New faculty members were welcomed to Dalton State College recently during a week of faculty orientation activities on campus.

“We are eagerly looking forward to having these new individuals with us as colleagues and showing them off to our students,” said Dr. John Hutcheson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, noting that 15 new full-time teaching faculty members have been hired along with eight support staffers.

“The academic and professional credentials and the previous accomplishments of this year’s group of new faculty members, whether they are joining us as replacements for retirees or as additions to our corps of instruction, show every promise of sustaining the high standards and superior achievement set by their predecessors.” Joining the Business Administration faculty are Dr. Cassie Bradley, Associate Professor of Accounting, and Dr. James Coleman, Associate Professor of Marketing. Dr. Bradley, who earned her Ph.D. from the University of Alabama, has served as an Assistant Professor at Mercer University, Troy State University, and Auburn University. She also served as the Director of the M.B.A. program at Mercer University. Dr. Coleman, who also earned his Ph.D. from the University of Alabama, has been an Assistant Professor at Mercer University and Troy State University and is the Owner of Market Results, Inc.

The College’s Division of Education will welcome Sharon Beavers and Phyllis Conn as Temporary Instructors in Education. Ms. Beavers, who has taught in the Whitfield County Schools, completed her Ed.S. from the State University of West Georgia and is completing requirements toward her Ed.D. from the University of Georgia. Ms. Conn earned an Ed.S from the University of West Georgia and has served as the Director of Federal Programs for the Whitfield County Schools.

The College’s new Respiratory Therapy program will be staffed by Max Pierce, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Respiratory Therapy, and Hossein Gharanfoli, Instructor and Clinical Services Coordinator in Respiratory Therapy. Mr. Pierce earned his Ed.S from the State University of West Georgia and served as the Respiratory Director for the Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation. Mr. Gharanfoli has been the Disease Management Coordinator for Erlanger Medical Center.

New to the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics are Kenneth Pestka, Assistant Professor of Physics; Javad Zedah, Assistant Professor of Mathematics; Thomas Gonzalez, Temporary Assistant Professor of Mathematics; and Nathalie Sanders, Temporary Instructor in Mathematics. Dr. Pestka earned his Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University where he served as a Teaching Assistant. Dr. Zedah earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University and has taught at Brewton Parker College and Middle Georgia College. Dr. Gonzalez formerly taught at the University of West Alabama. And Ms. Sanders, who earned an Ed.S. from the State University of West Georgia, has taught part-time at Dalton State and as a teacher at Southeast High School.

Sylvia King will join the Nursing Division as an Assistant Professor of Nursing. She earned her M.S.N. degree from Kennesaw State University and has practiced at the Caron Medical Clinic at Floyd Primary Care.

The Humanities Division will welcome Regina Ray as an Assistant Professor of Reading and Leigh Ann Johnston as a Temporary Assistant Professor of Speech. Ms. Ray earned her master’s degree from Tennessee Technological University and has been the Reading Coordinator at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga and Ms. Johnston has taught at Florida Metropolitan University and Northwestern Technical College.

Joining the Social Work division is Jane Wimmer, Temporary Instructor in Social Work. She earned her M.S.W. from Rutgers University. Dr. John Turrentine earned his M. D. from the Medical College of Georgia and will serve as a Temporary Instructor in Surgical Technology and Program Director. He has practiced as a physician for Sellers & Turrentine and at Piedmont Women’s Center in North Carolina.

New support staff members include: Kirsten Andrews, Biology Lab Coordinator; Fernando Garcia, Admissions Recruiter; Judy McEntyre, Director of the Educational Technology Training Center; Ginny McEver, Academic Advisor; Matthew Queener, Admissions Counselor; Madalyn Smith, Site Coordinator for the DSC Catoosa Center; Jody Trost, Freshman Year Experience Coordinator; and Teresa Weimann, Student Activities Intern.