Education

Bio

As the Dean of the College of Professional Programs, my role is to support the faculty and students in this college as well as any student attending UMPI. I work closely with each program as we strive to be current and supportive of meeting the needs of our community partners. I am the coordinator of the Exercise Science program at UMPI. I teach and work with our other faculty to develop a program to prepare our students for their place in healthcare or in a health and wellness career.

Areas of Expertise

Athletic Training Exercise Science PTA Education

Scholarly Activities

Attend many workshops and conferences in athletic training

• Eastern Athletic Trainers Association
• National Athletic Trainers’ Association
• Maine Athletic Trainers’ Association
• Northern New England Athletic Training Conference

Bio

Native to Canton, South Dakota, Dr. Dr. Gibson studied sociology and criminal justice at Dakota Wesleyan, U. of South Dakota, and South Dakota State U. He worked at McCrossans Boys Ranch, a juvenile facility, during his doctoral studies. He joined AFROTC during doctoral studies at South Dakota State and later served as an AF officer from 2003 to 2011. As an officer, he served in the AF Occupational Measurement Squadron, then the USAF Academy before resigning and taking a new professorship at U. of Wisconsin-Platteville. He left UWP for UMPI in 2015 remaining in the criminal justice field. Dr. Gibson is married with 4 adult children.

Areas of Expertise

Management, Organization, Leadership Social Movements and Change Courtship and Gender

Community Involvement

• Civil Air Patrol, Squadron Commander, Presque Isle

Education

Bio

Tomasz Herzog was awarded a Ph.D. in Educational Studies and Master’s degree in Sociology at Adam Mickiewicz University (Poznań, Poland). He also completed postgraduate studies in Civic Education and Educational Leadership at Georgetown University and The George Washington University.

He has been a Professor of Social Foundations of Education and Social Studies Education at the University of Maine at Presque Isle since 2006. Previously, he has also held research and teaching positions at Adam Mickiewicz University (Poland), SUNY at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY), Empire State College, and Gratz College (USA).

Areas of Expertise

Social foundations of education Social studies Civic education Multicultural education Political and social post-Holocaust Polish Jewish history Holocaust education

Community Involvement

In Poland

• co-founder – the Poznań chapter of the Poland-Israel Friendship Association,
• co-founder – “Otwarta Rzeczpospolita” (Open Republic – Association against Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia).

In the USA

• Board of Directors member – the Maine Council for the Social Studies
• Dr. Herzog actively participates in the life of the Jewish community in Maine

Scholarly Activities

• Affiliated Faculty – Judaic Studies, University of Maine (Orono)
• MA thesis advisor – Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Gratz College
• Review Board member of the following peer-reviewed journals:
  • “Dyskursy Młodych Andragogów” (publisher: University of Zielona Góra, Poland); -“Collaborations: A Journal of Community-based Research and Practice” (publisher: Miami University, OH & Rutgers University, USA)
  • “The Journal of Social Studies Research” (publisher: The International Society for the Social Studies, USA).
  • Former International Advisory Board member – a peer-reviewed “Przegląd Politologiczny” (Political Science Review), (publisher: Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland).
  • Former International Advisory Board member – the Maryland Council for the Social Studies, – Former Academic Advisor – The Mark and Gail Appel Program in Holocaust and Antiracism Education – “Learning from the Past, Teaching for the Future” (The Centre for Jewish Studies and The Canadian Centre for German and European Studies, York University in Toronto, Canada).

Education

Bio

Dr. Wendi Malenfant has dedicated her career to the field of Education. She is a proud graduate of the teacher preparation program at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and taught in the Presque Isle school system for 17 years. She served as Easton Elementary School principal for five years and has been teaching in the teacher preparation program at UMPI since 2015. Dr. Malenfant did her doctoral dissertation on mathematics anxiety in first-generation pre-service teachers and aspires to help mitigate that anxiety in her students in order to break the mathematics anxiety cycle. She believes building relationships with students is the first crucial step in educating tomorrow’s leaders, and she looks for ongoing opportunities to immerse her students in the field to interact with teachers and students in local public schools. Dr. Malenfant is passionate about teaching and learning and strives to inspire her students to learn and grow along with her. She lives in Westfield with her husband, Kevin, who is also an educator and University of Maine at Presque Isle graduate.

Areas of Expertise

Elementary Education Early Childhood Education Educational Leadership/Administration Math Anxiety in Pre-Service Teachers

Scholarly Activities

• Ph.D. in Educational Leadership: “A Quantitative Study of Mathematics Anxiety in First-Generation Pre-Service Teachers”

Education

Bio

Mr. Nonken has been teaching within the business and criminal justice fields for over a decade, capitalizing on his experiences of over 15 years of leadership in a variety of multinational companies ranging in the areas of aerospace, animal, and human health, to retail and manufacturing. He has held multiple senior management positions in the areas of information technology (in both the biotech and retail industries), manufacturing and supply chain management (biotech, aerospace, and others) as well as operating his own consulting business.

Mr. Nonken has three master’s degrees, receiving his Master of Business Administration and Master of Criminal Justice Administration from Husson University, and his Master of Ethics from North Carolina State University.

In addition, Mr. Nonken has maintained his law enforcement officer certificate (including advanced standings) with the state of Maine and has served in a variety of communities in Maine for over 20 years as an officer and certified instructor for the academy. Mr. Nonken has lived in northern Maine for over 20 years with his family and will begin his PhD in Education program in the fall of 2022.

Areas of Expertise

Management, Organization, Leadership Operations Process Improvement Criminal Justice

Community Involvement

• Maine Criminal Justice Academy Instructor
• Advisory Board Member – Presque Isle Regional Technology Center
• Former Board Member – Hope and Justice Project

Education

Bio

Leo earned a B.S. in Health and Physical Education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in 1983, where he also played NCAA Div. II baseball. He entered the U.S. Navy in 1984, served 4 years of active duty as a Hospital Corpsman (Medic) and another 2 years on inactive reserve. After military service he earn a Master’s Degree in Education in Physical Education from Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. After teaching and coaching Middle School and High School in Georgia for 6 years, Leo was hired by Valdosta State University as a P. E. instructor and supervisor of Physical Education student-teachers, he also directed all aspects of the activity course program. He taught at VSU for 3 years, then spent a year at the University of New Mexico. Leo, a native of Millinocket, Maine was hired at the University of Maine at Presque Isle for the 2000 – 2001 academic year; he has spent the last 21 years preparing future physical education teachers. Additionally, Leo coached the UMPI baseball team for several years and now serves as the Physical Education Teaching program Coordinator and has recently launched a Minor Degree program in Athletics Coaching.

Areas of Expertise

Methods of Teaching K-1 Motor Learning and Performance Athletics Coaching Baseball Coaching

Community Involvement

• Provides 10 online courses to assist employed teachers interested in a PET certification.
• Coordinates with local schools to bring groups of elementary students onto campus to engage in movement opportunities.
• Supervises an advisory group of physical education teachers tasked with improving the physical education experience.

Education

Bio

Tara Whiton is an Assistant Professor of Health Administration (Community Health) and Curriculum Development Specialist for the new Health Administration degree as part of the Title III grant. Tara has a Master’s in Health and Human Development and PhD in Sport Physiology and Performance. She is passionate about chronic disease prevention through health education and promotion of nutrition, fitness, and wellness, as well as maternal and infant nutrition, and nutrient energy availability and resources. She channels her academic knowledge and experiences through several community service oriented projects representing UMPI/UMFK on the board at Aroostook County Action Program, an advisor to the board of the First 1,000 Days Maine Initiative – an approach that highlights the importance of adequate nutrition in early life, from conception to a child’s second birthday, and as a member of the obesity-member interest group for the Maine Public Health Association. Tara is involved in research and drafting policy briefings and educational materials to key stakeholders for creating change in the public health infrastructure of these areas in the state of Maine. Outside of the academic realm, Tara enjoys spending time with her husband, Tim and son, Rhys. She enjoys the outdoors, endurance sports, cooking, baking and gardening.

Areas of Expertise

Nutrition Community Nutrition Maternal and Infant Nutrition Community Health Sports Performance Strength and Conditioning

Community Involvement

• Board Member – Aroostook County Action Program
• Advisory Board Member – First 1,000 Days Maine
• Member of Obesity Interest Group – Maine Public Health Association

Scholarly Activities

• Whiton, Tara; Yerxa, Kathryn; and Schattman, Rachel E., “COVID-19 Affects Coping Strategies and Food Access for Maine Adults” (2021). Food Science and Human Nutrition Faculty Scholarship.
• “Public Health Approaches to Addressing Obesity” (2021). Presentation to Maine State Legislature. Maine Public Health Association Member Interest Section on Obesity. 2021
• Whiton, Tara K., “The Influence of Chronic Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation on Measures of Central and Peripheral Fatigue in Training Athletes” (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2019
• “Beyond statistical significance: Unifying the language between sport scientists and coaches” – conference presentation – Coaches College 2018
• “Changes in stretch-shortening cycle and jump height after a competitive training season in collegiate distance runners” – conference presentation – Coaches College 2018
• “Preliminary analysis: Moderating the stress perception of collegiate distance runners using branched-chain amino acids” – conference presentation – Southeast and National American College of Sports Medicine Conference 2018
• “Branched-chain amino acid supplementation may produce marginal reductions in task-specific muscular soreness in collegiate distance runners” – conference presentation – Southeast and National American College of Sports Medicine Conference – Chattanooga, TN and Minneapolis, MN 2018
• “The contribution of muscle cross-sectional area to jump height in collegiate athletes” – conference presentation – Southeast American College of Sports Medicine Conference – Greeneville, SC 2017

Education

Community Involvement

• Easton School Board Budget Committee

Scholarly Activities

• George J. Mitchell Scholar