Faculty
Dr. Richard Oliver, Dean
Dr. Kristofer Hagglund, Professor & Associate Dean
Dr. Kathleen Snella, Assistant Dean, UMKC Pharmacy Satellite (Columbia Campus)

Staff
Wei Du, System Support Analyst
Meichele Foster, Development Officer
Cheri Ghan, Coordinator of External Relations
Beth Hays, Administrative Manager
Chi Johnson,
Rebecca Keefer, MBA, PHR, Human Resource Administrator
Jeneva Pace Powell, Coordinator of Special Events and Web Design
Joyce Pfaff, Grants Administrator
Jill Oser , Executive Assistant to the Dean
Chris Schenewerk, Billing Manager
Lisa Sowards,
Sarah Taylor, Office Support Assistant
Nicole Whyte - Administrative Assistant

Richard E. Oliver, Ph.D., Dean

Richard E. Oliver, Ph.D., founding dean of the School of Health Professions (SHP), has spent his entire academic career at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to his appointment as Dean, Dr. Oliver served as Director of the School since 1986. Certified as a Medical Technologist by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, he was the Program Director of Clinical Laboratory Sciences from 1978 until 1986. He earned his Ph.D., M.Ed., and B.S. degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Oliver is a strong proponent of scholarship and service. He has authored and co-authored numerous scientific, peer-reviewed publications and presented over 50 scholarly workshops at national and international conferences. He is a member of many scientific and professional organizations including the Association of Allied Health Professions, the American Association for Higher Education, the National Rural Health Association, the Midwest BioEthics Center, the RidgeCrest Learning Advisory Board, and the Mid-Missouri Health Education Center. In addition, his many years of leadership have been instrumental in the creation of the School Health Professions as an autonomous unit at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Kristofer J. Hagglund, Ph.D., is the Associate Dean for Health Policy and Professor of Health Psychology. He was a 2000-2001 Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow in the Office of Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), where he worked on legislation addressing patients’ rights, mental health parity, rural health care, health professions workforce, community health centers, and the National Health Service Corps. Dr. Hagglund has an active research program and has published in the areas of adaptation to chronic illnesses and disabilities, health care delivery systems, and professional issues. His current projects include a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to evaluate a consumer-driven personal assistance services program being implemented by the State of Missouri. He is the principal investigator of the Missouri Model Spinal Cord Injury System, a five-year research and demonstration project funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Dr. Hagglund is co-principal investigator of the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, where he is conducting a study of health care delivery systems for people with arthritis. Also, he directs a post-doctoral training program in rehabilitation research funded by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Hagglund obtained a B.A. in psychology from Illinois State University and a Ph.D. in Clinical (Medical) Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Kathleen Snella, Assistant Dean, UMKC Pharmacy Satellite, Columbia Campus

Kathleen A. Snella, PharmD, BCPS is the Assistant Dean for the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Pharmacy Satellite Program and Vice-Chair for the UMKC Division of Pharmacy Practice.   She earned her BS in Pharmacy from the University of Iowa in 1990 and her PharmD from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio in 1993.  She also completed a Specialty Pharmacy Residency in Primary Care at the Wm. S. Middleton Veterans Affairs Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin.  Dr. Snella is a board certified pharmacotherapist and has practiced as a clinical pharmacist for the past 15 years in addition to her academic duties.  Her specialties include the management and prevention of chronic diseases such as coagulation disorders, diabetes, and osteoporosis.  Dr. Snella also serves as a national representative on the Pharmacy Services Technical Advisory Coalition which was formed to advance the technical infrastructure necessary to reimburse pharmacists for clinical services.  The UMKC School of Pharmacy Satellite Program is based in Columbia, Missouri on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus.  The vision of a satellite program developed between the UMKC School of Pharmacy and the UMC School of Health Professions.  The program enrolled its first students in the Fall of 2005 with 28 students.  Each year an additional 28 students will be enrolled into the 5-year professional program with the first class graduating in 2010.

Chi Johnson is our newest member to the School of Health Professions. Chi joins us as the Office Suprt Staff IV in the fiscal office beginning September 2007.

Wei Du joined the University of Missouri-Columbia in March 1999 as a User Support Analyst, following four years with the State of Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Wei received his M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Before coming to the United States in 1990, he was an Assistant Engineer in Shanghai, China. Wei is currently responsible for all technical computer issues in the School of Health Professions.

Meichele Foster, Development Officer

Meichele Foster joined the School of Health Professions in June of 1999. Prior to her appointment with the School she worked as an Administrative Assistant for 6 years at an area business. She is a licensed practical nurse. She received her B.A. in Sociology from Columbia College and is currently pursuing her master's degree in public administration through the Truman School of Public Affairs. Last year, Meichele accepted the position of Development Officer for SHP. Prior to holding this role, Meichele was the Director of the Office of Continuing Education at SHP and an Executive Assistant to the Dean.

Cheri Ghan, Director of External Relations

Cheri recently joined the School of Health Professions in January 2006 as Director of External Relations. Cheri is a native of Springfield, Mo., but has called Columbia home for the last 21 years. She has a bachelor's degree in electronic media and communication from Southwest Missouri State University. She was a radio reporter in Springfield for eight years and also hosted the local news program "Springfield Scene" for TeleCable of Springfield. In 1985 she joined the staff of Secretary of State Roy Blunt, serving as Blunt's public information officer and spokesperson. Cheri previously worked as a writer for the MU News Bureau where she covered the School of Health Professions from 1999-2003. Cheri has also been an active volunteer with the Columbia public schools, a PTA president for two school units as well as the Columbia Council of PTAs, a substitute teacher and freelance writer.

Rebecca Keefer, Human Resource Administrator

Rebecca Keefer, MBA, PHR, is currently the Human Resource Administrator for the School of Health Professions at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her responsibilities include leadership in the delivery of strategic and operational human resource services. Ms. Keefer is certified by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of the Ozarks in Music. Ms. Keefer received her Masters of Business Administration with an Emphasis in Human Resources from William Woods University in 2004.

Beth Hays joined the School of Health Professions in March 1999 as an Administrative Associate II. In February 2001 she was named Manager of Business and Fiscal Operations. In September 2003 she was promoted to Administrative Manager. During her 17+ years with the University of Missouri-Columbia she has worked for the Division of Pulmonary Medicine, UMC Integrated Technology Services and University Physicians Patient Accounts and various other administrative positions across MU Health Care.

Joyce Pfaff joined the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Health Professions as its Grants Specialist in April 2001, following 10 years with the MU Office of Sponsored Program Administration. As a grants and contracts administrator in that office, she worked with faculty members seeking external funding for research, educational, and public service projects. Her duties included assisting with budget development, review of grant proposals, and contract negotiation. After earning her B.A. in English/Education, Joyce spent 8 years as a secondary school English teacher. In addition to her writing/editing skills and pre-award grant knowledge, Joyce brought approximately 15 years of government procurement and contract negotiation experience to her position with the School. She is an active member of the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA).

Chris Schenewerk, Billing Manager

Chris Schenewerk joined the School of Health Professions in January 2002 as Manager of Patient Services. Chris started with the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1990 where she worked with University Physicians Patient Accounts for 7 years. Just prior to her appointment with the School of Health Professions, Chris was a Billing Administrator in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the School of Medicine.

Sarah Taylor, Administrative Associate I

Sarah Taylor joined the School of Health Professions in January 2004 as Office Support Staff with the fiscal office. Sarah started with the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2004 where she worked with part-time for SHP for 2 years.

Nicole J. Whyte, Administrative Assistant, has worked for the SHP Dean's Office since December 2004. She provides administrative support to Associate Deans Dr. Kristofer Hagglund and Dr. Kevin Rudeen. She and her husband, Jeffrey, came to Missouri from Kitchener, Ontario where they both attended the University of Waterloo. Nicole completed her Master of Applied Science (MASc) degree in Psychology in 1995. After attending a conference in Columbia, Missouri in 1998, they decided it was a great place to stay. They have one child, Sophie, who was born in 1996. In Nicole's spare time, she enjoys playing the piano, cooking, and going for bike rides. 

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last updated 9-5-2007