Collin College prides itself on having administrators, faculty, and staff with expertise
in a number of academic and technical fields. In addition to the benefit to students,
these subject-matter experts are available to provide context for journalists seeking
to localize stories to Collin County, the North Texas area, or the state of Texas,
or to provide specialized information and insight regarding national and international
trends. The individuals below can be reached by contacting the Collin College Media Relations
team at gperez@collin.edu.
Contact Media Relations
American History
Dr. Ryan Pettengill
Specialization: Labor and working class, sports history, mass culture, history of human rights
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Ph.D. in American History from Michigan State University; Richard Strassberg Travel Grant recipient through Cornell University; author of “Communists and Community Activism in Detroit’s Labor Movement, 1941-1946” (Temple University Press, 2020)
Banking
Dr. Kevin Suber
Specialization: Personal financial planning issues
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Ph.D. in Business Administration from Northcentral University; More than 15 years
of teaching experience
Biology
Dr. Donna Cain
Specialization: Infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance, microbiomes, infection control prevention, immunology
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Post-doctoral fellowship at the Centers of Disease Control; director of the Center for Advanced Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Biotechnology, Genetics
Dr. Bridgette Kirkpatrick
Specialization: Biotechnology, biotechnology laboratory instrumentation, genetics
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Ph.D. from University of Arizona, Tucson; co-primary investigator for “Grow the Biotech
Workforce in North Texas to Meet Emerging Skill Needs via a Collaborative Partnership”
grant (2022-24)
Business Management
Jeffery Johnson
Specialization: Principles of management, business principals, strategic management
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Master of Business Administration from California State University; advisory board
member for Team Building (BMTG 1307), and Business Plan for Funding (BUSG 1371)
Chemistry
Dr. Bishnu Dhakal
Specialization: Chemical education, organic synthesis
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from New Mexico State University; More than 15 years of
teaching college chemistry; finalist for the 2024 Collin College Outstanding Professor
Award
Communication Design
Erin Clark
Specialization: Website design specializing in luxury products, real estate, development
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: International design firm owner for 29 years
Cybersecurity, IT
Damien Smith
Specialization: Strategic planning, curriculum development, cybersecurity industry partnerships
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Led program to receive Academia Circle of Excellence award from the EC-Council, one
of only five awarded in North America in 2023
Clinical Operations Management, Healthcare
Joshua Snyder
Specialization: Research focus in rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS), rural health
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Ed.D. candidate at Abilene Christian University, More than 20 years of EMS experience,
course design and development for BAS in Clinical Operations Management
Dance
Meghan Cardwell-Wilson
Specialization: Modern dance performance, choreography
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Master of Fine Arts from Texas Woman's University; Full Circle Dance member; 10 years
with Muscle Memory Dance Theatre as a performer, choreographer, and company manager
Education, English as a Second Language
Jennifer Bello
Specialization: English as a second/subsequent language, second language acquisition, educational psychology, learning theories
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: League Excellence Award for Innovations
Education, English as a Second Language
Charlene Houston
Specialization: English as a second language
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Master of Education in School Administration; discipline lead for ESL program; League
Excellence Award
Emergency Medical Services
Greg Cox
Specialization: Active shooter response and tactical EMS, Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT), National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) in tactical emergency casualty care
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Retired EMS Chief, Master Firefighter Certification, Paramedic of the Year
Engineering
Tripat K. Baweja
Specialization: Electrical engineering
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Master of Technology from Arizona State University; Society of Women Engineers Dallas
Chapter featured member; Girls in STEM committee member; developed curriculum for
Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program with Raytheon
Hospitality Management and Operations, Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts
John Hines
Specialization: Personal branding, labor optimization, team building
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Master of Science in Human Sciences; member of The Hotel Association, Texas Chef’s
Association, and North Texas Job Corps
Law Enforcement
Scott Donaldson
Specialization: Law enforcement training; police and court systems and practices; 21st century policing; criminal justice management and administration; global policing initiatives
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Minimum Standards for Training Coordinators
committee presiding officer; Institute for Law Enforcement Administration (ILEA) academic
advisor
Mathematics
Dr. Sonia Petch
Specialization: Algebra, elementary statistics, quantitative reasoning, calculus
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Ed.D. in Instructional Technology; Texas Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges
(TexMATYC) Executive Board member, 2016-2024; Past-President, President, President-Elect,
and the Texas Delegate for The American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges
(AMATYC) General Assembly; developed multiple online courses
Mathematics
Steven Sikes
Specialization: Program engineering, systems analysis
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Master of Science in Mathematics from West Texas A&M; formerly an automation program
engineer for General Motors
Mathematics, Higher Education
Catherine Thurman
Specialization: Supporting success for developmental math students through developmental education initiatives, curriculum alignment, classroom pedagogy practices, and student support services
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Master of Science in Mathematics from Oklahoma State University; doctoral candidate
in higher education from East Texas A&M University; National Institute for Staff and
Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award 2020
Medical Assisting, Healthcare
Leon Deutsch
Specialization: Medical assisting advanced practice, program development
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Master of Arts in Adult Education and Distance Learning; vice chair of Texas Health
Community Impact Leadership Council; Registered Medical Assistant (RMA-AMT)
Music
Casey Carter
Specialization: Classical music, opera, vocology
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: New York University Vocology fellow; Collin College Professor of the Year 2024
Physics
Dr. Greg Sherman
Specialization: Astrophysics, laser optics
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Ph.D. in Physics from Texas Christian University; working with the Center for Advanced
Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences (CASMNS) students on imaging asteroids
with the goal of eventually submitting asteroid measurements to the Minor Planet Center
at Harvard University; Carnegie Texas Professor of the Year in 2012
Polysomnographic Technology
Amber Allen
Specialization: Effects of sleep deprivation, sleep forensics, sleep problems, sleep technology
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists president; Sleep Technologist
and Respiratory Therapist Education Committee for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
member
Real Estate
William “Bill” Kukla
Specialization: Texas certified real estate specialist, real estate mediation
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Licensed real estate broker for 20 years; chairperson of the Collin County Area Realtors
Strategic Planning Committee; Professional Standards Committee at Texas Realtors member;
Texas Real Estate Teachers Association director of membership
Theatre
Shannon Kearns
Specialization: Acting, creating new theatrical works/plays, intimacy direction, trauma-informed/adaptive yoga
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Senior Undermain Theatre company member who has played more than two dozen roles
with the company; multi-award-winning actor/director
Transportation
Greg Carter
Specialization: Supply chain management, international business, leadership, strategy, negotiation, telecommunications
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Paper presentation for the International Business Seminars Series; paper presentation
on the supply chain issues in Ghana at the Sustainability as a Solution to Global
Business Challenges: A Focus on Africa, more than 15 years of experience in technical
and procurement/product management
Visual Arts
Jen Seibert
Specialization: Two-dimensional design, painting, drawing
Notable Credentials and Accomplishments: Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing; Ph.D. studies in visual and performing
arts; artist residencies in Paris, France, and Monte Castello di Vibio and Umbria,
Italy