Welcome New Faculty! 2018-2019

Dr. Katherine-Marie Conover joins the School of Nursing as an Assistant Professor. She has a BSN and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she also studied a resiliency promotion program for children. Dr. Conover has worked in a variety of settings as a registered nurse, from nursing homes to emergency departments, and camp nursing to forensic nursing. Her research interest is to determine if resiliency promotion in children can help promote lifelong healthy behaviors, towards the reduction in chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiac disease in the general population.

Dr. Seth Davis joins the Writing Program as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Davis recently earned his Doctorate from Syracuse University in Composition and Cultural Rhetoric, as well as a certificate of advanced study in Women and Gender Studies. In his dissertation, he examined practices of reading, throwing shade, and pulling trade as "fierce literacies" in the Black queer community. Dr. Davis is a native of Memphis, Tennessee and his hobbies include painting, hiking, and fighting White supremacist patriarchy. Dr. Davis is also currently working on his first documentary about Black queer language.

Dr. Maria Droganova joins the Department of Business Management as an Assistant Professor of Economics. She earned her Doctorate at Clemson University, where she studied health and labor economics. At Clemson, Dr. Droganova also taught Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. Prior to her doctoral studies, she earned her master degree in Economics from Duke University. She also had an internship at the Central Bank of Transnistria. Dr. Droganova is currently studying the career dynamics of female employees in the U. S. federal government. She also analyzed the effect of the Russian maternity leave policies on fertility and the effect of the American maternity leave policy (the FMLA) on women's promotion.

Dr. Heather Falconer joins the Writing Program as a Special Appointment Assistant Professor of Writing. She earned her doctorate at Northeastern University, where she taught First-Year Writing and advanced courses in disciplinary writing (e.g. science). Dr. Falconer also holds an MLitt from the University of Glasgow and an MFA from Emerson College. In addition to teaching, Dr. Falconer is Associate Editor with the Perspectives in Writing book series, and Chair of the Research and Publications Committee of the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum. As a Writing Studies scholar, her research focuses on the intersections of culture, discipline, and pedagogy, with a special emphasis on discursive identity development.

Dr. Alan Grigsby joins the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice as an Assistant Professor. He completed his Ph.D. in Sociology at The University of Cincinnati in 2018 and M.A. in Sociology at Ohio University in 2012. Dr. Grigsby's research and teaching interests include the sociology of race and a variety of topics in urban sociology including segregation and suburbanization. His current research focuses on social interactions and community life within racially diverse suburban neighborhoods.

James (Jim) Jabbour joins the Department of Science and Mathematics for a one-year Special Appointment. Prior to joining Curry, Jim served as Chair of the Forensic Science Program and Training Center at Mount Ida College. He retired a police inspector in 2007 following a 30-year law enforcement career which began with the Air Force at age 20 then ending with the Connecticut State Police and Chief State's Attorney's Office. Jim holds a Master of Science Degree in Forensic Science with a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Investigations from the University of New Haven in CT. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at Mt. Ida College's final commencement in May 2018. He is a former member of state and national task forces, has been involved in higher education for over 18 years, teaches courses/seminars, and consults in the forensic sciences, criminal investigations, and emergency management practices. Jim specializes in reconstruction and interpretation of crime scene evidence, blood spatter recognition, and interview and interrogation practices. He is an Education Commissioner with the American College of Forensic Examiners and has participated in television episodes for Discovery Channel, Snapped and Global Media Comm.

Dr. Leona D. Jochnowitz joins the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice as an Assistant Professor for a one-year special appointment. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Albany, School of Criminal Justice, and her J.D. from St. John's University School of Law. Prior to her doctoral studies, she practiced law in New York where she was assigned counsel for criminal defendants in appeals, and a N.Y.S. Assistant Attorney General. She has taught undergraduate courses that include Restorative Justice, Wrongful Convictions, and the Death Penalty. Dr. Jochnowitz's research involves the death penalty, capital juror decision making, mental health and intellectual disability defenses, the structural causes of wrongful convictions, and Restorative Justice. She has published articles on the receptivity of capital jurors to mitigating factors of mental illness, intellectual disability, and addiction. She is a member of the New York State and Federal Bars, and is the book review editor for the Thomson Reuters Criminal Law Bulletin. She is committed to the principles of equal access to justice and fairness in the court and legal system, as reflected in her research, teaching and law practice.

Dr. Bertha Lee joins the School of Nursing as an Assistant Professor. She received her Ph.D. in Nursing from Northeastern University and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Boston College. Dr. Lee has over ten years of clinical practice experience. She continues to work as a Registered Nurse on the medical intermediate care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She is an active member of Sigma Theta Tau International (Gamma Epsilon Chapter) and Eastern Nursing Research Society. Her areas of interest include aging, translational research, and improving the health and care for disadvantaged and vulnerable older adults.

Christopher McCusker has been a Senior Lecturer in the Applied Technology Department since 1995. He now joins the Fine and Applied Arts Department with a Special Appointment as an Assistant Professor. He received his Master of Science in Communications Management from the Simmons College School of Management and his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Editorial Design from the Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts. He has over 30 years experience in graphic design, advertising, marketing, and publishing. He is the Creative Director of his own design and marketing firm, McCusker Communications. Christopher also serves as a Senior Portfolio Reviewer for the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and is an Art Preparator at the Boston College McMullen Museum of Art.

Dr. Michael Miller joins the Communication Department as an Assistant Professor. He holds a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences from the University of Connecticut. After completing his doctoral studies, he directed the introductory communication course at UConn, taught interpersonal communication in healthcare at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and guest lectured at Fisher College, Post University, and Manchester Community College. Dr. Miller is primarily focused on interpersonal communication in personal and professional relationships. His lecture series for the CT Judicial Branch and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection teaches individuals how to manage conflict, bullying, awkward interactions, and personal negativity. He has published in, and maintains interests, in how communication relates to human emotions, biological sex, gender identity, political and civic change, social media, and nonverbal displays.

Dr. Brenda Wrigley joins the Communication Department as an Associate Professor. She earned her Ph.D. from Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications, as well as a master's degree in Public Relations from Newhouse and a Bachelor of Broadcast Journalism degree from the University of Missouri/Columbia. Prior to earning her terminal degree, she had a 21-year career in broadcast journalism, broadcast advertising sales and sales management, and corporate marketing communication management. A native of Upstate New York, she is a lifelong Girl Scout and serves on the Board Nominating and Development Committee for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts. Dr. Wrigley's research interests include gender and diversity in the communication industry, LGBTQ issues for corporations, public diplomacy and public relations' role in crisis communication. In her 22nd year of teaching, she holds both a Certificate in University Teaching and APR (Accredited in Public Relations) certification.