Nine Women Faculty Receive Promotions and Tenure at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota

Sarah Rand has been granted tenure. She is an associate professor of business administration and has been a faculty member at the university since 2001.

Dr. Rand is a graduate of Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she majored in management. She holds an MBA in management from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in organizational leadership, policy, and development from the University of Minnesota.

Elaine James has been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor of theology. She has been a member of the St. Catherine faculty since 2013. She is the author of Landscapes of the Song of Songs: Poetry and Place (Oxford University Press, 2017) and the co-editor of Biblical Poetry and the Art of Close Reading (Cambridge University Press, 2018).

Dr. James holds a master of divinity degree and a Ph.D. in Old Testament both from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Kristine Pelatt has been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor of mathematics. She has been a member of the St. Catherine University faculty since 2013.

Dr. Pelatt is a graduate of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where she majored in mathematics and physics. She holds a master’s degree in mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Oregon.

Lisa Kiesel has been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor of social work. She began her career at St. Catherine in 2013 as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Social Work.

Dr. Kiesel is a graduate of Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she double-majored in social work and English. She holds a master of social work degree in children, youth, and families from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in social work from the University of Minnesota.

Linda Blazovich has been promoted to professor of nursing. She has been a faculty member at the university since 1990.

Dr. Blazovich holds a bachelor of nursing degree and master of nursing degree both from the University of Minnesota, and a doctor of nursing practice degree from St. Catherine University.

Suzanne Burke-Lehman has been promoted to associate professor of nursing. She has been a St. Catherine faculty member since 2006.

Dr. Burke-Lehman holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a master’s degree in nursing education, and a doctor of nursing practice degree all from St. Catherine University.

Julie Mumm has been promoted to associate professor of public health. She first joined the St. Catherine faculty in 1999 as an instructor.

Dr. Mumm is a magna cum laude graduate of Minnesota State University, where she majored in medical technology. She holds an MBA with a concentration in health care management from the University of St. Thomas and a doctor of health education degree from A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Missouri.

Donna DeGracia has been promoted to associate professor in the physician assistant program. She has served as the program’s curriculum coordinator since 2011.

Professor DeGracia is a graduate of Ohio State University where she majored in international studies with a concentration on East Asia. She holds a master of physician assistant studies from the University of Nebraska.

Sharon Radd has been promoted to associate professor in the master of arts in organizational leadership program. She has been a faculty member at St. Catherine since 2013.

Dr. Radd holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a social work emphasis from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in educational leadership both from Minnesota State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas.