Named in honor of Dr. Bruce Stender and the Stender family in recognition of Dr. Stender's service as the College of St. Scholastica's ninth president (1975-1981) as well as the financial support of Tom and Mimi Stender and Bruce and Kaye Stender.
Instilled with the college's mission, The Stender School of Business and Technology inspires students to embrace diversity and new challenges, lead innovation change, and act in an ethical and socially responsible manner.
Dr. Bruce Stender's time at the College was a presidency of firsts. He was the first layperson to lead the College. He and the Board of Trustees carried out the College's first capital campaign, "The Scholastica Adventure," which brought in $8.2 million. During his tenure, the Reif Recreation Center was constructed, the former gymnasium was converted to a theater and the College's first international program, the Irish Study Center at Louisburg, in County Mayo, was created. In addition, a new general education program involving institutional competencies was inaugurated.
His career after the College was no less distinguished. Bruce is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Duluth-based Labovitz Enterprises, Inc., which owns and manages hotels and commercial real estate. He served as Allete's Board Chairman and then as Lead Director. He also served as Trustee of the Blandin Foundation and Trust, a $400 million charitable foundation, and served as its Chair for four years. He also volunteered in support of numerous civic organizations.
Email information is followed by @css.edu unless otherwise noted.
Rick Revoir is Dean of Strategic Development. He teaches a healthcare finance course and previously taught accounting and ethics courses. During his career at St. Scholastica, Revoir has led five study abroad trips to China. He taught the spring 2012 & 2017 semester in Louisburgh, Ireland, to St. Scholastica study abroad students. He serves as a Commissioner of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority which is involved in economic development projects and it promotes maritime activity in the Duluth area. Prior to joining St. Scholastica, he worked for 11 years in healthcare finance positions at SMDC Health System in Duluth and St. Joseph's Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz. Revoir has an M.B.A. from Arizona State University and a doctorate in education from UMD. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Arizona license).
Regina Adamy is the Traditional Coordinator in the Stender School of Business & Technology. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts in BAS and CIS as well as her Master of Arts in Management degree at the College of St. Scholastica. She has been at St. Scholastica since 2001. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband Rick and her three fur children, she also enjoys reading and playing on her jet ski.
Dr. Alwan is a Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at the College. His major academic interests are Management, Marketing and organizational development that creates a dynamic organization with a cutting edge alignment in the marketplace and quality work-life for its employees. During his spare time, Dr. Alwan enjoys Kung Fu, traveling and outdoor activities.
Dr. Thomas Buck is a member of St. Scholastica's Department of Computer Information Systems. With a PhD specializing in Educational Psychology and Applied Information Systems, his research work is three-fold, (i) STEAM curriculum development through applied technologies; (ii) web-based assessment tools and educational game design; and, (iii) information systems, e-commerce and cultural entrepreneurship. Currently, his projects include developing and maintaining the Learning Games (www.learningames.net/) and the Rubrics for Assessment (www.rubrics4assessment.net/) websites, co-authoring online authentic portfolio systems, as well as working with the MN Judicial Branch 6th District Court in developing and authoring an online DWI screening and referral tool (www.duluthsbirt.net). He also has published a number of peer reviewed studies and books on topics ranging from "Learning Styles and Web-based Learning" to "E-Commerce Analytics and Quantitative Methods" (for a complete list go to: www.tbuck.us).
In addition, as a Cultural Entrepreneur and internationally recognized Conservator of East Asian Historical & Cultural Artifacts (see: www.tsukamaki.net), another one of Dr. Buck's passions is his research on Japanese and Chinese history, philosophy and fine arts. Among his related published works are his books The Art of Tsukamaki and Ancient Japanese Swords and Fittings, both available on Amazon.com.
Tom Gibbons is an Associate Professor at the School of Business and Technology. He has an undergraduate degree Math, Physics and Computer Science from St. John's University, a Masters in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from North Dakota State University. His research interests are in artificial intelligence, CS education and game design.
Tom coordinates summer technology camps at the College of St. Scholastica and also serves on the steering committee for the Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium.
Kris Glesener is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Information Systems department. He enjoys teaching programming, software development, and database classes. Before embarking on a teaching career, Kris was the Technical Lead for a software development team at Hallmark Business Connections. Outside of school, Kris enjoys running and outdoor activities. Kris is the director of the Northern Minnesota Track Club, a trail-running club in the Duluth-Superior area.
Melissa Goodson @melissaagoodson is an Assistant Professor in Business Management and Marketing. She received a B.S. in Mass Communications, and M.B.A. in Marketing and a Ph.D. in Organization and Management.
Dr. Goodson is a certified Social Media Strategist through the National Institute for Social Media where she also serves as the Vice Chair for the board. Goodson is a frequent guest blogger for nismonline.org and authored a chapter in an NISM book for practitioners in 2018.
Goodson’s passion for hyper local small businesses lead to an ongoing partnership with the Lincoln Park Business Group to work on strategic marketing and digital analysis projects in the classroom. Additionally, her current research includes curating and analyzing best practices in marketing and business at the local craft breweries.
Prior to joining St. Scholastica, Goodson worked in Marketing and Digital Media at The Arizona Republic in Phoenix, AZ and at the Star Tribune (largest daily newspaper in the Twin Cities). She has also served as a Marketing Manager for several small businesses.
Robert J. Hartl, MA is an Associate Professor of Management and Director of the MBA in Leadership and Change at the School of Business and Technology. Mr. Hartl's professional interests include organization development, process consultation, organizational behavior, strategic leadership, and conflict resolution. He describes his teaching philosophy as, "helping students discover and appreciate how they learn and solve problems. This form of self-understanding is best achieved through experiential learning and the clinical application of theories. Therefore, my students often work in the field or with actual client groups in our classrooms. I want to help students develop mastery of the subject matter they study. Tomorrow's leaders must be capable, innovative and persistent; I believe our graduates are well-suited to those demands." In his spare time, Mr. Hartl enjoys distance running, backpacking, and fly-fishing. He also is an active consultant to organizations of all sizes and sectors.
Robert Hoffman, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the School of Business and Technology. Dr. Hoffman teaches courses in finance, managerial economics, microeconomics, game theory, and law and economics. In his spare time, Dr. Hoffman enjoys reading books and articles in evolutionary psychology, and playing baseball with his children.
Lynn is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist with a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, an M.S. from North Dakota State University, and a B.A. from The College of St. Scholastica. Dr. Kalnbach teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Organizational Behavior. Additional courses include Leadership, Team Development, Organization Development, and Staffing and Compensation. Her research interests focus on organizational issues including employee turnover and morale and organizational assessment, evaluation, and change. Dr. Kalnbach has led study abroad trips to China and Sydney, Australia.
Paul W. Khoury is a Certified Public Accountant and an Assistant Professor of Accounting at the School of Business and Technology. His academic interests include financial accounting, auditing and cost accounting. Mr. Khoury’s teaching philosophy is "Serve your students with their best interests in mind. The process of getting an education is a growth experience in which, if a student perseveres, he will learn about the things that really matter in life." In his spare time, Mr. Khoury likes automobile restoration and civil war history.
David Marc is an associate professor, department chair, and health informatics graduate program director in the health informatics and information management department. Currently, Dr. Marc teaches courses on healthcare data analytics and research. Dr. Marc has a master’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Minnesota and a PhD in health informatics from the University of Minnesota. He also holds a certification as a health data analyst (CHDA). Dr. Marc has extensive experience working with large healthcare datasets and analytical procedures. Dr. Marc is an active member of AMIA, AHIMA, and HIMSS and serves on various committees within these professional organizations. Prior to working for St. Scholastica, Dr. Marc was employed at a biotech company where he applied a myriad of analytic approaches to investigate the predictive value of biomarkers for psychiatric diseases.
Dr. Marc's research interests include the evaluation of health informatics and information management workforce needs and the assessment and development of public data registries. Recent publications include:
Edited Textbooks
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Trade Journals Publications
Ms. Oachs is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Informatics and Information Management. She earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Information Management and Master of Arts in Management at the College of St. Scholastica. Prior to beginning a career in education, she spent over fifteen years in the healthcare industry in the areas of clinical quality improvement, patient access, and information technology.
Ms. Oachs teaches both in the classroom and online. Courses taught consist of content related to management tools and strategies, workflow and process redesign, data analytics, and US healthcare systems. Ms. Oachs is currently the undergraduate program director in the Department of Health Informatics and Information Management.
Ms. Oachs is an active member of AHIMA and MHIMA and has served on the board of directors at both the regional and state levels. She was previously a commissioner on the Commission on Certification for Health Informatics and Information Management (CCHIIM), serves on the editorial board for Perspectives in HIM, and is a peer reviewer for the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management education (CAHIIM). She has been a speaker at regional and state HIM association meetings as well as at AHIMA’s national educator’s conference, the Assembly on Education. She has been a co-editor for the 4th, 5th and upcoming 6th edition of the premiere HIM textbook, Health Information Management: Concepts, Principles and Practice.
Ms. Oachs teaching philosophy is to bring theory and academic principles into practice successfully by teaching students to think analytically and critically in the practical setting.
Brandon Olson is a Professor of Data Analytics, IT, and Project Management and Director of the Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics and Master of Science in Project Management. His academic interests include data analytics, project management, IT strategy, knowledge management, systems thinking, and online education. Dr. Olson teaches courses that include data analytics, project management, capstone projects, and graduate capstone research. Dr. Olson serves as manager of the local outreach program for the Minnesota chapter of the Project Management Institute. In his spare time, he enjoys running, hiking, cross-country skiing, fishing, and reading.
Jennifer Pilon is an Assistant Professor of Management at the School of Business & Technology. Her area of specialty is healthcare finance and accounting. Mrs. Pilon teaches courses include Financial Management, Income Tax Accounting, Investments, Commercial/Residential Real Estate, Financial Markets and Institutions. In her spare time, Ms. Pilon enjoys spending time at Island Lake, biking, skiing and being a mom!
Jennifer Rosato is an Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems in the School of Business and Technology. She has an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from St. Scholastica and a Masters of Arts in Information Systems Management from Carnegie Mellon University. Her research interests are in K-12 computer science education, human-computer interaction on the web as well as supporting students in pursuing their own research. She is committed to involving more women and underrepresented minorities in the CS field, especially young women in middle and high schools as well as supporting K-12 educators to integrate and offer computer science in their classroom. She directs an NSF-funded interdisciplinary scholarship program and is dedicated to providing diverse experiences that support students in achieving their career goals.
Shanna Skallet is an Assistant Professor in Project Management and the Director for the Master of Science Program in Project Management. In addition to overall project management, her areas of experience and academic interest include construction and industrial project management, leadership of distributed and culturally diverse teams, and leadership theory. Ms. Skallet teaches courses in leadership theory, project management practices, and graduate capstone research. She also serves as co-chair of the outreach committee for the Minnesota Chapter of the Project Management Institute. In her spare time, Ms. Skallet enjoys modern quilting, playing video games, hiking and outdoor activities, and traveling.
Dr. Swenson is a Professor of Management at the College in the School of Business & Technology, and Director of the Online MBA for Rural Healthcare. He is a Licensed Psychologist with a doctorate is in Counseling Psychology and post-doctorate diplomate is in Forensic Psychology, and he holds master's degrees in Management, Media and Technology, School Counseling, and IT Leadership. His academic interests include shiftwork, systems theory, crisis and stress management, leadership pathology, and ethics. Dr. Swenson currently teaches Organization Development, Marketing/Consumer Behavior and Capstone/Thesis courses. He is the author of over 100 articles, book chapters, psychological tests, and a book, Stress Management for Law Enforcement Officers. He is currently working with the American Bar Association on a nation-wide survey of judicial stress, and co-facilitates the Integrative Systems Group on healthcare issues. Dr. Swenson’s personal interests include t'ai chi ch'uan, computer simulations, medieval history, writing, and blacksmithing.
David J. Vosen MA, Lecturer in the Computer Information Systems Department. He has an undergraduate degree in Chemistry with certificate in German Language and Culture from Carleton College as well as a Masters specializing in Learning Technologies from the University of St. Thomas. His varied academic interests include emerging & adaptive technologies, online education, mobile innovation & integration, web design, multimedia, cognitive science, and environmental science. D.Vo teaches courses on Computer Architecture, Computer Security, Database Modeling & SQL, Computer Software & Applications, and Ecology. He is an author of hundreds of YouTube videos, loves to integrate themed music into his courses with over 75 unique playlists, is a web master & desktop publisher for several nonprofits, and is an active member of the NE MN STEM leadership team. His personal interests include piping on the Great Highland Bagpipe, drumming on Xbox live, swimming, esoteric philosophy, wilderness survival, reading with his daughters, visual arts, off-grid construction, and traveling far & wide.
Introduction / Background
BA College of St. Scholastica in 1995 - MA College of St. Scholastica in 2006
Current Roles, Associations, Affiliations
Janelle started her career holding these types of jobs: HIM consulting, operations manager and release of information specialist. Upon her arrival at St. Scholastica in 2003, she became a Technology Lead, helping to implement the academic electronic health record into the Health Sciences curriculum (The ATHENS Project). After the grant-funded, ATHENS Project was complete; Janelle became a full time faculty, teaching classes in the undergraduate program, both online and face to face.
At the College, she currently serves as the faculty advisor to the Student Health Information Management Association (SHIMA) and in the past has been on various College and department committees such as undergraduate admissions, faculty/student group and IRB.
Additionally she has been a HIT Consultant for the REACH program, serving Minnesota and North Dakota. She is also a member and regularly attends AHIMA, MHIMA and NEMHIMA.
Interests / Specialties
As she continues to be interested in the various areas associated with the (EHR): implementation, workflow redesign, privacy & security and meaningful use, she would like to seek out more opportunities for international travel in the HIM arena.
Recent Publications, Presentations and Recognitions
Co-author with Danika Brinda, MA, RHIA, of the chapter titled: Electronic Health Record: Applications in Practice. Health Information Management: Concepts, Principles and Practices (4th Ed) published by the American Health Information Management Association. This text was published in 2013.
Co-author of the textbook entitled, Using the EHR in the Physician Office Practice with two colleagues: Shirley Eichenwald-Maki, MBA, RHIA, FAHIMA and Bonnie Patterson, Ph.D., RHIA. This text was published in 2013.
Co-authored Case Study: The ATHENS Project: Advancing Technology in Healthcare Education Now at St. Scholastica published in Nursing and Informatics for the 21stCentury: An International Look at Practice, Trends and the Future, Second Edition. Edited by Charlotte A. Weaver, RN, PHD, FHIMSS; Connie White Delaney, PHD, RN, FAAN, FACMI; Patrick Weber, RN, MA, and Robyn L. Carr, RGON. Published by the Health Information Management Systems Society, Chicago, IL. 2010.
Speaker, AHIMA's Assembly on Education Annual Meeting, HIM, Meaningful Use and Extension Centers: A View from the Frontline (July 2012)
Speaker, Northeast Minnesota Health Care Forum, Personal Health Records. (June, 2012)
Participant, AHIMA Capitol Hill Day in Washington, DC. (March 2012)
Recognitions:
Co-recipient along with the College of St. Scholastica’s ATHENS Project Team of Health Data Management Editor’s Choice Award for Innovator of the Year for the ATHENS Project, presented at the World Health Innovation and Technology Congress (WHITv4.0) Washington, DC in 2008.
Teaching philosophy
While developing my teaching philosophy, I believe in emphasizing a healthy balance to life, school and work. I encourage optimism, compassion and advocacy for those in need.
A Personal Note
My personal joy is in being a mother to Tyler and Daniel and capturing life through pictures. My boys are a whirlwind of energy and knowledge and they teach me many things. The most importantly has been to stop and be in the moment! I am also excited to be a part of international travel with CSS and the HIM Department. My travels to India in January 2011 and Germany 2014 were extraordinary; visiting hospitals, villages, schools and universities. I was very fortunate to be a part of something so unique and interesting!
Dr. Watters has a doctorate in Education from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. She completed her master's and bachelor's course work in Health Information Management, including a Certificate in Healthcare Informatics, from The College of St. Scholastica. Before moving into academia, Dr. Watters spent over 10 years in the HIM industry, working in the areas of release of information, HIM and admitting management in acute care settings, product management at a software and consulting firm, and HIPAA security at a multi-specialty physician group. She is credentialed as a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) and was awarded Fellowship of AHIMA in 2011.
As Director of the Health Information Management Graduate Program, Dr. Watters coordinates the activities and leads the ongoing development of the graduate program. In her role as Associate Professor, she teaches courses at the graduate level, such as Foundations of Management in HIM, and Applied Project Research and Writing. She is an active member of the Minnesota Health Information Management Association, and is past-president of the Northeastern Minnesota Health Information Management Association. She has served on the AHIMA Foundation Scholarship Committee and is currently serving a 3 year term as a member of the Health Information Management Accreditation Council for the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
Dr. Watters' personal interest lies in life-long learning, and the impact sense of community has on the learning process. She enjoys assisting students in their growth both educationally, and professionally, as each strive to reach their own personal goals. She is also interested in online learning principles, and incorporating technology in education.
Dr. Watters is co-editor and chapter co-author for the 5th edition of the textbook Health Information Management: Concepts, Principles & Practice. She previously served as editor of the Instructor Manual for the 4th edition of the textbook, and in the 3rd edition, she and her colleague, Pam Oachs, co-authored the chapter Informatics in Healthcare. She also co-authored a chapter in the textbook Data Analytics in Healthcare Research, and most recently co-authored an article in a refereed journal on the impact of the EHR Incentive Program on cultural competence in healthcare.
Adjuncts are listed during semesters in which they teach.