Meet the New Faces at McKendree This Year!
(LEBANON, Ill., August 27, 2024) – McKendree University is pleased to announce that new faculty and staff members have joined our campus community.
New faculty members include the following:
Misty Dickey, lecturer of nursing, has worked both in academia and in healthcare settings. She was most recently an assistant professor of nursing at Southwestern Illinois College. In addition, she was an emergency department nursing supervisor at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis and a stroke coordinator at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.
Dr. Amanda Downard, lecturer of education and paraprofessional program director, has taught as an associate faculty member for the McKendree School of Education since 2022. Before transitioning to higher education, she spent 12 years teaching across various grade levels in the Harmony-Emge School District No. 175. Her background includes cross-categorical fourth through sixth grade special education, co-teaching in second and sixth grades, and general education for fifth and seventh grades. She also has experience implementing Response to Intervention strategies as a paraprofessional at the beginning of her educational career. Additionally, she has worked with the director of special services in the O’Fallon High School District No. 203, serving a range of students with Individualized Education Program (IEP) plans and 504s from ninth grade through 22 years old.
Dr. Sydney Engele, assistant professor of psychology, has worked both in academia and in clinical settings. In academia, she has served as an adjunct instructor for multiple courses at McKendree University and Rend Lake College, including Research and Evaluation, Career Counseling and Development, and Human Relations. As a clinician, she has provided assessment, consultation, and therapy services to a diverse population of children, adolescents, and families in hospital and outpatient settings.
Dr. Jennie Fowler-Williams, lecturer of education, has served in several districts throughout Illinois and Missouri. She was most recently a fourth-grade teacher at Mascoutah Elementary School District No. 19 in Mascoutah. She also served as a fourth-grade teacher at Wyvetter Younge School of Excellence at East St. Louis School District No. 189 and a fifth grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary at Normandy Schools Collaborative in Missouri. In addition, she served as an adjunct instructor at Southwestern Illinois College and McKendree University, teaching adult literacy and education courses.
Dr. Colleen Frohling, lecturer of nursing, is a retired colonel of the U.S. Air Force. She has a vast array of clinical, academic, and leadership experiences that include obstetrics, medical-surgical nursing, international health, and leadership. She has served in the role of Chief Executive Nurse at four different military facilities and commander of medical services at three locations. She has served as the Air Education and Training Command Chief Nurse and Air Force Medical Formal Training Chief with budget and administrative academic oversight. She has been deployed to several locations in support of humanitarian and military operations.
Dr. Jennifer McAfee Maag, instructor of counseling and Director of the Clinical Mental Health program, has previously worked both in academia and in mental health settings. She most recently served as the Director of the School and Family Counseling Center at the University of Missouri – St. Louis and served as clinical faculty there as well. In addition, she worked as a counselor and workshop coordinator for a grant that provided free counseling for individuals and families affected by neuromuscular disease in the St. Louis area.
Donna Matanane, assistant professor of business, owned an electrical contracting company, Allied Electric, for 10 years. She also worked at Kaskaskia College for 10 years in multiple roles, including as a construction project manager and accountant. At Kaskaskia, she began teaching adult education courses. She moved to Franklin Hospital in Benton, Ill., as the Director of Purchasing, and then to Greenville University for a one-year appointment as an assistant professor of accounting and business.
Dr. Alexandra (Niki) Owens, assistant professor of education, has served as a special education teacher at Whiteside School District No. 115 for 14 years where she created a safe, welcoming, equitable climate for elementary students with diverse needs. In addition, she has served as an instructor at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville where she designed and taught introductory and advanced reading methodology courses with in the special education program in the Department of Teaching and Learning.
Ken Tucker, instructor of music education and Director of Choral Activities, has taught music in several school districts throughout Missouri. He was most recently the Director of Vocal Music in the Gasconade County R-2 School District in Owensville, Mo., where he taught grades six through 12. He also directs a community choir and church choir in Missouri.
Dr. Jennie Winters, lecturer of education, has worked throughout Illinois as a teacher, administrator, Regional Offices of Education coordinator, program evaluator, and professional learning facilitator. Her state and national experience includes serving on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers core leadership group, participating in an Educators Evaluating the Quality of Instructional Products quality rubric review and EdReports assessment review, serving on the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) mathematics advisory committee, and leading the ISBE Model Mathematics Project.
New academic staff include:
Annie Bierman ‘11, director of the Writing Center and instructor of English, returns to McKendree in a new role. She has been an associate faculty member for 10 years, teaching English I and II, tutoring as she did as an undergraduate at McKendree.
New staff members include the following:
- Jacob Allen ’24 – library assistant
- Tracy Cromer – assistant athletic director for compliance
- Seth Hardwick – head men’s and women’s cross-country coach/assistant track and field coach
- Clayton Harris – IT Help Desk technician
- Reid Hendrickson – assistant baseball coach
- Shari Keffer ’11, MBA ‘13 – vice president for administration and finance
- Rachael Kell ‘24 – part-time assistant golf coach
- Chase Messer – assistant director of sports information
- Dan’Nesha Smith ‘24 – resident director
- Emily Smith ’10, MAED ‘16 – resident director
- Opetaia Tuiava – assistant football coach
- Thaddaeus Washington – assistant football coach
- Antinio White – public safety officer
- Amy Wilson – student success mentor
McKendree is also proud to have promoted the following employees recently:
- Hallie Anderson ‘23 – assistant director of Career Services
- Deidra Blackmill – access services manager
- Larry Davis III ’22 – director of inclusive education and global experience
- Arantxa Fernandez – IT Help Desk supervisor
- Quenton Gilmore – area coordinator
- Jessica Hopkins MBA ’20 – dean of academic records and registrar
-McK-
