Meet our Faculty and Staff

Aside from our students, the faculty and staff of the education department are what makes our program here at Winona State University so unique. We encourage you to browse through our faculty members and contact them with any questions you might have or simply to get to know them.

 

 

Rinnel Atherton, PhD
Assistant Professor
Gildemeister 152
507.457.5350
ratherton@winona.edu
 

 



 

Shelly Balkan, MA, ABD
Assistant Professor & Teacher Preparation Collaborative Coordinator
EA 211 Rochester
507.285.7189
sbalkan@winona.edu 



Violet Belter 
Administrative Assistant
Memorial Hall 123
507.457.5202
vbeleter@winona.edu 

 


 

 

  Dana Brigson, PhD 
Assistant Professor
Gildemeister 139
507.457.5197
dbrigson@winona.edu
 
   

Carrie Brouse, PhD 
Assistant Dean
Gildemeister 114
507.457.2447
cbrouse@winona.edu 

     

Trisha Brown, MS 
Instructor
Memorial Hall 134
507.457.5694
tmbrown@winona.edu  

   

 

Douglas R. Callahan, PhD 
Professor
Memorial Hall 120
507.457.5215
dcallahan@winona.edu  

 

     

 

Karen Dunbar, MS 
Education Recruitment & Advising Coordinator
EA 201 Rochester
507.292.5126
kdunbar@winona.edu 

 

   

Nancy Eckerson, PhD 
Professor
EA 222 Rochester
507.280.2860
neckerson@winona.edu

  

     

Chris Gove, MS 
Assistant Professor & Assistant Basketball Coach
Memorial Hall 118
507.457.5221
agove@winona.edu 

   
Chad Grabau, MS 
Assistant Professor & Director of Physical Education
Memorial Hall 125
507.457.2316
cgrabau@winona.edu 
     
Kim Gresham 
Administrative Assistant
Gildemeister 110
507.457.5351
kgresham@winona.edu 

   

 

Tracy Hale 
Senior Office Administrator – Assistant to the Dean of Education
Gildemeister 103
507.457.2876
thale@winona.edu 

     

 

Maureen Hendricks, MS
Assistant Professor
Gildemeister 152
507.457.5361
mhendricks@winona.edu

   
Maggie Hoody, EdD
Associate Professor
EA 216 Rochester
507.529.6118
mhoody@winona.edu

 

     

Sandy Hunter
Administrative Assistant & Office Manager
Gildemeister 152
507.457.5360
shunter@winona.edu

    Jessica Kauphusman
Project Coordinator
Gildemeister 108
507.457.2815
jkauphusman@winona.edu



      Michael Leaf, MS
Assistant Professor & Head Men’s Basketball Coach
Memorial Hall 208
507.457.5530
mleaf@winona.edu


    Jane Morken
Director of Clinical Practice
Gildemeister 104
507.457.5357
jmorken@winona.edu


      Paula O’Malley, MS
Teacher Education Admission & Certification Coordinator
Gildemeister 105
507.457.2358
pomalley@winona.edu
 
    Sue Parks
Administrative Assistant
EA 201 Rochester
507.285.7488
sparks@winona.edu 
     

Jon Pedersen, MA
Unit Assessment & Data Coordinator
Gildemeister 102
jpedersen@winona.edu

Melanie Reap, PhD
Assistant Professor
Gildemeister 142
507.457.2449
mreap@winona.edu

    Jim Reineke, PhD
Assistant Professor
Gildemeister 201B
507.457.5352
jreineke@winona.edu 
     
June Reineke, MS, ABD
Director of the WSU Children’s Center
Wabasha Hall 101B
507.457.5368
jmreineke@winona.edu 
     

Ann J. Rethlefsen, EdD 
Professor
Gildemeister 117B
507.457.5350
arethlefsen@winona.edu 

 

      Karla Saeger
Instructor
Gildemeister 138
507.457.5358
ksaeger@winona.edu
   

Tom Sawyer, MA
Assistant Professor & Head Football Coach
Memorial Hall 122
507.457.5213
tsawyer@winona.edu

      Wendy Shannon, PhD
Assistant Professor & Director of the Graduate Induction Program
EA 209 Rochester
507.285.7188
wsshannon@winona.edu
     

Arne Sippola, PhD 
Associate Professor
Gildemeister 141
507.457.2578
asippola@winona.edu  

 

      Joel Traver, MS
Induction Coordinator
Gildemeister 113
507.457.5570
jtraver@winona.edu
    Rhea Walker, PhD 
Associate Professor, Department Chairperson
Gildemeister 112
507.457.5353
rwalker@winona.edu 
 

 

      Penny Warner, PhD. 
Professor
Gildemeister 228A
507.457.5362
pwarner@winona.edu
 

 
    Jongsun Wee, PhD 
Assistant Professor
Gildemeister 140
507.457.2793
jwee@winona.edu 
 
      Rod Winters, EdD 
Assistant Professor
Gildemeister 152
507.457.2348
rwinters@winona.edu  
    Don Wistrcill, MS
Assistant Professor
Memorial Hall 119
507.457.5203
dwistrcill@winona.edu
 




  
      Nicholas Wysocki, PhD 
Assistant Professor
Gildemeister 136
507.457.5651
nwysocki@winona.edu