Teaching Faculty
Dr. Kim Alexander, Sociology
Dr. Sandra Barney, History
Dr. Sandra Barney earned her doctorate in history from West Virginia University in 1995; she joined LHU's faculty in 1999 She teaches a variety of courses in the History Department. Her early research focused on gender and the professionalization of medicine in Appalachia during the Progressive Era. She has also begun research on sexuality and parenting in the English-speaking countries of the North Atlantic Basin and on the history and distribution of preschool enrichment programs. She enjoys reading, gardening, and cooking in her free time.
Dr. Susan Boland, Psychology
Dr. Susan Boland earned her doctorate in Social Psychology from Washington University (St. Louis) in 1987; she joined LHU's faculty in 1990. Dr. Boland teaches a variety of courses, including Psychology of Women, Social Psychology, and Experimental Psychology. Her research has focused on attitudes, stereotypes, Type A behavior, and personal relationships.
Dr. Judy Brink, Anthropology
Dr. Brink received her B.S. in Social Science Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her Master's and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh (1985). For her Ph.D. research, she lived for over a year in a village in Egypt studying the effect of education and employment on the status of women. Dr. Brink continued to work in Egypt and complete research on the effect of labor migration of husbands on the status of their wives, child-rearing strategies of Egyptian mothers, the effect of Islamic fundamentalism, participation in zar possession trance rituals, and agricultural participation on women's status. Her current field location is in Oaxaca, a southern state in Mexico, researching the creation of an indigenous ethnic identity in order to sell handmade rugs to tourists, as well as the ancestor worship ceremony "the Day of the Dead." She teaches Anthropology for Women for the Women's Studies program. Dr. Brink is married, has no children, but does have Maine Coon Cats. She loves to travel, especially to archeological sites in Latin America, and recently has visited Morocco, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize; she also goes to Mexico several times a year. Dr. Brink's favorite activity is snorkeling, which she does in Cozumel, Mexico. Website: http://www.lhup.edu/soci-anth-socw/judy.htm
Prof. Ramona Brooner, Theater
Ramona Broomer has taught theater courses and served as Director of Costumes in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts since 2001. She has a B.S. in Fashion Design from Drexel University, a M.F.A. in Costume Design from Temple University and a M.S. in Instructional Technology from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of the International Alliance of Stage Employees Locals 895, 768 and 705.
Dr. Nicole Burkholder-Mosco, English
Nicole Burkholder-Mosco earned her Ph.D. in English literature and criticism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2003 and joined LHU’s faculty that same year. Her dissertation traces roles of women and children in Gothic studies, examining marginal and subversive characters and the power shifts and boundary transgressions that accompany such roles. Her current teaching and research interests include 19th-century fiction as well as contemporary Gothic literature and film. Her presented and published work includes the ghost stories of Henry James, the role of Gothic constructions in fiction and film, and the evolution of gendered motifs such as the modern literary and filmic vampire.
Dr. Holle Canatella, History
Dr. Holle Canatella earned her Ph.D. in medieval European history from the University of Houston in 2010. She also holds a graduate certificate in Women's Studies and a minor in world history. Her research focuses on gender relations in eleventh and twelfth century England and France, specifically male-female spiritual friendship. She teaches courses on the ancient Mediterranean, medieval Europe, early modern Europe, and the history of the witch trials.
Dr. Laurie Cannady, English
Dr. Tracey Cummings, English
Dr. Gayatri Devi, English (Coordinator)
Dr. Devi earned her Masters in English Language and Literature from the University of Kerala, India (1988), and her PhD in English Language and Literature from the University of North Dakota in 1995 with a dissertation on the literary, cultural and political ramifications of Freud’s theory of humor across multiple literary, theater and cinema texts. Her teaching and research interests include linguistics, world literatures, women and gender studies, and film studies. Dr. Devi was a two-time co-chair of the Middle East Film Caucus of the Society for Cinema and Media Studies, and was a contributor to the Historical Dictionary of
Middle Eastern Cinema (Scarecrow Press, 2010) on the cinemas of Iran and Palestine. Her writings on South Asian and Middle Eastern literatures and cinemas have been published in various scholarly journals and anthologies. Her most recent publications include an article on Angelina Maccarone’s film Fremde Haut (Unveiled, 2005) investigating gender identity in the transnational context that appears in the Blackwell
Companion to German Cinema (2011), and an essay on the labor class in Malayalam cinema that appears in Situations: A Project of the Radical Imagination (2011) from the CUNY Center for the Study of Culture, Technology and Work. Her articles on the Indian tribal activist and feminist author Mahasweta Devi's novel Mother of 1084, and short story Draupadi are forthcoming in 2013. She is currently working on a contracted book on Middle Eastern cinema with Wayne State University Press. At LHU, Dr. Devi teaches courses in world literature, women's studies, linguistics and grammar.
Dr. Elizabeth Gruber, English
Prof. Marjorie Maddox Hafer, English
Director of Creative Writing and Professor of English at Lock Haven University, Marjorie Maddox Hafer received her M.A. from the University of Louisville, where she studied with Sena Jeter Naslund, and her M.F.A. from Cornell University (1989), where she studied with A.R. Ammons and Robert Morgan and was awarded the Sage Graduate Fellowship in Poetry Writing. The recipient of Pushcart Prize nominations in both poetry and fiction, Professor Maddox Hafer gives readings and workshops around the country. At LHU, she teaches the Poetry and Advanced Topics in Creative Writing workshops, Pennsylvania Authors, Women Poets, Modern Poetry, Ethnic American Literature, and Honors Composition and Literature. She has published Perpendicular As I (Sandstone Book Award); Transplant, Transport, Transubstantiation (Yellowglen Prize); Weeknights at the Cathedral (WordTech Editions); When the Wood Clacks Out Your Name: Baseball Poems (Redgreene Press); six chapbooks, and over 400 poems, stories, and essays in such journals and anthologies as Poetry, Prairie Schooner, the Anthology of Magazine Verse and Yearbook of American Poetry, and A Fine Frenzy: Poets on Shakespeare. She is co-editor of Common Wealth: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania (PSU Press 2005) and author of two children’s books from Boyds Mills Press: A Crossing of Zebras: Animal Packs in Poetry (2008) and The Rules of the Game: Baseball Poems (2009). Her short story collection, What She Was Saying, was one of three finalists for the Katherine Anne Porter Book Award, and a semifinalist for Leapfrog Press’ book competition, Eastern Washington University’s Spokane Fiction Book Award, and Louisiana University Press’ Yellow Shoe Book Award.For more info and reviews, please see http://www.lhup.edu/mmaddoxh/biography.htm
Dr. Brooke Harlowe, Political Science
Prof. Melinda Hodge, Art
Dr. Joan Whitman Hoff, Philosophy
Joan Whitman Hoff is a professor of Philosophy. She received her Ph.D. from The American University and her M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Whitman Hoff has published two books and numerous essays in journals and books, in addition to over 100 presentations at conferences. She teaches Philosophy of Feminism and Introduction to Women's Studies; she also has developed and taught a web-based course entitled Women, Technology and the Information Age. Dr. Whitman Hoff is a certified mediator who specializes in family conflict resolution.
Dr. Patrizia Hoffman, Communication
Prof. Philip Huber, Art
Dr. Karen Kline, Mass Communication
Karen Kline joined the Journalism and Mass Communication faculty at Lock Haven University in 1987 after teaching for six years at Marywood College in Scranton, Pennsylvania. At LHU she teaches professionally-oriented courses in the areas of television, radio, advertising, and public relations as well as media studies courses, including Gender and the Mass Media and Cultural Studies in Mass Communication. Her primary research interests involve examination of the creative practices that guide the work of culture-making industries and qualitative analysis of audience responses to the mass media.
Dr. Beth McMahon, Health Sciences
Beth McMahon is a Full Professor at Lock Haven University specializing in community health improvement, current health issues and women’s health issues. She came to LHU in 1998 from the Susquehanna Health System where she was responsible for the Women’s Health Center, The Health and Wellness Life Center, Community Health Improvement and Promotion. She received her PhD from Penn State University in Health Education, a MS in Exercise Physiology with a focus in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Wellness, and a BS in Health and Physical Education for East Stroudsburg University. She is actively involved in numerous community organizations including a founding and current member of the Favors Forward Foundation and Lycoming County Health Improvement Coalition. Her area of research interest and publications are in community health improvement, “at-risk” youth, women and families in transition, community service learning and college student success. She actively volunteers, provides trainings and assists in program planning, assessment and grant writing in a variety of community organizations, including non-profit health and human service agencies, Williamsport YWCA’s Women and Children’s Shelter, local school districts, YMCA and Children and Youth Services. She is certified as a Victim Advocate through the office for victims of Crime Technical Assistance Center and volunteers in support of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in the local emergency room. She delivers over 50 keynote presentation and publications locally, regionally and/or nationally each year. She was recognized as the 2009 Rotarian of the Year by the Williamsport Rotary Club; 2011 Women of Distinction Award; selected as one of seven 2011 Persons of the Year in Lycoming County; and received the 2012 YWCA Northcentral PA Annual Racial Justice Award.
Dr. Tara Mitchell, Psychology
Dr. Tara Mitchell earned her doctorate in Legal Psychology from Florida International University in 2005 and joined LHU's faculty. Dr. Mitchell teaches a variety of courses in the Psychology and Women and Gender Studies departments, including Introduction to LGBTQ Studies, Psychology of Personality, Forensic Psychology, and courses in research methodology. Her research has focused on the social constructions of gender, race, sexual orientation, and gender identity, as well as discrimination based on those constructions.
Dr. Rose Ann Neff, Health
Rose Ann Neff has seen many changes at Lock Haven University since 1973 when she graduated from here. She joined the LHU faculty in 1979 after teaching one year at Ephrata High School and four years at Susquehanna University. Her Ph.D. in Health Education was earned in 1990 from Penn State. In addition to developing and coordinating the Fitness Management Option, currently Dr. Neff teaches Nutrition for Wellness, Health Promotion at the Worksite, and Women's Health Issues. The supervision of senior Professional Field Experiences (internships) also accounts for part of her academic duties. Traveling and hiking are among her top recreational pursuits.
Prof. Lynette Reitz, Social Work
Lynnette Reitz received her M.A. from the University of Chicago in 1990. She teaches a variety of courses in the Social Work Program at LHU, as well as serving as the Field Work Coordinator.
Dr. David Russell, English
Dr. SueAnn Schatz, English
SueAnn Schatz joined the English faculty at Lock Haven University in 2001 where she teaches a variety of British literature courses, Business Writing, Introduction to Literature, and Composition. Her teaching and research interests include film and the novel, Native American literature, and women's writing. Dr. Schatz received her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in 1999. More information about Dr. Schatz can be found at her website, www.lhup.edu/sschatz
Dr. Lisette Schillig, English
Dr. Sally Story, Theater
Dr. Sharon Stringer, Mass Communication
Sharon Stringer is an assistant professor who received her doctorate in Agricultural and Extension Education with a minor in Mass Communication from Penn State University in 1999. Her teaching responsibilities include numerous journalism courses, public relations, and advertising; she contributes to the Women's Studies program by teaching Cultural Studies in Mass Communication. Dr. Stringer, who currently serves as the academic adviser for the LHU's student radio station (WLHU), has been employed as an editor and a public television producer and is a member of the Association of Educators of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE).