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Past Presidential Teacher Award Winners

Award Winners

2024/25
Lonnie Welch

2024-2025 to 2026-2027

Professor Lonnie R. Welch is the Stuckey Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Ohio University, a member of the Graduate Faculties of the Biomedical Engineering Program and of the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, director of the Bioinformatics Laboratory at Ohio University, and the founder and Chair of the Great Lakes Bioinformatics Conference (an official conference of the International Society on Computational Biology). His research has been sponsored by the National Human Genome Research Institute, the Ohio Plant Biotechnology Consortium, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Ohio Board of Regents. He is the principal investigator of the $9M Bioinformatics Program of the Ohio Board of Regents. Dr. Welch is founder and co-chair of the ISMB Special Interest Group on Bioinformatics for Regulatory Genomics (BioRegSIG).

2023/24
Neil Littell

2023-24 to 2025-26

Dr. Neil Littell is an Associate Professor, Director of Project Management Programs, and Kraft Family Scholar at Ohio University within the Russ College of Engineering and Technology in the Department of Engineering Technology and Management. He is passionate about sharing his experiences with students and companies about being an effective project and program manager. His research interests are helping companies design, develop, and deploy digital transformation projects and assisting them in defining their digital engineering strategy. 

2022/23
Kamile Geist

2022-23 to 2024-25

Dr. Kamile Geist (she/her/hers) is a professor in Music Therapy within the School of Music in the College of Fine Arts. Dr. Geist holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Ohio University, an M.A. in Music Therapy from Texas Woman's University, and a Bachelor of Music Education from Baylor University. As chair of the Music Therapy division, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses and advises all graduate Music Therapy research. Nationally known as a leader in shaping Music Therapy curriculum in the United States, Dr. Geist works diligently to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment for her students. Her constructivist style of teaching allows her to deliver learning concepts to be accessible for students from various backgrounds and with diverse learning styles. 

2022/23
Adam Rapp

2022-23 to 2024-25

Adam is the Schey Professor of Sales and Marketing and Executive Director of the Ralph and Luci Schey Sales Centre. Adam holds a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut, and M.B.A. from Villanova University, and a B.S. from Penn State. Adam has taught every sales course offered at Ohio University and previously across every level including master's level and doctoral classes. His primary focus is professional selling where he teaches the fundamentals of of selling. He has taught thousands of students on how to engage customers and solve problems through ethical selling practices. He uses real world experiences, role play activities, and corporate involvement to enhance the classroom experience. Adam uses several different assessments in his classes, so students can better understand themselves to be more effective at helping others. His research supports his teaching curriculum and he was recently awarded the Ohio University Presidential Research Award. Adam has published three books and over sixty-five peer-reviewed articles which examine factors influencing the performance of front-line service and sales personnel. He has presented at hundreds of conferences and events around the globe. After earning his M.B.A., Adam spent several years in the market research industry, primarily responsible for selling market research products and services to premier companies around the world.

2020/21
Dr. Geoff Buckley

2020-21 to 2022-23

Geoff Buckley is a professor in the Department of Geography in the College of Arts and Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Maryland, an M.A. in Geography from the University of Oregon, and a B.A. in Human Ecology and History from Connecticut College. HIs research interests include environmental history and historical geography, environmental justice, public lands, and urban sustainability. Geoff enjoys working with students both inside and outside the classroom, and often includes them in his research projects. The most innovative teaching experience he provides is an annual study abroad trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. Every day students have an opportunity to explore a different part of the city in this experiential learning-grounded program. For many, it is a truly transformative experience!

2020/21
Dr. Linda J. Rice

2020-21 to 2022-23

Dr. Rice is the James S. Reid/Standard Products Company Professor of Humanities and Professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is the co-founder of the Bruning Teaching Academy and director of the Master of Arts in English Online program. From 2017-2022 Linda has served as chair of the English Department. She is past president of the College English Association of Ohio and former secretary of the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts. Linda's research areas include English Language Arts education, active learning pedagogy, standards-based assessment, historically-based, culturally-rich young adult literature, African literature, and C.S. Lewis. She delights in the way that her roots in English in tandem with specialized training in Curriculum and Instruction have opened many doors and enabled her to be a flexible generalist who can pivot easily to meet various needs. She is the author of more than 25 publications including two books, ten chapters for edited books, and numerous journal articles. Linda's work has also involved extensive travel for formal program assessments and teacher trainings in China, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Lebanon. 

2019/20
Dr. Sinan Gokkaya

2019-20 to 2021-22

Sinan is a  JPMorgan Chase & Co.  Associate Professor of Finance at Ohio University and a former Visiting Scholar at Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University. Sinan holds a Ph.D. in Finance, and MBA and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on sell-side analysts, asset management and investment banking. His papers have been published in elite finance, accounting and management journals such as  The Journal of Finance, Journal of  Accounting and Economics, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Management Science  as well as distinguished finance and real estate journals including  Financial Management, Journal of Banking and Finance  and  Journal of Real Estate Research . His work was also featured in National Bureau of Economic Research, presented at governance agencies including  The United States Securities and Exchange Commission  (The SEC),  The Federal Reserve Bank  (The Fed) in Washington, D.C.,  International Monetary Fund  (IMF) and featured in media outlets such as  The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Opinion, The New York Times, Morningstar, Financial Times, Institutional Investor Magazine, CFO Magazine , among others. 

2019/20
Dr. Tony Vinci

2019-20 to 2021-22

Dr. Tony M. Vinci lives at the crossroads of literary history and popular culture. As an Associate Professor of English at the Chillicothe campus, he teaches a wide-ranging selection of classes from  Star Wars  and Holocaust literature to young adult fantasy and literary modernism to androids in film and African American literature. His scholarship is as diverse as his classes, including publications on animal ghosts and African American identities in the literature of William Faulkner; trauma in the science fiction of Philip K. Dick; and the cheerful anti-humanism of Shirley Jackson. His most recent work,  Ghost, Android, Animal: Trauma and Literature Beyond the Human  (Routledge 2020) reorients literary and cultural studies toward the radical ethics of the posthumanities, establishing the manner in which narrative genres engage trauma as a means to experiment with radical conceptions of human and non-human networks and subjectivities in an effort to theorize new systems of ethical relations. While this work is heavily theoretical (a designation often considered "unfriendly" for students), in the classroom, it translates into powerful and inspiring intellectual possibilities.

2017/18
Dr. Brittany Peterson

2017-18 to 2019-20

Dr. Peterson is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication Studies and the Coordinator of E-Learning for the Scripps College of Communication. Her research focuses on the communicative construction of membership in organizations. Much of her work to date has focused on defining and understanding the construct of involuntary membership within the context of a total institution (i.e., inmates) and exploring the nuances of “high stakes” volunteering (e.g., volunteer firefighters, international volunteers). Her scholarship also investigates stigmatized members (e.g., parolees, individuals living without homes) in an effort to understand the lingering effects of their enduring membership with an eye toward empowerment, agency, and ownership. She juxtaposes her work on membership with the theories and constructs of structuration, dialectics, organizational identification, and organizational socialization/assimilation. Dr. Peterson’s work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Management Communication Quarterly, Communication Monographs, Health Communication, Communication Quarterly, Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Communication Education, and Journal of Applied Social Science as well as in edited books. Dr. Peterson considers learning a lifelong endeavor for both her students and herself. She notes that her students have taught her to be better, to dig deeper, to inspire more passionately, and to commit to them more fiercely every single day she steps through doors as a professor.

2016/172016-17 to 2018-19
Dr. Roger Braun

2016-17 to 2018-19

Roger Braun is Professor and Director of Percussion Studies in the School of Music in the College of Fine Arts. His performance experience demonstrates great diversity and spans the idioms of contemporary, classical, jazz, popular, and world music. As a freelance musician he has been in demand throughout the Midwest and performed as percussionist for Broadway touring show productions including Beauty and the Beast, Titanic, and Ragtime. What he finds most exciting as a teacher is the point at which his students achieve their proficiencies and begin to focus on developing their own personal strengths and interests, finding their own voice and path in the music world. He feels a responsibility to help his students develop not only as musicians and individuals, but also to find success in the challenging field of music.

2015/16
Dr. Robert Klein

2015-16 to 2017-18

Dr. Robert Klein is undergraduate chair and associate professor of the Department of Mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences. He was selected as a Presidential Teacher based on his passion for teaching and learning, his strong teaching innovations, his unique and important contributions to the mathematics department, his ability to energize and motivate students in the learning of math, and his considerable outreach well beyond his college and the university that is having a significant impact. His work with the Navajo Nation Math Circle was considered extraordinary. The committee also commented on his impressive pedagogical approach to mathematics and student mentoring.

2015/16
Dr. Tresa Randall

2015-16 to 2017-18

Dr. Tresa Randall is an associate professor of dance of the School of Dance, Film, and Theater in the College of Fine Arts. In selecting her as a Presidential Teacher, the committee recognized her as a strong example of a performer and scholar: a true intellectual with wonderfully high standards who engages her students to think critically about dance and history and to inspire enthusiastic student engagement. In the words of one classroom observer “Her spirit and intellect permeate her classroom.” She brings her teaching philosophy (described as excellent and fresh) to life in the classroom. Also of note was her commitment to engaging her students “across modalities” whereby she embraces the belief that to truly understand dance they must be solidly grounded intellectually, creatively, physically and be able to articulate their thoughts both orally and in writing.

2014/15
Dr. Jennifer Chabot

2014-15 to 2016-17

Jennifer Chabot is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Public Health. Dr. Chabot is known for her tremendous enthusiasm and her encouragement of independent thinking. Dr. Chabot uses social media to connect with her students outside of the classroom and to help keep them actively exploring new ideas. Jennifer Chabot is a two time Presidential Teacher Award winner, also receiving the award for the 2006-07 to 2008-09 academic years.

2014/15
Dr. Sarah Wyatt

2014-15 to 2016-17

Sarah E. Wyatt is a Professor in the Department of Environmental and Plant Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Wyatt is seen as an innovator, mentor, and a strong advocate for undergraduate research. She is known for her ability to present complex material in a compelling manner using written and oral expressions as central components of her classroom teaching. Dr. Wyatt also received the Presidential Teacher Award for the 2007-08 to 2009-10 academic years, making this her second time winning the award.

2014/15
Dr. Haley Duschinski

2014-15 to 2016-17

Haley Duschinski is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. She earned her Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2004 and began teaching at Ohio University in 2005. Dr. Duschinski is the director of the Ohio University Center for Law, Justice, and Culture, which brings together faculty and students to whom share a common interest in the law’s role in cultural, political, and social life. In the spring, Dr. Duschinski gives her students the opportunity to study abroad in Northern Ireland where they can engage with the local population to learn firsthand about politics, law and human rights.

2013/14
Dr. Brian Hoyt

2013-14 to 2015-16

Professor Hoyt is recognized on the Lancaster campus by students and his colleagues as a teacher who has a genuine impact on students and their learning. His courses are intelligently and creatively conceived to facilitate intensive interaction and dialogue and to allow students to assume a co-teaching role in presenting material to their peers. He regularly uses a project-based pedagogy through which he connects course content to agencies and organizations in the Lancaster area. The selection committee appreciated the level of energy that he brought to his teaching and his skill in moving between various modes of teaching while keeping students engaged.

2013/14
Dr. Katarzyna Marciniak

2013-14 to 2015-16

Katarzyna Marciniak is a Professor in the Department of English. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in 1998 and is the co-editor of the series Global Cinema. Dr. Marciniak is a rigorous and effective teacher that explores difficult issues related to gender, race, class, religion, and immigration.

2013/14
Dr. Julie Paxton

Julia Paxton is an Associate Professor of Economics at Ohio University where she teaches classes on poverty, altruism, and development economics. Students in her classes are offered a number of experiential learning opportunities through games, experiments, and service learning projects in order to better understand economic theories on poverty. These unique hands-on projects range from sharing meals with people experiencing homelessness to conducting Randomized Controlled Trials for estimating the most effective way to collect food for a local food pantry.

2012/13
Dr. Emilia Alonso-Sameno

Emilia Alonso Sameno is a Professor in the Department of Modern Languages. She is known for her research on speech perception and for her studies on second language acquisition. Dr. Alonso-Sameno earned her Ph.D. in applied linguistics from the University de Sevilla in Spain.

2012/13
Dr. Raymond Frost

Raymond D. Frost is a Professor in the Management Information Systems department. He is also the Director of Studies for College of Business students in the Honors Tutorial College (HTC). Frost joined the College of Business in 1999. His primary research areas are instructional pedagogy, information design, and database design. He has received multiple teaching awards at both the College and University level. Frost earned a doctorate in business administration and an M.S. in computer science at the University of Miami (Florida), and received his B.A. in philosophy at Swarthmore College. He lives in Athens with his wife, Tere, and two boys, Raymond and Luke.

2011/12: Drs. Ballard, Lewis, Tatarek and Wallace

Harvey  Ballard

Harvey Ballard

2011-12 to 2013-14

Associate Professor of Environmental and Plant Biology, Harvey Ballard was nominated by a committee of faculty within the Department of Environmental and Plant Biology. The PTA committee commended his "student centric" approach to teaching, in which he develops comfortable and respectful relationships.

Frederick  Lewis

Frederick Lewis

2011-12 to 2013-14

Associate Professor of Media Arts and Studies, Frederick Lewis was given this award for his significant role in transforming the curriculum of the Media Arts and Studies program."Fred's advanced narrative class has made a phenomenal impact on students.

Nancy  Tatarek

Nancy Tatarek

2011-12 to 2013-14

Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, Nancy Tatarek impressed the PTA committee with her creativity in the classroom through the use of innovative learning tools. 

Picture of Lisa  Wallace

Lisa Wallace

2011-12 to 2013-14

Wallace, who teaches on the Chillicothe campus, was nominated by two of her students, Neeley Clary and Rae Fout. The PTA committee saw Wallace as an excellent candidate because she has already become a highly respected teacher and mentor to other faculty in her short tenure at Ohio University.

2008/09: Drs. Henderson, Kanwar and Titsworth

Debra  Henderson

Debra Henderson

2008-09 to 2010-11

Dr. Henderson "...is spectacular at student engagement...In her sociology classes, the material could be so theoretical, with the students never experiencing the (world's) problems. But she takes it beyond an educational level. Students go through the problems and (get involved to) help turn them around. It's amazing."

Pramod  Kanwar

Pramod Kanwar

2008-09 to 2010-11

Dr. Kanwar is recognized for his exceptional research and national and international reputation as an elite mathematics scholar. While earning excellent student evaluations for his teaching methods, he has authored nine research articles and given 18 traditional research- and teaching-oriented presentations at regional, national and international conferences. He is praised for encouraging students to use critical thinking skills and for his implementation of the latest teaching technology in his courses.

Brian Scott  Titsworth

Brian Scott Titsworth

2008-09 to 2010-11

In his scholarship, Dr. Titsworth uses quantitative methods to explore how communication is connected to students' learning experiences. He is the author or co-author on a number of peer-reviewed articles and other publications. The quality of his research, publication record, grant activities, and his teaching has drawn a number of doctoral students to work with him. To date, he has served as an adviser to 12 Ph.D. students.

2007/08: Dr. Esmond-Kiger and Dr. Wyatt

Connie  Esmond-Kiger

Connie Esmond-Kiger

2007-08 to 2009-10

Connie Esmond-Kiger is an Associate Professor of accounting in the College of Business School of Accountancy. She is known for her extensive research on corporate financial reporting and accounting education. Dr. Esmond-Kiger received her Ph.D. in accounting from Indiana University and her MBA from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She is also a recipient of the 2014 Ohio Outstanding Accounting Educator Award.

Sarah  Wyatt

Sarah Wyatt

2007-08 to 2009-10

Sarah E. Wyatt is a Professor in the Department of Environmental and Plant Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Wyatt is seen as an innovator, mentor, and a strong advocate for undergraduate research. She is known for her ability to present complex material in a compelling manner using written and oral expressions as central components of her classroom teaching.

2006/07: Dr. Chabot and Dr. Rogus

Picture of Jennifer  Chabot

Jennifer Chabot

2006-07 to 2008-09

Jennifer Chabot is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Public Health. Dr. Chabot is known for her tremendous enthusiasm and her encouragement of independent thinking. Dr. Chabot uses social media to connect with her students outside of the classroom and to help keep them actively exploring new ideas. Jennifer Chabot is a two time Presidential Teacher Award winner.

Mary  Rogus

Mary Rogus

2006-07 to 2008-09

Mary Rogus is an Associate Professor in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism where she teaches TV News Producing and Broadcast News. She has over 20 years of experience working in local television news as an award winning reporter, and executive producer. Rogus has traveled to Ukraine and Indonesia to conduct workshops for television journalist in emerging democracies.

2005/06: Dr. Greenlee and Dr. Modaff

Richard  Greenlee

Richard Greenlee

2005-06 to 2007-08

Richard Greenlee is an Associate Professor and former chair of the Department of Social and Public Health in the College of Health Sciences and Professions. He is known for his extensive experience in social work education. He was also named an Appalachian Teaching Fellow in 2010 by the Appalachian Regional Commission. Dr. Greenlee went on to serve as the Interim Dean of Ohio University Zanesville and the Dean of Ohio University Eastern Campus.

Daniel  Modaff

Daniel Modaff

2005-06 to 2007-08

Daniel Modaff is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication Studies in the College of Communication. Dr. Modaff earned his Ph.D. in organizational communication from the University of Texas at Austin. He also co-developed a speech performance evaluation software.

2004/05: Dr. Frost and Dr. Trese

Dr Raymond Frost

Raymond Frost

2004-05 to 2006-07

Raymond D. Frost is a Professor in the Management Information Systems department. He is also the Director of Studies for College of Business students in the Honors Tutorial College (HTC). Frost joined the College of Business in 1999. His primary research areas are instructional pedagogy, information design, and database design. He has received multiple teaching awards at both the College and University level. Frost earned a doctorate in business administration and an M.S. in computer science at the University of Miami (Florida), and received his B.A. in philosophy at Swarthmore College. He lives in Athens with his wife, Tere, and two boys, Raymond and Luke.

Arthur  Trese

Arthur Trese

2004-05 to 2006-07

Arthur Trese is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Plant Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri where he studied molecular plant-microbe interactions. Dr. Trese teaches a variety of plant biology classes such as Plants and People, and Plant Pathology.

2003/04: Drs. Condee, Eichstadt and Giese

William  Condee

William Condee

2003-04 to 2005-06

Karen  Eichstadt

Karen Eichstadt

2003-04 to 2005-06

Loreen  Giese

Loreen Giese

2003-04 to 2005-06

2002/03: Dr. Vines

Lois  Vines

Lois Vines

2002-03 to 2004-05

2001/02: Dr. Burnier and Dr. Tice

DeLysa  Burnier

DeLysa Burnier

2001-02 to 2003-04

DeLysa Burnier is Professor of Political Science. She received her Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her B.A. also is from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with highest distinction in political science. Her current research interests are gender and public administration, gender and leadership, teaching pedagogy, interpretive approaches to policy analysis, and political autobiography. Specifically, Dr. Burnier’s work is focused on the development of a care-centered public administration. Dr. Burnier’s areas of specialization are public administration, public policy, and American politics. She has published work on gender and public administration, gender and the New Deal, leadership, teaching pedagogy and interpretative approaches to public policy. Dr. Burnier was named the first ever Presidential Teacher at Ohio University in 2001. Her other teaching awards include the student-selected University Professor Award, the College of Arts & Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award, and the Jeanette Grasselli Outstanding Teaching Award. In 2006 she received the distinguished mentor award from the Honors College at Ohio University.

Carolyn  Tice

Carolyn Tice

2001-02 to 2003-04

Carolyn Tice served on the Department of Social Work faculty beginning in 1988 and was chair for eight years. At the time of her Presidential Teacher Award, she held the title of Associate Professor in the department. She served as chair of the Athens AIDS Task Force and was adviser to the social work honor society and student Habitat for Humanity association. Dr. Tice was twice named University Professor.

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