The College of Health and Human Services is proud to celebrate our three newly promoted and tenured faculty for fall 2022!

nnair-smDr. Nisha Nair has been tenured and promoted to associate professor in the School of Nursing, where she has been teaching undergraduate, graduate and doctoral courses since 2015. Nair is passionate about research that focuses on understanding the impact of health disparities and disseminating the need for women’s preventive health care services, parental education in newborn health, and breastfeeding counseling. She is currently developing and managing instructional pedagogies to create a student-centered environment for more in-depth learning

Outside of Nair’s teaching career, she practices as a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner, and her clinical career has centered on obstetric and women’s health issues, including clinical practice in various settings such as labor and delivery, postpartum, antepartum, and family planning services. She is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and earned national certification as a nurse educator from the National League for Nursing.  

Nair is active both on campus and in the professional setting, having served on several department, college and university committees, as well as her current role as the president of Sigma Theta Tau Mu Nu chapter, Honor Society of Nursing, and vice president of the California Indian Nurses Association. Learn more about Nair below: 

What research projects and/or activities can we expect to see from you next?
I will continue my research on the significant racial disparities that exist in the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. Additionally, I will also continue my research on the use of virtual simulation to examine its effectiveness in improving clinical skills, theoretical knowledge, and affective outcomes such as self-efficacy and self-confidence among nursing students.

What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I enjoy teaching students to develop their critical, analytical, and problem-solving skills to fulfill the role of the professional nurse. I love interacting with students in the setting of real-world patient care, emphasizing decision-making, self-reflection, and interpersonal relationships in a meaningful context. 

What is your favorite memory or accomplishment at Fresno State so far?
Many cherished moments come to mind from my time here at Fresno State. My greatest accomplishment will always be my students, especially when guiding them to finish their doctoral projects and achieve their goals. 

Aside from teaching, what are some hobbies you enjoy?
I love to take time apart and engage in some quiet time for myself! Aside from teaching, you can find me reading books. I also love traveling and seeing the world.

jadame-smDr. Jennifer Adame-Walker has been tenured and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy. She began her teaching career at Fresno State in 2012 as a part-time lecturer, working her way up to a full-time assistant professor position just four years later. Since then, she has taught a variety of courses in the field and regularly oversees student research and evidence-based projects. 

Adame-Walker’s own research interests include concussion testing and management, as well as wellness and exercise. This ties into her work leading the musculoskeletal care clinic on campus, housed in the Student Health and Counseling Center. In this role, she is committed to developing a concussion management clinic and program to serve the needs of Valley athletes. In addition, she serves on the medical team for Fresno’s local United Soccer League team, the Fresno FC. 

Outside of the academic setting, Adame-Walker is certified as an orthopedic specialist and has worked as an outpatient orthopedic physical therapist in hospital, private practice and government settings.

rnedegaard-smDr. Randy Nedegaard has been tenured and promoted to full professor in the Department of Social Work Education, where he has been teaching full-time since 2018. In his role, he prepares graduate social workers with practice skills to engage, assess, and intervene with individuals, couples, families and groups.

Nedegaard has 20 years of practice experience as an Air Force social work/psychology officer where he practiced around the world in medical, correctional, headquarters, and deployed environments. This experience informs his research interests related to interpersonal violence and behavioral health. He continues to remain connected to military mental health by consulting with the local 144th Fighter Wing to obtain a grant to enhance social connection and wellness.  He hopes to begin collaborative work with Lemoore Naval Airstation in the fall.

What research projects and/or activities can we expect to see from you next?
I’m currently working on a research project that is looking into the concept of religious trauma syndrome. Often, people are encouraged to believe a particular religion or belief system when they are young and many continue with that their entire life. However, there are several who decide later that they no longer wish to be affiliated with this belief/practice/church, etc. and decide to leave or separate from it. For many, this is not a difficult transition. Yet for others, this can be very significant. Their entire social system, identity and lifestyle might have been geared around their beliefs or their family/religious community might put tremendous pressure on them to stay. Religious trauma syndrome was introduced as a concept for over a decade, but hasn’t been empirically validated. I’m seeking to help validate it and research it further.   

What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I really enjoy the students here at Fresno State. I enjoyed the students at my previous university as well, but the students here work very hard to overcome the many obstacles to their education and because of that, I feel like they appreciate their experience more than other students do. I especially enjoy when students stop by my office to chat or ask questions. These times can lead to some of the best conversations. Being able to connect with students outside of the classroom adds a deeper element to the teaching experience. 

What is your favorite memory or accomplishment at Fresno State so far?
When I first came to Fresno State, I would walk down the hallway and the doors to nearly all of the professor offices would be closed. You could knock and they would gladly invite you in, but it was never clear when my colleagues were available. There were three new faculty hired the year I came and we all started leaving our doors open. Now, having doors open is more the rule than the exception. Changing the culture of an organization is hard and this is just a small thing, but it’s something I’m proud to have been a part of.

Aside from teaching, what are some hobbies you enjoy?
We recently bought a new house, so my newest hobbies have been do-it-yourself home improvement projects. I’ve enjoyed travel and have been to 49 states and 18 countries. I also enjoy playing strategy games and video games with friends.