51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce the academic faculty members who have been awarded tenure and/or promotion, effective July 1, 2025. The Board of Regents formally approved 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's tenure recipients at its quarterly meeting last week.

These faculty members have demonstrated excellence in their fields through research, teaching, and service. Their collective accomplishments help drive 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s mission forward.

Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor

• C.E. Abbate, Ph.D., Dept. of Philosophy, College of Liberal Arts
• Eda Anlamlier, Ph.D., Dept. of Marketing and International Business, Lee Business School
• Constancio Arnaldo, Ph.D., Dept. of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies, College of Liberal Arts
• Nicholas Barr, Ph.D., School of Social Work, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
• Sean Boyd, MFA, Dept. of Theatre, College of Fine Arts
• Han-Jae Cho, Ph.D., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering
• Jennifer Culley, MLIS, University Libraries
• Linda Dam, Ph.D., Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
• Stephanie Fell, MLIS, University Libraries
• Brett Gleason, Ph.D., Dept. of Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services, College of Education 
• Thessa Hilgenkamp, Ph.D., Dept. of Physical Therapy, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Joshua Island, Ph.D., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, College of Sciences
• Sarah Jones, MLIS, University Libraries
• Brian Labus, Ph.D., Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health
• Michael Lee, Ph.D., Dept. of Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology, Lee Business School
• Minkyo Lee, Ph.D., Dept. of Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education, College of Education
• Renato Liboro, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Graham McGinnis, Ph.D., Dept. of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Christina Miskey, MLIS, University Libraries
• Woo-Yong Park, Ph.D., Dept. of Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology, Lee Business School
• Rebecca Rice, Ph.D., Dept. of Communication Studies, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs 
• Lena Rieke, J.D., William S. Boyd School of Law
• Alex Smith, Ph.D., Dept. of Early Childhood, Multilingual and Special Education, College of Education 
• Erin Smith, Ph.D., Dept. of Teaching and Learning, College of Education
• Brittani Sterling, MLIS, University Libraries
• Karl Ulrich, MFA, Dept. of Film, College of Fine Arts
• Vanessa Vongkulluksn, Ph.D., Dept. of Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education, College of Education
• Katherine Walker, Ph.D., Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Aidybert Weeks, MLIS, University Libraries
• Mo Weng, Ph.D., School of Life Sciences, College of Sciences
• Gloria Wong, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Yan Zhou, Ph.D., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, College of Sciences

Tenure Only

• John McMurtery, DMA, School of Music, College of Fine Arts
• Janice Pluth, Ph.D., Dept. of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Tenure and Promotion to Professor
• Jinyoung Kim, Ph.D., School of Nursing

Promotion to Professor

• Sheila Bock, Ph.D., Dept. of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies, College of Liberal Arts 
• Su Kim Chung, Ph.D., University Libraries
• John Curry, Ph.D., Dept. of History, College of Liberal Arts
• Tim Gauthier, Ph.D., Dept. of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies, College of Liberal Arts 
• Erin Hamilton, Ph.D., Dept. of Accounting, Lee Business School
• Margaret Harp, Ph.D., Dept. of World Languages and Cultures, College of Liberal Arts
• John Hay, Ph.D., Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Tiffiany Howard, Ph.D., Dept. of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
• Ileana M. Jara Yupanqui, Ph.D., Dept. of World Languages and Cultures, College of Liberal Arts
• Chris Jensen, Ph.D., Dept. of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
• Michael McCreery, Ph.D., Dept. of Teaching and Learning, College of Education
• Cian McMahon, Ph.D., Dept. of History, College of Liberal Arts
• Amanda Melilli, MLIS, University Libraries
• Brendan Morris, Ph.D., Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering  
• Hans Rawhouser, Ph.D., Dept. of Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology, Lee Business School 
• Rachael Robnett, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Sara Rosenkranz, Ph.D., Dept. of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Judy Ryerson, MFA, Dept. of Theatre, College of Fine Arts
• Chyllis Scott, Ph.D., Dept. of Teaching and Learning, College of Education
• Tracy Spies, Ph.D., Dept. of Early Childhood, Multilingual and Special Education, College of Education 
• Emily Troshynski, Ph.D., Dept. of Criminal Justice, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
• Kelly Tseng, Ph.D., School of Life Sciences, College of Sciences 
• Arya Udry, Ph.D., Dept. of Geoscience, College of Sciences 
• Zhaohuan Zhu, Ph.D., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, College of Sciences 
• Promotion to Senior Lecturer
• Taro Ito, Ph.D., Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, College of Sciences
• Leonardo Lozano, M.S., Dept. of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, School of Integrated Health Sciences 
• Scott MacDonald, M.S., Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, College of Sciences
• Promotion to Associate Professor in Residence
• Lianne Barnes, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Laura Book, Ph.D., Dept. of Hospitality Management, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality
• Rachel Bovard, MFA, Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Jeremy Bowling, Ph.D., Dept. of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
• Michael Chin, MFA, Honors College
• Eve Chung, DDS, School of Dental Medicine
• Jason Ciccotelli, Ph.D., Dept. of Physical Therapy, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Nachman Gutowski, J.D., William S. Boyd School of Law 
• Lisa Johnson, Ph.D., Dept. of Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts
• Jeremy Koonce, Ph.D., Dept. of Geoscience, College of Sciences
• John Nixon, Ed.D., Dept. of Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services, College of Education
• Amanda Pasinski, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Jennifer Pfannes, DNP, School of Nursing
• Martha Phelps, Ph.D., Dept. of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
• Tanya Robertson, Ph.D., Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Maire Simington, Ph.D., Dept. of Healthcare Administration and Policy, School of Public Health
• Promotion to Professor in Residence
• Daniel Bubb, Ph.D., Honors College
• Michael Gebhart, J.D., Dept. of Hospitality Management, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality
• Amy Green, Ph.D., Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Jennifer Guerra, Ph.D., Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Sciences
• Jef Jaeger, Ph.D., School of Life Sciences, College of Sciences
• Joanna Kepka, Ph.D., Honors College 
• Heather Lusty, Ph.D., Honors College
• Amanda Morgan, Ph.D., Dept. of Social and Behavioral Health, School of Public Health
• Melissa Morris, Ph.D., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering
• Jenifer Utz, Ph.D., School of Life Sciences, College of Sciences

Promotions in the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ 

Promotion to Associate Professor

• Jo-Lawrence Bigcas, M.D., Dept. of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 
• Jyoti Desai, M.D., Dept. of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics
• Badrunnisa Hanif, M.D., Dept. of Internal Medicine
• Dodds Simangan, M.D., Dept. of Pediatrics
• Promotion to Professor
• Jennifer Baynosa, M.D., Dept. of Surgery
• Charles St. Hill, M.D., Dept. of Surgery

Please join us in congratulating our colleagues on this well-earned achievement. Their contributions enrich our university in countless ways, and we are proud to celebrate this moment with them!

Warm wishes,

Chris Heavey
51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Officer in Charge

Kate Hausbeck Korgan
Officer in Charge
Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost