Merrimack College has hired 19 new faculty members for the 2024-25 academic year. These teachers, researchers and thought leaders bring a wide breadth of knowledge and expertise in fields such as athletic training, nursing, marketing, engineering and data sciences.
“Without question, faculty are essential to the ongoing success at Merrimack,” said John “Sean” Condon, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “Through a deep devotion to areas of expertise and a dedication to the pursuit of knowledge, Merrimack faculty make significant contributions to society and are sought-after authorities in their fields.”
Scott Braid '07, DAT, LAT, ATC, CSCS
Scott Braid ’07, DAT, LAT, ATC, CSCS, Assistant Clinical Professor, Athletic Training and Exercise Science
- DAT, Athletic Training, Temple University
- M.S., Exercise Science, Syracuse University
- B.S., Athletic Training, Merrimack College
Teaching Interests: Emergency care; therapeutic modalities; exercise science; mental health best practices; diversity, equity and inclusion in healthcare.
Peter Cassino, Ph.D.
Peter Cassino, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Practice and Graduate Program Director, Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Ph.D., Sociology, Northeastern University
- M.A., Criminal Justice, Umass Lowell
- B.A., Sociology, Plymouth State University
Research Interests: Police reform, police use of force, the impact of COVID on policing, public policy and crime, hate crime, crime and the American dream, social ecology and crime, social bonds and crime.
Teaching Interests: Criminological theory, homicide and violence, research methods, public policy and crime, policing, sociology and law, hate crime.
Stephanie Chmielecki, MS, RD, LD
Stephanie Chmielecki, MS, RD, LD, Assistant Clinical Professor and Program Director, MS Nutrition and Human Performance
- M.S., Applied Nutrition, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
- B.S., Nutritional Science, University of New Hampshire
Teaching Interests: Health promotion programs, nutrition education and counseling, public health policy, community nutrition.
Robert B. “Ripp” Daniell, Ph.D.
Robert B. “Ripp” Daniell, Ph.D., Instructional Professor, Hospitality Management
- Ph.D., Retail and Consumer Science, University of Tennessee
- M.S., Hospitality Management, University of Alabama
- B.S., Hospitality Management, University of Alabama
Research Interests: Application of various theories (motivation, self-identity, and destination image) to hospitality and tourism settings through quantitative research, business case study design.
Teaching Interests: Hospitality management – hotels, restaurants, meetings and conventions; human resources; management theory and practice; introduction to business.
Karen Duhamel, DNP, MSHCE, RN, CNE
Karen Duhamel, DNP, MSHCE, RN, CNE, Associate Clinical Professor and Graduate Program Director, Nursing
- D.N.P., Chamberlain University – College of Nursing
- M.S.N., University of Hartford
- M.S., Health Sciences/Health Care Education, Touro University International
- A.S.D., Naugatuck Valley Community College
- A.S.N., Naugatuck Valley Community College
- B.S., Business Administration, Eastern Connecticut State University
Research Interests: Graduate Nursing Studies.
Teaching Interests: Nursing Education.
Qing Hao, Ph.D.
Qing Hao, Ph.D., Assistant Instructional Professor, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
- Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami
- M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Florida International University
- M.S.E. Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’ an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, China
- B.S.E. Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’ an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, China
Teaching Interests: Thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, material mechanics, fluid power and control, biomedical transport phenomena.
Jamie Kimberley, Ph.D.
Jamie Kimberley, Ph.D., Professor, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
- Ph.D. Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois
- M.S. Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, University of Illinois
- B.S., Mechanical Engineering, State University of New York at Binghamton
Teaching Interests: Engineering mechanics, experimental methods.
Avik Mahata, Ph.D.
Avik Mahata, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
- Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology
- M.Tech, Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Trichy, India
- B.E., Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, India
Teaching Interests: Thermodynamics, heat transfer, programming for engineers and scientists, dynamics, manufacturing systems.
Olanrewaju (Paul) Olaogun, Ph.D.
Olanrewaju Paul Olaogun, Ph.D., Assistant Instructional Professor, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
- Ph.D., Engineering, University of Georgia
- M.S., Electrical Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology
- B.E., Electrical & Electronic Engineering, University of Benin, Benin-City, Nigeria
Teaching Interests: Engineering learning and conceptual change; student cognitive and affective engagement; student motivation, goals, and sense of belonging; educational instrument development and validation.
Yoon Park, D.B.A.
Yoon Park, DBA, Assistant Professor of Practice, Marketing
- D.B.A., Marketing, Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- M.S., Accountancy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- M.B.A., International Business, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University
- B.L., Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, Korea
Research Interests: Sustainability marketing, commercial excellence and marketing capabilities, global product launch, portfolio management.
Teaching Interests: Strategic marketing, marketing analytics, market research, sustainability marketing, new product development, pricing.
Christopher Previte
Christopher Previte, Associate Professor of Practice, Graphic Design
- M.F.A, Graphic Design, Vermont College of Fine Arts
- B.F.A., Illustration and Communication Design, Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Research Interests: Human centered design, narrative storytelling, impermanence in design.
Teaching Interests: Experience design (UX), interface design, data visualization, digital illustration and vector graphics, digital image creation (intro to advanced), digital design foundations, motion graphics, graphic design studio and portfolio, web and app design, social media marketing, typography, visual literacy.
Don Roosan, PharmD, PhD
Don Roosan, PharmD, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Computer and Data Sciences
- Ph.D., Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah
- PharmD., Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Purdue University
Research Interests: Artificial intelligence, quantum computing, mixed reality.
Teaching Interests: Quantum Computing, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Human Computer Interaction.
H. David Sheets, Ph.D.
H. David Sheets, Ph.D., Program Director and Instructional Professor, Data Science
- Ph.D., Experimental Physics, SUNY at Buffalo
- B.S., Physics, SUNY College at Fredonia
Research Interests: Collaborative, interdisciplinary applications of data Science to geology, paleontology, biology, forensics.
Teaching Interests: Machine learning, AI, programming, statistics, databases.
Jennifer Tarczali, DNP, RN
Jennifer Tarczali, DNP, RN, Assistant Clinical Professor, Nursing
- D.N.P., Health Systems Innovation and Leadership, College of Our Lady of the Elms
- M.S.N., Leadership, Management and Education, University of Hartford
- A.S.N., Capital Community College
- B.A., Political Science and Economics, Keene State College
Teaching Interests: The care of complex and diverse patients, and the application to foundational nursing practice.
Jolly Upadhyaya, Ph.D.
Jolly Upadhyaya, Ph.D., Program Director and Instructional Professor of IT
- Ph.D. Computer Science, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, India
- MS, Information Technology, Endicott College
- B.S., Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, India
Research Interests: Cybersecurity, workforce development, cloud computing, UX/UI.
Teaching Interests: Cybersecurity, cloud computing, computer networks, databases, project management.
Manisha Vaswani, Ph.D.
Manisha Vaswani, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Practice, Entrepreneurship
- Ph.D., Business Administration, University of Texas at Arlington
- M.Fin, St. Francis College for Women, Telangana, India
- B.Com, Finance, St. Francis College for Women, Telangana, India
Research Interests: Entrepreneurial mindsets, motivations and behaviors; identity and identification; storytelling in entrepreneurship; social and informal entrepreneurship; family business; strategic entrepreneurship.
Teaching Interests: Entrepreneurship, business and data analytics, international business, small business, diversity, organizational behavior, human resource management, strategic management, management process theory.
Dina Veytsman, DNP, CNP/APRN, PMHNP-BC
Dina Veytsman, DNP, CNP/APRN, PMHNP-BC, Assistant Clinical Professor, Mental Health Nursing
- DNP, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, University of Pittsburgh
- BSN, University of Pittsburgh
Research Interests: Clinical translation for evidence-based practice, psychiatric nursing, advanced practice nursing.
Teaching Interests: Mental health nursing, health care ethics, professional nursing.
Kevin Wagner
Kevin Wagner, Assistant Professor of Practice, Finance
- M.B.A., Finance and Accounting, The University of Wisconsin
- M.A. Economic Geography, University of Iowa
- B.A., Economics and Geography, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH
Teaching Interests: Experiential investment education, business ethics.
Kathy Young, MHA, RRT
Kathy Young, MHA, RRT, Assistant Clinical Professor & Grad Prog Dir Hlth Lead
- MHA, Ohio University
- B.S., Advanced Cardiorespiratory Science, SUNT Health Science Center at Syracuse University
Teaching Interests: Healthcare leadership and management; communication skills; healthcare law, ethics and policy; quality improvement; compliance.
