91´ÎÔª

I am a biological anthropologist who specializes in the analysis of human skeletal remains. I am primarily interested in the physiological effects of Roman imperialism on subjugated communities in antiquity. My research centers on how individuals of differing social status, age, and geographic origin experienced the physical effects of changes to daily life during the transition to Roman rule. When not in the field, I enjoy visiting family in Wisconsin and cheering on my beloved home teams - the Milwaukee Brewers and the Green Bay Packers. During the long and cold winters, you can find me doing cross stitch and watching far too much reality TV with my two street cats that I rescued from Bulgaria. 

For Ciara, joining the faculty at the 91´ÎÔª truly feels like coming home. A graduate of UM’s Clinical Psychology program and INPSYCH Lab, she has spent the years since 2018 working to advance Native mental health, first through an internship and postdoctoral fellowship in Hawai‘i, then as a clinical psychologist with the Indian Health Service in Shiprock, NM, and most recently as training director for a psychology internship consortium devoted to culturally responsive care. Ciara’s work and research center on community-based, culturally grounded approaches to Native mental health, with an emphasis on historical trauma, grief, carceral system involvement, and resilience. At the heart of it all is a commitment to Indigenous ways of knowing, true collaboration with tribal communities, and the belief that cultural connection is a powerful source of healing. Outside of work, Ciara is happiest surrounded by family, exploring the Bitterroot River, and finding joy in bead work, painting, and the creative chaos of making something by hand. 

Kristin Vekasi is the Mansfield Chair of Japan and Indo-Pacific Affairs at the 91´ÎÔª. Her research focuses on trade and investment strategies in changing geopolitical environments, and the political risk management of supply chains. She specializes in Northeast Asia and the political economy of critical mineral and technology supply chains. 

Originally from Wyoming, and by way of MIT, I am joining the Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Microbiology. My lab studies the function and evolution of cell-autonomous anti-viral immunity in microbes. Our research hopes to facilitate the development of anti-bacterial bacteriophage therapy, discover novel molecular tools, and understand the shared evolution of immune systems throughout the tree of life. In my free time, I enjoy the outdoors, playing music, hockey, and hanging out with my wife and young daughter.

Jonathan Batchelor is an Assistant Teaching Professor at the 91´ÎÔª and Coordinator of the GIS Certificate program. They earned their PhD from the University of Washington, where they also completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Jonathan specializes in remote sensing, geospatial analysis, and fire ecology, with research focused on wildfire behavior, fuel treatments, and landscape change. They have extensive experience in LiDAR, photogrammetry, and spatial modeling, applying advanced geospatial tools to environmental management and decision-making while fostering the next generation of GIS professionals through hands-on, field-based learning. 

Troy Magney is an incoming Associate Professor and the W.A. Franke Endowed Chair of Forest Science in the Department of Forest Management. His research integrates tree physiology, remote sensing and ecosystem ecology to better understand how forests respond to environmental change. He previously was faculty at University of California Davis and a Research Scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is super excited to join UM and be back in the Inland Northwest, where he will continue research on photosynthesis and forest health across scales - from leaves to satellites. At UM, he will be teaching Tree Biology and Environmental Remote Sensing.   

Dr. William "Buzz" Nanavati is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the 91´ÎÔª. His research examines how changes in climate, land use, and fire shape ecosystems, with projects spanning Alaska, the Cascades, and Patagonia. A palynologist by training, he integrates paleoecological records, fieldwork, and geospatial data to better understand climate–vegetation–fire interactions since the last Ice Age. At UM, he teaches Earth Systems Sciences and General Physical Science for Educators, emphasizing the connections between Earth systems and society.

Tom Perry is a career forestry professional joining the Forest Management Dept as a teaching professor. He has extensive experience in forest resource consulting, silviculture, and active forest management. He is experienced in forest growth modeling, with a focus on forest carbon, and developing management strategies to optimize the balance between economic and environmental goals. His career spans leadership roles in state forestry programs, active management, and forest restoration across diverse forest types of the U.S. 

Michael Owens is an associate professor of educational leadership. He has taught, advised, and conducted research in K-12 and higher education settings across the U.S. and internationally. His work focuses on leadership and followership in educational organizations, drawing from experience in California, Michigan, Utah, and Argentina. He holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah. Prior to joining UM, he held faculty roles at Wayne State University, California Lutheran University, and Brigham Young University. 

 

Dan Salois, PhD, LCPC, is a counselor, educator, supervisor, and clinical consultant devoted to helping children, teens, and adults navigate grief, trauma, and life transitions. As a counselor educator, he teaches and mentors future professionals while providing supervision to school counselors and clinicians. At Tamarack Grief Resource Center, Dan supports practitioners working with grieving individuals and families. He also offers community-based supervision and, through his private practice, provides individual and group counseling grounded in compassion and connection. 

Emily Alsbury is a 2015 graduate of the 91´ÎÔª Skaggs School of Pharmacy. Following graduation, she completed a PGY1 residency program at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. After residency Emily obtained her BCPS and worked as a clinical pharmacist at Swedish Medical Center in Cardiac ICU and Antimicrobial Stewardship. After five years in Seattle, Emily moved to Spokane where she briefly worked as a clinical pharmacist at the Providence Pediatric Pulmonology and Cystic Fibrosis Center and Kootenai Health before transitioning to her role as a Critical Care pharmacist and Residency Program Director at MultiCare Deaconess Hospital where she obtained her BCCCP. After five years in Spokane Emily is excited to return home to Missoula! Emily has precepted students and residents since graduating in 2015 and is excited about continuing to precept and teach 91´ÎÔª students.   

Jade Bosic-Reiniger is a clinical assistant professor in the pharmacy practice department within the Skaggs School of Pharmacy. She will be teaching primarily pharmacy practice courses within the didactic curriculum and precepting pharmacy students at Partnership Health Center. She previously served as a clinical pharmacist in the L.S. Skaggs Institute for Health Innovation, focusing on a mixture of pharmacy practice research, precepting and lecturing pharmacy students, and working in IPHARM Pharmacy. Her areas of professional interest include chronic disease state management, rural health, population health, health equity, interdisciplinary education, and pharmacogenomics. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and getting out to enjoy all the recreation opportunities Montana has to offer. 

Amanda L. Carroll, PhD, OTR/L, is an experienced occupational therapist, educator, and PhD trained occupational scientist dedicated to advancing the field of occupational therapy through teaching, research, and community engagement. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the 91´ÎÔª’s inaugural Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. She earned her Master of Science degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012, and her PhD in Occupational Science also from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2021. Amanda’s research focuses on the intersection of occupation, mental health, and social determinants of health, with a particular interest in veteran populations, sleep interventions, and rural health disparities. She is originally from North Carolina, and is a proud Tarheel. Growing up in North Carolina, she has always been surrounded by military culture and many of her family members are veterans. Outside of academic life, she loves watching her daughter Fia grow and spending time in nature with her husband Philip, who is also and OT and professor. 

My name is Andrew Eberling, and I am a new clinical faculty member in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy with a focus on chronic disease management and cardiology. I am originally from Plentywood, MT, and have been a lifelong Griz fan. I earned my BA in Neuroscience from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, and my PharmD from the 91´ÎÔª. My interests include golfing, swimming, watching all sports, strong coffee, spending time with family, and traveling. 

Philip Nordeck, OTD, OTR/L, is inaugural Capstone Coordinator for the 91´ÎÔª’s OTD program. He earned his doctorate at Rocky Mountain College in 2021 and served as Capstone Coordinator there through 2024. His interests span sleep, nature-based therapy, and occupational therapy’s role in climate change. A pediatric and mental-health clinician turned educator, Philip enjoys hiking and cycling with wife Amanda and their dog, and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica (2014-2016). 

My name is Biyun Xiang, and I recently joined the Department of Social Work as a tenure-track faculty member. Originally from China, my research focuses on gerontology, particularly aging and well-being. I teach Research Methods and Human Behavior and Social Environment. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, tennis, badminton, and spending time with my three cats, one dog, and LEGO projects. 

Andy Anderson has been a full time academic for 14 years. His undergraduate degree is in Supply Chain and Operations Management. His master’s is in Management Science with an emphasis in Supply Chain Management. His PhD is Management with an emphasis in International Business. He has taught Strategic Management, Operations Management, Global Supply Chain Management, and International Business courses. Andy’s research focuses primarily on Chinese outward foreign direct investment. Andy has served as College Faculty Senate Chair, Faculty Research Committee Chair, Department PAC Chair, and Faculty Union Executive Board Member.   

My name is Wookje “UJ” Sung. I study how individuals’ networking impacts teams and organizations during change, such as M&A. I’m originally from South Korea, but I received my Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky and spent seven years at Hong Kong Baptist University. I enjoy chatting over coffee or good food, and I’m always up for a lunchtime walk. 

A native of Butte, Montana Brianne Holland-Stergar joins UM Law as a Visiting Assistant Professor after serving as the Civil Justice and Innovation Fellow at the Deborah Rhode Center on the Legal Profession at Stanford Law School. Her research and teaching focus on civil procedure, legal ethics, access to justice, and the legal profession. Prior to her time at Stanford, Brianne practiced law at two leading nationwide law firms, and clerked for two federal judges. In her spare time, Brianne enjoys trail running; hanging out with her dog, Megalodon ("Meg"); and listening to podcasts about TV shows. 

Corinna Kirsch is a historian of art, environment, and computation. She specializes in intermedia and systems art of the 1960s and 1970s and their afterlives in present-day forms of digital media, art, and activism. Her academic writing has appeared in Art Journal, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, Leonardo, and Media-N. She has written about contemporary digital art for online and print publications including The Art Newspaper, Art F City, and Millenium Film Journal. Corinna previously held the position of O’Brien Curatorial Fellow at the Weisman Art Museum, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where she organized collections-based exhibitions.