Seven Women Faculty Members Taking on New Assignments

Susan Galandiuk, professor in the department of surgery at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, has been named editor-in-chief of the journal Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, a publication of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

Dr. Galandiuk earned her medical degree at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg in Germany. She completed her training in colon and rectal surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Monica Biernat was named a Distinguished Professor of psychology at the University of Kansas. Professor Biernat joined the faculty at the university in 1982 after teaching at the University of Florida.

Dr. Biernat holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a Ph.D. in psychology, all from the University of Michigan.

Sara Sybesma Tolsma, was appointed to the Northwestern College Endowed Professorship at the Christian college in Orange City, Iowa. She joined the faculty in 1995 and is a professor of biology at the college. Dr. Tolsma’s research focuses on cancer genetics. She is the co-editor of Perspectives: A Journal of Reformed Thought.

Dr. Tolsma is a graduate of Northwestern College and holds a Ph.D. in microbiology, immunology, and virology from Northwestern University.

Karla McGehee was named an instructor in the Leavell College of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She is in the processing of completing a doctorate in Christian education at the seminary.

McGehee holds a bachelor’s degree, a master of divinity degree, and a master’s degree in theology, all from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

J’Aime Jennings, an assistant professor of health management and systems sciences at the University of Louisville, was appointed assistant editor for the healthcare economics, policy, and organization section of the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia.

Dr. Jennings is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where she majored in economics. She holds a master of public administration degree from the University of West Georgia and a Ph.D. in health services administration from the University of Alabama Birmingham.

Shana Hagan-Burke was appointed chair of the department of educational psychology at Texas A&M University. She has been an associate professor in the department for the past 11 years.

Dr. Hagan-Burke holds bachelor’s and master’s degree in special education from the University of West Florida in Pensacola. She earned a Ph.D. in special education from the University of Oregon.

Erin Kempker was named chair of the department of history, political science, and geography at Mississippi University for Women. An associate professor of history, Dr. Kempker joined the faculty at the university in 2008. She is the author of the forthcoming book Big Sister: Feminism, Conservatism, and Conspiracy in the Heartland.

Dr. Kempker holds a Ph.D. in history from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.