Rachna Shroff is the inaugural John F. and Valli S. Duval Endowed Professor for Gastrointestinal Oncology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Dr. Shroff currently serves as chief of the division of hematology and oncology at the college and as associate director of clinical investigations at the Arizona Cancer Center. Before joining the Arizona faculty in 2018, she taught at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Her research focuses on developing novel therapies for pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancers.
Dr. Shroff is a graduate of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where she majored in biochemistry. She holds a master’s degree in patient-based biological research from the University of Texas and a medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Heather Johnson was named the Boone and Crockett Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Montana. Dr. Johnson, a researcher with the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, is currently studying caribou in the Arctic with the U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center in Anchorage. Her research investigates how climate change and human activities influence wildlife habitat, behavior, and population dynamics, as well as the effectiveness of different strategies to minimize these impacts.
Dr. Johnson received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, San Diego. She earned a master’s degree in wildlife science from the University of Arizona and a Ph.D. in wildlife biology from the University of Montana.
Analena Bruce was named the Thomas W. Haas Professor in Sustainable Food Systems at the University of New Hampshire. She is an assistant professor in the department of agriculture, nutrition, and food systems and as director of the UNH Food Systems Lab. Dr. Bruce investigates public participation in markets designed to support small and mid-sized farms, farm viability, and equitable access to nutritious food.
A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Bruce earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Judy Staley has been named the Willard and Pat Walker Director of the Center for Simulation Innovation in the School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. An assistant professor of nursing, Staley teaches courses on obstetrics and reproductive health and mental health. In her new directorial role, she will guide advanced simulation training to strengthen clinical experiences for nursing students.
Staley holds a bachelor of nursing degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a master of nursing degree from Western Governors University. She is expected to complete a doctor of nursing practice degree in nursing education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in August.
Katelyn Kotlarek is the Maggie and Dick Scarlett Chair in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Wyoming. She first joined the university in 2019 and currently holds the rank of associate professor within the division of communication disorders. Dr. Kotlarek, who also serves as a President’s Distinguished Scholar, focuses her research and clinical practice on improving the diagnosis and treatment of children with craniofacial and cleft-related speech disorders.
Dr. Kotlarek holds three degrees in communication sciences and disorders: a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master’s degree from Florida State University, and a Ph.D. from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.