Liberal Arts Division

Meet the Faculty and Staff

Dr. Robert Kleinschmidt	Dean	609-570-3644	LA138
Lyndsey Goehrig	Executive Assistant	609-570-3378	LA140
Jennifer Juran	Assistant to the Dean	609-570-3644	LA139
Vanessa Johnson	Administrative Specialist	609-570-3323	LA141

Dr. Edward Avery-Natale Associate Professor, Sociology; Chair, Social Sciences; Coordinator, Sociology averye@mccc.edu 609-570-3339 office: LA144 Ph.D. Sociology, Temple University B.A., Sociology and Philosophy, Bloomsburg University Dr. Edward Avery-Natale teaches introductory sociology courses as well as classes about race and racism. He has since published articles on topics such as racism, Black Lives Matter, identification formation, gender, religion, punk rock, Deleuzian approaches to sociology and identity, and more. Dr. Avery-Natale is looking forward to publishing several new books about punk after the success of his first, Ethics, Politics, and Anarcho-Punk Identifications: Punk and Anarchy in Philadelphia.
Dr. Carol Denise Bork Professor, English; Coordinator, Liberal Arts Studies borkc@mccc.edu 609-570-3890 office: LA111
Dr. Bettina Caluori Professor, English caluorib@mccc.edu 609-570-3595 office: LA113 Ph.D., M.A., English, University of California at Santa Barbara B.A., English, Williams College Dr. Caluori teaches composition and literature. Her interests include the multiplicity of American literatures, gender and literature, and reading fiction from around the world. Bettina Caluori's Online Office contains a collection of her blogs on writing.
Mitch Canter Associate Professor, Communication; Coordinator, Audio Production & Communication canterm@mccc.edu 609-570-3755 office: ET118 Prof. Canter spent 20 years in the radio & television industries before coming to Mercer to teach full-time in 2001. He has performed many functions in audio and video production including writing, editing, casting, sound recording, directing audio, and video production as well as performing as voice-over & on-camera talent. In addition to teaching, Prof. Canter performed as a mobile DJ, was an on-air personality for 107.1 The Boss, and conducts workforce training workshops in public speaking, presenting, and effective communication for Rutgers University Office of Continuing Professional Education.
Dr. Edward Carmien Professor, English canterm@mccc.edu 609-570-3306 office: LA112
Katie Atkins Carnevale Assistant Professor, Communication carnevak@mccc.edu 609-570-3454 office: ET113 Ed.D., Immaculata University M.S., Syracuse University B.A., Sacred Heart University Dr. Carnevale teaches communication courses including Public Speaking, Speech: Human Communication, and Public Relations. She spent 15 years in the communications industry as a reporter, editor, marketing coordinator, social media manager, and communications director. Her research interests center around Generation Z and engagement in the college classroom, and she has presented at numerous conferences.
Michael Chovan-Dalton Professor, Photography; Coordinator, Photography daltonm@mccc.edu 609-570-3835 office: FA102 M.F.A, Columbia University B.F.A., School of Visual Arts, NYC Prof. Chovan-Dalton is the Coordinator of Photography & Digital Imaging; he has many exhibitions and is in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Craig Coenen Professor, History; Coordinator, History coenenc@mccc.edu 609-570-3533 office: LA149 Ph.D. History, Lehigh University M.A., History, Lehigh University B.A., History, University of Wisconsin at Green Bay
Christopher Cruz-Cullari Associate Professor, English; Coordinator, Reading cruzc@mccc.edu 609-570-3326 office: LA113
Daniel D'Arpa Professor, Spanish; Coordinator, ESL and Languages darpad@mccc.edu 607-570-3318 office: CM157 Ph.D. Spanish Sociolinguistics, Temple University, Philadelphia M.A., Spanish Literature and Linguistics, Florida State University, Tallahassee B.A., Sociology/Anthropology, Stockton University Dr. D'Arpa has experience in public education as a secondary Spanish teacher, university language professor, and department coordinator. His research is on Spanish dialects in contact with Caribbean English Creole. Dr. D'Arpa has taken student groups to study in Spain, Costa Rica and Cuba.
Yevgeniy Fiks Professor, Visual Arts fiksy@mccc.edu 609-570-3543 office: ET125 M.F.A. School of Visual Arts B.F.A. Brooklyn College, CUNY Yevgeniy Fiks is a multidisciplinary artist, whose work has been shown internationally, including at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow Museum of Modern Art, and Museu Colecção Berardo in Lisbon.
Jody P. Gazenbeek-Person Professor, Theatre/Dance; Coordinator, Theatre/Dance gazenbej@mccc.edu 609-570-3454 office: CM122 MFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University in Directing BA with a dual concentration in Dance and Drama Studies from SUNY Purchase In addition to teaching, Jody P. Gazenbeek-Person continues to perform professionally as a dancer, actor, choreographer, and director. Some of his performances are posted on YouTube and Vimeo.
Kitty Getlik Manager, Kelsey Theatre getlikk@mccc.edu 609-570-3580
Ric Giantisco Associate Professor, Game Design; Coordinator, Game Design & Game Programming giantisr@mccc.edu 609-570-3458 office: ET115
Nicole Hall Assistant Professor, ESL halln@mccc.edu 609-570-3316 office: LA108 M.A., Applied Linguistics and TESOL from Texas A&M Commerce Professor Hall was born and raised in New Jersey, but I lived abroad teaching English in South Korea, Russia, and Greece. She is currently working on her doctoral degree in English and Applied Linguistics. Professor Hall’s research interests include L2 writing pedagogy, translanguaging, and linguistic equity in higher education.
Alvyn Haywood Professor, Communication haywooda@mccc.edu 609-570-3362 office: ET108
Dr. Padhraig Higgins Professor, History higginsp@mccc.edu 609-570-3495 office: LA149
Nicole Homer Professor, English homern@mccc.edu 609-570-3316 office: CM128B
Scott Hornick Associate Professor, Music; Coordinator, Music and Music Entertainment Technology hornicks@mccc.edu 609-570-3716 office: CM149
Kenneth Howarth Professor, Philosophy; Coordinator, Philosophy, Religion, and Politics howarthk@mccc.edu 609-570-3809 office: LA148 M.A., Contemporary Philosophy, Claremont Graduate University, CA M.A.E.C. Eastern (Asian) Classics, St. John's College, NM M.A.L.A. Liberal Arts (Classics), St. John's College, MD B.A., Political Science, Davidson College, NC Professor Howarth is the Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies Coordinator. He specializes in ethics, practical reasoning, and comparative and the history of philosophies, and lives to engage with family, Boston Terriers, whales and students.
Dr. Heather Jennings Professor, Psychology; Coordinator, Psychology jenningh@mccc.edu 609-570-3450 office: LA146 Ph.D., Educational Psychology-Temple University M.A., Clinical Psychology- Columbia University, Teacher's College B.A, Psychology- Rutgers University Dr. Jennings specializes in psychopathology and spent several years working as a clinician in psychiatric emergency screening services, home-based, shelter-based, and school-based therapy programs before joining the Mercer Faculty in 2004. Dr. Jennings' research interests include the psychological variables that impact academic success among community college students and every semester she learns something new and interesting from her students.
Holly Johnson Professor, English and Journalism johnsonh@mccc.edu 609-570-3594 office: LA114 M.F.A. Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts B.A. English with a minor in Creative Writing, Cornell University with Honors Professor Johnson teaches journalism as well as all levels of composition from developmental to Honors. She is the faculty adviser to the award-winning student newspaper, The College VOICE, and coordinator of both the credit and non-credit journalism programs.
Lucas Kelly Professor, Fine Arts; Director, The Gallery kellyl@mccc.edu 609-570-3806 office: ET119
Dr. Matthew J. Kochis Associate Professor, English; Coordinator, English kochism@mccc.edu 609-570-3852 office: LA109 Ph.D. in English Literature, University of Tulsa MA in English Literature, Seton Hall University BS in Secondary Education & English, University of Scranton
Tina La Placa Professor, Advertising and Graphic Design; Coordinator, Advertising and Graphic Design laplacat@mccc.edu 609-570-3356 office: ET116 M.A. - Advertising Design, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY B.F.A. - Graphic Design, minor Illustration, Moore College of Art & Design, Philadelphia, PA
Barry Levy Professor, Television and Film; Coordinator, Digital Film, Television, and New Media levyb@mccc.edu 609-570-3465 office: ET113
Katina Lindsay Assistant Professor, Fashion Design; Coordinator, Fashion Design lindsayk@mccc.edu 609-570-3135 office: ET116
Dr. Vickie Masseus Assistant Professor, English masseusv@mccc.edu 609-570-3378 office: LA110 Ph.D. in English Literature, St. John's University, Queens, NY MA in English Literature, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH
Kerri O'Neill Coordinator, Fine Arts oneillk@mccc.edu 609-570-3521 office: ES121 M.F.A Penn State University B.F.A University of Delaware Kerri is the Fine Arts Coordinator where she oversees all studio spaces for the Fine Arts department, as well as teach some studio courses throughout the year. In addition, Kerri has served as the advisor to the art club on campus which aims to promote the arts both inside and outside the college community.
Dr. Eirini Papafratzeskakou Associate Professor, Psychology; Coordinator, Psychology papafrae@mccc.edu 609-570-3557 office: ET114 Ph.D., Developmental Psychology- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University M.S., Developmental Psychology- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University B.S, Psychology- Old Dominion University
Garry Perryman Coordinator, Architecture perrymag@mccc.edu
Daniel Schermond Associate Professor, Sociology; Coordinator, Sociology schermod@mccc.edu 609-570-3345 office: ET110
Sharmila Sen Professor, English; Chair, English and Foreign Language sens@mccc.edu 609-570-3733 office: ET116
Kyle Stevenson Professor, Fine Arts stevensk@mccc.edu 609-570-3836 office: ET124
Dr. Jack Tabor Associate Professor, English; taborj@mccc.edu 609-570-3838 office: CM140B Ph.D., M.A., English. University of California, Santa Barbara B.A., English. University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Tabor teaches freshman composition as well as Introduction to the Novel; Literature of War and Conflict, The Holocaust; British Literature II; and beginning and intermediate ballet. He is also the co-coordinator of Mercer's Holocaust Study Abroad Program in Poland. Dr. Tabor is currently learning how to play the guitar.
Jacqueline Vogtman Professor, English; Coordinator, English vogtmanj@mccc.edu 609-570-3750 office: CM157 MFA in Creative Writing from Bowling Green State University BA, English, The College of New Jersey Professor Vogtman is a writer whose fiction has appeared in numerous literary journals, and her award-winning book of short stories, Girl Country, was published in 2023 by Dzanc Books. She is the editor of Kelsey Review, and she co-advises S.O.U.L., MCCC's student creative writing club.
Dr. Amy Vondrak Professor, English; Coordinator, Developmental Composition; Co-Coordinator, READY vondraka@mccc.edu office: KC 239 Ph.D. Syracuse University MA.., North Carolina State University BA.., University of Michigan Amy Vondrak is a creator of learning spaces and experiences that center our students, their experiences, and their lives in the creation of knowledge and pursuit of revolutionary equality. She is an instigator of utopia in the every day.
Dr. Steve Voorhees Professor, Television, Digital Film, & New Media voorhees@mccc.edu 609-570-3805 office: ET125 Ph.D., Media Studies, Rutgers University M.A., Broadcasting, Telecommunications, & Mass Media, Temple University B.A., Radio & Television, Rider University Dr. Voorhees' research focuses on the intersection of political economy of media, audience studies, and TV history. His work has been featured in publications such as the Journal of Electronic News , Journalism History Journal's Broadcast History Series , and Media Ethics Magazine . He is also a producer and co-host of Inside the Box: The TV History Podcast where his commentary is featured on the DVD box set release of the 1960s CBS sitcom Green Acres.
Dr. Wan-Ning Yeh Assistant Professor, ESL yehw@mccc.edu 609-570-3371 office: LA106 Ph.D. in Composition & TESOL, Indiana University of Pennsylvania M.A. in TESOL, Indiana University of Pennsylvania B.A. in English Language, Literature and Linguistics, Providence University (Taiwan) Dr. Yeh teaches primarily ESL coursework, and also offers Chinese language courses. Her research interests include second language writing, autoethnography and art-based research. She also established and coordinates the Conversation Partners program.
Michael Welliver Professor, Ceramics and Sculpture; Coordinator, Fine Arts wellivem@mccc.edu 609-570-3522 office: ES121
Dr. Dylan Wolfe Professor, Communication; Chair, Arts and Communication wolfedy@mccc.edu 609-570-3332 office: ET113 Ph.D. University of Georgia, Speech and Communication Studies BS and MS, State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Environmental Communication Professor Wolfe's teaching and research is based on the notion that the experience of communication is a crucial component of the communicative process. Dr. Wolfe has presented his work at numerous academic and professional conferences and has been published in highly respected academic journals including Western Journal of Communication, Environmental Communication, and Visual Communication.
Mauro Zamora Associate Professor, Digital Media Arts; Coordinator, Digital Media Arts zamoram@mccc.edu 609-570-3340 office: ET118