assistant Dean and Program Director for the Physician Assistant Program. Professor Zaweski’s clinical areas of expertise are Emergency Medicine and Vascular Surgery. His educational and research interests include interprofessional education, simulation, international education, asynchronous education, competency based medical education, and professionalism.

Prior to joining our faculty, Professor Zaweski served for 9 years as Assistant Professor and Academic Coordinator for Arcadia University’s Physician Assistant Program in Newark, Delaware. He is a member of Pi Alpha and has served in multiple positions in the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) including Chair of the PA Educator Competency Based Faculty Development Task Force and a member of the Conference Council. He has been active in international education as a visiting professor to the University of Pretoria Clinical Associate Programme in South Africa. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Delaware Academy of Physician Assistants, where he was active in modernizing the PA practice laws for the State of Delaware.

He began his medical career in 1993 as a vascular technologist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire where his research interests included ultrasound guidelines for carotid endarterectomy without angiography, ultrasound guided pseudoaneurysm compression, and anterior compartment syndrome. Professor Zaweski practiced clinically as a Physician Assistant in Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care from 2001 through 2016, where he also served as a clinical preceptor for PA students.

Professor Zaweski serves as associate editor for the textbook Physician Assistant: A Guide to Clinical Practice. He has published book chapters on physician assistant education and antiobiotic references as well as articles for the Journal of Vascular Technology. He has presented at local, state, and national conferences including the Physician Assistant Education Association Annual Forum.

Amanda Zelechoski (zell-uh-husky) is an associate professor in the Psychology Department and is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist and attorney. She teaches a variety of psychology and counseling courses, including Psychology and Law, Psychotherapy and Counseling, Introduction to Psychopathology, and Inside-Out Prison Exchange courses. As the director of the Psychology, Law, and Trauma Lab, her primary research interests include trauma in at-risk and delinquent youth and forensic mental health assessment. Dr. Zelechoski also serves as an associate editor for Law and Human Behavior and a Risk Management Consultant for The Trust, and provides training and consultation to numerous mental health, law enforcement, and correctional agencies.