Elisabeth Aiken, Ph.D.
Elisabeth Aiken is an Associate Professor of English and the Associate Director of the Honors Program at Saint Leo. She has a Master of Arts in English from Western Carolina University, a PhD in Literature and Criticism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Social Work from Saint Leo University. She enjoys teaching classes that encourage interdisciplinary and creative thinking, often using texts as foundational entry points to discussion, and has presented on the use of technology in composition classes, cultural studies and stereotypes, and Southern literature.
Steven Alt, D.Sc.
Steven Alt has worked his entire professional career in Information Technology Operations and Database Administration. He retired in 2021 as a Departmental Vice President leading the Global Information Technology Incident Management Operation for Prudential Financial in New Jersey. During his tenure at Prudential, he added value through major initiatives which included a data center consolidation project in Japan and partnering with a service provider in India for staff efficiencies and increased productivity. Steven has a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Kean University of New Jersey where in 2001 he was recruited as Adjunct Professor for both graduate and undergraduate level courses. He has completed all course work towards a Doctorate Degree in Computing at Pace University, NY. Steven joined Saint Leo University in January 2022 as an Instructor of Computer Information Systems. He resides in South Tampa with his wife, Lisa, where they enjoy spending time with their two daughters, their husbands, and 5 grandchildren
Kelly Atkins, Ph.D.
Dr. Kelly Atkins is an Assistant Professor of Management and has been at Saint Leo for fourteen years. She holds a doctorate in Project Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Dr. Atkins brings a wealth of knowledge to the classroom, covering a wide range of management topics including project planning, strategic leadership, and how organizations function. Dr. Atkins is passionate about giving students a solid understanding of management principles to help them succeed in their careers.
Cheryl Berry, D.ED
Cheryl Berry is an Instructor Level II of Biology and Life Sciences. Cheryl received both her B.S. in Environmental Science and M.S. in Instructional Design from Saint Leo University. She also has an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Florida. She is a co-director of the ACES program, an NSF Scholarship Program for STEM + Ed majors at Saint Leo. Cheryl’s research interests include instructional practices that lend to increased inclusiveness of women and other underrepresented groups in STEM.
Charlotte Braziel, DCJ
Charlotte Braziel retired from the FBI after serving twenty -six years. Charlotte Braziel was certified as an FBI Instructor and has taught crime scene management, case management, informant development, presentation skills, and defensive tactics classes internationally and domestically. Charlotte Braziel obtained her Doctorate in Criminal Justice, at Saint Leo University in 2021. Charlotte Braziel is an Assistant Professor at Saint Leo University in the Criminal Justice Program. She teaches several criminal justice classes, including criminalistic courses.
Abigail Burrows
Abigail is an instructor in the Mathematics department in CARDS. She is entering her second year with Saint Leo University. She received her B.S. from The University of Tampa and her M.A. from The University of South Florida, both in Mathematics. She teaches both on-ground and online courses at SLU. Her interests outside of the classroom include finding new ways to improve as an instructor and implementing fresh ideas into her classes.
Pam Painter DeCius, M.L.A.
Pam DeCius has been teaching Humanities courses for Saint Leo University for the past thirteen years, and has also served as the General Education Committee Chair and currently serves as the Associate Chair of Language Studies & The Arts. She received her Master of Liberal Arts degree from the University of South Florida in 2008, with concentrations in the Humanities and Women’s Studies.
Keith Burton Ph, D.
Keith Burton is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Associate Chair in the Department of Social Sciences. His teaching and research interests focus on methodology, emotion, motivation, and positive psychology. He teaches entirely online for Saint Leo.
Kenny Embry, Ph.D.
Kenny Embry is an Associate Communication Professor at Saint Leo. He specializes in online communication and teaches several courses including podcasting and digital literacy. His main areas of focus are both the production and theory behind how people create and consume online content.
Valerie Kasper, Ph.D.
Valerie Kasper is an assistant professor at Saint Leo University. She earned her BS in Journalism from the University of Florida, her MA in Mass Communication from the University of South Florida, and her Ph.D. in the digital humanities from the University of Central Florida. Her interests lie at the crossroads of journalism, African-American literature, and history. For the past ten years, she’s been researching African American newspapers by using data mining tools within the digital humanities (geolocation and topic modeling) to research how African-American newspapers use their rhetorical power to battle the inequalities of their time periods.
Tonya Mazur, DBA
Tonya Mazur began working at Saint Leo in 2008 and is currently an Assistant Professor of Management in the Donald R. Tapia College of Business. She is a Saint Leo double alum and earned her DBA with California Southern University. Research interests include leadership styles and their impact on turnover intention and job satisfaction.
Steven Okey, Ph. D.
Stephen Okey is an Associate Professor of Theology and Director of the ThD program at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, FL, where he teaches courses in Catholic theology and ethics. He earned his master’s degree in theology from the University of Chicago Divinity School and his Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Boston College. He is the author of A Theology of Conversation: An Introduction to David Tracy, published in 2018 with Liturgical Press Academic. He has published scholarly essays in Political Theology, Communicazioni Sociali, and International Journal of Public Theology. His research interests are in public theology, Catholic social teaching, and technology.
Harsha Perera, Ph. D.
Harsha Kalpanie is an Assistant Professor of Physics in the Natural Sciences Department. She teaches general physics lectures and laboratory courses for undergraduate students. Her research interests are related to theoretical astrophysics, including cutoff frequencies for Alfven waves in the solar atmosphere.
Lisa Rapp-McCall, Ph. D.
Dr. Lisa Rapp-McCall is a Professor of Social work and Director of the Center for Research at Saint Leo University. She teaches courses in Human Development and behavior, Research, Evaluation, and Abuse and Violence through the Lifespan. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the Social Workers’ Desk Reference and recipient of the Sol Gothard Lifetime Achievement Award from NOFSW. Her research focuses on violence prevention and the interrelationships of interpersonal violence.
Angelique Tolentino-Martin, Ph. D., MSN-Ed, RN, CEFM
Dr. Angelique Tolentino-Martin is a nursing faculty member in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Saint Leo University. Dr. Tolentino-Martin earned a PhD in Nursing Education from Liberty University in May 2024, focusing on faculty orientation and mentoring. Dr. Tolentino-Martin developed and implemented the Nursing Faculty Mentoring Program for new educators and serves on the Tampa Bay Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, helping organize the annual Out of the Darkness 5k walk
Austin Trantham, Ph.D.
Austin Trantham is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Saint Leo University. He offers undergraduate courses on the American Presidency, Constitutional Law, and Political Philosophy in addition to teaching in the University Explorations and Honors programs. Dr. Trantham holds his Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky, where he earned a Graduate Certificate in College Teaching and Learning. His research interests include presidential and gubernatorial politics, political rhetoric and communication, and campaigns and elections.
Courtney Weist
Bio Coming Soon!
Tammy Zacchilli
Tammy Zacchilli is a Professor of Psychology in the Social Sciences Department. She enjoys course development and received a degree in Instructional Design from Saint Leo University in 2016. Tammy teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate psychology courses. Her research interests include close relationships, social media use, the teaching of psychology, and bullying.
