From left, College of Nursing Dean Roxanne Vandermause; College of Education Assistant Professor Magen Rooney-Kron and Assistant Teaching Professors Yuima Mizutani and Thomasina Hassler; Chancellor Kristin Sobolik; Geospatial Collaborative Director Will Werner; College of Business Administration Dean Joan Phillips; Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Steven Berberich; and College of Nursing Assistant Teaching Professior Charity Galgani gathered for a new faculty reception last Tuesday at the Chancellor’s residence. (Photo by August Jennewein)
University of Missouri–St. Louis Chancellor Kristin Sobolik hosted new faculty members at her home last Tuesday as they prepared to kick off the fall semester.
The evening reception followed a daylong orientation led by Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Innovation Keeta Holmes and other members of the Center for Teaching and Learning staff in the J.C. Penney Conference Center.
UMSL is welcoming seven new faculty members for the fall semester.
Department of Psychological Sciences
Rachel Winograd, associate professor
Winograd joined the faculty at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health in 2016 but has added a dual appointment in clinical psychology in the Department of Psychological Sciences. She holds a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Missouri–Columbia, and her clinical, research and program development interests revolve around substance use and the systems designed to address it. She serves as the principal investigator and project director of multiple statewide and regional efforts to address the current and worsening overdose death crisis.
Department of Education Sciences and Professional Programs
Thomasina Hassler, assistant teaching professor and director of the Racial and Social Justice Institute
Hassler began her appointment in January as the director of the Matthew D. Davis Racial and Social Justice Institute. She earned an MEd in counseling from UMSL in 1972 and a PhD in teaching and learning process in 2010. She has served as an adjunct faculty member both at UMSL and Harris-Stowe State University.
Yuima Mizutani, assistant teaching professor
Mizutani holds both a master’s degree and a PhD in mental health counseling from UMSL, the latter of which she received last December. She specialized in multicultural social justice counseling, and her dissertation focused on Third Culture Kids, adolescents who spend the majority of their childhoods outside of their home countries. She had been working as a counselor and therapist at Saint Louis University.
Department of Educator Preparation & Leadership
Magen Rooney-Kron, assistant professor of special education
Rooney-Kron began working as the grant and research coordinator with the UMSL Succeed Program last spring while completing her PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on the participation of students with significant support needs in work-based learning experiences.
Nermin Vehabovic, postdoctoral fellow of literacy education
Vehabovic is serving a postdoctoral fellowship as part of the Comprehensive Literacy State Development project at the College of Education. He holds a PhD in teacher education and learning sciences with a focus in literacy and English language arts education from North Carolina State University. His research is focused on preparing educators of culturally and linguistically diverse learners, especially children and youth from immigrant and refugee backgrounds.
Charity Galgani, assistant teaching professor
Galgani has joined the UMSL faculty after more than two years as the director of clinical and quality at Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri. She earned her DNP from UMSL in 2018. She began her career as a staff nurse at Green Park Senior Living and Advance 360 Rehab, and she spent more than five years working in a high-risk postpartum unit with SSM Health.
Sarah Jackson, assistant teaching professor
Jackson has joined the full-time faculty in the College of Nursing after six years teaching part-time in the graduate program. She received her MSN from UMSL in 2013 and her DNP in 2016 and brings extensive family practice experience in a variety of settings. Her RN experience was in obstetrics in a hospital setting, where she worked with high-risk and underserved populations.
At the reception, Sobolik also welcomed Joan Phillips, who took over as dean of the College of Business Administration in March; Will Werner, who became director of the Geospatial Collaborative in April; Roxanne Vandermause, who was appointed permanent dean of the College of Nursing in July; and Steven Berberich, who was appointed UMSL’s interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs earlier this month.
