The College of Health and Human Services is proud to celebrate three faculty who have been promoted to full professor for fall 2022!
Dr. Fran Pomaville has been promoted to professor in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Deaf Studies where she has taught since 2000. She currently serves as the department’s graduate coordinator and teaches courses related to diagnostic procedures, anatomy and physiology, voice disorders, traumatic brain injury, motor speech disorders, and dysphagia.
Pomaville’s focus on interdisciplinary collaboration within the college and within the community has resulted in numerous workshops and symposiums, research projects, and community service opportunities for her students. These collaborative endeavors include the Central Valley Concussion Consortium, the CHHS and Valley Children’s Healthcare Interprofessional Education Collaborative, and the Parkinson’s Voice Project, among others.
Active on campus, Pomaville currently serves on the CHHS Executive Committee and has been involved with numerous college and University-wide committees, including the University Learning Assessment Team and the University Assessment of Student Learning Committee.
Outside of the academic setting, Pomaville has extensive clinical experience in schools, hospitals, and private practice. Prior to Fresno State, she served as the director of Clinical Services at San Joaquin Valley Rehabilitation Hospital. Learn more about Pomaville below:
What research projects and/or activities can we expect to see from you next?
This year, I will continue to focus on research regarding techniques to improve communication for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease, and I hope to publish the results of data gathered in the LOUD Crowd® group therapy program currently offered in our Parkinson’s Research Clinic.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I love the personal interactions with the students, particularly the graduate students. It is amazing to see how their knowledge, skills, and confidence increase as they progress through our graduate program and go on to serve those with communicative disorders in our community. Having worked in the community for over 35 years and teaching at Fresno State for over 20 years, I love running into our alumni and hearing stories about their own professional accomplishments and love for the profession.
What is your favorite memory or accomplishment at Fresno State so far?
One of my favorite memories and accomplishments involves taking a group of students to Fiji for a service learning opportunity offered through Continuing and Global Education. It was a challenging and rewarding experience for everyone involved, and I consider it to be one of my best lifetime adventures.
Aside from teaching, what are some hobbies you enjoy?
I love spending time up at Huntington Lake where I enjoy hiking, kayaking, reading, and just relaxing. While at home, I enjoy walking with my dog, gardening, and spending time with family and friends. I recently started playing pickleball, so it has become my latest obsession.
Dr. Jenna Sawdon-Bea has been promoted to professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, where she has also served as chair since 2019. Her teaching career at Fresno State began in 2008 and since then, she has taught courses in musculoskeletal and orthopedic evaluation, assessment, and treatment.
Sawdon-Bea’s research interests and expertise have been focused on musculoskeletal injuries, injury prevention, manual therapy, and exercise/fitness. She has authored many publications related to the adolescent athlete in the areas of chronic ankle instability, lower extremity strength and injury, as well as Swimmers Shoulder. Most recently, she served as co-author of an Ankle Sprain Clinical Practice Guideline that was published in 2021.
Prior to Fresno State, Sawdon-Bea owned a private outpatient physical therapy clinic. In addition to teaching and scholarship, Sawdon-Bea has maintained ongoing community relationships with the Central Unified School District’s ROP Sports Medicine Program where she has served as a guest lecturer the past six years. She also regularly serves as a guest speaker and health career panelist for the UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research’s Young Doctor’s Academy. Learn more below:
What research projects and/or activities can we expect to see from you next?
I am currently collaborating with DPT students to examine the relationship between mental health and injury in female adolescent athletes. Specifically, we have begun data collection on burnout, grit, anxiety, self esteem, and perceived stress in basketball, softball, water polo and swim high school athletes. Pilot data collected late 2021 and early 2022 has just been accepted at our state physical therapy conference held at the end of September. Ongoing research with assessment of body image, team efficacy, and mindfulness will begin this academic year. This is a much needed arena of focus and I am excited to continue working on this topic.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I truly value my interactions with all of the DPT students. It may sound a bit crazy, but teaching re-energizes me and my time in the classroom allows me to cultivate a strong, positive, and supportive relationship with students. I also work very hard to promote a true open-door policy in my office/department and I really love when students stop by to talk, connect, share a story, or just come to decompress a bit in a safe place.
What is your favorite memory or accomplishment at Fresno State so far?
I would honestly say it was last May (2022) watching our DPT Class of 2022 walk across the stage at graduation. This was the first cohort of students I had the privilege of working with as department chair and I really got to witness their resiliency and flexibility over those three years in the program. They endured the unexpected challenges and responded to the numerous obstacles, schedule changes, and policy changes and became a cohesive, collaborative group of professionals!
At the same time, getting to work alongside my incredible faculty as department chair has been outstanding. Despite the pandemic, my faculty continued with strong teaching, and demonstrated resiliency with their research, community engagement and service. These individuals go above and beyond to educate, mentor, and support our students. Their efforts in helping Fresno State’s DPT program achieve high esteem in our community do not go unnoticed and I am so incredibly grateful!
Aside from teaching, what are some hobbies you enjoy?
I have three daughters, so a majority of my free time is spent with them! My oldest starts Sonoma State this fall, so I may have some extra time to read (love mysteries), catch up on Netflix, and walk my 2 goofy labs.
Dr. Janine Spencer has been promoted to professor in the School of Nursing, where she began her teaching career in 1998 as a part-time lecturer. She has contributed to various leadership roles within the school, and currently serves as assistant chair and coordinator of the baccalaureate and RN to BSN programs.
In her capacity as the baccalaureate coordinator, Spencer works closely with the Board of Registered Nursing to ensure accreditation compliance for the highly popular BSN program. She also places special emphasis on placing students with preceptors in local health care agencies and helps facilitate a smooth transition into professional practice by providing preparation for the NCLEX exam. Spencer says she is particularly proud to oversee the RN to BSN program and works closely with local Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs to recruit students and support career mobility for this unique student population.
With an eye on community health, Spencer incorporates service-learning into the BSN curriculum and works with several nonprofit agencies to place students. She is also actively revising the RN to BSN curriculum to support additional service-learning opportunities, patient safety and improved patient outcomes. In addition, Spencer serves as a mentor for new faculty providing support and encouragement as they complete their probationary plans. Learn more about Spencer below:
What research projects and/or activities can we expect to see from you next?
My next goal is to successfully implement the new curriculum for the BSN and work with the faculty to prepare for the Board of Registered Nursing accreditation visit. I also hope to collaborate with the Craig School of Business to develop an MSN/MBA program to address nursing leadership education.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I thoroughly enjoy working with the leadership students and assisting them to find their “niche in nursing”. I am always inspired by reading the student’s comments regarding their service-learning experience. This can be life changing for them and such a benefit for the community.
What is your favorite memory or accomplishment at Fresno State so far?
My favorite memories come with the relationships that I develop with the students. Seeing them thrive and become such amazing nurses is very rewarding. My major accomplishments include developing a new curriculum for the RN and BSN program and facilitating a major curriculum revision for the baccalaureate program.
Aside from teaching, what are some hobbies you enjoy?
I love the outdoors and enjoy gardening ( I am particularly fond of roses). My husband and I look forward to spending a week snow skiing each year. My favorite destination is Kona, Hawaii where my family and I have the opportunity to relax and spend quality time together.
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