Staff Directory

Clare Spathelf is the Assistant Director of the BGSU Office of Pre Professional Programs and an adjunct faculty member. She is a two-time alum earning a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education Student Affairs (CSP) and a Bachelor of Science in Education. She has been employed with the university for seven years. Prior to her work at BGSU, she was an Academic Advisor at Owens Community College and she also served as the At-Risk Youth program coordinator at the Wood County Educational Service Center (7 yrs. service) where she assisted 14-21 year olds with their education and employment goals. Clare began her career in education in the classroom as a reading specialist.

She currently serves on the Advisor Training & Professional Development Commission and is a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honor Society. She is an Advisory Board member for the Center of Undergraduate Research (CURS) and also a member of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions and Pre-Law Advisors National Council. Clare is the mother of two adult sons; Miles, a habitat biologist who resides with his wife Mandy, a veterinarian, in Anchorage, Alaska. Trevor, Associate Director of Competitions, at the Tennessee Golf Foundation in Franklin, Tenn is currently acquiring his PGA Professional Golf Instructor credential. He resides with his wife, Lindsey, a math educator, in Tennessee.  Both Trev and Lindsey are BGSU alums, who have recently joined the time honored tradition of Falcon Flames.

When away from work, Clare loves to travel and spend time with treasured family and friends.

Rachel Litten is a first year graduate student in the Master's of Food and Nutrition Program. She is from Cleveland, Ohio and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Applied Health Science from BGSU. She spent some time in a Physical Therapy graduate program in Pennsylvania before deciding to return to BGSU.

She currently coaches gymnastics part time and because of her experience with children, hopes to become a pediatric dietician. Rachel also volunteers regularly with Food for Thought in Toledo, Ohio.

Rachel hopes that her undergraduate experience and previous graduate school experience can help guide students to find the path that is best for them.

Blair Baumle is a senior from Haviland, OH majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry. Blair is a scholar with the Academic Investment in Math & Science (AIMS) program on campus where she serves as an Ambassador. Upon graduation, Blair plans ro attend medical school with the goal of becoming a physician.

Blair is the President of the College Diabetes Network on campus, where she works to connect diabetes across campus and educate the campus about what it means to live with diabetes. Along with her other leadership roles, she also works as a Resident Advisor and Tour Guide. When Blair isn't busy studying, volunteering, working as a medical scribe, or completing projects, she enjoys coloring and crafting new things.

Blair is very excited to work with the Office of Pre-Professional Programs as a Pre-Med intern and cannot wait to connect with pre-medicine students and assist them in their journey to med school.

Zach is a senior undergraduate student from Pemberville, Ohio, majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. Upon graduation, Zach hopes to attend Optometry school and ultimately become an eye doctor.

On BGSU's campus, Zach is the Student Supervisor of Facilities at the Student Recreation Center and is active in both H2O church and the Pre-Optometry club.

Zach is also the team leader for the Mobile Health Fair, based out of Maumee, Ohio, which provides free health screenings to underprivileged communities and people throughout Ohio and Michigan. His expereince during his time on the health care team has helped him develop new insight on both Healthcare and the world as a whole and with this he hopes to educate and mentor pre-health students so they can be successful here at BGSU and beyond our community.

Joseph Cunningham is a senior from Detroit, MI, studying Applied Health Science with a minor in Chemistry. After taking a gap year, he aspires to attend medical school and become a physician.

On campus, Joseph is a scholar in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program in which he developed a research project with his faculty mentor. He is also an inductee into the Chi Alpha Epsilon National Honor Society. In addition, he is the President of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students student organization where he contributes to the ongoing inclusive community for students who wish to have a career in the health field.

Joseph hopes to practice medicine in underrepresented populations, and after doing so for a few years, he envisions becoming an educator and provising mentorship to young students of color.

Dr. Steven Chung is a lecturer of chemistry and pre health professions advisor at Bowling Green State University. He received a Bachelor’s of Science degree at Harvey Mudd College in California and a Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he studied the reactivity of organic molecules bound to platinum and rhenium. He then did postdoctoral research and Iowa State University where he studied the catalytic conversion of soybean oil into drying oils. He has taught organic chemistry courses since 2000 and at Bowling Green State University since 2007. He serves on the chemistry department undergraduate curriculum committee, the College of Arts and Sciences curriculum committee and the BGSU science olympiad planning committee. In his spare time he enjoys competing in 5k road races and watching academic competitions such as BGSU’s Brain Game.

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Dr. Kevin Vallier is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Bowling Green State University. His research focuses in political philosophy, normative ethics, political economy, and philosophy of religion. Vallier is the author of Liberal Politics and Public Faith: Beyond Separation (Routledge, 2014) and Must Politics Be War? In Defense of Public Reason Liiberalism, forthcoming from Oxford University Press. He has also published over twenty peer-reviewed articles. Vallier has worked at BGSU for 4 years and directs it's program in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law (PPEL).

BGSU graduate who received her juris doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law, has been teaching legal studies courses, including Business Law, Environmental Law, Employment Law, and Public Health Law at BGSU for over 30 years. She wrote the first undergraduate Environmental Law textbook, now in its 8^th edition, as well as The Legal Environment of Business: A Critical Thinking Approach (Pearson Education, 8E), Dynamic Business Law (McGraw-Hill, 4E), and Dynamic Business Law: The Essentials (McGraw-Hill, 3E).

She has also published over 75 articles in law reviews such as the Harvard Women’s Law Review, the American Business Law Journal, and The Environmental Professional. She enjoys writing articles with students interested in going to law school, and some of her student co-authors were able to get into such schools as the University of Michigan Law School, the University of California at Berkeley Law School, and Stanford Law School.

Private practice and founding partner, Perrysburg Family Physicians from 2005 to the present. Partner with Oak Valley Primary Care in Swanton, Ohio from 2001-2005. Private practice in Barbados from 1999-2001. Graduated from Mercy Health Partners Family Practice Residency Program in 1999, Toledo, Ohio. Graduate from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1996, (MD), Cincinnati, Ohio. Graduated from Cedarville University with Honors in 1989, (BS), Cedarville, Ohio. Born and reared in Barbados, spent three years of high school in Canada, and married his sweetheart Kelley in 2001. The two have five children together. Serves on the Board of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), Great Lakes Region. Actively involved with his church, Redemption City Church, Maumee, Ohio. Enjoys attending his kids’ sporting activities (and there are lots of them), and BGSU sporting activities. Currently coaching his son Lukas for Toledo Christian Schools 5^th Grade Boys Basketball.

Dr. T. Ryan Phipps was born in Bowling Green, Ohio. He received a Bachelor of Arts studying at Miami University, a Master’s of Science in Biology from Bowling Green State University, and a Doctorate of Dental Surgery from The Ohio State University.

He continued his dental education at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio where he completed a General Practice Residency. This program focused on advanced training in general dentistry, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, and endodontics.  Dr. Phipps also completed rotations in medicine, anesthesia, trauma care, and also completed advanced courses in pharmacology and treatment of medically comprised patients. He is certified in intravenous conscious sedation and advanced cardiac life support.  

He belongs to the ADA, ODA, TDS as well as the Great Black Swamp Dental Study Club.  Ryan enjoys being active in his local Rotary Club chapter. He currently resides in Bowling Green with his wife Rachel and young daughter Georgia.  When he does have free time, he is cheering on the Falcons and Buckeyes, playing golf, running, cycling, swimming, cooking, or hiking with his golden retriever Bernie.

Dr. Jennifer Croce Rokke, originally from New Jersey, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology from Miami University and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University's School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2000.  

Following graduation, she began working for a small animal clinic in Perrysburg Ohio where she served as Associate Veterinarian and Medical Director for 13 years.  

During her career, she has enjoyed working in a variety of veterinary fields such as pharmaceutical research, small animal relief work, corporate medicine vaccine clinics,  online telemedicine, and worked with Golden Retriever Rescue Resource of Toledo as one of their area veterinarians.  

She is a member of the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association, the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, The National Veterinary Cancer Society, The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Veterinary Medical Association.  

Jason Foote was raised in Whitehouse, Ohio, and currently resides in Waterville.  He graduated in 2001 with his Doctorate of Pharmacy degree from Ohio Northern University’s Raabe College of Pharmacy in Ada, Ohio.  He is presently taking classes toward a Masters of Science in Health Informatics at the University of Findlay.

After graduation, Jason spent his first 8 years in retail, hospital, and long-term care pharmacy before finding his passion in managed care.  He supervised the Medication Therapy Management program at Express Scripts, a large pharmacy benefit manager, through 2015.  He is now employed at CareSource, a health plan in Dayton, where he is responsible for Medicare pharmacy oversight and development of strategies to improve Part D Star Ratings.

Jason is a member of Ohio Pharmacists Association.  He is also active in the Principle Advisory Committee at Fallen Timbers Middle School and been involved in Boy Scouts and coaching youth sports.  If he isn’t spending time with his wife Heather or his son Caleb, he can be found running, golfing, or playing softball.

Elizabeth was born in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1966. She moved with her family to Ithica, New York where her father attended Law School at Cornell. She moved back with her family to BG and started kindergarten. She graduated from BGHS in 1984. Elizabeth spent the summer of 1984 in Rio de Janeiro then enrolled in Miami University's 'Western College' School of Interdisciplinary Studies and received her Bachelor's degree in Philosophy.

Elizabeth's first job after college was with Greenpeace, the environmental organization. In that capacity, she traveled quite a bit all over the country and lived in Manhatten, Atlanta, Ann Arbor, Los Angeles, and DC and ended up as the Director of Greenpeace Oregon. She then ran the seven offices, in the West Coast Region. She was the Director of Development for a community radio station in Portland, Oregon and also was in development at Oregon Trout, an anadramous fish habitat preservation organization.

She had her son at age 31, got married and became a stay-at-home mother for the next twelve years. She had her daughter when she was 37 years old. As her kids grew up, she decided to re-enter the workforce by pursuing a law degree. She was encouraged by the ability to earn a juris doctorate in three years-no thesis. Elizabeth moved her family back to BG and attended The University of Toledo Law School from 2001-2014. She is now practicing law in downtown Bowling Green, by joining her father, Norman Geer, who has been in practice for over forty years. She has a typical small town practice where she does a variety of types of law, including family law (juvenile, divorce, custody, abuse and neglect) as well as criminal and civil disputes. She also writes Trusts and does Estate Planning...etc. She participates in two legal clinics, the Community clinic as well as the Senior Center to make legal services accessible regardless of income.

When she is not driving her kids around to sports practices and events, she spends her spare time bike riding, skiing, walking her dog, reading and spending time with family. Elizabeth currenlty serves on the Board of the BG Chamber of Commerce, the Wood County Historical Society and Museum and is Vice-President of the Wood County Bar Assocaition.

Dr. Mathias is a 2011 graduate of New Riegel High School. She attended Bowling Green State University and received a Bachelor of Science in Education in 2014. She then continued her education at The Ohio State University College of Optometry and graduated in 2018 with a Doctorate of Optometry and Master of Vision Science.

While in Optometry school she was very involved including mission trips to provide eye care for those in needs in Guatemala and Nicaragua and President of Lions Club. She hopes to use her training in research to continue to provide the most up-to-date, evidence based care. She is practicing full-scope medical optometry at Spectrum Eye Care in Findlay, Ohio is looking forward to providing patients with a lifetime of vision care to meet their visual needs. Dr. Mathias is a professional member of the American Academy of Optometry and the American Optometric Association.

 She enjoys spending time with family, friends, and traveling. In her free time she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, sand volleyball and biking.

Kelly Fullenkamp, MOT, OTR/L attended the University of Findlay, graduating with her Master of Occupational Therapy degree in 2003. She is certified through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and is currenlty licensed in the State of Ohio through the Ohio OTPTAT Board.

She started her career in Wilmington, DE at St. Francis Hospital, a small community hospital which offered her experience in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, and transitional care. Kelly also assisted at Select Specialty Hospital, a long-term acute care facility (LTAC).

Kelly returned to Ohio and spent the next four years at Miami Valley Hospital (MVH) in Dayton, a level one trauma hospital. She spent two years as a full-time acute care OTR before accepting the Acute Care Clinical Coordinator position.

Another relocation brought Kelly to Bowling Green. She resumed her OT career at a skilled nursing/extended care facility. Intially as a staff OTR and then as a Director of Rehabilitation.

Currently, Kelly is employed by Med1Care, evaluating/treating clients in the home care setting while providing a rewarding opportunity to impact client's in their own environment.

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Dr. George Hebeka hails from Warren, Michigan. He attended Wayne State University on a full merit scholarship, earning a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences in 1995. He then attended the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, completing his Doctor of Dental sugery degree in 2000.

After completing Dental school, Dr. Hebeka completed a General Practice Residency at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. There he trained in advanced procedures including endodontics, oral surgery, trauma training, and IV sedation. Throughout his dental career he has taken extensive continuing education, including completing the Comprehensive Implant Residency program (CIRP) in Birmingham, Alabama.

Dr. Hebeka practices dentistry in Bowling Green, Ohio in the group practice Drs. Phipps, Levin, Hebeka and Associates. He is professional member of ADA, ODA, TDS, and GBSSC. 

Dr. Hebeka lives in Perrysburg, Ohio with his wife and three children. He is involved in CYO Basketiball coaching for his kids in Lial Catholic School. In his free time, he enjoys weightlfting, kickboxing and watching all pro and college sports associated with U of M and Detroit.

Nicole Bergman PA-C, is a certified Physican Assistant. 

Nicole was born and raised in Northwest Ohio. She received her Bacheor's degree in Exercise Science with minors in Biology and Chemistry in 2008. in 2010, she graduated with her Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, Physician Assistant form the University of Toledo. Nicole has worked in Emergency Medicine and currently in Dermatology.

Nicole is licensed by the Ohio State Medical Board. She is an active member of her church, Hope Community Church of the Nazerene, Oregon, Ohio. Nicole currently resides in Genoa with her husband Bob and two children Bo and Britain. In her free time, Nicole enjoys being a mom, playing sports, gardening, cooking, vacationing and spending time with ther family and friends.

Sara Houlihan was born and raised in St Clair Shores, Michigan and is a proud BG grad. She majored in Applied Health Sciences and graduated in May 2009 with University Honors. While at BG, she was very active in the Honors Program. She went on to the University of Toledo where she earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2012.

Sara currently works at the University of Michigan University Hospital in Ann Arbor where she is a clinical specialist physical therapist who covers oncology, general medicine and the emergency department. Sara is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Michigan Physical Therapy Association. Sara is also very active in research and has recently presented 2 posters at the national level and 1 poster and 1 platform presentation at the state level. She is actively working on a manuscript regarding mobility for general medicine patients while in the hospital.

When not at work, Sara enjoys spending time with her family and friends at her cottage in Northern Michigan.

Dr. Brujic graduated for the New England College of Optometry in 2002. He practices full scope Optometry with an emphasis on ocular disease of the anterior segment. contact lenses, and glacoma.

Dr. Brujic is on the editorial board for a number of optometric publications. He has published over 200 articles and has given over 1000 lectures, both nationally and internationally on contemporary topics in eye care.

He is a member of the American Optometric Association and American Academy of Optometry.

He enjoys spending time with his wife, Sonia and daughters Zoe and Ava.

Ashley is a sophomore from Cleveland, Ohio majoring in Biology on the Pre-Dentistry track while minoring in both Chemistry and Business.

While she is not in class or studying, Ashley is very involved on campus. She is the Director of Fundraising for her sorority, Delta Gamma. In this position she runs fundraising events and assists the VP of Foundation with events to benefit the philantrophy, Service for Sight. She is also the Secretary and Service Officer for the Delta Delta Sigma Pre-Dentistry Association (DDS). This organization helps to prepare and educate fellow pre-dent students on the process for applying to dental school, while also giving students opportunities to be involved in local service activities associated with dentistry. Ashley is also a member of MedLife, a medical service club and serves as a research assistant in a Biology lab.

Ashley is very excited about being a Pre-Professional Student Ambassador and looks forward to meeting and assisting students interested in the Dental profession.

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