Dr. Harkirat Bal has been a health provider in California for the past 13 years, with a majority of that time serving the San Joaquin Valley. This fall, he returns to his roots and his alma mater in the School of Nursing, as an assistant professor. Just last year, in 2019, Bal earned his doctorate in nursing from Fresno State. He looks forward to returning to campus – this time on the other end of the spectrum as faculty. Prior to Fresno State, he taught in the area of nursing and pharmacology at National University.
In addition to teaching, Bal has a long history working in post-acute rehab and long-term care facilities, where he helped patients manage their chronic health issues related to respiratory infections, stroke, post-cardiac and orthopedic surgeries, as well as diabetes management.
Dr. Eileen Jimenez is currently completing her doctorate in Nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Prior to working on her doctorate, Jimenez completed all of her nursing education from Fresno State, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the field. She will return to Fresno State in the spring of 2021 to serve as an assistant professor in the School of Nursing.
Jimenez has been a registered nurse for over 10 years, and is certified as a clinical nurse specialist for adult and geriatric populations and also has special certifications as a wound and ostomy nurse. She previously spent eight years at the V.A. Central California Healthcare System working in this specific area. Telehealth is another area Jimenez has skilled independent practice in.
Among Jimenez’s research interestes are the relationship between the development of pressure injuries and one-year mortality rate. When she’s not in the classroom or the clinic, she can be found engaging in her favorite hobbies – crafting, sewing, cooking and canning!
Dr. Talar Terzian-Chekian is well-known among Fresno State nursing students, as she has been teaching courses in the School of Nursing since 2013 as both a teacher’s assistant and lecturer. Those teaching experiences inspired her to pursue her doctorate in educational leadership at Fresno State, where she is now an assistant professor in the School of Nursing – a position she says is a dream come true. She is delighted to begin the next chapter of her nursing career and continue to make an impact on students and the community.
While in the School of Nursing, Terzian-Chekian has been coordinator of the Nursing Resource Center on campus, a lab where students are able to practice their nursing skills. She has also served as chair of program evaluation and helped coordinate new student orientation for the RN to BSN program; and has assisted in outreach events for middle and high school students interested in the healthcare field, bringing over 10 different area schools to Fresno State for campus tours.
Aside from teaching, Terzian-Chekian has 14 years of clinical experience as a registered nurse, specializing in medical surgical nursing. She has practiced on both the west and east coast, from Fresno to Atlanta. A fun fact about her is that she is fluent in four languages: English, Armenian, Arabic and French.
Dr. Bryan Tune is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing and hopes to bring his expertise and knowledge of anesthesia to the classroom and clinical setting. Prior to Fresno State, he has served in faculty and administrative roles since 2007 – and was even charged with the development of a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program at a previous institution where he spent 10 years as director and professor.
Tune is dedicated to educating and training the Central Valley’s next generation of healthcare providers and is eager to bring his vision back to Fresno State, where he previously earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. In addition to his faculty role, he maintains an active clinical practice and is a managing partner of Central California Anesthesia Solutions, which is dedicated to anesthesia care delivery for the neurosurgical, critically ill, and/or traumatically injured patient, as well as ultrasound guided regional anesthesia.
Outside of the classroom, Tune is active in service and leads medical mission trips annually. Past trips have brought him to South America where he provided surgical and anesthesia care; to Haiti providing education and training to hospital staff; and to Guatemala to provide anesthesia care and surgical treatment to patients, among other services.
Fresno State College of Health and Human Services 