ASU College of Health Solutions welcomes 22 new faculty

Twenty-two new faculty members are joining the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University for the 2022–23 academic year, bringing an infusion of new talent, energy and ideas.

The new faculty offer significant experience that will help the college prepare its future health care leaders and advance its mission to improve health outcomes for individuals and communities.

“We are so pleased to welcome these impressive faculty to the College of Health Solutions,” Vice Dean Michael Yudell said. “Our new faculty bring diverse experience and credentials to the college, adding to our teaching and research expertise across a wide range of areas, including nutrition, population health, global health, health care systems, biomedical diagnostics, movement science, and speech and hearing science. They are well-prepared to contribute to our collaborative approach to addressing health issues.”

The new faculty come at an exciting time as the College of Health Solutions is celebrating its 10th anniversary and expanding its research and programs to meet the demand for health care professionals. The college has a unique structure that blends several diverse yet related health disciplines to help the community meet its many health challenges.

Tenured and tenure-track faculty

New tenured and tenure-track faculty bring significant depth of academic knowledge, research and scholarship to the College of Health Solutions:

• Danny Hughes, a professor of health care systems, starts in January 2023. Hughes comes to the college from the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Economics, where he served as director of the health economics and analytics lab and master’s degree program. He also served as executive director and senior research fellow at the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute. He holds a PhD in economics from University of Georgia and a BS in economics from Georgia Institute of Technology. 

• Mindy McEntee is an assistant professor in population health. McEntee has taught numerous classes in the college as a postdoctoral scholar in the past year. She holds a PhD in clinical psychology and a master’s degree in psychology from University of New Mexico, a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Towson University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Nebraska.

• Adewale Oyeyemi is an associate professor of population health, starting in January 2023. Prior to ASU, Oyeyemi was a professor of community physiotherapy and health promotion at the University of Maiduguri in Nigeria. He holds a PhD in social health sciences from Ghent University in Belgium, a master’s degree in physiotherapy from University of Ibadan in Nigeria and a bachelor’s of medical rehabilitation science degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.

• Susan Racette is a professor in movement sciences. Racette previously served as a professor of physical therapy in the School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. Racette earned her PhD in nutritional biology from the University of Chicago and a bachelor of science in biology (with a minor in biochemistry) from Bucknell University.

• Joseph Roberts is an incoming assistant professor in nutrition who holds a PhD in nutrition and health sciences from Emory University, a master’s degree in nutrition and health sciences from the University of Nebraska and a bachelor of science in nutrition science from North Carolina State University. Recent teaching experience includes positions at Georgia State University, Emory University and Morehouse College in Atlanta.

• Taichi Suzuki will begin in January 2023 as an assistant professor of nutrition/biodesign. Suzuki’s educational background includes a PhD in integrative biology from University of California-Berkeley, a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from University of Arizona, a master of science in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Arizona, and a bachelor of science in animal science and resources from Nihon University in Japan. Most recently, he served as a postdoctoral research associate with the Department of Microbiome Sciences at Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Germany. 

• Niko Verdecias, an assistant professor of population health, comes to the College of Health Solutions after a postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. While at Washington, Verdecias was a co-investigator for three COVID-19 information, vaccination and health communication grants. Verdecias holds a doctorate in public health (with a concentration on community health and prevention) from Drexel University, a master’s degree in public health from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, and a BS in psychology from Syracuse University.

Career-track faculty

These new faculty bring excellence in teaching, clinical experience and service in their fields to their new roles as career-track faculty at the College of Health Solutions: 

• Joshua Anbar, lecturer in health care systems, previously served as a faculty associate in the College of Health Solutions. Anbar earned a doctor of public health degree from the University of Arizona in 2020.

• Jade Culbertson is a lecturer in population health. Culbertson, who has a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Utah, was most recently a fitness and community wellness coordinator at the Northeast Community Center in Portland.

• Liz Harrell began as a clinical associate professor in health care systems in May. Harrell holds a doctor of nursing practice degree from Arizona State University.

• Jessica Hogan joins as a lecturer in population health. Hogan, who earned a doctor of behavioral health degree from ASU, was most recently an adjunct professor in psychology and business at Grand Canyon University.

• Rajendra Karkee will be a lecturer in population health starting in January after having served as an associate professor of public health at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan, Nepal.

• Hugh Lamont will start in January 2023 as a clinical assistant professor in movement sciences after having served as an assistant professor in kinesiology at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina.

• Charles Leddon, lecturer in movement sciences, was previously the director of sports science initiatives for the Cincinnati Reds Major League Baseball team.

• Rollin Medcalf, lecturer in health sciences and medical studies, was most recently adjunct faculty at the University of New Mexico in Taos. Medcalf holds a doctor of medicine degree from Autonomous University of Guadalajara School of Medicine.

• Mallory Mushaben brings experience as a respiratory therapist to her role as a lecturer in health sciences and medical studies. Mushaben worked at the Mayo Clinic Hospital since 2020.

• Jennifer Ratigan, clinical associate professor in speech and hearing science, started at the college in January. Ratigan, who did an audiology residency with Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and earned a doctorate in audiology from Gallaudet University,  brings clinical and classroom experience to the position.    

• Ileana Ratiu joins as a clinical associate professor in speech and hearing science. Ratiu, who earned a doctorate in speech and hearing science at ASU, most recently taught at Midwestern University.

• Norma Rodriguez is a lecturer in speech and hearing science. Rodriguez brings a wealth of speech-language pathology experience to the position from her many years running a clinical practice.

• Travis Schlappi will start as a lecturer in biomedical diagnostics in January 2023. Schlappi, who holds a doctorate degree in chemical engineering, has served as an assistant professor of medical diagnostics at Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, California.

• Indigo Young joins the college as a clinical associate professor in speech and hearing science. Young has been a clinical instructor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston since 2017.

•  Robert Zwarich serves as a lecturer in health care systems. Most recently, Zwarich was a teaching assistant at Texas Tech University.