Faculty Experts

Faculty Experts

Seattle University faculty and staff subject matter experts are available to provide context and clarity to local and national journalists seeking to advance their stories.

To schedule interviews or to request an expert please contact Media Relations:

  • Lincoln Vander Veen, public and media affairs manager
  • Mobile: 425-830-2448
  • Email: vanderv1@seattleu.edu

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Expert Profiles

John smiling in grey quarter zip

John Armstrong

Assistant Professor, Seattle University Provost Fellow
PhD, Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz

Dr. Armstrong studies environmental politics and policymaking, focusing on the most ambitious actions cities can take to mitigate climate change.

  • Environmental Politics
  • Climate Policy
  • Advocacy
onur outside headshot

Onur Bakiner

Associate Professor
PhD, Political Science, Yale University

Interests include transitional justice, human rights, and judicial politics. Current research project examining the impact of emerging technologies on fundamental rights.

  • Human Rights
  • Transitional Justice
  • World Politics
joe barnes red tie white shirt dark jacket

Joe Barnes

Associate Clinical Professor, Marketing
Master’s, Speech Communications, California State University East Bay

Joe Barnes is an Associate Clinical Professor of Marketing in the Albers School of Business and Economics and the author of "Social Media Ethics Made Easy"

  • social/digital media marketing
  • social media ethics
  • marketing
  • business communications
  • journalism ethics
Caitlin Ring Carlson, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Communication

Caitlin Carlson

Associate Professor
PhD, Media Studies, University of Colorado

Dr. Carlson's research focuses on hate speech and freedom of expression, particularly in new media.

  • First Amendment
  • Free Expression
  • Hate Speech
Rashmi Chordiya, PhD, Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Institute of Public Service

Rashmi Chordiya

Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Seattle University Provost Fellow
PhD, Public Administration, University of Texas, Dallas

Advancing management outcomes in government organizations operating in cross-national contexts and from the lens of organizational justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

  • Integrated Organizational Change
  • Justice - Equity - Diversity - Inclusion
  • Workplace Justice
nathan colaner wearing glasses

Nathan Colaner

Associate Teaching Professor, Director
PhD, Philosophy, University of Kansas

Professor Colaner's main research and teaching area is the ethics of artificial intelligence, including machine learning ethics and data ethics.

  • Business Ethics
  • Data Ethics
  • Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
Kathleen E. Cook, PhD, Department Chair, Psychology

Kathleen Cook

Department Chair, Psychology
PhD, Social and Personality Psychology, University of Washington

Research in social psychology, social cognition, and education. Her work includes the self, identity, gender, power, inferences, and situational and cognitive factors in learning.

  • Psychology
Serena Cosgrove, PhD,  Associate Professor of International Studies

Serena Cosgrove

Director, Latin American Studies
PhD, Sociology, Northeastern University

Work includes post-conflict research in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently investigating the resilience of Central American indigenous communities and the gendered effects of conflict.

  • Central and Latin America
Elizabeth Dale, PhD, Associate Professor, Nonprofit Leadership

Elizabeth Dale

Associate Professor, Nonprofit Leadership
PhD, Philanthropic Studies, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Dr. Dale studies philanthropy and charitable giving, particularly among women and LGBTQ people.

  • Arts Leadership
  • Non-Profit Leadership
Vladimir Dashkeev, PhD, Assistant Professor, Economics

Vladimir Dashkeev

Assistant Professor, Economics
PhD, Economics, University of Washington

Dr. Dashkeev's research areas are macroeconomics, international macroeconomics, and fiscal policy.

  • International Business
  • Macro Economics
Angelique M. Davis, JD, Professor, Political Science

Angelique Davis

Professor, Political Science
JD, School of Law, University of Washington

Associate Appointment, African and African American Studies, Pre-Law Program, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

  • African & African American Studies
  • Intersectionality
  • Law and Society
  • Race and Law
  • Racial Gaslighting
Janiece DeSocio, PHD, RN, PMHNP-BC, FAAN

Janiece DeSocio

Sauvage Endowed Professor of Nursing
PhD, Nursing, University of Rochester School of Nursing

Dr. DeSocio's focus is on Family Psychiatric Mental Health and Child Adolescent Behavioral Health while specializing in Epigenetics and the Neuroscience of Toxic Stress.

  • Child Adolescent Behavioral Health
  • Childhood & Adolescent Eating Disorders
  • Epigenetics and the Neuroscience of Toxic Stress
  • Family Psychiatric Mental Health
Liz smiling at camera

Elizabeth Ford

Distinguished Practitioner in Residence
JD, Northeastern University

Professor Ford, a Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at Seattle University School of Law, teaches the Workers’ Rights Clinic as well as Legal Writing Skills and Values.

  • Labor Law
  • Employment Law
  • Union and Worker Organizing
Jennifer Fricas, PhD, MPH, RN Assistant Professor

Jennifer Fricas

Assistant Professor
PhD, Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, University of Minnesota

Professor Fricas has forged a career in the development and education of population health. This field focuses on promoting health and preventing disease for at-risk groups.

  • Community Health
  • Global Health
  • Population Health
Elizabeth Gabzdyl, DNP, MSN, Assistant Professor, Certified Nurse Midwifery

Elizabeth Gabzdyl

Assistant Professor
DNP, University of Illinois, Chicago

Certified Nurse Midwifery Track Lead

  • Midwifery
Yen-Lin holding up copy of book and smiling

Yen-Lin Han

Chair and Professor, Seattle University Provost Fellow
PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California

She has mentored many undergraduate students conducting research projects that have led to several journal and conference papers.

  • Soft Robotics
  • Medical Devices
  • Autonomous Vehicles
  • Energy Systems
  • Engineering Education
Maylon in front of stone wall

Maylon Hanold

Associate Teaching Professor
EdD, Leadership, Seattle University

She teaches courses in leadership, women and sport leadership, and diversity and inclusion for sport management.

  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Leadership Development
Brittany Heintz Walters, PhD, Kinesiology  Assistant Professor, Neuromechanics and Motor Control

Brittany Heintz Walters

Assistant Professor, Neuromechanics and Motor Control
PhD, Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Dr. Heintz Walter's research focuses on understanding neuromuscular changes associated with movement impairments in healthy older adults and in those with movement disorders.

  • Kinesiology
  • Motor Control
  • Movement Impairments
  • Neuromechanics
Jacqueline B. Helfgott, PhD, Director, Crime & Justice Research Center

Jacqueline Helfgott

Director, Crime & Justice Research Center
PhD, Administration of Justice, Pennsylvania State University

Research focuses on criminal behavior, corrections/reentry, policing and public safety, restorative/community justice, and crisis intervention in law enforcement.

  • Civil Disobedience
  • Criminal Justice
Trish Henley, PhD, Associate Dean; Special Assistant to the Provost, Graduate Education

Trish Henley

Associate Provost of Graduate, Online, and Professional Education
PhD, English Literature, Florida State University

Research interests include hybrid and online program design and online student support; Adult and professional education.

  • Online Education
Allison Henrich, Ph.D, Professor, Mathematics

Allison Henrich

Professor
PhD, Mathematics, Dartmouth College

Allison Henrich's math scholarship focuses on knot theory and games. She also mentors undergraduates in research.

  • Mathematics
matt hickman in suit and tie foliage background

Matt Hickman

Professor and Chair
Ph.D. Criminal Justice, Temple University

Focus is on the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on police behavior and administrative outcomes in the public interest.

  • Police Behavior
  • Quantitative Research Methods
Nick Huntington-Klein, PhD, Assistant Professor, Economics

Nick Huntington-Klein

Assistant Professor of Economics
PhD, Economics, University of Washington

Work focuses on higher education – what makes students go or not go, what do they major in, how do they come to their decisions, and what does it mean for them in the labor market?

  • Higher Education
  • Replication and the State of Social Science
Mathew Isaac, PhD, Associate Professor of Marketing

Mathew Isaac

Professor, Marketing
PhD, Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

His research focuses primarily on consumer judgment and decision-making, examining how contextual and motivational factors influence product evaluations and purchase intentions.

  • Consumer Behavior
  • Marketing
Nalini Iyer, PhD, Professor of English

Nalini Iyer

Theiline Pigott-McCone Endowed Chair for the Humanities, Seattle University Provost Fellow
PhD, English, Purdue University

Internationally recognized expert in South Asian literatures and cultures, her research focuses on: the hegemony of Anglophone writing, diaspora studies, and Partition Studies.

  • Partition and its Aftermath
  • South Asian Immigration
  • South Asian Literature and Culture
Sonora Jha, PhD, Associate Dean for Academic Community, College of Arts & Sciences

Sonora Jha

Associate Dean for Academic Community, College of Arts & Sciences
PhD, Media and Politics, Louisiana State University

Dr. Jha's research is on feminism, social media movements for racial and gender justice, and social protest coverage in the press.

  • Feminism
  • Racial and Gender Justice
  • Social Media Movements
  • Social Protest Coverage
Stacey Jones, PhD, Economics, Stanford University

Stacey Jones

Senior Instructor, Economics, Seattle University Provost Fellow
PhD, Economics, Stanford University

Research focuses on the historical development of women's role in the US economy, including women's role in the labor market, higher education, and the household.

  • Women's Role in Economics
Mark Jordan, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Biology

Mark Jordan

Associate Professor, Seattle University Provost Fellow
PhD, Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Jordan’s research focuses on wildlife biology and management with a particular focus on human-carnivore coexistence in urban areas.

  • Biology
  • Urban Ecology
  • Wildlife Biology
Associate Professor of Law

Sital Kalantry

Associate Professor
J.D., University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

Associate Professor of Law

  • International Human Rights
  • Reproductive Rights Law
  • Comparative Law Focusing on India
Olha Krupa, PhD Associate Professor, Institute of Public Service Director, Masters of Public Administration Program

Olha Krupa

Director, Masters of Public Administration Program
PhD, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington

Specializes in state and local public finance and fiscal policy. Examines vertical and horizontal equity in property tax assessments, and property tax administration.

  • Government Finance
  • Public Administration
Kristi A. Lee, PhD, Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Kristi Lee

Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling
PhD, Counselor Education, College of William and Mary

Dr. Lee has worked in a variety of clinical settings including a women's prison, college counseling centers, and a mandated treatment center for offenders.

  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Leadership
Emily Lieb, PhD, Assistant Professor of History

Emily Lieb

Assistant Professor of History
PhD, U.S. History, Columbia University

Historian of 20th-century American cities. Interests include segregation, housing markets, public policy, architecture, and the American civil-rights movement.

  • Black History
  • U.S. History
  • Urban History
Kevin Maifeld, MFA, Theatre Management, Director, MFA in Arts Leadership

Kevin Maifeld

Director, MFA in Arts Leadership
MFA, Arts Management, University of Alabama

Founding Director, Master of Fine Arts in Arts Leadership program and a Senior Consultant with Arts Consulting Group. Served as the Seattle Children’s Theatre Managing Director.

  • Arts Leadership
  • Non-Profit Leadership
Tyrah posing in red dress

Tyrah Majors

Professor
M.S. Journalism, University of Southern California

Tyrah Majors is a journalist, content creator, and author and is an adjunct professor in Seattle University's College of Arts and Sciences

  • Broadcast Journalism
  • Diversity in Media
  • Popular Culture
  • Social Media
  • Professional Branding
Natasha wearing red coat smiling looking up

Natasha Martin

Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion and Associate Professor of Law
J.D., Notre Dame

Appointed in September 2017, Natasha Martin is the inaugural Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion for Seattle University.

  • race and racial equity
  • racism
  • discrimination
  • bias
Kira Mauseth, PhD, Senior Instructor, Psychology

Kira Mauseth

Senior Instructor, Psychology
PhD, Clinical Psychology, Seattle Pacific University

Research interests focus on resilience, trauma recovery, and behavioral health. She is a co-lead for the WA State Department of Health, Behavioral Health Strike Team.

  • Disaster Relief
  • Psychology
  • Trauma & Disaster Counseling
Christopher A. Paul, Professor, Communication and Media

Christopher Paul

Professor
PhD, Communication Studies, University of Minnesota

His research focuses on analyzing video games using tools from communication and rhetorical analysis. Focus is on language and meaning making in video games and their communities.

  • Digital Media & Video Gaming
Eduardo sitting by reflecting pool

Eduardo Peñalver

President, Seattle University
Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School (1999)

Seattle University's 22nd President, former Clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • property law
  • free speech on campus
  • academic freedom
Joseph M. Phillips, PhD, Dean Albers School of Business and Economics

Joe Phillips

Dean, Albers School of Business and Economics
PhD, Economics, University of Notre Dame

Published in Southern Economic Journal, Economic Development and Cultural Change, Economic Development Quarterly, Land Economics, and the Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance.

  • Economics
  • Monetary Policy
Jeff standing in field with bucket hat on

Jeff Philpott

Director, University core
PhD, Speech Communication, University of Washington

His scholarly interests focus on the epistemic and sociological functions of rhetoric, particularly on the role of public narratives in shaping and transforming social knowledge an

  • Rhetorical Analysis
  • Social Protest Movements and Strategies
  • Speeches and Persuasion
  • Curriculum

Meenakshi Rishi

Professor, Economics, Eva Albers Professorship
PhD, Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Since joining Seattle University she has published more than 25 journal articles.

  • Emerging Markets
  • Global Political Economy
  • US Economy
Kumhee A. Ro, DNP, Assistant Professor College of Nursing

Kumhee Ro

Assistant Professor
DNP, University of Washington

Dr. Ro's research focuses on promoting diversity in the healthcare workforce as an approach to reducing health disparities in our underserved communities.

  • Diversity in Healthcare Workforce
  • Diversity in Nursing Education
  • Mentorship
  • Nursing Faculty of Color
Kelli Rodriguez Currie, JD, Lecturer, Marketing, Albers School of Business and Economics

Kelli Rodriguez Currie

Lecturer, Marketing
JD, Seattle University School of Law

Focus is on NCAA and Title IX compliance. Expertise in teaching legal issues courses and publishing works on student-athlete experiences including name, image, and likeness rights.

  • College Athletics
  • Student Athletes
  • Name-Image-Likeness
Teresa Rothausen, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Leadership Formation

Teresa Rothausen

Executive Director, Center for Leadership Formation
PhD, Human Resources and Industrial Relations, University of Minnesota

Research and consulting shift leadership using wisdom to cultivate leaders’ capacity to successfully lead organizations, while positively impacting social conditions.

  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Equity
  • Leadership Development
  • Meaning and Purpose at Work
Gabriel Saucedo PhD, Associate Professor, Accounting

Gabriel Saucedo

Associate Professor
PhD, Accounting, Virginia Tech

Gabriel's research focuses on auditor and investor decision-making, with specific focuses in feedback systems, voluntary disclosures, and human capital.

  • Auditing
  • Feedback Systems
  • Financial Statements
Patrick L. Schoettmer, PhD, American Politics, Political Science Instructor

Patrick Schoettmer

Instructor, Seattle University Provost Fellow
PhD, Political Science, University of Notre Dame

State and local politics, campaigns and elections, political parties, US Congress, US presidency, religion and American politics, and government responses to disasters.

  • Campaign Finance
  • Church-State Relations
  • Democracy Vouchers
  • Muslim-American Political Identity
  • National Elections & Politics
  • Vote by Mail
Amit in dark suit red tie

Amit Shukla

Dean and Howard S. Wright Chair and Professor of Mechanical Engineer
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, University of Cincinnati (2002)

Dr. Shukla's research expertise is nonlinear systems design and control, STEM higher education, technology, innovation, and creativity

  • Creativity
  • STEM Higher Education
  • Innovation
  • Nonlinear Systems Design and Control
  • Technology
Jeffery Smith, PhD, Professor, Management

Jeffery Smith

Boeing Frank Shrontz Chair of Professional Ethics
PhD, Moral and Political Philosophy, University of Minnesota

Interests lie at the intersection of philosophy and business. Focused on ethical decision making in organizations and the philosophical foundations of corporate responsibility.

  • Business Ethics
  • Corporate Responsibility
Colette smiling with landscape background

Colette Taylor

Professor, Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership
EdD, Educational Leadership, Policy and Foundations, University of Florida

Colette is at the forefront of facilitating the work of the Seattle University ADVANCE team.

  • Leadership
  • Higher Education Administration
  • Organizational Learning and Development
  • Community Engagement in Higher Education
  • Diversity Equity and Inclusion
smiling Kirsten closely cropped

Kirsten Thompson

Professor and Director of Film and Media
Ph.D., New York University

She is a member of the Color Advisory Board of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles.

  • Film and Media
Phil in dark suit and tie

Phillip Thompson

Director of Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability, Seattle University Provost Fellow
PhD, Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa

Examines alternative water treatment systems for developing countries. Research includes the use of plants to restore soil and groundwater contaminated by explosives waste.

  • Civil/Environmental Engineering
  • E-Waste
  • Hydrology
  • Sustainability

Natalie Welch

Assistant Professor, MBA in Sport and Entertainment Management
MBA and Master of Sport Business Management, University of Central Florida

Enrolled member of Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and raised on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in Cherokee, NC. Passionate storyteller, researcher and educator.

  • College Athletics
  • Diversity and Inclusion in Sport
  • Native American Mascots
  • Sport Marketing
W Lindsay Whitlow, PhD, Biology Department Chair

W. Lindsay Whitlow

Department Chair, Biology
PhD, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan

Research and teaching focuses on environmental issues in aquatic, terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

  • Biology
  • Urban Ecology
Estella grinning with photodrop background

Estella Williamson

Clinical Professor and Social Work Field Education Director, Seattle University Provost Fellow
Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

Delivering evidenced-based therapeutic approaches to work with children, adults, couples, and families through the critical lenses of social justice and anti-oppressive practice.

  • Social Work Field Education
  • Sexual and Mental Health of Black Women
  • HIV Prevention
Assistant Professor Zachary D Wood, PhD

Zachary D. Wood

Assistant Professor, Institute of Public Service
PhD, Public Affairs, Rutgers University, Camden

Wood is a tireless advocate for marginalized populations. His passion for finding new solutions has contributed to a deeper knowledge of our most challenging social crises.

  • Civic Participation
  • Community Development
  • Homelessness and Housing
  • Public Advocacy
  • Public Transportation
  • Urban Development

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