As Bellarmine welcomes 600 first-year students this week, the university is also welcoming
back some former students who are now teachers. A third of the 15 new full-time faculty
members for the 2021-22 academic year—five of them—are Bellarmine graduates.
"I had something of a ‘pipe dream’ of returning to work at Bellarmine someday,” said
Louis Hehman ’14, an instructor of Music. “Academic jobs, especially in music, are
incredibly competitive, so I wasn't sure it would ever come true. But I had always
kept my mind focused on that goal and had some really lucky breaks, so here we are!
It is an excitement beyond words to contribute to the growth of Bellarmine's music
department and the Louisville arts scene more generally.”
“I feel privileged to work at Bellarmine. The faculty here are compassionate to their
students while maintaining an expectation of excellence,” said Marisa Rigsby ’09,
’16 MSN, instructor of Undergraduate Nursing in the Donna and Allan Lansing School
of Nursing and Clinical Sciences. “I’m honestly pretty humbled to be working with
some real academic heavyweights that I admire. I also feel a lot of nostalgia when
I’m walking around campus, especially in the last few days as students move into the
dorms.”
Shae Goodlett ’17, an assistant professor of Art, is excited about teaching new class
offerings. "When I was in school, I was really interested in digital illustration,”
he said. “Back then, the university had just started its Digital Arts and Technology
(DAT) program and offered introductory courses for various design software of the
Adobe Creative Cloud. That program has since expanded and now offers classes in digital
illustration, web design and other digital media, all of which I would have been thrilled
to take. And now I'm teaching them!”
Here are the new faculty members, their areas of research interest and what they are
most looking forward to at Bellarmine.
BELLARMINE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
Dr. Michele Abee, assistant professor of Environmental Sciences
Research interests: Environmental justice, sustainability and geovisualization—the fancy new way to
say cartography. In my research, I use geovisualization to identify food apartheid.
Sustainability is a natural complement, as urban agriculture provides health and wellness
benefits, addresses climate change and emphasizes the local food market.
Looking forward to: Being a part of the Bellarmine community.
Shea Goodlett ’17, assistant professor of Art
Research interests: Color Theory and Religious Theories and Methods—specifically the parallels between
the perception of color relations and the perception of spiritual and ritual phenomenon.
My solo show, Reflectance, which opens in the McGrath Gallery at Bellarmine on Aug. 20, is a collection of
work that demonstrates my research into those fields of study.
Looking forward to: I am most excited to contribute to the Art Department that I was once a part of
in undergrad. I graduated in 2017 and the program has already come a long way! I am
looking forward to continuing that progression.
Louis Hehman ’14, instructor of Music
Research interests: As a researcher, my current areas of interest include approaches to piano technique
during the "Golden Age" of pianism, roughly the 1870s-1930s. This is my dissertation
topic. As a performer, I am interested in the intersection of traditional repertoire
with new music, particularly works by lesser-known and marginalized composers. For
instance, my recital for this fall includes classics by Beethoven and Chopin juxtaposed
with newer works by Afro-Canadian composer Bruce Russell and Cuban composer María
Matilde Alea Fernández.
Looking forward to: As a Bellarmine grad, I am thrilled to be back on campus. I have learned a lot from
being at other institutions—two years at Butler, three years at South Carolina—and
I am excited to take what I've learned and apply it to the welcoming culture of excellence
that Bellarmine embodies.
Dr. Mary Kroetz, assistant professor of Biology
Research interests: I am interested in two different questions: how organs develop properly in a growing
organism and the effects of the plastic BPA on development and overall health. To
answer these questions, I use a small nematode worm called C. elegans and I often
employ the recently developed genetic editing tool of CRISPR.
Looking forward to: One thing that made a huge impact on me was working with faculty during my undergraduate
experience, and I very much look forward to working with students at Bellarmine.
Sayani Sarkar, assistant professor of Computer Science
Research interests: UAV-aided emergency response system design and the use of artificial intelligence
for robust decision-making.
Looking forward to: Continuing my research and engaging interested students to work with current-age
problem areas alongside interactive teaching. I am also looking for interdisciplinary
collaboration on research, especially with the Department of Nursing and Department
of Environmental Studies.
Research interests: Religion and race, feminist and womanist ethics, social movements, contemporary
science, and Continental philosophy.
Looking forward to: As an alumnus of Bellarmine, I’m most looking forward to rejoining an engaged and
vibrant learning community in the flesh, having taught virtually at Bellarmine all
last year; and to spending non-virtual-meeting time getting to know colleagues in
Theology and Religious Studies and other disciplines.
ANNSLEY FRAZIER THORNTON SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Dr. James Archibald, associate professor of Education in the School of Education;
chair, M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership and Social Justice program
Research interests: Organization and governance of higher education, improving student retention, shared
governance and faculty issues, and mental health wellness in athletes.
Looking forward to: Working with students and collaborating with faculty and staff to support the institution,
Louisville and the surrounding communities.
COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS
Brenda Davis, instructor of Medical Laboratory Science in Donna and Allan Lansing
School of Nursing and Clinical Sciences
Research interests: Interprofessional collaboration in the healthcare setting; specifically, interprofessional
collaboration and the role of the clinical laboratory.
Looking forward to: Helping our MLS students prepare for an exciting career in Medical Laboratory Science.
I also look forward to providing interprofessional experiences in the classroom.
Research interests: Strategies to promote student success for undergraduate and graduate nursing students;
clinical decision-making among Family Nurse Practitioners
Looking forward to: Educating and interacting with future nurses and nurse practitioners who will carry
on a great tradition. I am thankful for all the blessings nursing has brought to my
life.
Macy McFall ’18, instructor of Radiation Therapy in Lansing School
Research interests: Bridging the gap between the didactic and clinical material and utilizing the VERT
(Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Trainer) to increase student knowledge and retention.
I also am interested in creating clinical strategies in conjunction with the program’s
clinical partners and adding new technologies to the curriculum.
Looking forward to: Getting to know my students and ensuring they have the best college experience and
receive the best possible education, just like I did in my time at Bellarmine.
Marisa Rigsby ’09, ’16 MSN, instructor of Undergraduate Nursing in Lansing School
Research interests: Best practices in pre-licensure and graduate education
Looking forward to: As a Bellarmine nursing alum, I am most looking forward to working with educators
that I have looked up to during my nursing career.
Research interests: Disparities in healthcare and improving the nursing education experience for learners
Looking forward to: Serving students in an institution that believes in welcoming all
Dr. Nicole Windsor, assistant professor of Physical Therapy in School of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences
Research interests: The effectiveness and acceptability of a Pain Neuroscience Education curriculum
intervention for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and concurrent opioid
dependence.
Looking forward to: Continuing the development of my career as a Doctor of Physical Therapy educator,
assisting our next generations of Physical Therapy students in mastering their chosen
profession via the classroom and clinic, and pursuing a path of research investigating
effective treatments for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and concurrent
opioid dependence.
W. FIELDING RUBEL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Dr. Amy Fairfield, assistant professor of Finance
Research interests: Behavioral finance relating to chief financial officers and social networks as well
as tail risk and institutional investors
Looking forward to: Meeting our students, my new colleagues and our local business friends.
Dr. Haleh Karimi, associate professor of Management
Research interests: Investment in soft skills education using high-impact strategies to improve the
soft skills gap among college graduates; incorporating innovative strategies to achieve
competitive advantage and organizational efficacy: considering the future of work
implications
Looking forward to: Using my industry experience to educate our students in the art of interpersonal,
professional and leadership/management skills that will lead them toward a successful
pathway in our community and beyond.