Position Changes Within KDHS

Karen Neill, PhD, RN, SANE-A, DF-IAFN 

Dr. Karen Neill will transition from interim dean for the College of Nursing to associate dean and director of nursing for the newly formed College of Health. Dr. Neill is a three-time graduate of Idaho State University, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing and a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences as well.

As past president of Nurse Leaders of Idaho, she has contributed to leadership and workforce development in the state of Idaho, in collaboration with nurse leaders across the state to advance nursing for a healthy Idaho. She is an alumna of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Leaders in Academic Nursing program, and an alumna of the Wharton Executive Leadership program of the University of Pennsylvania offered in conjunction with AACN.Dr. Karen Neill will transition from interim dean for the College of Nursing to associate dean and director of nursing for the newly formed College of Health. Dr. Neill is a three-time graduate of Idaho State University, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing and a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences as well.

Dr. Neill specializes in forensic nursing practice and trauma informed care, and is a Distinguished Fellow of the International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN). She has authored numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals in the area of violence prevention and effective response, and has been an invited speaker nationally and internationally on forensic nursing practice. She has served as an expert witness and consultant in forensic nursing for over twenty-five years and is a Domestic Assault/Battery Evaluator approved through the Idaho Supreme Court. She was recently appointed by Idaho Governor Brad Little to serve on the Idaho Board of Correction.

Thank you to Karen for stepping up into this role!

Chris Sanford, PhD, CCC-A

Dr. Chris Sanford currently serves as the chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. As part of the KDHS reorganization, Chris will also serve as interim associate dean and director of rehabilitation and communication sciences for the College of Health. I also want to thank Dr. Sanford for taking on this responsibility and agreeing to serve the needs of our students, faculty and staff.

His professional interests include pediatric hearing screening and assessment including middle-ear diagnostic techniques, otoacoustic emissions, and translational research with goals of improving diagnosis and treatment of hearing impairment in pediatric populations.

Chris also enjoys spending time with family, gardening, mountain biking and cooking. Thank you, Chris, for taking on this new role and responsibilities.

Kathleen Kangas, PhD

As a reminder, Dean Kathleen Kangas, College of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences, retired at the end of June. Dr. Kangas worked at ISU for 30 years in various roles. She previously served as program director for Speech Language Pathology, department chair for Communication Sciences and Disorders and as chair for the Faculty Senate.

Most recently, she was a tenured professor for Speech Language Pathology and founding dean for the College of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences since its formation in 2018. In her time at ISU, she provided support to the CSD students, faculty and staff and championed a new PhD program in Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences.

We will miss her and wish her all the best in retirement. She has earned it! If you would like to provide your well wishes to Kathleen as she goes into retirement, please add a comment, photo, or video here: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/zHqmHII4.

Barbara Gordon, MBA, RDN, LD, FAND

Professor Gordon is stepping down as chair of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics to allow time for her to complete her dissertation in order to finalize her pursuit of a doctorate degree. She will continue as program director of the MS Nutrition program and as assistant professor.

Barb is involved in a number of professional organizations, including roles as a National Advisory Board member for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Comparison of Surgery and Medicine on the Impact of Diverticulitis (COSMID) Trial. She is also a member of Meridian Moves, the Idaho Center for Health Research at ISU, Executive Committee for the Research Dietetic Practice Group, part of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,and a member of the Public Policy Work Group, Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Thank you Barb, for your service, innovation and leadership of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics!

Char Byington, MEd, RDN, LD

Professor Char Byington will move into the role of chair for the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics while retaining her positions as clinical assistant professor and director of the Dietetic Internship program. Char is an alumna of Idaho State University, with both education master’s and dietetics bachelor’s degrees. 

Her primary research focuses on community nutrition and she is a member of multiple ISU and professional organizations. These include the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics where she serves as chair for the Strategic Planning Membership Subcommittee, co-chair for the Annual Meeting Poster Sessions and a member of the Annual Meeting Marketing Committee. Char is also a member of the Pocatello Dieticians, serving as treasurer, a faculty advisor for Phi Upsilon Omicron Beta Rho Chapter and a member of the Healthy Bengal Coalition.Professor Char Byington will move into the role of chair for the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics while retaining her positions as clinical assistant professor and director of the Dietetic Internship program. Char is an alumna of Idaho State University, with both education master’s and dietetics bachelor’s degrees.

Jacque Freudenthal, RDH, MHE

Another retirement I am sad to announce is that of Jacque Freudenthal, chair and associate professor for the Department of Dental Hygiene. Jacque has worked for ISU for 28 years. She spent 10 years gaining clinical experiences in private practice settings before returning to ISU to teach. She is an ISU graduate earning a bachelor of science degree in dental hygiene and a master’s degree in health education.
Jacque has guided hundreds of students through the rigorous dental hygiene program, along with providing leadership to faculty and staff in the department and advocating for the profession at the same time. Her specialty and research areas include: local anesthesia and pain management, restorative dentistry, preventive dentistry, dental hygiene process of care, dental hygiene licensure, silver diamine fluoride, and curriculum models.

Jacque’s work has been recognized at the national level, and she was a featured columnist in the “Ask the Expert” forum for the journal Dimensions in Dental Hygiene. We are truly grateful for the incredible leadership and service Jacque has provided for the department over the years and want to congratulate her on retirement. Thanks, Jacque!

Ellen Rogo, RDH, PhD

Filling the shoes of Jacque will be no easy task and I am appreciative of Dr. Ellen Rogo’s willingness to step into the role of department chair upon Jacque’s retirement. Dr. Rogo is currently a professor for dental hygiene and has been working full time at ISU since 1992.

Ellen’s specialty and research areas include: leadership, curriculum review, teaching and learning, literature searches, tooth morphology, online learning communities, legislative advocacy, autism spectrum disorder, and qualitative studies.

Ellen has previously served as department chair for dental hygiene and was nominated for ISU’s Distinguished Teacher Award in 2015. I know the department will be in good hands under her leadership.

Paula Phelps, MHE, PA-C

Paula Phelps was the first faculty member hired by the ISU Department of Physician Assistant Studies in 1995. She was promoted to department chair in 2010 and has championed much of the growth for the department over the years. PA students, who originally were housed in a single-wide trailer, can now attend classes in either Pocatello or Meridian, with a third option available through an articulation agreement with College of Idaho.

Phelps was nominated for the Idaho Business Review’s Women of the Year Award for 2020 where fifty women from across Idaho and across industries were honored at the annual event celebrating leadership and innovation in Boise.

Thank you Paula, for your continued guidance and leadership over the years!

Jared Papa, MPAS, PA-C

With Paula Phelps stepping down as chair for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies as of June 27, 2020, Jared Papa was selected to serve in a new role, as department chair and director of Physician Assistant Studies. Jared is experienced in rural and underserved community health having worked in the fields of family and urgent care medicine. He is also fluent in Spanish.

For the last seven years, Jared has overseen an annual medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic, allowing students to experience treating patients for a variety of conditions like infections, reflux, the common cold and even discovering rare diseases. The trips allow PA students the experience of coordinating long-term care needs with a patient’s local doctor for issues from hypertension to birth control. The trips challenge everyone who attends, both tactically and emotionally.

Thank you Jared for your work to provide these and other learning opportunities for PA students, and for taking on this new role in leading the PA program.