College of Education and Health Services

Dr. Jude-Marie Alexis Smalec

Assistant Professor

Public Health

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Dr. Catherine Arnold, M.S., Ed.D., R.D., L.D.N.

Department Chair and Professor

Nutrition

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Phone: 630-829-6534

Dr. Catherine Arnold joined the faculty full-time in 1990. Formerly, she worked as a clinical dietitian, community educator, consultant dietitian, and adjunct faculty member, Dr. Arnold earned her doctorate in Educational Psychology and Graduate Certificate in Advanced Quantitative Methods in Education from Northern Illinois University, and Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from Rush University. She completed Advanced Specialty Training Certificate in Adult Weight Management (by CDR).

Dr. Arnold's research interests include Determining Predictors of Health Behavior Change, Educational Assessment, and Nutrition Education Outcomes Research. To support her endeavors, she was successfully funded by five granting organizations for over $100,000. Her work is published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Over the past ten years she delivered over 40 presentations at local, state, and international conferences.

Dr. Arnold is a past President of the Illinois Dietetic Association (IDA) and West Suburban Dietetic Association, past co-Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee of the IDA, and was recently appointed as a program reviewer by the by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Dr. Arnold was the recipient the Outstanding Dietetics Educator Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Alumnae of the Year Award from her high school, and Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award from the IDA. She is listed in Whos's Who in Education, Whos's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World.

Dr. Bonnie Beezhold, Ph.D., MHS, CHES

Assistant Professor

Nutrition

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Phone: 630-829-6528

Dr. Bonnie Beezhold joined the faculty full-time in 2011. Previously, she was a Clinical Assistant Professor at Arizona State University for several years. She earned a Master of Health Science degree in International Health (Nutrition focus) from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Ph.D. in Physical Activity, Nutrition and Wellness (Nutrition focus) from Arizona State University.

Dr. Beezhold's main research focus is investigation of the link between diet, particularly fatty acids, and mental health in populations with different dietary patterns. She annually presents her research at the American Society for Nutrition's Experimental Biology conference and her studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals. In 2010, she was awarded the Arizona State University Dean's Clinical Track Scholarship in 2010. Current research participation is related to the vegan diet and mood and the role of diet in perceived stress. Other research participation has included health effects of nutrition transition and ADHD and food additives.

Dr. Beezhold is interested in awakening a greater public health perspective in her students with regard to major nutrition-related problems. She is certified as a Health Education Specialist (CHES) by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, and leads the department's health education concentration.

Dr. Elizabeth Bell

Assistant Professor

Education

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Phone: 630-829-1892

Ms. Elizabeth Bormann

Instructor

Public Health

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Phone: (630) 829-6249

Elizabeth "Beth" Bormann received her Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health/Health Administration in 1994 and her Master of Public Health with a specialization in Health Promotion in 2003, both from Northern Illinois University (NIU). 
Her professional experience has included work in a hospital-based fitness center as an office coordinator, in a social service agency assisting developmentally disabled adults, and in a public health department in the epidemiology unit assisting with surveillance, program evaluation and report writing. 
Beth also has extensive experience in higher education. From 2005 - 2008, she was the Undergraduate Advisor/Practicum Coordinator for the Public Health Program at NIU where she advised junior and senior public health majors and oversaw the students while they completed their required public health internship. She also taught several different undergraduate courses in public health: epidemiology, environmental health, community health planning, and the organization of the public health and health care systems in the United States. 
From 2008 - 2011, Beth was the Director of Administrative Services for Lewis University's School for Professional and Continuing Education which houses the adult accelerated programs. She was responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the School, which included course scheduling, classroom assignments and course evaluation completion.

From 2007 - 2011, Beth taught part-time for the online MPH Program at Benedictine University. In September 2011, she became a full-time faculty member for the Master of Public Health program in the College of Education and Health Services at the Lisle campus of the University. Beth is very happy to be teaching her passion, public health, full-time again!

Beth is a member of the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), the Illinois Chapter of the Society for Public Health Education (ISOPHE), the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) and two honor societies: the Alpha Eta Honor Society at NIU and Sigma Beta Delta at Benedictine University. She received the Students' Choice Award from Northern Illinois University's Student Association in May 2006. In April 2012, Beth received certification as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. This is a nationally recognized certification that demonstrates an individual's competency in the seven main areas of responsibility in health education. 

Dr. Patricia Brown, D.N.P., APN, CNS, CCRN

Assistant Professor

Nursing and Health

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Pat Brown joined the Benedictine University faculty in 2013, and teaches in the BSN program.Prior to coming to Benedictine, she served in different nursing roles in college and hospital administration, nursing education, staff development and research.  She is an active member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, serves on the Illinois Healthcare Action Coalition:Education Workgroup on Seamless Academic Progressions for Nurses, and was selected as contributing editor for Critical Care Nurse.

Dr. Brown earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Rush University with a focus in critical care family partnerships, Master of Science (MS) in adult medical/surgical nursing from Northern Illinois University, Bachelor of Science (BS) in nursing from Andrews University, and an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in nursing from Morton College.She holds certification in critical care nursing and advanced practice nursing licensure as a clinical nurse specialist.

Dr. Richard Campbell

Instructor

Education

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Phone: (630) 829-6462

Dr. Sunil Chand

Center for Higher Education and Organizational Change

Education

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Phone: (630) 829-1930

Dr. Susan Cheng

Assistant Professor

Public Health

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Phone: (630) 829-6181

Dr. Susan Cheng joined the BenU MPH faculty full-time in 2013. Former to joining the faculty, she served as an adjunct faculty member for Trident International University in their MPH program. In addition, she served as a Principal Investigator, Project Manager, and Epidemiologist for the Emergency Preparedness Resources for Native Americans project in California from 2002-2013. She earned a MPH in Epidemiology from San Diego State University researching male endogenous hormones and bone mineral density, and a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of California, San Diego in the field of HIV research.

Dr. Cheng's primary research interests reside primarily in Maternal and Child Health and special populations. She is interested in the risk factors and health disparities among children with allergies and asthma, especially with respect to their microbiome. In addition, she is also interested in health outcomes for women and children during pregnancy and in early childhood, in the fields of gestational diabetes, post-partum depression, and infant mortality and birth outcomes. She has several publications in peer-reviewed journals, and has presented locally and nationally at a variety of public health conferences.

Ms. Julie Davis, M.S., R.D., L.D.N.

Instructor

Nutrition

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Phone: 630-829-6521

Ms. Julie Davis joined the department in 1998. She is half-time instructor and Coordinator of the Food Lab. Formerly, she was employed as a manager in both clinical dietetics and food services, consultant in long term care, clinical dietitian, and adjunct faculty member. Ms. Davis earned her Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from Rush University.

Ms. Davis is the past Treasurer of the West Suburban Dietetic Association (WSDA) and formerly on the Finance Committee of the Illinois Dietetic Association (IDA). She is current member of the WSDA's Programs Committee and co-Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee of the IDA. Ms. Davis was the recipient of the Outstanding Dietetics Educator Award and Outstanding Dietitian of the Year Award, both from the IDA.

Ms. Margaret Delaney, M.S., RN, PNP-BC

Instructor

Nursing and Health

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Phone: (630) 829-6296

Margaret Delaney joined Benedictine University in 2007 and teaches both in the BSN completion and MSN program. Margaret received her BSN from Loyola University in Chicago, IL and a Masters in Science, with the focus: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner from DePaul University, Chicago IL. Margaret is presently pursuing a Doctorate of education in Higher Education and organizational Change from Benedictine University Lisle, IL. Prior to joining Benedictine, Margaret taught nursing at Loyola University of Chicago. Her teaching experience includes both face-to-face and on-line learning environments. Her course specialties are Family Health, Community Health, Health Assessment, Nursing Management and Practicum Synthesis.

For the vast majority of her practice, Margaret was employed at a large free standing children’s hospital in Chicago, Lurie Children’s Hospital, formally Children’s Memorial. She worked in general pediatrics and the ICU as a staff nurse, conducted multiple research studies as a clinical research coordinator, moved into an educator role, and finally evolved as a Nurse Practitioner caring for the pulmonary/asthma and allergy population. Along with her teaching responsibilities Margaret currently holds office hours at a general pediatric office in Naperville, IL.

Margaret is an active board member of Sigma Theta Tau, a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and the Illinois Nurses Association.

Ms. Valerie Ellinger, M.S.N., RN

Instructor

Nursing and Health

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Phone: (217) 718-5335

Valerie Ellinger joined the Benedictine University team in 2011. She enjoys teaching Community Health Nursing and Transforming Care at the BU-Springfield campus. She also is the Advisor for the RN-BSN Springfield students. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing, specializing in Nurse Education, at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (2009) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McKendree College (2000).

Previously, Ellinger has taught nursing at the LPN level. Her specialty areas include Acute Care, Emergency and Psychiatric Nursing. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, Nu Pi Chapter. She serves on the Curriculum and the Blended/Online Committees at BU-S.

Ms. Stephanie Ellis, M.P.H., R.D., L.D.N.

Instructor

Nutrition

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Phone: 630-829-1144

Ms. Stephanie Ellis joined the faculty in 2011 as half-time Instructor. Formerly, she worked as a Clinical Dietitian in a hospital setting and long term care facilities, Field Clinical Specialist for energy expenditure devices, as well as taught classes as an adjunct instructor. Ms. Ellis earned her Master of Public Health degree from Benedictine University. She completed Advanced Specialty Training Certificate in Adult Weight Management (by CDR)

Ms. Laura Holland, M.S.N., RN, CNE

Instructor

Nursing and Health

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Phone: (630) 829-1146

Laura Holland joined Benedictine University in 2010 and teaches both in the BSN completion and MSN program. Laura received her BSN from Marquette University, WI and a Masters in Nurse Education from Lewis University, IL. Laura has obtained Certification in Nurse Education (CNE) from NLN. Laura is presently pursuing her post- master’s certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner and her DNP.

Laura’s prior teaching experience includes numerous didactic and clinical courses along with teaching in many different learning modalities including face- to- face classroom sessions, fully on-line and hybrid courses. Her teaching expertise includes gerontology, management, health care systems, healthcare policy, technology, and quality and safety. In 2011 and 2013, Laura was a participant at the Nurse Educator, National Quality and Safety Education of Nurses (QSEN) Institute. Laura is a passionate educator and uses her knowledge and experience with QSEN to integrate quality and safety into the curriculum in both the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. She actively encourages students to define, apply, and integrate quality and safety into their professional practice and to become agents of change for their health care organizations.

Laura has numerous years of nursing experience with emphasis on medical – surgical nursing, gerontology, and home health care. In addition, Laura professionally presents Intimate Partner Violence Educational Workshops for practicing nurses throughout Illinois. Her prior work life experience also includes sales, marketing, and regional sales management of pharmaceuticals. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, American Nurses Association, National League of Nurses, and American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Ms. Susan Hovey, M.S.N., RN

Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Nursing Programs-Springfield

Nursing and Health

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Phone: (217) 717-3535

Susan Hovey joined Benedictine University at Springfield in the summer of 2010 as Coordinator of Nursing Programs. Susan came to Benedictine University with a diverse teaching background. She has teaching experience in a variety of nursing and health science programs including Certified Nursing Assistant, Licensed Practical Nursing, Certified Surgical Technology, Associate Degree Nursing, and Bachelor Degree Nursing. She spent over 25 years working as a Registered Nurse in the practice setting with a focus in nephrology nursing. She has held administrative positions at a Licensed Practical Nursing Program and a Dialysis Center.

Hovey is currently a student at Illinois State University (ISU) in Bloomington-Normal and is working toward her Ph.D. in Nursing. She received her Master of Science degree at Regis University in Denver Colorado and her Bachelor of Science degree at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in Edwardsville, IL.

Dr. MeShelda Jackson

Department Chair and Professor

Education

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Phone: 630-829-6282

Dr. Joyce Jeewek

Associate Professor

Education

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Phone: 630-829-6286

Dr. Joyce Jeewek joined the school of education faculty full-time in 2006. Formerly, she worked as an elementary teacher, reading specialists, special education intervention manager, principal, district curriculum director, and an adjunct faculty member for Northern Illinois, Lewis and Benedictine Universities. Dr. Jeewek's passion is education! Dr. Jeewek earned her Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, a Masters of Science in Education for Language Arts and Reading, and a Bachelor of Science in Education with a concentration in Mainstreaming from Northern Illinois University. In 2010, Dr. Jeewek added an ESL endorsement from Benedictine University to her resume.

Dr. Jeewek's research interests include qualitative studies where teachers, as practitioners, examine ways to improve student learning. Her areas of interest include: reading and the language arts, assessment driving instruction, differentiated instruction, effective reading comprehension and writing strategies, family literacy, English Language Learners, children's literature and family literacy. Her work is published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Illinois Reading Council. Dr. Jeewek delivers numerous presentations at local, state, and international conferences. Dr. Jeewek has also had her students present at various conferences. She teaches children's literature, reading and the language arts, and reading assessment courses to both undergraduates and graduate students.

Professional development is important to Dr. Jeewek. She is currently president of the Prairie Area Reading Council and is a voting board member of the Illinois Reading Council. Dr. Jeewek is a member of the Kappa Delta Pi, international education honor society Chapter Services Committee, in charge of developing strategic plans for the organization. She also is a member of both the International Reading Association's Arbothnot and Jerry John's Award Committee and the Illinois Reading Council's Barack Obama Literacy Award Committee. In 2009, Dr. Jeewek was awarded an Honorable Mention Award by the Barack Obama Literacy Fund and received a small library to use in her children's literature courses for future educators. As a Prairie Area Reading Council board member for the past seven years, Dr. Jeewek has been a part of a council that has received both Honor Council and Council of Excellence from both the Illinois Reading Council and the International Reading Association. She has also received numerous membership and speaker grants and membership idea awards from the Illinois Reading Council.

Dr. Deborah Jezuit, Ph.D., M.S., RN

Assistant Professor

Nursing and Health

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Dr. Jezuit joined Benedictine University as an Adjunct MSN Faculty in 2010 and was appointed in August 2014 as Assistant Professor. Prior to joining Benedictine, Dr. Jezuit served as the Director of an Associate Degree nursing program for 10 years and as assistant professor at Northern Illinois University in the BSN program for 6 years. She has served as a doctoral advisor for several students.

Dr. Jezuit has nearly 40 years of nursing experience including critical care nursing and nursing management, curriculum development and program design, ethics, and nursing presentations.

Earned degrees include: PhD in Nursing Ethics from Rush University, Chicago, with a focus on end of life issues. She received her Master of Science Degree in Nursing (MSN) from Purdue University Calumet, Hammond IN as a critical care clinical specialist and Bachelor Science Degree in Nursing from Ball State University in Muncie IN.

Ms. Margaret Kipta, M.S., RN, FNP-BC, CRNA

Instructor

Nursing and Health

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Phone: (630) 829-6236

Margaret M. Kipta joined Benedictine University in September 2012 as an instructor in the BSN program in Lisle and a nursing lab coordinator for the Lisle and Springfield campuses. She has a long history of teaching in graduate nursing programs. She has taught at DePaul University in a generic nursing master program, in the family nurse practitioner program and the nurse anesthetist program since 2000. She had held a position of the Interim Director of Nurse Practitioner programs at DePaul University for two years prior to coming to Benedictine University. She received the DePaul University Excellence in Teaching Award in 2006. She is a scholar of National Health Service Corps.

Kipta received her Master of Science in Nursing from DePaul University (2000) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Finch University of Health Sciences/Barat College (1996). She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Nursing Practice degree at the University of Michigan-Flint. She holds two national board certifications, including Family Nurse Practitioner certification and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist certification.

Dr. Eileen Kolich

Professor

Education

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Phone: 630-829-6285

Dr. Cynthia Kuck

Professor

Education

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Phone: 630-829-6297

Dr. Joan Libner, Ed.D, M.S.N., RN-BC, CNE

Associate Professor, Department Chair and RN to BSN Program Director

Nursing and Health

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Dr. Libner joined Benedictine University in August 2011 as faculty and Director of the RN to BSN Program. In August 2014, she assumed the added role of Chair of the Department of Nursing and Health. Teaching responsibilities are met in both the RN to BSN and MSN Programs. Prior to joining Benedictine, Dr. Libner served many years at Triton College as nursing faculty and chairperson. There she taught all levels of medical-surgical nursing, including supervising clinical experiences in over a dozen sites as well as meeting administrative responsibilities.

In 2010, Dr. Libner was appointed to the Illinois Board of Nursing and currently serves as Chair and as a member of the Education Subcommittee. She is a participant in the National Council State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Institute of Regulatory Excellence Fellowship Program pursuing her interest in the implications of nurses' understanding of licensure regulation in Illinois.

Dr. Libner earned an Ed.D. with a focus in educational leadership from Concordia University Chicago, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a clinical specialty in medical-surgical nursing from Loyola University Chicago, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Northern Illinois University. She holds certification as a nurse educator with the National League for Nursing and as a gerontological nurse with the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Dr. Jeanette May

Assistant Professor

Public Health

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Ms. Julie Moreschi, M.S., R.D., L.D.N.

Dietetic Internship Director

Nutrition

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Phone: 630-829-6548

Ms. Julie Moreschi joined the university in 1994 as an adjunct faculty member. In 1997 she was hired as the Dietetic Internship Director. Ms. Moreschi's prior positions include clinical dietitian, cafeteria manager, diet office manager, assistant foodservice director, internal management consultant, and consultant at a variety of health care organizations in Illinois and Minnesota. Ms. Moreschi earned her Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from Rush University, and is currently in pursuit of her Ph.D. in Public Health at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

Ms. Moreschi's professional interests lie primarily in the areas of community nutrition, maternal and child wellness, and obesity prevention and intervention from preconception through pre-K. To support her endeavors over the past 6 years, she has been involved with grant funding wellness interventions in West Chicago School District #33. Her research abstracts were accepted for publication and poster presentation through a peer-review process, and Ms. Moreschi is a chapter author in two textbooks: Managing Food And Nutrition Services for the Culinary, Hospitality, and Nutrition Professions and Nutrition and Public Health, 2nd Edition. In addition, she is as a reviewer for the Maternal and Child Health Journal.

Ms. Moreschi is a past President of the West Suburban Dietetic Association, past Chair of both the Strategic Planning Committee and CPI Committee of the Illinois Dietetic Association (IDA). She is on the advisory board and several committees for the obesity prevention coalition FORWARD (Fighting Obesity Reaching healthy Weight Among Residents of DuPage). Ms. Moreschi was the recipient of the Outstanding Dietetics Educator Award and Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award, both from the IDA.

Dr. James Pelech

Associate Professor

Education

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Phone: 630-829-6283

After a thirty-year career as a high school math teacher, Dr. James Pelech joined the school of education in June of 2003. Dr. Pelted has earned a Doctorate in Curriculum and Social Inquiry from National Louis University, a Certificate of Advanced Studies from Concordat University, a Masters of Business Administration from Governors State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Saint Norbert College.

As a mathematics teacher at Hl High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois, he was instrumental in working with the writing across the curriculum initiative and the new teacher mentoring program. He was the first mathematics teacher at the school to participate and complete the “Content Area Reading Program.” Additionally, Dr. Pelted initiated cross-curriculum activities in which he worked with pilots to demonstrate how mathematics is used in flying and navigating a plane. This resulted in receiving a grant to enhance this program, and also led to the introduction of Problem-Based Learning in all of his classes. He was a member of the school’s North Central Accreditation Team, and in 2003 was Richards High School’s nominee for the “Excellence in Education Award.”

Dr. Pelted&#’;sssion is using action research to enhance student learning, including the application of the Constructivist philosophy in his classes. He has had two books published by Information Age Publishing. The first one, The Comprehensive Handbook of Constructivist Teaching: From Theory to Practice, examines how to incorporate the Constructivist philosophy into one’s daily teaching. The second book, Guide to Transforming Teaching Through Self-Inquiry, examines the use of the Constructivist theory to monitor such teacher activities as personal journal writing, research, and professional development. He has had articles published in the Mathematics Teacher, the Journal for the Practical Application of Constructivist Theory in Education, and the Journal for Research in Education. He also serves as a peer reviewer for numerous professional journals.

In terms of professional development, Dr. Pelted is very involved in a wide range of professional activities and organizations. He is President of the Association for Constructivist Teaching, an international organization comprised of teachers, administrators, and researches from America, Mexico, Poland, and China. He has presented at conferences across America and in Mexico. He has worked as a professional developer with teachers from California and upstate New York. He was one of the founding members of the Benedictine/Saint Ethereal partnership. In this capacity he works with teachers to improve their teaching; this includes co-teaching at different grade levels. He is also President of the Saint Ethereal School Board.

Dr. Karen Plawecki, M.S., Ph.D., R.D., L.D.N.

Assistant Professor

Nutrition

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Phone: (630) 829-1145

Dr. Karen Plawecki joined the faculty full-time in 2012. Recently, she was the Director of the undergraduate program at the University of Illinois, Champaign. Prior positions include employment as the Director of a Metabolic Research Kitchen, Coordinator of wellness programs, Outpatient Dietitian, and Clinical Dietitian. Dr. Plawecki earned her doctorate in Nutrition from the University of Illinois, and Master of Science in Nutrition Science (Food Science emphasis) from Purdue University.

Dr. Plawecki's research interests include interventions for improvement of Calcium and Vitamin D status in humans. To support her endeavors, she has been successfully funded by grants. She has delivered numerous presentations and her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Plawecki is a past President of the Illinois Dietetic Association (IDA) and Eastern Illinois Dietetic Association, past co-Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee of the IDA, and serves as a Team Lead Reviewer for the by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Dr. Plawecki was inducted in the Purdue University Nutrition Science Hall of Fame. She is the recipient the Outstanding Dietetics Educator Award and Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award from the IDA, College of ACES Outstanding Instructor Award, and voted Outstanding Advisor/Mentor. She was listed in Whos's Who Among America's Teachers.

Dr. Georgeen Polyak

Department Chair and Associate Professor

Public Health

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Phone: (630) 829-6217

Georgeen Polyak is Chair of the Department of Public Health and Associate Professor at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois.She teaches courses in health systems, health policy;and coordinates on campus student internships.Her primary research interest is in public health services and systems.She has published studies on the performance and funding of public health agencies.Prior to her teaching position, she was Director of Public Health for the Village of Oak Park, Illinois and worked at the Will County Health Department. She is a site reviewer for the Public Health Accreditation Board. She received her doctorate in Public Health Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dr. Margaret Richey, Ed.D., M.S.N., RN

Associate Professor

Nursing and Health

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Phone: (620) 829-6189

Dr. Richey joined Benedictine University as Adjunct MSN Faculty in 2011 and was appointed in August 2012 as Associate Professor. Prior to joining Benedictine, Dr. Richey served as Associate Professor in Nursing at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, Iowa.

Dr. Richey has over 30 years of experience including, mental health nursing, burn nursing, health promotion, nursing management, curriculum development and new program design, nursing research, academia and public speaking.

Earned degrees include: Doctor of Education, specializing in Health Professions Education from College of Saint Mary, Omaha NE. She received her Master of Science Degree in Nursing (MSN) from Drake University, Des Moines, IA, and Bachelor Science Degree in Nursing also from Drake University. In addition, she holds a Diploma in Nursing from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Des Moines, Iowa, (1982).

Dr. Richey completed her doctoral dissertation on Registered Nurses’ Perceptions of Health Literacy and Its Effect on Patient Self-Efficacy and Patient Health Care Decisions. Current research interests include: effectiveness of communication and patient education methods among high-risk patient groups; importance of curricula development that stress health literacy; homelessness and its effect on self-efficacy, patient access and patient health care decisions.

Dr. Richey is passionate about health literacy and about meeting the needs of the underserved and homeless. She is devoted to assisting others in the development of their own areas of passion in the service of nursing leadership and nursing education and sharing her love for the profession with her students.

Dr. Alison Ridge, D.N.P., M.S.N., RN, CNE

Assistant Professor and M.S.N. Program Director

Nursing and Health

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Phone: (630) 829-1160

Dr. Elizabeth Ritt, Ed.D., M.S.N., RN, NEA-BC, CNE

Professor

Nursing and Health

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Phone: (630) 829-1933

Dr. Sharon Ware, Ed.D., M.A., M.S.N., RN, CCHC

Associate Professor

Nursing and Health

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Phone: (630) 829-6196

Sharon Ware is an associate professor of nursing at Benedictine University in the MSN program. She has previously taught in the undergraduate program at North Carolina Central University. Dr. Ware coordinates the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project Health Advisory Committee, is the advisor for the Education & Advocacy Committee of the North Carolina Child Care Health Consultant Association. Dr. Ware is also an active member SafeKids™ Wake County. Other organizations include the Central Carolina Black Nurses' Council, an affiliate of the National Black Nurse Association and Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority. Dr. Ware is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Lambda Upsilon Chapter.

Dr. Ware has over 40 years nursing experience in community health nursing and is concern with eliminating health disparities for persons of color. She has worked extensively with organizations in the area of cultural competency and is published under this subject. Her area of research is environmental hazards for young children with emphasize on asthma and allergies. Dr. Ware has been a guest speaker on a variety of community health issues and has worked with populations in the Caribbean, on California Native Indian Reservations, tribal nations of Oklahoma, and villages of Ghana, West Africa, as well as Uganda, East Africa to provide nursing care and education to those in need.

Dr. Alandra Weller-Clarke

Associate Professor

Education

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Phone: (630) 829-6295

Dr. Alandra Weller-Clarke is an associate professor and educational psychologist in the School of Education. She came to Benedictine the first time as a graduate student after receiving her bachelor’s degree at Elmhurst College in Special Education. She spent a year completing her master’s degree here in education and went on to Loyola University of Chicago for her PhD in Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Psychology. She returned to BU in 2002 as an assistant professor, where she has taught 11 different courses in both education and psychology for both undergraduate and graduate programs.

In the fall of 2006, Dr. Clarke was appointed the Chair of the Institutional Review Board by the Provost, and has since worked diligently to make the IRB process not only smooth, but user-friendly for students and faculty. Currently, Alandra enjoys mentoring undergraduate, graduate and dissertation students in their research pursuits, and has completed over 40 theses, a few of which she has presented and co-presented at the prestigious AERA (American Educational Research Association), HICE (Hawaii International Conference on Education) and the University of Oxford. Dr. Clarke’s primary research interests include educational psychology, teaching with technology, adolescent wellness and improving the outcomes and education of adolescents with behavior disorders. In the past five years, Dr. Clarke has presented numerous internationally peer-reviewed presentations, published several articles and book chapters, and continues her research/advocacy on issues including social justice and incarcerated youth.

Dr. Ovid Wong

Associate Professor

Education

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Phone: (630) 829-1151

Dr. Ovid Wong is an associate science education professor with Benedictine University since 2007. He has a joint teaching assignment in the College of Science and the School of Education. He received his B.Sc. and Dip. Ed. from the University of Alberta (Canada), his M.Ed. from the University of Washington (Seattle), and his Ph.D. in science education from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign).

His experience in public education spans over twenty years from the inner city classroom in Chicago to the suburban office of the assistant school superintendent. For twelve years he was the lead science instructor at the Center for Gifted and Talented Development at Northwestern University. In the summers of 2012 and 2013, Dr. Wong was invited by Dalian Nationalities University in China to train young faculty members representing twelve academic departments in pedagogy and andragogy. In 2013, he was invited by Shenyang Normal University in China to conduct cross-cultural training for faculty and students. The China trips were supported by the Foreign Expert Exchange fund of the Chinese government.

In 1989, Dr. Wong received the National Science Foundation’s Outstanding Science Teacher in Illinois award and the National Science Teaching Achievement Recognition (STAR) award by the National Science Teacher Association. In the same year he visited the former Soviet Union as the environmental science delegation leader with the student ambassador program. He was the first recipient of the outstanding alumni award by the University of Alberta in 1992 and also the first recipient of the distinguished alumni award by the College of Education at the University of Illinois in 1995. In 2013, he received the Distinguished Faculty Award in recognition of his significant achievements in research at Benedictine University.

Dr. Wong is the author of thirty books. He has received the Midwest Book Author ward from the Children’s Reading Roundtable of Chicago. He has written twelve books dedicated to coaching teachers and students to effectively prepare for the state mandated examination across the nation with specific editions for Illinois, Michigan, New York and Ohio. His recent ten books include Using Data Analysis to Improve Student Learning: Toward 100% Proficiency; Pivotal Strategies for the Educational Leader: The Importance of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War; Prioritizing Money and Power: Equalize Student Achievement; Elementary Science with Classroom Experiments; Elementary Science with Classroom Experiments for ISAT; Elementary Science with Classroom Experiments for ESPET; High-Poverty, High-Performing Schools; An Instructor Primer for Adjunct and New Faculty: Foundations for Career Success; Life Decision; and To Learn is To Do: Evangelism ABC.