Six Women Faculty Members Who Are Taking on New Roles or Duties

Jennifer Hookstra was named chair of department of pharmacy practice at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She came to the university this fall from the University of Washington School of Pharmacy. There, she served as the Lynn and Geraldine Endowed Professor and associate dean for professional education.

Dr. Hookstra holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and an MBA from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. She earned a doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Colorado.

Karyn Brown, a longtime Mississippi State University instructor and communicator with 30-plus years of experience in broadcasting and public relations, is now the College of Arts and Sciences’ assistant dean for communication and media. A 2015 Grisham Master Teacher, Brown has taught a variety of broadcasting, communication, and public relations classes in the department of communication since 1993.

Brown is a graduate of Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, where she majored in speech communication and political science. She earned a master’s degree in public communication and broadcasting from Western Illinois University.

Jamila Michener, associate professor of government in the College of Arts and Sciences and senior associate dean of public engagement at the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University, has been named the inaugural director of the university’s new Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures.

Dr. Michener earned her bachelor’s degree at Princeton University in 2003. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. both in political science, from the University of Chicago.

Jaime Sand, a professor in the School of Public and Population Health at Boise State University in Idaho, is being given the added duties of associate director for student engagement and impact.

Dr. Sand earned a bachelor’s degree in health information management, a master’s degree, and a doctorate in education, curriculum and instruction from Boise State University.

Felicia Jefferson is a new associate professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Nevada Reno. She was an associate professor of biological and environmental sciences at Fort Valley State University in Georgia.

Dr. Jefferson holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. She earned a master’s degree in molecular genetics and biochemistry from Georgia State University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience and biomedical science from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Brynja Kohler, a professor of mathematics and statistics at Utah State University, was given the added duties of associate dean for undergraduate programs and services for the College of Science at the university. Before joining the faculty, Dr. Kohler taught high school mathematics in Los Angeles and New York.

Dr. Kohler is s graduate of the University of Chicago, where she majored in mathematics. She holds a master’s degree in mathematics from New York University and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Utah.