Jonathan Bratt

M.A., East Asian Studies, Indiana University
brattj@rowan.edu

Jonathan Bratt teaches cultural geography and planning courses at Rowan. He is currently a PhD candidate in Geography at Arizona State University. He taught English in China and Ethiopia, studied Chinese in Taipei, and does urban geography research in Tianjin, China.

Paul D. Caris

Ph.D., Geography, Rutgers University
caris@rowan.edu

Paul Caris is a geographer (Ph.D., Rutgers University) who has been working in the GIS field for nearly thirty years. Before retiring from state service in 2017, he worked as a GIS Specialist at the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, in the Bureau of GIS. He has also worked as a planner for Hudson County and Middlesex County. Though semi-retired, he continues to work part-time at Hopeworks, and also teaches geography as an adjunct at Community College of Philadelphia and Rowan University.

Originally from upstate New York, near Rochester, Paul has lived in New Jersey since 1986.

Bryce Carmichael

M.A., Geography, East Carolina University
carmichaelb@rowan.edu
215.565.6186

Bryce Carmichael is a proud graduate of Elizabeth City State University, majoring in Computer Science. His interest in geospatial technology and environmental research led him to East Carolina University, where he received a M.A. in Geography. Prior to joining the department, Bryce worked as technology teacher for the Trenton Public Schools, and has served as an adjunct professor for both Rutgers University and Burlington County Community College.

Leslie Gunnett

M.S., Molecular Pathology & Immunology, Rowan University 
laffer00@rowan.edu

Leslie was led to a career in sustainability through personal experience. While working in the pharmaceutical industry as a microbiologist, she became inspired to lead projects that led to reductions of waste in her labs. She lives a sustainable, low-waste lifestyle at home, and is passionate about inspiring others to look deeper at how our everyday actions have an impact on our planet. She teaches Earth, People, & Environment courses where she incorporates environmental justice and sustainability into the lessons as they explore our interactions with and impacts on the world around us. She is also an elected member of her town's environmental commission. 

Paul Hanley

Professor Hanley's teaching style weaves together the interplay between the human and natural world in a way which is both engaging and relevant to students. He is experienced in diverse aspects of sustainability, such as energy efficiency and natural resource issues, air pollution and climate, health & wellness, food & nutrition, and green living. He also writes extensively on a variety of sustainability and environmental matters. His teaching style is dynamic, interactive and passionate. 

Articles: Shale Gas Remains Controversial and Abundant Energy Source; Sustainability Is the Answer… but What Was the Question?; The Black Run Preserve: A Suburban Pinelands Oasis

Paul Hanley's Health and Wellness Article Series

Hannah Jacobson

M.A., Geography, University of Delaware
jacobsonh@rowan.edu

Hannah Jacobson is currently a Transportation GIS Analyst with NJ Transit, and has been teaching Intro to Mapping and GIS for Rowan University for the past 3 years. She earned her undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from Rowan University and her M.A. in Geography from the University of Delaware. In the past she worked as the Environmental Intern Advisor for the New Jersey Army National Guard. ​

Andrew Levecchia

While at Rutgers University, Mr. Levecchia was awarded a fellowship from the Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs and studied land use and urban planning in the City of Camden. Andrew earned a Bachelor’s in Geography from Rowan University and has returned as an adjunct faculty member in the Geography Department. Andrew holds a Professional Planners license from the State of NJ and has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners since 2011.

Naomi B Levecchia

M.M., Music, University of North Texas; J.D., Rutgers School of Law
levecchian@rowan.edu

Naomi is in her second year of teaching Cultural Geography at Rowan. Previously, she has taught students culture and language in grades 1-12 for more than ten years.

Judy Okun

M.A., Environmental Conservation, New York University; M.A, History, Villanova University
okun@rowan.edu
856.256.4811
Robinson Hall 315
Curriculum Vitae
Fall Office Hours—via email

Judy Okun’s interest in geography began with many cross-country road trips taken to the American West and our national parks. That has led to graduate school and a combined interest in the environment, geography and history, and how the three intersect. Prof. Okun’s main areas of interest are in the Ice Age and human migration, environmental issues of the American Southwest, geography of language, and world trade connections and logistics.

Anthony Pannullo

M.S., Sustainable Management, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
pannullo@rowan.edu

Anthony teaches Earth, People, and the Environment online. He previously taught World Regional Geography. He is a full-time environmental laboratory technician and possesses a LEED Green Associate credential. Anthony is passionate about introducing students to sustainable solutions related to the geographic issues covered in the classroom. His research interests involve climate change mitigation, renewable energy, and the built environment.

Christopher Pollard

B.A., Geography, Kutztown University
pollardc@rowan.edu
856.256.4811

Christopher Pollard teaches Introduction to Mapping and GIS and Cartography (online) courses at Rowan. An adjunct professor at Rowan since the Fall 2012, he brings over 19 years of real world GIS and cartographic experience from his role as Manager of Geospatial Application Development at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (Greater Philadelphia’s MPO). Christopher is passionate about all aspects of geospatial technology, which includes producing high-quality cartographic products, teaching young minds about spatial awareness and thinking, and creating interactive maps and data visualization. He remains dedicated to finding the best solutions to educate the public about regional, environmental, and transportation planning within the Greater Philadelphia Area.

Christa Pullion

Professor Pullion teaches Environmental and Human Geography courses at Rowan. She has been passionate about cultures, languages and the environment since she was very young. She majored in Global Studies and International Politics and then went on to earn her Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Christa is bilingual, having grown up speaking German and English. In addition to Geography, she teaches History and German courses at the college level. She is very involved in both leadership and scoring of the Praxis Exams, AP Exams and SATs. Christa loves traveling to learn about new countries and cultures, bringing the experiences into her classroom. Christa Pullion truly enjoys teaching and can be described as dedicated and enthusiastic.

Brooke Santiago

Wayne Zanni

Mr. Zanni is a career educator and a Geography aficionado. He has taught students from remedial to gifted levels, of all ages from elementary to adult. That tenure includes teaching Geography, History, English, Reading, and Legislative-bill writing. Additional experience includes testing coordinator; summer-school testing director; and assistant varsity coach for high school baseball, softball, and basketball. After completing more than twenty years of public school educating, Mr. Zanni performed volunteer construction work in Latin America. Soon after, he relocated his geo-devotion to the classrooms of several southern New Jersey community colleges. He is working with federal and state legislators for the New Jersey Geographic Alliance in his roles as Chair of the Advisory Board and Director of Policy Planning for the promotion of teaching geography as a stand-alone full-year course in New Jersey’s public schools. Every semester since fall 2008, Mr. Zanni has been sharing his understanding of how the natural and cultural landscape of the World shape our lives through various human geography courses at Rowan.

Eva Boodman, Ph.D

Patrick Crumrine, Ph.D

Patrick uses a combination of observational, comparative, and experimental methods to study the factors that shape community structure, primarily in aquatic systems. Much of his work has examined predator-prey interactions in size-structured populations using a variety of organisms including: aquatic insects, snails, amphibians, and trematode parasites. He is also interested in ecotoxicology and has studied how agricultural pesticides and pharmaceuticals affect aquatic organisms. Most recently, He has become involved in a project examining the role of urbanization and land use change on aquatic turtle population structure.

Jordan Howell, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Sustainable Business
Ph.D., Geography, Michigan State University; MBA, Rowan University
howellj@rowan.edu
856.256.4500 ext. 4831
Business Hall, Room 216B

Jordan is an Associate Professor of Sustainable Business at Rowan University. He co-directs the Rowan Center for Responsible Leadership housed in the Rohrer College of Business. He has developed and helps supervise a joint degree program offering students the opportunity to complete a BA in Environmental & Sustainability Studies alongside a Masters’ in Business Administration. His current research examines the role for markets and financial instruments in enacting environmental and sustainability goals. Past major projects have focused on the history and future of waste management in New Jersey and other aspects of environmental policy and governance in the US and around the world.

Katrinka Somdahl, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Political Science
Ph.D., Geography, University of Texas
somdahl@rowan.edu
856.256.5840
Robinson Hall, 3rd Floor, Political Science Suite

Dr. Katrinka Somdahl is an Associate Professor of Political Science and is the Coordinator for the New Jersey Geographic Alliance. She is a political geographer with research interests in the spaces of political communication, popular geopolitics, mediated spaces of performance, and geographic education. Her recent teaching areas include Contemporary World Problems, Politics on Film, Global Challenges, and regional courses on Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Jennifer Walker, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Environmental Science
Ph.D., Oceanography, Rutgers University
walkerjs@rowan.edu
856.256.5247
Discovery Hall, Room 314A

Jennifer is broadly interested in sea-level research and climate and how sea level rise into the future will affect coastal communities. Her research examines past sea-level change to bridge the gap between short-term instrumental records and long-term geological reconstructions and to better understand future sea-level rise under changing climate. She focuses on reconstructing Holocene sea-level changes along the U.S. Atlantic coast using biological and geological indicators, which are used to quantify rates of sea-level change and examine spatial and temporal variability. The goal of this research is to improve understanding of past sea level to better predict how sea level rise into the future will affect coastal systems and coastal communities.