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Faculty Newsmakers

Faculty Newsmakers

Each year, University Communications and Marketing (UCM) celebrates OHIO’s faculty for the exemplary work they do to elevate the University’s national and global profile via media coverage of their research and subject matter expertise.

Every year since 2015, Ohio University community members have honored hundreds of OHIO faculty who promote their research, expertise and overall excellence of our University through their interactions with the press.

Individuals who are recognized are forever known as “OHIO faculty newsmakers.” They are consummate faculty who, regardless of their title or classification, currently teach at Ohio University and have been included in media placements provided by Cision, a media monitoring platform utilized by UCM to track University news.

2021 Faculty Newsmakers

In the calendar year 2021, 221 faculty members from every college and regional campus were featured in 2,300 media reports from all over the world. Some faculty members were quoted as sources regarding topics in their areas of expertise like women in politics, sports administration and ethics in business, and others were featured in the media for their groundbreaking research and accolades for their service in their field. 

“Being named a faculty newsmaker is an incredible recognition because it not only acknowledges the work and accomplishments being done by our faculty but helps build the reputation of Ohio University as an education institution with world-class educators and researchers,” Vice President and Provost Elizabeth Sayrs said. “Ohio University’s faculty prove daily in the classroom, in their communities, and in the media how their expertise, hard work and dedication can make an impact from right here in Athens, Ohio, and our regional area to all over the world. It is an honor to work with these extremely knowledgeable and generous educators and I’m grateful that these are the leaders we have teaching our students.”  

Learn more about our 2021 newsmakers' expertise and interests by watching their interviews below.

1. Ellison McNut

Ellison McNutt, assistant professor of instruction in biomedical sciences in the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, was mentioned 396 times in the media in 2021. The 2021 year was her first year at Ohio University and her first time recognized as a faculty newsmaker. Her expertise is in human evolution, biological anthropology, paleoanthropology, hominins, and biomechanics. Most of her media mentions came from a study she had published in “Nature” on the fossil footprints that were found in Tanzania in 1978 and were originally dismissed as a bear. However, she recently re-excavated that site and determined through a detailed analysis that the footprints were made by an early human. Her research focuses on understanding the origin and evolution of the human lineage, utilizing multiple research approaches including comparative anatomical dissection, functional morphology, biomechanics, bone biology, and fossils to understand and reconstruct locomotor behavior in extinct ape and human ancestors. Her fieldwork primarily takes place in Southern and Eastern Africa. Some of her media mentions include: Smithsonian Online, CBS News, The New York Times, Associated Press, NPR, and Science Magazine. 

Ellison McNutt – OHIO Expert

2. David Ridpath

David Ridpath, associate professor of sports management in the College of Business, was mentioned 314 times in the media in 2021. Many of his mentions came from being quoted talking about coaching salaries, college athletes fighting for their rights, how a new Michigan staffer strayed outside the NCAA rule book, and how race and politics can divide Americans on sports issues. He has been a top 10 newsmaker every year since its inception, being named the top newsmaker of 2019 and 2016. Ridpath is an expert in intercollegiate athletics, intercollegiate athletic governance, sports law, sports administration, and governance reform, among others. He has also appeared before Congressional committees and served as an expert witness in numerous cases involving intercollegiate athletics and college athlete rights. Ridpath has published several articles in publications like the Journal of Law and Sports, The Entertainment and Sports Law Journal, and the Journal of Intercollegiate Athletics. Some of his media mentions included: ABC News, ESPN Online, U.S. News and World Report, and Sports Illustrated.

David Ridpath – OHIO Expert

3. Katherine Jellison

Katherine Jellison, history professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, was mentioned 270 times in the media in 2021. She has been a newsmaker every year since its inception, making the top 10 list six times and being named top newsmaker in 2020, 2018, and 2017. Many of her media mentions came from being quoted talking about Doug Emhoff, America’s first second gentleman, as well as Jill Biden’s impact as First Lady on the U.S. She is an expert in gender in politics, women’s history, contemporary U.S. politics, marriage and wedding customs, and first ladies. She has authored numerous journal articles, book chapters, and books, and is currently working on a book about Old Order Amish women in the 1930s and 1940s. Some of her media mentions include: The Hill, Business Insider, The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, and The Vancouver Sun.

Katherine Jellison – OHIO Expert

4. Robert Föehl

Robert Föehl, executive-in-residence for business law and ethics in the College of Business, was mentioned 124 times in the media in 2021. He has been a newsmaker for five years, making the top 10 the last three years in a row. The majority of his media mentions came from being quoted talking about the National Association of Realtors banning hate speech. Föehl’s expertise is in business ethics, business law, ethical leadership, and corporate social responsibility, among others. Prior to his work at OHIO, Föehl was Target’s first director of corporate compliance and ethics, practiced law in-house for multinational corporations, was a compliance professional for one of the nation’s largest financial institutions, and served as a federal regulator. Some of his media mentions include: Breitbart, World Magazine Online, and USSA News.

Robert Föehl – OHIO Expert

5. Lisa Harrison

Lisa Harrison, professor of teacher education and associate dean in the Patton College of Education, was mentioned 74 times in the media in 2021. This is the first year she has been named a top newsmaker and has been a faculty newsmaker three years before. The majority of her mentions were from being featured for receiving the National Award for Middle Level Education, as well as for talking on why middle school is as hard as it is and how the pandemic made it worse. Her expertise and research interests include black young adolescent identity construction, teacher education preparation, and teaching for social justice. Harrison holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Spelman College and the M.S.T in Secondary Teaching from Pace University. She also holds a Ph.D. in Middle School Education from The University of Georgia. She teaches courses in middle childhood education and teacher action research. Additionally, she serves as the Middle Childhood Education program coordinator. Some of her media mentions include: The Washington Post, The Hechinger Report, Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, and the Associated Press.

Lisa Harrison – OHIO Expert

2021 Faculty Newsmakers
Name Affiliation Number of Placements
Adonis Durado Scripps College of Communication 1
Aimee Edmondson Scripps College of Communication 4
Akil Houston College of Arts and Sciences 3
Alan Patrick Kenny College of Fine Arts 1
Alicya Stigall College of Arts and Sciences 1
Allyson Hughes Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 2
Amy White Zanesville Campus 1
Amy Wolfe Chillicothe Campus 1
Andie Walla Scripps College of Communication 3
Andrew Pueschel College of Business 3
Andrew Weems Russ College of Engineering and Technology 1
Andy Alexander Scripps College of Communication 2
Angela  Hillman College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Angela Bohyer College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Ani Ruhil Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service 6
April Felipe College of Fine Arts 1
Ashley Metcalf College of Business 2
Barry Tadlock College of Arts and Sciences 1
Basil Masri Zada College of Fine Arts 1
Ben Bates Scripps College of Communication 6
Berkeley Franz Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 4
Beth Delaney Southern Campus 1
Beth Longenecker Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 4
Beth VanderVeer Patton College of Education 1
Bill Burke Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 4
Bill Reader Scripps College of Communication 2
Brad Schwieger College of Fine Arts 2
Brandon Kendhammer College of Arts and Sciences 1
Brian Clark Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 16
Brian Collins College of Arts and Sciences 1
Brian Schoen College of Arts and Sciences 1
Caitlin Kraus College of Fine Arts 1
Candace Thomas-Maddox Lancaster Campus 1
Charles  Linscott Scripps College of Communication 2
Charles Lowery Patton College of Education 3
Cheryl Howe College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Chester  Pach College of Arts and Sciences 2
Chip Linscott Scripps College of Communication 1
Christi  Camper Moore College of Fine Arts 1
Colin Gabler College of Business 5
Cory Cronin College of Health Sciences and Professions 2
Courtney Kessel College of Fine Arts 1
Courtney Koestler Patton College of Education 72
Cynthia Anderson College of Arts and Sciences 1
Dami Daramola Russ College of Engineering and Technology 4
Dan Skinner Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 56
Daniel Karney College of Arts and Sciences 2
Darrell Fawley III College of Arts and Sciences 4
Darrell Fawley III College of Arts and Sciences 1
David Juedes Russ College of Engineering and Technology 1
David Koonce Russ College of Engineering and Technology 1
David Nguyen Patton College of Education 10
David Ridpath College of Business 259
Deb Murray College of Health Sciences and Professions 2
Debra Rentz College of Fine Arts 2
Dina Lopez College of Arts and Sciences 5
Domique Petite College of Fine Arts 1
Dustin Grooms College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Eddie Ashworth Scripps College of Communication 1
Eddith Dashiell Scripps College of Communication 6
Edmond Chang College of Arts and Sciences 2
Ehsan Ardjmand College of Business 1
Elisa Smith College of Fine Arts 1
Elizabeth Beverly Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 66
Elizabeth Crockett College of Arts and Sciences 5
Ellison McNutt Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 396
Emely Phelps College of Fine Arts 2
Eric LaPolambra College of Fine Arts 1
Eric Williams Scripps College of Communication 2
Eve Ng Scripps College of Communication 1
Faith Knutsen Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service 2
Faiz Rahman Russ College of Engineering and Technology 1
Felipe Aros-Vera College of Arts and Sciences 1
Frank Van Graas Russ College of Engineering and Technology 4
Gary Holcomb College of Arts and Sciences 2
Geoff Dabelko Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service 7
Gillian Ice Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 176
Glenn Dutcher College of Arts and Sciences 2
Greg Springer College of Arts and Sciences 1
Guy Riefler Russ College of Engineering and Technology 3
Hayley Haugen Southern Campus 2
Heather Edwards College of Arts and Sciences 1
Heather Harmon College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Ian Klein College of Arts and Sciences 2
Ingo Trauschweizer College of Arts and Sciences 2
j.w. Smith Scripps College of Communication 2
Jacob Hiler College of Business 4
Jacqueline Wolf Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 19
Jamie Lambert College of Business 1
Jana Houser College of Arts and Sciences 21
Jana Hovland College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Janet Simon College of Health Sciences and Professions 6
Jason Jolley Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service 22
Jason Rawls Patton College of Education 3
Jason Trembly Russ College of Engineering and Technology 4
Jatin Srivastava Scripps College of Communication 4
Jay Wilhelm Russ College of Engineering and Technology 3
Jeff Russell College of Health Sciences and Professions 2
Jennie Klein College of Fine Arts 1
Jennifer Hines College of Arts and Sciences 10
Jennifer Stevens College of Business 21
Jesus Pagan Russ College of Engineering and Technology 2
Jim Kahler College of Business 4
Jim Mahoney Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service 2
Jody Gerome Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 1
Joe Gingerich College of Arts and Sciences 2
Joe Johnson College of Arts and Sciences 3
John Bowditch Scripps College of Communication 1
John Kopchick Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 2
John McCarthy College of Arts and Sciences 1
John O'Keefe Chillicothe Campus 1
John Sabraw College of Fine Arts 4
Jose Rocha College of Fine Arts 1
Joseph Shields College of Arts and Sciences 2
Josh Antonuccio Scripps College of Communication 5
Julie Paxton College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Julie Suhr College of Arts and Sciences 10
jw Smith Scripps College of Communication 7
Karen Coschigno Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 1
Katherine Jellison College of Arts and Sciences 270
Katie Hartman College of Business 2
Ken Johnson Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 2
Kenneth Hicks College of Arts and Sciences 12
Kerri Shaw College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Kevin Mattson College of Arts and Sciences 39
Kevin Spiker Eastern Campus 11
Kim Keffer Southern Campus 1
Kim Thompson College of Arts and Sciences 2
Kimberly Rios College of Arts and Sciences 12
Kirstein Dabelko College of Arts and Sciences 1
Laeeq Khan Scripps College of Communication 3
Larry Witmer Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 32
Laura Harrison Patton College of Education 1
Leanne Chrisman-Khawam Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 15
Lindsay Dhanani College of Arts and Sciences 7
Lisa Harrison Patton College of Education 74
Luke Pittaway College of Business 2
Madappa Prakash College of Arts and Sciences 2
Mark McMills College of Arts and Sciences 1
Martha  Evans Southern Campus 2
Mashawna Hamilton Southern Campus 1
Mateo Galvano College of Fine Arts 2
Mathew Felton-Koestler Patton College of Education 3
Matt Cacciato College of Business 1
Matthew Cornish College of Fine Arts 2
Matthew Fox Eastern Campus 1
Matthew James College of Fine Arts 2
Matthew Layton College of Arts and Sciences 1
Matthew Love Scripps College of Communication 6
Melissa Davies College of Business 8
Michael Braasch Russ College of Engineering and Technology 1
Michael Finney Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service 8
Michele Morrone College of Health Sciences and Professions 2
Miki Crawford Southern Campus 1
Molly Morrison  College of Arts and Sciences 1
Mona Robinson Patton College of Education 1
Nathaniel Szewczyk Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 10
Nerissa Young Scripps College of Communication 2
Nicole Reynolds College of Arts and Sciences 1
Nik Allan College of Arts and Sciences 3
Nukhet Sandal College of Arts and Sciences 4
Pamela Kaylor Lancaster Campus 3
Paschal Younge College of Fine Arts 1
Patrick Barr-Melej College of Arts and Sciences 1
Patrick O'Connor Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 2
Patty Stokes College of Arts and Sciences 1
Paul Chase College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Paula DeLorm Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 1
Peggy Zoccola College of Arts and Sciences 2
Rachel Terman College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Randall Longenecker Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 4
Renee Middleton Patton College of Education 3
Robert Colvin College of Arts and Sciences 1
Robert Foehl College of Business 124
Roger Aden Scripps College of Communication 1
Roger Cooper Scripps College of Communication 1
Ronan Carroll College of Arts and Sciences 1
Rosellen Roche Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 1
Ryan Fogt College of Arts and Sciences 3
Sam Dodd College of Fine Arts 2
Sandy Chen Patton College of Education 2
Sara Helfrich Patton College of Education 2
Sarah Adkins College of Arts and Sciences 1
Sarah Davis Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service 2
Sarah Poggione College of Arts and Sciences 1
Sarah Wyatt College of Arts and Sciences 2
Scott Miller Russ College of Engineering and Technology 4
Sergio Robles College of Business 5
Shad Sargand Russ College of Engineering and Technology 3
Sharon Casapulla College of Health Sciences and Professions 2
Sherleena Buchman College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Sinnan Gokkaya College of Business 1
Srdjan Nesic Russ College of Engineering and Technology 2
Stevan Walkowski Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 1
Steven Miner College of Arts and Sciences 4
Sumit Sharma Russ College of Engineering and Technology 7
Susan Burgess College of Arts and Sciences 12
Susan Williams Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 1
Tad Malinski College of Arts and Sciences 2
Taylor Keller College of Business 1
Terry Kolb Davis College of Fine Arts 1
Thomas Stevenson Patton College of Education 1
Thomas Suddes Scripps College of Communication 57
Tiffany Arnold College of Health Sciences and Professions 1
Tim Anderson College of Arts and Sciences 1
Tim Goheen Scripps College of Communication 1
Tim Jordan Zanesville Campus 3
Todd Fredricks Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 2
Tom Bartel College of Fine Arts 2
Tom Fiocchi College of Fine Arts 1
Tony Vinci Chillicothe Campus 3
Tresa Randall College of Fine Arts 2
Vic Matta College of Business 2
Victoria LaPoe Scripps College of Communication 14
Victoria Lee College of Arts and Sciences 3
Vincent Jungkunz College of Arts and Sciences 20
Vinny Just College of Arts and Sciences 6
Viorel Popescu College of Arts and Sciences 27
William Talley College of Fine Arts 2
Zac Meisel College of Arts and Sciences 1

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