NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University has granted tenure to 17 faculty members and 17 faculty have received promotions effective with the start of the 2024-25 academic year, according to Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Greg Handel. The tenure and promotion recommendations have been approved by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System.
Those earning tenure were Dr. Ronnie Abukhalaf and Dr. Elizabeth Prejean of the College of Business and Technology, Dr. Billy Culver of the School of STEM and Dr. Alice Blue, Dr. Myla Landry, Courtney Reger, Krystyna Tabor, Anna Kathryn Vaughn, Dr. Shaun Wheat and Dr. Tiffany Williams of the College Nursing and School of Allied Health. Also earning tenure were Dr. Jennifer Enoch of the Department of English, Languages, and Cultural Studies, Dr. Tara Tietjen-Smith and Dr. Neeru Deep of the Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development, Dr. Kimberly Boudreaux and Dr. William Manger of the School of Social Sciences and Applied Programs, Daniel Gordy of the School of Social Sciences and Applied Programs and Department of English, Languages, and Cultural Studies and Leah Forsyth of the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts.
Dr. Khirsten Doolan of the Department of English, Languages, and Cultural Studies received promotion to assistant professor.
Receiving promotion to associate professor were Abukhalaf, Prejean and Valerie T. Salter of the College of Business and Technology, Enoch, Wheat, Williams, Boudreaux, Manger, Culver, Blue and Landry.
Those receiving promotion to full professor were Dr. Gregory Bouck, Dr. Keicia Hawkins and Dr. Katrina Jordan of the Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development, Mirla Enriquez of the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts and Dr. Thomas Reynolds of the Department of English, Languages, and Cultural Studies.
Abukhalaf is an associate professor of accounting. He is an accomplished educator and former chief financial officer with a multi-industry background in accounting, engineering and business. Abukhalaf is equipped with a comprehensive understanding of the faculty function within university administration and has exceptional knowledge of the academic, socioeconomic and cultural diversity of students, faculty and staff. He has excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills. He has been working in higher education for the past 24 years and prepares his students to face all the challenges that they will face in their future career. Abukhalaf is an accomplished communicator with the ability to train and motivate others to promote team spirit. He has a strong educational background with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused on Advanced Accounting, Master of Aeronautical Science (MAS), Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering (B.S) and Associate in Aircraft Maintenance Technology (A.A.S).
Blue, DNP, FNPC joined the full-time faculty of the Master of Science in Nursing Program in 2018. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from NSU in 2008, her Master of Science in Nursing from NSU in 2013 and her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from SELU in 2022. She currently maintains a practice focused on cosmetic and regenerative medicine. Blue enjoys mentoring nursing practice students in the clinical setting and places a focus on practice advocacy, leadership, and holistic, health care delivery. Her scholarly publication focuses on improving metabolic function in the underserved community where she lives and works.
Boudreaux began teaching sociology and criminal justice courses at NSU in the Fall of 2018. In addition to her teaching load, she is an advisor for criminal justice students. Boudreaux holds an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Baton Rouge Community College, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in applied sociology with a criminal justice concentration from Southeastern Louisiana University. In 2020, she earned a doctorate from Louisiana State University after completing and defending her dissertation titled, “National Guard Families: The Relationship between Institutional Discourses and Lived Experiences.” Before joining NSU, she taught sociology at LSU for three semesters and at South Louisiana Community College for three years.
Deep is an assistant professor and interim dean of the Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development. She has two undergraduate degrees in liberal arts and education, two master’s degrees in psychology and education, and a doctorate in adult learning and development with a concentration in workforce development. She has been working for 22 years at NSU and has played many roles, including chair of the Department of Psychology. Deep is founder of the NSU Center for Positivity, Well-being, and Hope, a member of the Mental Health Advisory Council (MHAC) for the University of Louisiana System, and president of the NSU chapter of Phi Beta Delta- Honor Society for International Scholars. She is passionate about uplifting communities through education. Her mantra is that education is the best gift we can give to ourselves and others.
Enoch joined the NSU faculty in Fall 2018. She teaches first-year writing, as well as undergraduate and graduate classes in rhetoric and writing. She serves as coordinator of the writing and co-requisite English programs. Enoch has a master’s from Colorado State University and a Ph.D. from Florida State University. Her work on women’s rhetorics, everyday writing and digital archives has appeared in South Atlantic Review and in the recently published anthologies “Teaching through the Archives: Text, Collaboration, and Activism and Talking Back: Senior Scholars Deliberate the Past, Present, and Future of Writing Studies.”
Forsyth serves as the assistant professor of oboe. Prior to joining the NSU faculty in 2011, she served as an oboist with the United States Army Field Band in Washington D.C. Forsyth holds the position of principal oboe with the Rapides Symphony Orchestra in Alexandria, second oboe with the Texarkana Symphony and she performs regularly with the Shreveport Symphony. She is a founding member of the Three Reeds Duo with husband and saxophonist Paul Forsyth. They have commissioned many new works featured on their two albums, “Signals Cross” (2016) and “Metamorphosis” (2019). A native of Central Ohio, Forsyth holds a B.M. from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory and an M.M. from Florida State University.
Gordy holds a M.A. with concentrations in both English and criminal justice, and he will complete his doctorate this December. He joined Northwestern’s faculty in the Fall of 2018, teaching in the Department of English, Languages, and Cultural Studies & the School of Social Sciences and Applied Programs. Prior to his time at NSU, he gained almost two decades of experience in technical communication and adult education. He is currently researching technological integration and mentorship in correctional education and improving upon pedagogical practices in this field. Other areas of academic research include pop-culture pedagogy, applied psycholinguistics, behavioral analysis, correctional classification systems and digital storytelling.
Landry is beginning her seventh academic year in the College of Nursing. She has 26 years of experience in medical-surgical, telemetry and acute care nursing. Landry is nationally certified in medical-surgical nursing and nursing professional development by the American Nursing Credentialing Center. She currently serves as the BSN program director in the College of Nursing. Landry has taught first level BSN students in traditional and accelerated BSN tracks. She serves the university as a member of the Curriculum Review Committee.
Manger is a cultural geographer who obtained his Ph.D. in geography from Arizona State University in 2002 and has since taught a wide variety of courses in human and physical geography. His research focuses on the cultural and historical geography of Mexico and the Hispanic Southwest. This includes a study of tamale-making traditions in Northwest Louisiana that was published by the Journal of Cultural Geography in 2016. His most recent research focuses on the use of historical photography to document landscape change in Northwest Mexico and has appeared in The Journal of Arizona History, Journal of the Southwest and Letras Historicas, a journal published by the Universidad de Guadalajara.
Prejean, DBA, is an associate professor in the School of Business and the recipient of the Devargus, LaCaze, and Pierson endowed Professorship for Business. Prejean holds a Doctor of Business Administration, a Master of Business Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Human Services with a minor in Administration and Psychology. She brings many years of management experience from industry to the business management courses she teaches. Prejean has an unwavering commitment to helping students become the best version of themselves and strives to make a difference in the community. Her role as a faculty advisor for the Inferno Pitch entrepreneurial event in 2023, where her students won the first Pelican Cup Competition for NSU. She serves as the Catholic Student Association faculty representative and launched the first student chapter of the Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches.
Reger obtained her Associate of Nursing in 2001 from Louisiana Tech University. She worked in NICU (neonatal ICU), newborn, labor and delivery, post-partum, pediatrics, along with home health and ambulatory clinics. Reger obtained her BSN from NSU’s RN to BSN program in 2015 and a MSN in Nursing Education from Jacksonville University of Florida in 2017. She is currently enrolled in the EdD program at NSU. Reger has been with CONSAH since 2018 teaching in maternal, child and family nursing and other content areas.
Tietjen-Smith is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) and professor and department head in the Department of Health & Human Performance. She serves as the Violet Shaver Endowed Professor in the Gallaspy College of Education & Human Development and as the faculty athletics representative. She is past president for the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE) and NAKHE Fellow #49. She earned a Doctor of Arts in Health and Physical Education from Middle Tennessee State University as well as a Master of Arts in Health Promotion and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Northwestern State. She teaches courses in statistics, health and exercise psychology, research methods, and epidemiology and is the program director for the Master of Science in Public Health program. In 2020, she delivered the 54th annual Amy Morris Homans Lecture at the 2020 National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE) conference in Palm Springs, California. This invited lecture is one of the highest honors accorded to a professional in the field of kinesiology.
Tabor has been a member of NSU’s faculty since 2018. In 2014, Tabor became a first-generation college graduate when she attained a BSN at NSU. She decided she wanted to teach while caring for patients and precepting nursing students at a Shreveport hospital. In 2018, she earned a MSN in Nursing Education and became an assistant professor teaching nursing fundamentals in the ASN program at NSU’s College of Nursing. Tabor is pursuing a PhD in nursing at the University of Texas at Tyler and plans to graduate in late 2025. She is the director of Assessment, Evaluation, and Planning for NSU’s College of Nursing and teaches in the MSN program.
Vaughn joined the NSU nursing faculty in 2018. She received an ASN from LSU at Alexandria in 1984. She worked in several locations throughout the country during her 40-year nursing career. She completed a BSN at NSU in 2010 and a MSN from Chamberlain University in 2015. Vaughn is the clinical coordinator for the accelerated BSN program. She has taught a variety of courses for the College of Nursing in both the classroom and clinical setting. Vaughn received a degree in general studies from Louisiana College in 1989 and an alternative certification for secondary English education in 1999. She is pursuing a master’s degree in English at NSU in order to teach English at the university.
Wheat, Ed.D., MSN, RN, CNE teaches in the BSN program. She began her career in nursing in 1989 and her experience is in medical-surgical nursing. Wheat began teaching at LSU School of Nursing in New Orleans. She has taught nursing at NSU as an adjunct and a full-time faculty member at various times over the last 25 years. Wheat completed her BSN from NSU in 1989 and earned her MSN as a Clinical Nurse Specialist from the University of South Alabama in 1994. She earned an Ed.D. at Northwestern State University with a concentration in Adult Education and Workforce Development in December 2023.
Williams, DNP, MSN, FNP-C completed her associate’s degree in nursing at Louisiana State University at Alexandria in 2007, Bachelor of Science in Nursing at NSU in 2009, Master of Science in Nursing (FNP) at NSU in 2013, and Doctor of Nursing Practice at SELU in 2022. Her nursing background is primarily ICU with some home health and PACU nursing. She has worked as a nurse practitioner in neurosurgery since completing MSN in 2013 and continues to practice in neurosurgery. Williams became a full-time faculty member in the MSN program at NSU in 2018 and the family nurse practitioner program coordinator in 2019. She currently teaches in many non-clinical MSN and clinical FNP courses.
Bouck is a professor in the Gallaspy Family College of Education and Human Development School of Education. His dedication to the education of students with exceptionalities and passion for fostering inclusive learning environments guides his research into teaching and learning strategies and programs focused on supporting low-SES students and children with disabilities through the implementation of innovative teaching strategies that promote diversity and personalized instruction. His scholarly endeavors focus on student persistence and retention, community college transfer transition, cooperative learning, special education, and democratic education. Through his research, Bouck seeks to not only enhance the educational experiences of his students but also contribute meaningfully to the broader educational community by advancing knowledge and best practices in the field. Bouck’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusivity in education is evident in his advocacy for differentiated instruction, which aims to cater to the unique learning needs of every student as well as serving in an advisory capacity on various committees at the collegiate, state, and district levels.
Doolan has been a faculty member in the Department of English, Languages, and Cultural Studies since 2021. They received a Ph.D. from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in Literary and Cultural Studies where much of their work centered on southern identities and nonbiological kinships through a cultural studies lens. Doolan’s research interests and publications are an extension of that work, focusing primarily on nonbiological kinships and communal creations from a smaller community level up to literary canons through a wide array of both traditional and digital medias.
Enriquez teaches graphic design and is the Design Center coordinator. She teaches students in the graphic design and interdisciplinary design concentrations. Enriquez is a member of the Eta Mu Chapter of Phi Beta Delta, an Honor Society for International Scholars. She has a degree in industrial design from the University of Design, Cuba and an MFA from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and is a student of the Doctor in Adult Education at NSU. She has been teaching for 25 years in Cuba and the United States.
Hawkins has been a faculty member at Northwestern State since Fall 2011. She is a former coordinator of graduate programs in educational technology leadership and educational leadership. She currently teaches graduate level educational leadership and curriculum and instruction courses. She is on the university Faculty Senate and previously served as the CAEP coordinator in the School of Education. She is actively involved in the Louisiana Education Research Association (LERA), currently serving as the organization’s President; the Mid-South Education Research Association (MSERA), currently serving as chair of membership; Consortium of State and Regional Educational Research Associations (SRERA), currently serving as Vice-President for Annual Meetings and the American Education Research Association. Hawkins has been the recipient of the Freeport McMoran in Pluralistic Education Endowed Professorship (2016, 2017 – 2019 and 2022 – 2024) and the Dan and Lily Chase Daughters Marty Causey and Lisa Chase Endowed Professorship (2015 and 2020 – 2022). She has served in various capacities in P-12 education, classroom teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Her research interests are varied and focus on improving educational access and attainment for minority and marginalized communities and various educational leadership issues.
Jordan holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a cognate in Special Populations, an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education, and a B.A. In Elementary Education (1-8). She has served in the field of education for almost 30 years, having taught in public and private schools in multiple capacities. She has worked with children in various community settings for almost 40 years. She was an adjunct for 12 years for NSU before joining the faculty full time in 2016. While at NSU, she has served as a program coordinator and advisor in multiple programs. Jordan is the Director of the NSU School of Education. She has been recognized as the LACUE Middle Teacher of the Year and the Hoagies Gifted Teacher of the Year. She also received the Excellence in School Culture award.
Reynolds is the department head of English, Languages, and Cultural Studies and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in rhetoric, writing and linguistics. He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a master’s degree in English from Northwestern State and undergraduate degrees in English and history from Virginia Tech. Reynolds has published and presented for more than two decades on research that explores the many intersections among texts, technologies, pedagogies and literacies. Before his current position, he served as interim director of the Louisiana Scholars’ College (2020-2021), NSU Faculty Senate president (2017-2020), Writing Program Administrator (2015-2020), and director of First Year Writing (2012-2015).
Salter earned a Ph.D. in Hospitality Management from Iowa State University, where her research focused on food safety in temporary foodservice establishments at Louisiana fairs and festivals. In addition to her Ph.D., Salter holds a Master of Hospitality Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Louisiana College. Since joining Northwestern State’s faculty in 2013, Salter has taught a wide range of courses in hospitality management and culinary arts, making significant contributions to both experiential student learning and academic scholarship in the field. She recently led accreditation efforts for the hospitality management and tourism degree program at Northwestern State, earning an initial accreditation of five years through the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration.
