Dr. Elizabeth A. La Rue
B.S. Biology (2010)
M.S. Biology (2012)
Ph.D. Biological Sciences (2017)

Elizabeth La Rue is a West Michigan native, growing up in Muskegon. Before earning her B.S. in Biology at Grand Valley State University in 2010, she went to Oakridge High School and Muskegon Community College. She also earned her M.S. in Biology at GVSU, doing her research at the Annis Water Resources Institute on invasive aquatic plants. She earned her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at Purdue University in 2017, working with Great Lakes beach plants.

Dr. La Rue is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso. Her current research uses big data and remote sensing to uncover mechanisms underlying spatial patterns in species distributions and the structural diversity of ecosystems. She is also interested in developing remote sensing approaches for improving the monitoring and management of nuisance species and those of conservation concern.

Dr. Nkrumah Grant
B.S. Biology (2014) *
Ph.D. Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (2020)
Ph.D. Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior (2020)

Nkrumah Grant's journey from challenging beginnings to esteemed microbial and evolutionary biologist is nothing short of remarkable. Raised in Saginaw, MI, Nkrumah's path was not without obstacles. After experiencing setbacks in his youth, including time in juvenile detention, he succeeded in graduating from an alternative education high school in 2006, which marked the beginning of his academic journey. Nkrumah pursued his bachelor's degree in biology at Grand Valley State University, where he distinguished himself as a McNair Scholar.

In 2014, Nkrumah embarked on his graduate studies at Michigan State University, specializing in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. His doctoral research focused on understanding the genetic underpinnings of bacterial fitness using Escherichia coli from an esteemed experimental evolution study.

Nkrumah earned two doctorate degrees in 2020: one in microbiology and molecular genetics, and another in ecology, evolutionary biology, and behavior. His research yielded six impactful publications, showcasing his expertise in the field.

In November 2023, Nkrumah joined the faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he leads a dynamic multi-discipline research lab. His lab focuses on unraveling the genetic mechanisms of Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera.

Dr. Christina M. Rudzinski
B.S. Chemistry (1996) 
Ph.D. Inorganic Chemistry (2001)

Dr. Christina M. Rudzinski is the assistant head of the Biotechnology and Human Systems Division at Lincoln Laboratory. In this role, she shares responsibility for research, development, evaluation, and technology transfer of advanced technologies and systems for chemical and biological defense, human health and performance, and global resilience to climate, conflict, and disaster threats.

Prior to this role, she was the leader of the Counter–Weapons of Mass Destruction Systems Group, and her oversight broadly spanned the development of defenses against chemical, biological, and explosive threats. Highlighted research areas include red teaming advanced chemical and biological threats, mitigating threat impact through advanced detection architectures and capabilities, improved global threat interdiction through advanced autonomous aerial and maritime systems, and the development of capabilities to characterize and rapidly recover from chemical and biological threat events and natural pathogen outbreaks.

Jaclyn Panter
B.A. Classics (2008) 
M.A. Architectural History and Criticism (2010)

During her time at GVSU, Jaclyn also spent a semester at John Cabot University and attended the American School of Classical Studies at Athens for their summer program. She spent two years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison completing course work towards a master’s degree in art history. She recently returned to graduate school at Eastern Michigan University where she completed her certificate in Historic Preservation in April 2024.

After leaving UW-Madison, Jaclyn spent seven years gaining experience in brick-and-mortar retail, acting as a merchant and store manager for Banana Republic and H&M. In 2017, she joined Meijer’s corporate office as a space planner. She also worked on buying teams, in analytics, and in product flow support while helping the retailer navigate the pandemic and coinciding supply constraints. In 2022, Jaclyn moved to Campbell’s Snacks as a category manager. Additionally, she is an independent contractor for a local Historic Preservation firm that helps with Historic Tax Credit development projects in the Grand Rapids area.

Jaclyn spends her free time with her husband, Kyle, and their four-year-old son, Fitzgerald. They are avid soccer fans and Liverpool FC supporters, attending every game possible in the U.S. and hope to make it to their home field of Anfield someday.

Abby Black
B.A. English Language and Literature (2011)
M.S. Library and Information Science (2018)

Abby started her career as a youth librarian in a small rural library after graduating from GVSU with a B.A. in English. Her professors and peers inspired a deep love for the written word. Working in libraries just fit. GVSU instilled in her a deep sense of belonging and propelled her towards meaningful purpose beyond books. She worked in that small library for 3 years and decided to pursue her masters degree in Library and Information Science at Wayne State University. She worked as a youth paraprofessional for the Kent District Library and was promoted to youth librarian after finishing her education. There she was able to spearhead a system-wide play space revamp to reflect early literacy best practices and curated play as the early literacy workgroup leader. All 20 branches were transformed to reflect the local community and spark children's imaginations and curiosity.

She is passionate about providing safe, dynamic, and restorative spaces that invite all people to be seen and heard. She received training through the International Institute of Restorative Practices and had the honor to present at the Public Library Association Conference 2024 on creating maternal support groups in libraries using restorative practices. Currently, she is serving as the Library Director of the Allendale Township Library.

Andrew DeWitt
B.S. Geology (2010)
M.S. Geospatial Science in Geology and Geography (2012)

Andrew DeWitt is a prominent figure in the environmental consulting industry, particularly in the renewable energy sector. Currently serving as the Director of the Environmental group at Atwell, LLC, Andrew focuses on Power and Energy projects, where he manages renewable energy project teams and oversees environmental initiatives nationwide. His responsibilities include guiding team deliverables, client relationship management, and providing strategic advice and risk-management support for clients developing solar, wind (both onshore and offshore), and battery storage assets. DeWitt's expertise in managing multi-disciplinary teams on large-scale, complex projects spans various industries, including power and energy, oil and gas, mining, and telecommunications.

Before joining Atwell in March 2021, DeWitt worked as a senior project manager at Environmental Resources Management in West Michigan. His career is marked by notable successes in managing major capital projects that required challenging permitting and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance. He has managed NEPA projects under the direction of almost ten different lead federal agencies across the United States and its territories. Additionally, DeWitt has extensive experience in due diligence, brownfield redevelopment, and remediation projects throughout the Midwest.

Alice Kalinowski
B.A. History (2015) 
M.S. Library & Information Science (2016)

Alice is the Public Services Manager at the Stanford Graduate School of Business Library. After graduating from Grand Valley, Alice earned a Masters in Library and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Afterwards, she worked as the Business Librarian at the University of Pittsburgh before moving to Stanford.

As a Business Librarian, Alice helps students, staff, and faculty find and use business information, which can include finding historical financial data, identifying market opportunities, and gaining access to historical newspaper data for text and data analysis. In 2020, Alice moved into her current position as a Public Services Manager. She is also responsible for overseeing the library's circulation functions and research support; managing online instructional content; supporting collection development, subscription management, and data acquisition efforts; supervising multiple direct reports; and working with the library leadership team on strategic planning.

Alice is an active member in the Business Reference and Services Section of the American Library Association and is the co-founder and co-editor of BISdex, which is a website that provides quick insights into leading and emerging business information sources by and for librarians. She also publishes on a variety of topics related to business librarianship with a current emphasis on business research data.

Stephanie Nauta
B.A. Spanish & Latin American Studies (2019)
B.A. Social Work (2019) *

Stephanie Nauta (she/her) graduated from Grand Valley in 2019 with a B.A. in Spanish, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a minor in Latin American Studies. She was involved in the Latino Student Union, the Cook Leadership Academy, and the Writing Center during her time at Grand Valley. During the height of the pandemic, she worked as an immigration legal assistant at Avanti Law Group. Moving from for-profit to nonprofit, she then worked for a state-wide, progressive, grassroot organization, Michigan United, as a Legal Services Coordinator, running citizenship and ESL classes in Grand Rapids for a diverse immigrant population. She has assisted over 150 legal permanent residents on their journey towards U.S. citizenship, obtained a federal grant from USCIS for her work, and educated folks in the community on their rights when interacting with ICE and the basics of voting.

She has traveled around Latin America and is especially passionate about U.S.- Latin American relations and advocating for fair international policies that disrupt the current pattern of neocolonialism. She is a firm believer that immigrants are an integral and beautiful part of our national tapestry, and she is committed to embodying values of welcome in her career. Ask her about her cats, Guatemalan or Chilean history, or Brene Brown, and you’re in for a long conversation. 

Brian Metz
B.S Physical Education K-12 Professional Instruction (2011)
M.Ed. Technology (2018)

Brian Metz earned his bachelor's degree in physical education K-12 professional instruction at Grand Valley State University in 2011. He earned his master's in education with a concentration in technology at Augustana University in 2018.

Since graduating GVSU, Metz has taught elementary, middle, and high school physical education classes for West Ottawa Public Schools with the majority of his work being done at the elementary level. In addition to teaching elementary physical education, Metz also has served as the boys’ varsity tennis coach at West Ottawa for the last 7 years. Compiling a career record of 86-31-2 Metz has been recognized as Regional Coach of the Year twice (2020, 2023) to go along with 3 conference titles, 3 regional titles, and 4 state finals appearances in a row.

Metz has been married to his wife Courtney since 2017 and they have a beautiful three-year-old daughter Amilia, born in 2020. A resident of Holland, Michigan, Metz enjoys working with all learners and seeing them experience success both in his classroom and outside his classroom engaging in extracurricular activities that they enjoy.

Ellie Shannon
B.S. Physical Education, emphasis in sport leadership (2010)
M.S. College Student Personnel (2012)

Since October 2022, Ellie has served as Wake Forest Athletics' Senior Associate AD of Administration and Strategic Operations. In her current role, Shannon is a member of director of athletics senior staff and is tasked with applying her operational knowledge to a variety of projects and functions across Athletics. Additionally, she serves as the sport administrator for women’s basketball, men’s golf, and women’s golf. Shannon's daily responsibilities include providing operational support and leadership in the planning of various projects across a variety of units within Athletics. She also develops and implements revenue plans and serves as the primary contact for Athletics with ASM Global, Proof of the Pudding and the Winston-Salem Open (an ATP World Tour 250 event). Most recently, Shannon took on a leadership role with the infrastructure and operational planning for the new mixed-use entertainment development adjacent to Allegacy Stadium, “The Grounds.”

She originally joined the staff at Wake Forest in 2012-2013. From 2012-2022 she advanced from an Assistant Director to a Senior Associate AD, Athletic Event and Facility Operations. A native of Otisville, Michigan, Shannon came to Wake Forest following a year (2011-2012) at UConn as the Huskies' event manager where she managed many postseason tournaments.

Shannon is married to her wife, Julie, and they have a daughter, Clarke.

Matthew Wittbrodt
B.S. Exercise Science (2010)
M.S. Exercise Physiology (2012)
Ph.D. Applied Physiology (2018)

Dr. Matthew Wittbrodt is a Quantitative Research Engineer at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, IL. Following graduation from the Exercise Science program, Wittbrodt completed a M.S. in Exercise Physiology from Western Michigan University in 2012, a Ph.D. in Applied Physiology from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2018, and a post-doctoral fellowship in Psychiatry at Emory University School of Medicine investigating the efficacy of novel wearable devices to mitigate the effects of trauma and PTSD.

His research on neural and cognitive effects resulting from dehydration has been profiled by media outlets such as NPR, Forbes, Newsweek, Popular Science, Reuters, Runner’s World, and CNN. Wittbrodt’s current role employs machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve healthcare by developing tools to assist clinician diagnosis and automating clinician workflows at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, a top ten ranked hospital by U.S. News & World Report, and its affiliates. To date, Wittbrodt has published over 40 peer-reviewed papers, two book chapters, and has spoken at a highlighted symposium at the American College of Sports Medicine Annual meeting.

Dr. Karisa Antonio
B.M. Music (2003) 
M.M. Music (2005)
D.M.A. Music (2009)

Dr. Karisa Antonio’s work centers around the arts and collective impact. As Senior Director of Social Innovation and Learning at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), she leads the DSO’s Detroit Strategy.

Karisa holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University, a master’s degree from Yale University, a bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University, and an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Baruch College. She is certified in Results-Based Accountability™.

As a clinician, Karisa has recently presented for the League of American Orchestras, the Americans for the Arts National Convention, the National Health Care for the Homeless Annual Conference, the University of Michigan, Bowling Green State University, Lawrence University, and others.

As an oboist, Karisa has recorded for Cantaloupe, Naxos, EMF, Last Things, Albany, and Carrier record labels and been nominated for a 2023 GRAMMY Award. Karisa performs with the Wet Ink Large Ensemble, named the “Best Classical Music Ensemble of 2018” by the New York Times. She received awards at the Fischoff, Coleman, Chamber Music Yellow Springs, and Chesapeake chamber music competitions.

Lydia Murphy
B.A. Philosophy (2011)
J.D. Law (2014)

Lydia Murphy earned her bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Grand Valley State University in 2012. In 2015, she earned her law degree at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. Today, Lydia lives in Houston, Texas where she is Assistant Chief Counsel for The Department of Homeland Security.

Lydia’s work in public service includes serving as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas and Assistant District Attorney for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office in her hometown of Conroe, Texas. As a prosecutor, Lydia witnessed the positive impact of mentorship. The young adults with a mentor rarely returned to criminal activity. Because of this, Lydia volunteers as a Big Sister with the Greater Houston Chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

When Lydia is not in court, she is traveling the world exploring cultures, foods, and new adventures. Ask her about her recent trip to Spain.

Jillian Zirnhelt                         
B.A. International Relations and Economics (2011)
M.A. International Economics and Finance (2016)

Jillian Zirnhelt ventured from Goodrich on the east side of Michigan to attend Grand Valley, where she double majored in International Relations and Economics. Her time at GVSU included studying at East China Normal University in Shanghai, China, both semesters of her junior year. She fell in love with the region.

Traveling in Southeast Asia between semesters led to a summer internship with a non-profit youth empowerment organization in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. After graduation in 2011, Jillian pursued a hands-on approach to development economics by becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer. While waiting to ship off (to a small village in Fiji), she spent the winter as a ski instructor in Park City, Utah. At the close of her time as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2014, she moved to Washington, DC. In 2016, Jillian completed a Master’s degree in International Economics and Finance from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She spent the next four years performing research first for the World Bank and then the International Monetary Fund. Currently, Jillian is pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Pittsburgh, where she was selected to be a Werner Fellow for Economic History. Most recently, she was selected to participate in the National Bureau of Economic Research Behavioral Macroeconomics seminar in Cambridge in May of 2024.

Dr. Casey Michael Jelsema
B.S. Statistics (2008)
M.S. Applied Statistics (2011)
Ph.D. Statistics (2013)

Casey arrived at GVSU in 2003, discovering the field of Statistics quite by accident. He earned a B.S. in Statistics from GVSU in 2008, he continued his education at Western Michigan University, completing his Ph.D. in 2013 with the goal of becoming a professor. Following graduation, he first worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences before joining the faculty in the Department of Statistics at West Virginia University.

In 2020 he joined Sandia National Laboratories as a Principal Member of the Technical Staff. In this role, Casey is asked to use creative applications of statistical methods, conduct research and development of new statistical methodology, as well as consult and mentor colleagues.

Casey’s work has been used on the most advanced hypersonic missile systems in the world, and he is a partner in development of next-generation computational simulations, as well as tools for their verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification. He gets called on for assistance ranging from developing sampling plans for a single component production line to developing methods to quantify the safety, security, and reliability of entire nuclear weapon systems.