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Concordia’s Master of Public Health faculty bring significant, current, and relevant working knowledge from the field of healthcare to incorporate into the classroom. Learn more about the instructors in their faculty bios below.

Adjunct Professor

Brash, Marissa

Biography

Dr. Marissa Brash holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Public Health Degree in Biostatistics from Loma Linda University, a Doctor of Public Health Degree in Epidemiology from Loma Linda University, and a Doctor of Education Degree in Mind, Brain, Teaching from Johns Hopkins University. She is also Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. Dr. Brash has a passion for teaching while also working on curriculum design, accreditation standards, program implementation, evaluation, and assessment. She is interested in integrating curriculum through interprofessional education efforts between the public health, nursing, health administration, business, mathematics, and social and behavioral health sectors of higher learning healthcare. Her research interests focus on health equity in public health, with an emphasis on epigenetic-based autoimmune public health prevention, neuroeducation, and food insecurity. Additionally, she sits on the Medical Science Advisory Board for Global Genes, a non-profit serving the rare disease community.

Courses

  • MPH535- Applied Epidemiology
  • MPH560- Methods of Research in Public Health
  • MPH570- Community Health
  • MPH575- Communication and Social Marketing Health Promotion and Education

Education

  • BS Biochemistry, The University of San Francisco
  • MPH Biostatistics, Loma Linda University
  • DrPH Epidemiology, Loma Linda University
  • EdD Mind, Brain, Teaching, John Hopkins University
Todd Kane

Associate Professor

Biography

Dr. Robert 'Todd' Kane, an accomplished healthcare and business professional with a diverse background in business leadership, healthcare administration and operations, human resources, and higher education, brings over two decades of experience to his roles in the healthcare sector and academia. With an impressive array of academic accomplishments including an EdD in Higher Education Leadership, an MBA in Healthcare Administration, and multiple other advanced degrees, Dr. Kane has cultivated a robust understanding of the intersection between healthcare systems and organizational leadership. His tenure as President and CEO of a national, Joint Commission Certified, healthcare human resources, staffing and recruitment firm, along with senior management roles at various healthcare organizations, underscores his capacity to drive strategic initiatives, ensure operational excellence, and foster organizational growth.

Dr. Kane’s extensive experience in healthcare, in both the public and private sectors, has allowed him the opportunity to work with various stakeholders to enhance healthcare delivery, drive results and outcomes, and work strategically to improve lives of patients, employees, and communities. Dr. Kane’s ability to navigate the complex healthcare regulatory environment is second to none. His ability to engage stakeholders, oversee budgeting and financial operations, analyze and act on data, and address challenges with a solutions-oriented approach has contributed greatly to his success.

In his academic career, Dr. Kane has served in various faculty and leadership positions at esteemed institutions of higher learning. His expertise in instructional design and curriculum development has enabled him to create and deliver innovative, learner-centered educational experiences focused on continuous quality improvement and positive student outcomes. Dr. Kane's dedication to professional development and student success is evident in his award-winning teaching and the positive feedback from his students. Dr. Kane is a Certified Course Reviewer for Quality Matters and has built and evaluated numerous courses with a focus on quality. Dr. Kane has served as a subject-matter expert and written and developed dozens of courses over the years.

Dr. Kane is a dedicated faculty member with a unique ability to focus on both student success and organizational/departmental success. His work in course and program development, educational effectiveness, and various institutional initiatives is demonstrative of his ability to add value, resolve complex issues, and ensure the success of his students and colleagues.

Courses

  • MPH525- Health Policy and Management
  • MPH540- Leadership and Organizational Management in Health Services

Education

  • MEd in Organizational Leadership
  • MBA in Healthcare Administration
  • EdD in Higher Ed Leadership
David Loy

Dean, Christ College
Director of FaithWorks Center at Concordia University Irvine
Professor of Philosophy, Theology and Ethics

Curriculum Vitae

Education

  • Ph.D. St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO
  • M.Div. Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO
  • B.A. Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN

Professional Experience

  • Concordia University Irvine: Professor, 2019 - Present
  • Concordia University Irvine: Associate Professor, 2015 - 2019
  • Concordia University Irvine: Assistant Professor, 2011 - 2015
  • Zion Lutheran Church, Bolivar, MO: Pastor, 2003 - 2011

Research Interests

  • Doctrine of Vocation
  • Church, state, and public life
  • Political thought

Selected Publications

Translations

  • Editor, Pastoral Theology, by C. F. W. Walther. Translated by Christian Tiews (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2017)
  • “C. F. W. Walther’s Concept of Missions,” by Volker Stolle. In Missio Apostolica 10, no. 1 (May 2002): 38-40.
  • “Kant’s Idea of Peace and the Philosophic Concept of a World Republic,” by Matthias Lutz-Bachmann. In Perpetual Peace: Essays on Kant’s Cosmopolitan Ideal, ed. James Bohman and Matthias Lutz-Bachmann, 59-77. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1997.

Miscellaneous

  • “Called By Whom and How? Reflections on the Structure of Vocation.” Concordia Journal 49, no. 1 (Winter 2023): 35–46.
  •  “Luther, Vocation, and the Search for Significance.” Lutheran Quarterly 35 (2021): 50–72. Responses by Robert Benne, Suzanne Hequet, and Kiara Jorgenson.
  • Confession of a Lutheran University.Concordia Theological Journal 7, no. 1 (Winter 2020): 60–76.
  • “Hegel’s Critique of Greek Immediacy.” Hegel Bulletin 42, no. 2 (2021): 157–79. (Originally published by Cambridge University Press online, Dec. 26, 2018.)
  • Contributor, Devotions on the Small Catechism. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2019
  • “To Be Known as I Know Myself: Identity, Politics and the Gospel.” Issues in Christian Education 48, no. 3 (Summer 2015). http://issues.cune.edu/the-lgbt-disputes-teaching-and-practice-in-the-church-2/the-lgbt-disputes-teaching-and-practice-in-the-church/
  • “What Is the Theology of the Cross.” Sidebar. LEA Shaping the Future (Summer 2014). http://stf.lea.org/summer2014/feat1schumacher.html.
  • “What the Gospel Does: Three Ways of Applying the Gospel Concretely.” Concordia Journal 36, no. 1 (Winter 2010): 21-31.

Bible Studies

  • The Parables Leaders Guide. Edited by Brian Chisamore. LifeLight Bible Study series. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2013.
  • 1 and 2 Kings Leaders Guide (lectures only). Edited by Brian Chisamore. LifeLight Bible Study series. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2013.
  • Heaven and Hell. Edited by Brian Chisamore. LifeLight Bible Study series. Concordia Publishing House, 2012.
  • 1, 2, 3 John Leaders Guide. Edited by Brian Chisamore. LifeLight Bible Study series. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2012.

Program Director and Professor

Sinardi, Catherine Collins

Biography

Dr. Sinardi holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from St. Cloud State University and a Master's degree in Counseling from California State University, Long Beach. She became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2006. In 2011, Dr. Sinardi completed her Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership at the University of La Verne.

Professional Experience

Since 2013, Dr. Catherine Sinardi has worked with the healthcare programs at Concordia University Irvine. She is the Director of the Master of Healthcare Administration, Master of Public Health, and Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Management. As a Professor, she develops and teaches a variety of courses in the aforementioned programs. Dr. Sinardi currently serves on the board of directors for the Healthcare Executives of Southern California as the Chair of Academic Affairs. Previously, she was Regional Director of Clinical Services at Children’s Institute and Director of Quality Assurance and Program Evaluation at Counseling4Kids, both in the greater Los Angeles area. She also worked in private practice as a licensed counselor and held various administrative positions at ChildNet Youth and Family Services in Long Beach.

Courses

  • MPH500- Foundations in Public Health
  • MPH515- Principles of Health BEhaviors

Education

  • Ed.D. Organizational Leadership, University of La Verne
  • MFT Counseling, California State University Long Beach

Publications

  • Scheinfeld, E., Barney, K., Gangi, K., Nelson, E. & Sinardi, C. (2023). Moving forward in compounded grief: Communicated resilience after COVID-19 related losses. Western Journal of Communication.
  • Scheinfeld, E., Barney, K., Gangi, K., Nelson, E. & Sinardi, C. (2021). Filling the void: Grieving and healing during a socially isolating global pandemic. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
  • Scheinfeld, E., Gangi, K., Nelson, E. & Sinardi, C. (2021). Please scream inside your heart: Compounded loss and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Communication

Manuscript Under Review

  • Scheinfeld, E., Barney, K., Gangi, K., Nelson, E. & Sinardi, C. (Under Review). Moving forward in compounded grief: Communicated resilience after COVID-19 related losses. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
  • Wozniak, Tayah Wozniak, Tayah
  • Assistant Professor of Public Health and Healthcare Administration
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Assistant Professor of Public Health and Healthcare Administration

Wozniak, Tayah

Biography

Dr. Tayah Wozniak is interested in the interdisciplinary field of public health, specifically health communication. Within the field of health communication, her research primarily focuses on combatting the spread of and belief in health misinformation. She is currently examining primary care physician message strategies in correcting patient-held health misinformation. Her goal is to provide translational research on health misinformation and strategic health communication, with specific attention to health disparities and individuals facing significant health disadvantages.

In addition to Dr. Wozniak’s educational background, she has several years of experience working in the nonprofit sector serving under-resourced communities through programmatic design, management, and evaluation. She is passionate about encouraging the progression of health quality and access by improving health communication and promoting the empowerment of individuals for behavior change. It is her goal to educationally equip people with the necessary life skills to be competent in health situations.

Courses

  • MPH515- Principles of Health Behaviors
  • MPH530- Biostatistics
  • MPH560- Methods of Research in Public Health
  • MPH570- Community Health
  • MPH575- Communication and Social Marketing Health Promotion and Education
  • MPH580- Programming and Evaluation in Public Health 
  • MPH598- Public Health Practicum
  • MPH599- Applied Research in Public Health

Education

  • B.S. Azusa Pacific University, Molecular Biology
  • M.P.H. The University of California, Irvine, Socio-cultural Diversity in Health
  • Ph.D. Chapman University, Health and Strategic Communication

Publications

Adjunct Professor

Grad, Roni

Biography

Roni Grad is a retired pediatric pulmonologist. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Boston University and spent most of his career in academics. Additionally, he is a member at Catalina Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Tucson AZ, where he is a commissioned Lay Deacon, and serves as chair of the Life Team. Additionally, he serves as Life Coordinator of the English District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Finally, he serves on the Board of Lutherans For Life as Secretary, and as Chair of the Position Statements subcommittee and the Verba Vitae steering committee. His interest is in bioethics through the lens of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

Courses

  • MPH545 - Vocation and Ethics in Public Health

 Education

  • BA, MD Boston University
  • Pediatric Residency, St. Christopher’s Hospital
  • Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship, University of Arizona
Jennifer Zamzow

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Dr. Jen Zamzow completed her Ph.D. in philosophy with a minor in cognitive science from the University of Arizona followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Philosophy and the Center for Ethics and Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. In addition to her academic publications in ethics, Dr. Zamzow also writes about mental health and wellbeing for popular publications such as The Washington Post, CNBC, Insider, Fortune, Success, Good Housekeeping, Christianity Today, Sojourners, Common Good Magazine, and Psychology Today.

Courses

  • MPH545- Vocation and Ethics in Public Health

 Education

  •  BA Azusa Pacific University, Philosophy and Psychology
  •  PhD University of Arizona, Philosophy, minor in Cognitive Science
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