Faculty & Staff Directory

	Name & Contact	Bio & Website
	Dr. Rene Paddags Assistant Professor of Political Science 124, Andrews Hall 419.289.5335 rpaddags@ashland.edu	René Paddags, assistant professor of political science, joined Ashland University in 2010. Professor Paddags teaches courses in international relations, comparative politics and regional studies. Prior to joining Ashland University, he had taught courses in political science and philosophy at the University of Maryland and at Loyola University, Baltimore. Dr. Paddags received his Ph.D. in political science from the... Read More
	Robert Sean Parker Assistant Professor of Theatre 240, Center for the Arts 419.289.5655 rparker6@ashland.edu	Sean holds an MFA in Acting from the University of Idaho and a BFA in Acting from Western Carolina University. Before joining the Ashland University faculty, he taught at Morehead State University in Kentucky. Some of his professional credits include: Off-Broadway, Chicago Theatre (American Theatre Company, Provision Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, Bohemian Theatre Ensemble), Pioneer Playhouse, Idaho Repertory Theatre... Read More
	Elizabeth Pastor Professor Emeritus, Trustees Professor of Music	Elizabeth Pastor is an outstanding pianist, educator and community leader with a distinguished history at Ashland University and in the music community. Elizabeth received her artist’s diploma at the age of eighteen from Boston’s Longy School of Music. She studied piano with Boris Goldovsky, Carl Frieberg, Beryl Rubinstein and Arthur Loesser. She made her debut at Town Hall, New York and has made solo appearances... Read More
	Cynthia Petry Director, Coburn Art Gallery , Professional Instructor Gallery, Center for the Arts 419.289.5652 cpetry@ashland.edu	Cynthia C. Petry is director of the Coburn Gallery at Ashland University as well as a professional instructor for the Art Department. She received her bachelor’s degree in studio art from Morehead State University and a Master of Fine Arts with a emphasize in printmaking from Ohio University. Cynthia Petry has taught classes for Ashland University the last 17 years in the art foundations area as well as teaching... Read More
	Dr. Mason Posner Professor, Chair 320, Kettering Science Building 419.289.5691 mposner@ashland.edu	Students in his lab use molecular biology techniques to understand how eye lens proteins adapt to changes in environmental temperature. They are currently investigating the evolution and biological role of lens proteins called crystallins. These proteins are responsible for making the lens transparent and refracting light so that focused images fall on the retina. Amazingly, one family of crystallins, the alpha... Read More http://www.masonposner.com/
	V. Sue Ralph Administrative Assistant 202, Patterson Instructional Technology Center 419.289.5790 vralph@ashland.edu	Mrs. V. Sue Ralph returned to Ashland University as the administrative assistant to the Math and Computer Science Department in August 2014. She has a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Ashland University and earned an elementary education K-8 teaching licensure from Ashland University. Mrs. Ralph lives in Ontario with her husband, Jay. They have two children, Jessica and Michael. Jessica is a RN at the Cleveland... Read More
	Dr. Deleasa Randall-Griffiths Associate Professor, Director of the Online Communication Studies Program 329, Center for the Arts 419.289.5143 drandall@ashland.edu	Dr. Randall-Griffiths is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and Director of the Online Communication Studies Program at Ashland University. She teaches the introductory communication course, along with courses in interpersonal communication, and health communication. Her research interests include health narratives, gender, and women’s studies. She engages in community service by... Read More
	Dr. Jennifer Rathbun Chair 217, Center for the Humanities of Bixler Hall 419.289.5353 jrathbun@ashland.edu	Jennifer Rathbun has a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in contemporary Latin American literature and is currently an associate professor of Spanish and chair of the department of foreign languages at Ashland University in Ohio. The Bitter Oleander Press published her translation of the poetry collection "Afterglow/Tras el rayo" by world renowned Mexican author Alberto Blanco in June 2011. In 2009, she published... Read More
	Dr. Tom Reed Chair, Music and Theatre, Professor of Music 206, Center for the Arts 419.289.5158 treed@ashland.edu	Dr. Thomas Reed is professor of music and chair of the Department of Music and the Department of Theatre at Ashland University He joined the faculty in 1986, and teaches courses in woodwinds, music theory, aural skills and jazz. He is a member of the Akron Symphony (bass clarinet) and Ashland Symphony (principal clarinet), was a long-time member of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra (saxophone), and has performed on... Read More
	Brenda Rodeback Administrative Assistant 221 , Kettering Science Building 419.289.5261 brodebac@ashland.edu	Mrs. Brenda Rodeback joined Ashland University as the administrative assistant to the departments of biology/toxicology/environmental science and chemistry/geology/physics in September 1999. She is currently the administrative assistant for the departments of biology/toxicology/environmental science, chemistry/geology/physics, psychology, criminal justice, sociology and social work. She has an associate’s degree in... Read More
	Dr. Dariela Rodriguez Associate Professor 335 , Center for the Arts 419.289.5748 drodrig2@ashland.edu	Dr. Dariela Rodriguez is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies with a specialization in sport communication. Dr. Rodriguez received both her bachelor of arts degree in communication and public relations and her master of arts degree in communication from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She recently was awarded the Ph.D. in communication from the University of Oklahoma. She joined... Read More
	Priscilla Roggenkamp Associate Professor of Art 346A , Center for the Arts 419.289.5194 proggenk@ashland.edu	Born in Bangor, Maine, Priscilla has lived in Maine, Ohio, Virginia and Arkansas. She has resided in Alliance, Ohio since 1990, teaching and making art. Priscilla has taught at The College of Wooster, Mount Union College, Canton Country Day School, Blue Ridge Community College, James Madison University and the University of Arkansas. She has conducted art education workshops in Florida, Ohio and Maine and has co-... Read More http://www.studio-twofourteen.com/
	Cathy Rowland Administrative Assistant 204, Center for the Arts 419.289.5100 crowlan1@ashland.edu	Ms. Cathy Rowland joined Ashland University as the administrative assistant to the department of music in August 1999. She is currently the administrative assistant for the departments of music, art and theatre. She also serves as organist and choir accompanist for her church, Jeromesville United Methodist. Ms. Rowland lives in Jeromesville with daughters, Anna and Josie.
	Dr. Naomi Saslaw Professor 314, Center for the Humanities of Bixler Hall 419.289.5198 nsaslaw@ashland.edu	After completing her B.A. at University of Michigan and M.A. and Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Naomi Saslaw studied at Harvard as a postdoctoral visiting fellow. She also studied at Oxford and Columbia Universities. In addition to her work in Anglo-Saxon, Chaucer and Shakespeare, she earned a J.D. at Cleveland Marshall College of Law where she served on Law Review and began work on biomedical... Read More
	Dr. Patricia Saunders Associate Professor 324 , Kettering Science Building 419.289.5252 psaunder@ashland.edu	Dr. Patricia A. Saunders, associate professor of biology, joined the Ashland University faculty in 2002 and is the director of the University's Environmental Science Program. Her area of expertise is aquatic ecology, and she teaches courses in biology, ecology, and environmental science. Since joining Ashland University she has directed many students doing independent research projects related to the ecology of a... Read More http://personal.ashland.edu/psaunder/
	Dr. Wendy Schaller Associate Professor of Art 233 , Center for the Arts 419.289.5955 wschalle@ashland.edu	Dr. Wendy Schaller, associate professor of art, has been a member of the Ashland University faculty since 2002. A specialist in Baroque art, she received both her Ph.D. and her M.A.in art history from the Ohio State University. She also received a B.A. in art history from The University of Tennessee. Dr. Schaller's major area of interest is seventeenth-century Dutch art, and her research is focused primarily on... Read More
	Dr. Barbara Schmidt-Rinehart Professor 214 , Center for the Humanities of Bixler Hall 419.289.5131 bschmidt@ashland.edu	Barbara Schmidt-Rinehart earned a B.A. in Spanish and membership in Phi Beta Kappa at Ohio University, a M.Ed. from Ashland University, and a Ph.D. in Foreign Language Education from the Ohio State University. She was recognized as the Outstanding Graduate Student in Education at AU when she received her M.Ed., was one of the first two recipients of the Taylor Teaching Award in 1987, and received the Ed Allen... Read More
	Dr. Jeffrey Sikkenga Professor of Political Science 118, Andrews Hall 419.289.5625 jsikkeng@ashland.edu	Jeffrey Sikkenga is professor of political science and co-director of the Ashbrook Scholar Program at Ashland University, adjunct fellow of the John M. Ashbrook Center and senior fellow in the Program on Constitutionalism and Democracy at the University of Virginia. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in political thought, the American Founding and American constitutional law. He has published articles and... Read More http://personal.ashland.edu/~jsikkeng/
	Dr. Kristin Simokat Assistant Professor 215, Kettering Science Building 419.289.5615 ksimokat@ashland.edu	Dr. Kristin Simokat joined the department of biology and toxicology as an assistant professor. She is teaching courses in human anatomy and physiology. Dr. Simokat received her B.A. in biology from Wesleyan University and her Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology with a concentration in developmental biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She comes most recently from the Palouse region (University... Read More
	John Skrada Operations Manager 126, Center for the Arts 419.289.5311 jskrada@ashland.edu	John Skrada is the operations manager for 88.9 WRDL-FM and TV-20 in the journalism and digital media department of Ashland University. He received a bachelor’s degree in communication from Cleveland State University. Before coming to Ashland University in 2011, John has worked as a freelance videographer and tape operator for major sports and entertainment networks for the past 18 years. In addition to sports,... Read More