Irish Faculty
Billy MagFhloin Ph.D.
Billy has a Ph.D. in Folkloristics, and a B.A. in Archaeology from University College Dublin. As well as lecturing and tutoring at university level, he also works with Irish television for RTÉ or TG4, but occasionally for international productions, including the BBC, PBS or the National Geographic Channel. He is also an accomplished musician and occasionally works as a tour guide in the Dingle Peninsula. Billy’s scholarly interests include pre-Christian religious practices and beliefs, prehistoric archaeology, and folk practices of early modern Ireland. In 2016 he published a book entitled Blood Rite: The Feast of St. Martin in Ireland
Ciara Barrett Ph.D.
Ciara holds a doctorate in Film Studies from Trinity College Dublin in 2015. She has lectured in film studies and audio-visual culture at Trinity, Sacred Heart University in Dingle and NUIG, where she coordinated both the BA in Film Studies and the MA in Digital Media. She has published on a wide range of film-related topics, including performance and representation in Classical Hollywood Cinema, contemporary genre filmmaking and Irish animation.
Colm Ó Coileáin Ph.D.
Colm is a post-primary teacher of Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science at Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne. He holds a B.Sc. in Science Education from Dublin City University, as well as an M.Sc. in eLearning. His doctoral research investigated the introduction of inquiry-based science education in Gaelscoileanna; his research interests also include minority-language immersion education, action research and teacher reflective practice.
Dáithí de Mórdha Ph.D.
Dáithí is a journalist and broadcaster at Raidió na Gaeltachta [Irish-language radio service of Raidió Teilifís Éireann], and he teaches History and Archeology of Ireland and the Dingle peninsula at SHU in Dingle. He holds a M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Folklore and Ethnology from University College Cork. His Ph.D. thesis is a study of the impact RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta had on the life and especially the cultural life of the Gaeltacht communities. The story of RnaG is told in the context of folklore and ethnological studies. In 2013 he published The Great Blasket: A Photographic Portrait / An Blascaod Mór: Portráid Pictiúr with the The Collins Press.
Dara Jauch
Dara Jauch holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Dublin City University and a Higher Diploma in Television and Video Production from Kerry College. Dara has been working as a co-producer and editor with award-winning production companies in Dingle, producing documentaries on Human Rights, art, culture and music for broadcasters like RTÉ, BBC and TG4. As well as working in the field, Dara has taught video production to all ages throughout her 14 year career. Dara is a fluent Irish and German speaker and a Cork native who loves living in Dingle.
Fiona Barton M.Sc.
Fiona is a Cardiology Nurse Specialist, Acute Medical Training, and Resuscitation and Cardiology Training Director at Critical Care Training Ltd. where she is involved in Resuscitation training with ACLS BLS Immediate Care; ECG workshops; General Practice workshops; Management of ACS and collapse; and Anaphylaxis training. She is also the Resuscitation Officer, Kerry General Hospital. Fiona has also worked in Cardiology CNS at the Dingle Medical Centre, and Cardiology at the Mater Hospital Dublin.
Jackie Ruttledge MA
Jackie is a lecturer in health science at Munster Technological University and was instrumental in setting up the Healthy Campus project. Her work includes lecturing in health and personal wellbeing and health behaviour change, designing, implementing and evaluating health promotion interventions, health policy development and health behaviour research. Jackie holds an M.A in Health Promotion from University College Cork and a B.Sc in Health, Fitness and Leisure Studies from the Institute of Technology, Tralee. Jackie is also a qualified yoga and meditation teacher and a yoga therapist.
John O’Connor M.Sc
John is an SENr and AfN registered performance nutritionist currently working with Kerry GAA, Elevate Performance and his own business, Target Nutrition. This work allows him to keep on top of the latest nutrition research. He holds a BSc in Sport & Exercise Science from the University of Limerick and a MSc in Exercise & Nutrition Science from the University of Chester along with several speciality certifications such as Disordered Eating in Athletes from Loughborough University and Food as Medicine from Monash University, amongst others. John teaches The Fundamentals of Nutrition at SHU campus in Dingle.
Kevin J. Power Ph.D
Kevin J. Power, Ph.D. (University College Cork) is a Cork-born philosophy teacher and musician, now living in Castlegregory, Co. Kerry. He has lectured in the philosophy of mind, environmental ethics, and philosophy of death and dying, as well as writing and delivering a unique module entitled 'The Philosophy of Interdependence' for UCC's Adult Continuing Education programme, as well as teaching Bioethics at the Dingle campus of Sacred Heart University. Kevin's writing and music is available through his website www.innerchapter.com.
Linda McCarthy MSN
Linda McCarthy has over 18 years of professional nursing experience in various medical environments including: critical care, orthopedics, medical, surgical, gynacology, long-term care, pediatric and over eight years of emergency nursing experience. Linda completed a Diploma and Degree in Nursing studies as well as a Higher Diploma in Emergency Medicine and a Masters in Nursing.
Michael Geaney M.Sc
Mikey, as he is known, has a solid experience in the GAA as a member of the senior team of the Kerry Gaelic Football team. His MSC degree is in Sports Performance from the University of Limerick, and he has training from Setanta College with a Certificate in Functional Movement and Resistance Training, as well as a QQI Sports Nutrition, Irish Training and Education Centre. He also holds a Bachelor of Business Studies University of Limerick. In addition to teaching in the SHU in Dingle campus, Mikey is a Video Analyst for the Munster RFC Academy.
Niamh Varian Barry MA
Niamh Varian-Barry holds a Masters in Music Performance from the Royal Irish Academy of Music and a Bachelors in Music Performance from the Cork School of Music. She is a skilled orchestral and ensemble composer and arranger and has written for the Irish Chamber Orchestra. She worked with top musicians in Ireland and abroad across all genres of music with a specific interest in classical, Irish traditional music and contemporary pop and singer-songwriters. She is a member of the groundbreaking dance music project SuperCéilí and orchestra leader of the Irish Memory Orchestra and has performed in prestigious venues worldwide including New York’s Carnegie Hall.
SHU
Abby Bender Ph.D.
Abby Bender teaches Experiencing Literature, First-year Seminar, and classes in Irish literature and culture, including Irish Women Writers, Irish Drama, and James Joyce. Her research has focused primarily on twentieth-century Irish writing, including a recent book on Irish-Jewish analogies during the literary revival, and essays on Irish women's writing. She earned her Ph.D. in English at Princeton University and previously taught at the College of Mount Saint Vincent and in the Irish Studies program at New York University. Her current teaching and research explore questions of disability, the body, and motherhood in Ireland in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Analisa Gagnon Ph.D.
Dr. Analisa Gagnon is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice in the Department of Sociology, Criminology and Criminal Justice. A criminologist by title and victimologist by practice, Professor Gagnon focuses both her teaching and research on victimology, crime theory, and criminal justice systems. Professor Gagnon is a regular presenter at the American Society of Criminology appearing on panels for topics ranging from victimization, crime scene investigation, and corrections. Having assisted in reactivating the Criminal Justice Club on campus, she currently serves as its faculty advisor.
Caitlin A. Ross, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Dr. Caitlin Ross is a licensed speech-language pathologist. She teaches courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the areas of anatomy, phonetics and phonology, fluency, speech sound disorders, as well as language and literacy development in school-aged children. Her classroom teaching is informed by her clinical practice in early intervention and particular research interests in speech perception, noise and word learning outcomes, and the spoken language and literacy development of both typical children and the pediatric deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) population.
Caroline V Comerford, Ph.D.
Caroline V. Comerford, Ph.D., is a criminologist whose areas of specialization in teaching and research include violent serial crime and offenders, specifically serial homicide, and serial killers. Dr. Comerford's other areas of specialization and interests include (but are not limited to): Home Invasion Serial Killers (HISKs), residential sex offenders, Environmental Criminology, geographic profiling, geospatial analysis, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Problem-Oriented Policing (POP), Situational Crime Prevention (SCP), and Crime Pattern Analysis (CPA). She has published papers in the following journals: Homicide Studies; Victims & Offenders; Crime, Law, & Social Change; Psychology, Crime & Law; International Journal of Comparative & Applied Criminal Justice; and International Criminal Justice Review.
Charles Gillespie Ph.D.
Dr. Charles A. Gillespie’s research and teaching investigate theology, the arts, and culture with a focus on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, critical theories of creation and beauty, and theatre and performance studies. He is a member of the John Moriarty Institute for Ecology and Spirituality. Charlie completed his Ph.D. in Religious Studies at the University of Virginia, and he holds a B.A.H. in Humanities from Villanova University and a M.A.R. in Religion and Literature from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and Yale University Divinity School. A longtime theatre-maker, Charlie spent time training in theatre-for-social-change with the Parapanda Theatre Art Lab in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and co-founded experimental ensemble Theatrum Sacrum. He is currently working on his first book, God on Broadway, under contract with Fortress Press.
Cristina Pino, MS, SLP-CCC
Cristina M. Pino MA, CCC-SLP, is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Co-Director of Clinical Education for the Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Program, in the Communications Disorders Department at Sacred Heart University. Prior to joining Sacred Heart University, she worked as a medical speech-language pathologist (SLP) in acute and subacute rehabilitation centers. Her clinical focus includes assessment and treatment of adult neurogenic communication and swallowing disorders as well as clinical supervision of graduate student clinicians.
Dawn Melzer Ph.D.
Dawn Melzer teaches at both the graduate (MSAP) and undergraduate levels. She teaches Child Development in Dingle, and has been instrumental in the development of the current project-based course format. Her current research projects involve investigating the role of executive function in the motor development of children and a comparative study focused on assessing creativity in dolphins and preschoolers.
Ellen Massucci, MS, SLP-CCC, MPH
Ellen Massucci is the Co-Director of Clinical Education and Coordinator of Educational Placements for the graduate Speech-Language Pathology Program. Prior to coming to Sacred Heart University, she worked as a school based certified SLP, for 25 years. Her area of specialty are child language, school based speech-language pathology and clinical supervision. Ellen has been an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certified speech-language pathologist since 1986. She currently is a member of both ASHA and the Connecticut Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA).
Enda McGovern Ph.D.
Enda McGovern teaches Tourism Marketing in Dingle that enables students to work directly with local tourist businesses. He is a native of Donegal, Ireland. His primary interests are Social marketing and bringing a better understanding of commuter behavior to travel demand management and in engaging in persuading commuters to consider alternative modes of transport. More recently, he has focused in examining the public's perception of assessing carbon emissions and how consumers can relate to their carbon footprint as a means of informing themselves more about global warming concerns.
Heather Ferrillo Ph.D., MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE
Heather Ferrillo teaches in both the undergraduate and Family Nurse Practitioner program. Her current areas of focus include Adult nursing I and II, Pathophysiology and Nursing Leadership in Ireland. She maintains a current practice as a Cardiology Nurse Practitioner in the Bridgeport area and coordinates/precepts nurse practitioner students that take part in the yearly clinical immersion trip to Kingston, Jamaica, as well as teaches in Dingle, Ireland.
John B. Roney Ph.D.
John B. Roney is a historian of French history, with a consideration of how smaller European regions interacted with France but sought independence from traditional monarchies, namely Geneva, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland. He was written about religion in society and the interaction of Catholic and Protestant communities and the cultural heritage of coastal communities with a focus on the history of artisan fishing, and the history of tourism in the west of Ireland.
Joshua A. Shuart Ph.D.
Dr. Shuart's expertise and scholarly interests include celebrity endorsement, sport marketing, and sport & entertainment sponsorship. He is a member of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS), The Alliance for Sport Business, Sport Marketing Association (SMA), and the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM). Prior to coming to Sacred Heart University, Professor Shuart worked as a Research Associate with the Laboratory for Leisure, Tourism & Sport in Storrs, CT. In 2003, he was named a Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellow and worked with students as a Faculty Advisor to the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). Dr. Shuart has consulted with numerous organizations, teams and corporations, including: ESPN, World Wrestling Entertainment, The Harlem Globetrotters, Madison Square Garden, and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
LaTina M. Steele, Ph.D.
Mark Congdon Jr Ph.D.
Mark Congdon has a Ph.D. in Communication with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship, Communication Pedagogy, and Educational Leadership. Dr. Congdon’s scholarly interest considers the ways in which community partnerships and pedagogical praxis (i.e., teaching & learning) can work together to advance social justice initiatives in communities
Nathan Lewis MFA
Nathan Lewis is Professor of Art, Chair of Art & Design, and the curator of the A&D Gallery at the Edgerton. Nathan teaches painting, drawing, printmaking, design, and art history. His artwork is shown in museums, galleries, and universities throughout the United States and Abroad. SHU has three murals by Nathan. His work has been published and reviewed by the Boston Globe, the New York Times, International Artist Magazine, and the Huffington Post. Recent exhibitions have been in New York, Miami, California, Connecticut, and Venice, Italy. He loves road-tripping, travel, and art history, but really loves teaching newcomers how to paint and helping them find the artist within them.
Rachel Bowman Ph.D.
Rachel Bowman, Professor of Psychology, co-teaches Experiential Models of Psychology and Neuroscience that explores applications of environmental enrichment in Dingle, Ireland. Her research focuses primarily on anxiety and learning and memory in a rodent model and examines how these processes are altered by experiences such as stress exposure, environmental enrichment, and environmental toxin exposure.
Robin Hands Ed.D.
Robin Hands is the Director of Clinical Practice at the Farrington College of Education. Before coming to SHU, she was the Director of School-University Partnerships at the University of Connecticut. Her scholarship focuses on teacher education, clinical practice, and school-university partnerships. She was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the National Center for Clinical Practice and Education Preparation (NCCEP) and is a member of the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) and the National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER).She is currently the arthritis media spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association, a Board Member for the Easter Seals of Massachusetts and consultant to the Singapore Ministry of Health.
University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Heather Jeffries MS
Heather Jeffries is Program Director and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She has 25 years of experience as a criminal justice practitioner, serving as chief investigator for the Allen County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and as a drug court probation/field officer for Allen Superior Court. She holds a master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology. Some of her consulting work includes conducting a jail population evalulation for Criminal Division Services, a recidivism study for the Allen County Drug Court Program and creating the administrative policies for Allen County Community Corrections’ Residential Services Program. Her teaching areas of interest include criminal justice and criminology, forensic psychology, violence and victimology, drugs and society, and law enforcement. She is the recipient of the Leepoxy Award for Teaching Excellence.
Southern New Hampshire University
Doug Blais, Ph.D.
Dr. Blais joined SNHU in 1996 and is a professor of Sport Management. He received SNHU's Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003 and 2010. Blais has worked with some of the best sports teams and companies in the world. He has advised the Boston Celtics on their ticketing policies, traveled with NBC to help produce the Olympics and consulted with many sports teams and entertainment venues in New England and beyond. Blais received his BS from New Hampshire College in 1998, his MBA from SNHU in 1990 and his Doctor of Philosophy in Sport Management from the University of Connecticut in 2000. In 2011, Blais traveled to Nicaragua with Soccer Without Borders where he assisted in providing programming to young girls that are traditionally excluded from sports-based and extracurricular activities. In 2016, Blais traveled to Uganda with the organization providing academic and sport-based programing to underserved children. Blais works closely with Team Impact, a non-profit organization that matches children facing serious and chronic illnesses with college athletic teams. His on-going 5-year longitudinal study measures the impact the relationship has on the child and the student-athlete. Blais was awarded the Faculty Athletic Representative Fellowship from the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 2006 and in 2012 attended the NCAA Advanced Leadership Institute. Blais served on the NCAA Division II Management Council from 2013-2017. Blais was inducted into SNHU's Alumni Hall of Fame in 2003.
Christine Blais Ph.D.
Dr. Christine Blais is an Associate Professor in the Business Administration and Management department at Southern New Hampshire University. Her background in industry is in corporate training and development with an emphasis on sales effectiveness and coaching. Dr. Blais has taught at the undergraduate and masters levels and in two separate nationally recognized three year programs at SNHU, the Bradley Three-Year Honors program and College Unbound (an experiential learning, integrated studies degree program). Dr. Blais completed her doctorate in Leadership Studies in 2015. Her doctoral research focused on a case study involving use of student-driven questions within individualized learning plans and the relationship to HERI’s Social Change Model of Leadership Development. She also has become certified through NSEE (National Society for Experiential Education), and was a presenter at the 2017 NSEE conference and co-founder of the Experiential Education Committee at SNHU. In June of 2018, Dr. Blais co-presented her work in constructing and teaching an interdisciplinary course at the International Conference for MOBTS (Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society) at Maynooth University in Ireland. Most recently, Dr. Blais has gone back to her roots in researching the use of student-constructed essential questions. Dr. Blais’ research interests include inquiry, authenticity, creativity, teamwork and integration of community business partners in higher education.
Administration
Gary Delaney
Gary Delaney hails from Dublin and has made a significant impact in County Kerry after relocating - first at the age of 23, and then permanently to Dingle at the age of 38. Gary co-founded a multimillion-euro business, which he successfully sold when aged 36, ensuring long-term sustainable employment in the region. Post-retirement, Gary has been instrumental in community and business development in Dingle. His notable contributions include the development of the Dingle Hub, a creative workspace, the refurbishment of St. Mary’s Temperance Hall, a protected building, consolidating the affordable and sustainable tenure of the Dingle sailing and Rowing clubs in their Marina premises, joining the board of Mortas Pobail, a company dedicated to the redevelopment of the former Dingle famine workhouse, supporting An Diseart in their ongoing investment in and dedication to providing an exceptional public and community amenity, and co-founding the Dingle Heartsafe Project to enhance local emergency response systems. Currently, Gary serves as the Executive Director and Company Secretary of Sacred Heart University’s Dingle Campus. He oversees strategic planning and management, aligning his efforts with SHU’s commitment to personal responsibility and community engagement. Gary is dedicated to growing SHU’s Dingle Campus into a vibrant centre for science, liberal arts, and humanities education, fostering immersive study-abroad experiences, and welcoming international students. His people-focused business philosophy drives his work, along with his voluntary involvement in community enterprises across the region.
Grace Flannery Ph.D.
Grace, a native of Dingle, holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University College Cork. Since 2015, she has played a vital role at SHU in Dingle, where her primary aim is to help American students understand and appreciate Irish culture while using education to benefit the local community. Her role extends beyond overseeing all academic and student experience aspects of the campus. She is also responsible for recruiting new academic talent, forging partnerships with local industries and Irish academic institutions, and collaborating closely with other U.S. colleges and universities to develop the diverse array of programs that SHU in Dingle offers.
Ciara Barrett Ph.D.
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Ciara moved to Ireland to attend Trinity College Dublin as an undergrad before going on to earn her doctorate in Film Studies. Ciara joined SHU in Dingle as a Lecturer in 2017 before moving into the role of Student Coordinator. Having experienced the cross-cultural transition from American into Irish life as a young adult, Ciara knows firsthand the benefits and challenges of studying abroad. As Program Co-Director, Ciara oversees Student Life and Experience at the SHU in Dingle Campus, as well as program development in the Arts and Humanities and extending inter-collegiate partnerships. She lectures in Irish Cinema and Creative Writing. Ciara is passionate about making the transformative life experience offered by SHU in Dingle available to as many students as possible from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Declan Devane A.C.C.A.
Declan is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and has a wealth of experience working previously as Assistant Financial Accountant for Fexco of Killorglin, Co. Kerry; as Finance Administrator for Irish Life Investment Managers of Dublin; as an Accountant for SEB Life International of Dublin; as well as several other institutions. His Bachelor of Business Studies degree is from the University of Limerick.
