Merrimack Welcomes New Faculty Members

Merrimack's latest faculty members have diverse education backgrounds from institutions as far as Vietnam, India and Benin.

August 25, 2023
By: Michael Cronin

Merrimack College has hired 14 new faculty members for the 2023-24 academic year. These teachers, researchers and thought leaders bring a wide breadth of knowledge and expertise in fields such as nursing, accounting, clinical mental health, communications and criminology.

“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.”

Mark Benander, Ph.D.

Mark Benander, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Practice, Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
M.S., Psychopharmacology, Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, Boston, MA
M.Ed., Counseling Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
B.S., Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Research Interests: Trauma; Autism; Psychopharmacology; Online Graduate Learning in Mental Health Counseling.

Teaching Interests: Psychopharmacology; Counseling Theory; Counseling Skills, Assessment and Diagnosis.

Amanda Carlson, Ph.D. (ABD)

Amanda Carlson, Ph.D. (ABD), Assistant Professor, Accounting

Ph.D., Accounting, University of Wisconsin – Madison

M.S., Accountancy, Bentley University

M.B.A., Accountancy, Bentley University

A.B., History and Literature, Harvard University

Research Interests: Audit Innovation and Data Analytics; Revenue Recognition Audit Quality; Auditor Judgment and Decision Making; Experimental and Qualitative Methods.

Teaching Interests: Auditing; Data Analytics; Financial Accounting and Reporting; Fraud and Forensic Accounting; Nonprofit and Governmental Accounting.

Philip Cole, R.N., D.N.P., M.B.A., M.S.N.

Philip Cole, R.N., D.N.P., M.B.A., M.S.N., Assistant Clinical Professor, Nursing

D.N.P., Nursing, Capella University, Minneapolis, MN
M.B.A., Business, Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, UT
M.S.N., Nursing Informatics, Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, UT
B.S.N., Nursing, Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, UT

Research Interests: Resuscitation Medicine, Procedures, and Communication; Electronic Medical Record Efficiency; Nursing Communication; Efficiency of Emergency Medical Service Use; High Fidelity Simulation during Resuscitation Education.

Teaching Interests: Emergency Nursing; Critical Care Nursing; Health Assessment, Pharmacology; Cardiac Electrophysiology; Medical Terminology.

Amanda Cremone-Caira, Ph.D.

Amanda Cremone-Caira, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Psychology

Ph.D., Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA

B.S., Psychology and Biology, Merrimack College

Research Interests: Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience; Executive Function; Sleep; Socioemotional Outcomes, Learning and Memory; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Health Disparities.

Teaching Interests: Cognitivie Electrophysiology; Science Writing; Research Methodology.

Rebecca Legro, M.S.

Rebecca Legro, M.S., Assistant Professor of Practice, Compass Program

M.Ed., Higher Education, Merrimack College

B.A., Communication and Media, Merrimack College

Research Interests: Qualitative Research; Mentorship in Higher Education; Student Development; Adult Learning Theory; Employee Engagement.

Teaching Interests: Critical Inquiry; Conflict Resolution; Student Development Theory.

Kristy McDowell, Ph.D.

Kristy McDowell, Ph.D., Lecturer, Director of Environmental Sciences and Sustainability Program

Ph.D., Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
B.S., Ecology and Evolution, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana

Research Interests: Conservation Biology; Disease Ecology; Ecotoxicology.

Teaching Interests: Environmental Science

Christine McLaughlin, Ph.D. (ABD)

Christine McLaughlin, Ph.D. (ABD), Assistant Professor of Practice, Compass Program

Ph.D., (ABD) European Modernism, Northeastern University, Boston, MA

M.A., English Literature, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

B.A., English and Philosophy, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

Research Interests: European Modernism; English Composition and Rhetoric; Academic Support, Tutoring, and Advising.

Teaching Interests: Twentieth-Century Modernism; English Composition and Literature; English Language Learning and Student Success.

Angela Mousseau, Ph.D.

Angela Mousseau, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Practice, Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

M.A., Mental Health Counseling, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

B.S., Psychology and Sociology, Union College, Schenectady, NY

Research Interests: The Development of a Sense of Purpose in Adolescents and Young Adults.

Teaching Interests: Statistics; Positive Psychology; Culturally Competent Practice and Leadership; Child Psychotherapy; Psychological Assessment; Research Methods.

Lien Nguyen, Ph.D.

Lien Nguyen, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Practice, Public Affairs

Ph.D., Public Administration and Policy, School of Public Service, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia

M.P.A., Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia

B.E., Accounting, Academy of Finance, Vietnam

Research Interests: Capital Financing; Water Infrastructure Financing; Fiscal Health; Nonprofit Governance, Privatization and Accountability; Accounting Standards and Financial Reporting.

Teaching Interests: Government Finance – Capital Financing; Government Revenue and Fiscal Health; Public Management and Policy Analysis; Quantitative Methods; Nonprofit Management.

Jhansi Prathuri, Ph.D.

Jhansi Prathuri, Ph.D., Instructional Professor, Computer and Data Sciences

Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India

M.Tech, Computer Science and Engineering, Andhra University College of Engg., Visakhapatnam, India

B.Tech, Computer Science and Engineering, Nagarjuna University, Guntur, India

Research Interests: Cyber Security; Machine Learning; Big data Analytics; Algorithms.

Teaching Interests: Design and Implementation of Cryptographic Algorithms using Chaotic Functions; Machine Learning; Big Data; Cryptography; Chaotic Cryptography; Non-linear Dynamics.

Septime Sessou, Ph.D. (ABD)

Septime Sessou, Ph.D. (ABD), Assistant Professor, Communication & Media Studies

Ph.D., Media & Communication, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

M.S., Communication for Development and Social Change, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

M.A., French Language and Literature, University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin

B.A., French Language and Literature, University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin

Research Interests: Environmental Communication; Global Media; Communication for Development and Social Change; Sub-Saharan African Media and Cultural Theory.

Teaching Interests: Intercultural Communication; Environmental Communication; Organizational Communication; Media, Culture and Identity; Communication and Advocacy.

Amy Shafrir, Sc.D.

Amy Shafrir, Sc.D., Assistant Professor, Nutrition & Public Health

Sc.D., Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA

M.S., Public Health Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland

B.S., Biology, Stonehill College, Easton, MA

Research Interests: Reproductive Health Epidemiology; Endometriosis; Chronic Pain Conditions; Health Disparities and Access to Healthcare; Biology Markers for Disease.

Teaching Interests: Public Health; Epidemiology; Chronic Disease Epidemiology; Reproduction Health; Quantitative and Research Methods.

Brian Zager, Ph.D.

Brian Zager, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Practice, Compass Program

Ph.D., Speech Communication, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois

M.A., Communication Studies, Suffolk University, Boston, MA

B.A., Communication, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

Research Interests: Rhetoric; Media; Philosophies of Communication.

Teaching Interests: Communication Skills.

Paul T. Zipper, Ph.D.

Paul T. Zipper, Ph.D., Lecturer, Criminology and Criminal Justice

Ph.D. Sociology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA

M.S., Administration and Justice, American University, Washington, DC

B.S., Criminal Justice, Media Systems and Management, Westfield State University, Westfield, MA

Research Interests: Youth Firesetting; Criminal Investigation; Fire and Explosion Investigation; Methamphetamine Investigation.

Teaching Interests: Theoretical Criminology; Criminal Law and Procedure; Juvenile Justice; Hate Crimes; Criminal Investigation Research Methods.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

NEWS & EVENTS