Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce the academic faculty members who have been awarded tenure and/or promotion, effective July 1, 2025. The Board of Regents formally approved UNLV's tenure recipients at its quarterly meeting last week.

These faculty members have demonstrated excellence in their fields through research, teaching, and service. Their collective accomplishments help drive UNLV’s mission forward.

Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor

• C.E. Abbate, Ph.D., Dept. of Philosophy, College of Liberal Arts
• Eda Anlamlier, Ph.D., Dept. of Marketing and International Business, Lee Business School
• Constancio Arnaldo, Ph.D., Dept. of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies, College of Liberal Arts
• Nicholas Barr, Ph.D., School of Social Work, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
• Sean Boyd, MFA, Dept. of Theatre, College of Fine Arts
• Han-Jae Cho, Ph.D., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering
• Jennifer Culley, MLIS, University Libraries
• Linda Dam, Ph.D., Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
• Stephanie Fell, MLIS, University Libraries
• Brett Gleason, Ph.D., Dept. of Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services, College of Education 
• Thessa Hilgenkamp, Ph.D., Dept. of Physical Therapy, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Joshua Island, Ph.D., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, College of Sciences
• Sarah Jones, MLIS, University Libraries
• Brian Labus, Ph.D., Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health
• Michael Lee, Ph.D., Dept. of Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology, Lee Business School
• Minkyo Lee, Ph.D., Dept. of Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education, College of Education
• Renato Liboro, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Graham McGinnis, Ph.D., Dept. of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Christina Miskey, MLIS, University Libraries
• Woo-Yong Park, Ph.D., Dept. of Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology, Lee Business School
• Rebecca Rice, Ph.D., Dept. of Communication Studies, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs 
• Lena Rieke, J.D., William S. Boyd School of Law
• Alex Smith, Ph.D., Dept. of Early Childhood, Multilingual and Special Education, College of Education 
• Erin Smith, Ph.D., Dept. of Teaching and Learning, College of Education
• Brittani Sterling, MLIS, University Libraries
• Karl Ulrich, MFA, Dept. of Film, College of Fine Arts
• Vanessa Vongkulluksn, Ph.D., Dept. of Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education, College of Education
• Katherine Walker, Ph.D., Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Aidybert Weeks, MLIS, University Libraries
• Mo Weng, Ph.D., School of Life Sciences, College of Sciences
• Gloria Wong, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Yan Zhou, Ph.D., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, College of Sciences

Tenure Only

• John McMurtery, DMA, School of Music, College of Fine Arts
• Janice Pluth, Ph.D., Dept. of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Tenure and Promotion to Professor
• Jinyoung Kim, Ph.D., School of Nursing

Promotion to Professor

• Sheila Bock, Ph.D., Dept. of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies, College of Liberal Arts 
• Su Kim Chung, Ph.D., University Libraries
• John Curry, Ph.D., Dept. of History, College of Liberal Arts
• Tim Gauthier, Ph.D., Dept. of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies, College of Liberal Arts 
• Erin Hamilton, Ph.D., Dept. of Accounting, Lee Business School
• Margaret Harp, Ph.D., Dept. of World Languages and Cultures, College of Liberal Arts
• John Hay, Ph.D., Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Tiffiany Howard, Ph.D., Dept. of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
• Ileana M. Jara Yupanqui, Ph.D., Dept. of World Languages and Cultures, College of Liberal Arts
• Chris Jensen, Ph.D., Dept. of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
• Michael McCreery, Ph.D., Dept. of Teaching and Learning, College of Education
• Cian McMahon, Ph.D., Dept. of History, College of Liberal Arts
• Amanda Melilli, MLIS, University Libraries
• Brendan Morris, Ph.D., Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering  
• Hans Rawhouser, Ph.D., Dept. of Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology, Lee Business School 
• Rachael Robnett, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Sara Rosenkranz, Ph.D., Dept. of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Judy Ryerson, MFA, Dept. of Theatre, College of Fine Arts
• Chyllis Scott, Ph.D., Dept. of Teaching and Learning, College of Education
• Tracy Spies, Ph.D., Dept. of Early Childhood, Multilingual and Special Education, College of Education 
• Emily Troshynski, Ph.D., Dept. of Criminal Justice, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
• Kelly Tseng, Ph.D., School of Life Sciences, College of Sciences 
• Arya Udry, Ph.D., Dept. of Geoscience, College of Sciences 
• Zhaohuan Zhu, Ph.D., Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, College of Sciences 
• Promotion to Senior Lecturer
• Taro Ito, Ph.D., Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, College of Sciences
• Leonardo Lozano, M.S., Dept. of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, School of Integrated Health Sciences 
• Scott MacDonald, M.S., Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, College of Sciences
• Promotion to Associate Professor in Residence
• Lianne Barnes, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Laura Book, Ph.D., Dept. of Hospitality Management, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality
• Rachel Bovard, MFA, Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Jeremy Bowling, Ph.D., Dept. of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
• Michael Chin, MFA, Honors College
• Eve Chung, DDS, School of Dental Medicine
• Jason Ciccotelli, Ph.D., Dept. of Physical Therapy, School of Integrated Health Sciences
• Nachman Gutowski, J.D., William S. Boyd School of Law 
• Lisa Johnson, Ph.D., Dept. of Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts
• Jeremy Koonce, Ph.D., Dept. of Geoscience, College of Sciences
• John Nixon, Ed.D., Dept. of Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services, College of Education
• Amanda Pasinski, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
• Jennifer Pfannes, DNP, School of Nursing
• Martha Phelps, Ph.D., Dept. of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts
• Tanya Robertson, Ph.D., Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Maire Simington, Ph.D., Dept. of Healthcare Administration and Policy, School of Public Health
• Promotion to Professor in Residence
• Daniel Bubb, Ph.D., Honors College
• Michael Gebhart, J.D., Dept. of Hospitality Management, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality
• Amy Green, Ph.D., Dept. of English, College of Liberal Arts
• Jennifer Guerra, Ph.D., Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Sciences
• Jef Jaeger, Ph.D., School of Life Sciences, College of Sciences
• Joanna Kepka, Ph.D., Honors College 
• Heather Lusty, Ph.D., Honors College
• Amanda Morgan, Ph.D., Dept. of Social and Behavioral Health, School of Public Health
• Melissa Morris, Ph.D., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering
• Jenifer Utz, Ph.D., School of Life Sciences, College of Sciences

Promotions in the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV 

Promotion to Associate Professor

• Jo-Lawrence Bigcas, M.D., Dept. of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 
• Jyoti Desai, M.D., Dept. of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics
• Badrunnisa Hanif, M.D., Dept. of Internal Medicine
• Dodds Simangan, M.D., Dept. of Pediatrics
• Promotion to Professor
• Jennifer Baynosa, M.D., Dept. of Surgery
• Charles St. Hill, M.D., Dept. of Surgery

Please join us in congratulating our colleagues on this well-earned achievement. Their contributions enrich our university in countless ways, and we are proud to celebrate this moment with them!

Warm wishes,

Chris Heavey
UNLV Officer in Charge

Kate Hausbeck Korgan
Officer in Charge
Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost