Recent Faculty and Staff Inductees

Denise Donica, DHSc, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA

Dr. Donica is an Associate Professor and the Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy. She has been a faculty member at ECU for almost 13 years. She is board certified in pediatrics and is the faculty advisor for the Pi Theta Epsilon Occupational Therapy Honors Society. Her primary area of research involves elementary-aged children and written communication (handwriting and keyboarding) skills.

William J. Eblin, Jr., AuD

Dr. Eblin is a licensed clinical audiologist. He is a clinical instructor at East Carolina University and serves as program director for the Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Dr. Eblin provides patient care services and clinical supervision for graduate students in the ECU Speech-Language-Hearing clinic. In addition to his clinical responsibilities, Dr. Eblin teaches graduate courses to Doctor of Audiology students.

Prior to joining the faculty at ECU, Dr. Eblin served as the director of audiology for a large neurotology practice in Florida. His clinical interests include vestibular assessment and management, auditory processing disorders, and adult audiologic evaluation and rehabilitation.

Linda Kean, PhD

Kean is a longtime Pirate who has served as director of the School of Communication since 2009 and as acting director for two years prior. She led the development of the Master of Arts in communication with an emphasis in health communication and has been widely recognized for her teaching, including as recipient of the Office of Global Affairs’ 2019 International Teaching Award. A steadfast proponent of global studies, she has helped promote international experiences for both students and faculty throughout the School of Communication and the College of Fine Arts and Communication. Kean joined ECU’s faculty as an assistant professor in 1998, became an associate professor in 2004, and earned the rank of professor in 2013. She received her Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism from the University of Illinois-Urbana and her master’s and doctoral degrees in communication arts from the University of Wisconsin. On July 1 she will take on the role of interim dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication.

Greg Kearney, Dr.P.H., M.P.H.

Dr. Kearney is an associate professor and founding program director for the Doctor of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Program in the Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Prior to joining ECU, he held positions as environmental epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta and the State of Florida, Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health. His research interests include environmental public health problems that adversely affect rural and vulnerable populations. Dr. Kearney holds a Bachelor of Science in urban and regional planning from ECU, a Master of Public Health from the University of South Florida, and a Doctor of Public Health in environmental health sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has authored over 60 publications and is co-editor the book, Environmental Public Health; The Practitioner’s Guide, published by the American Public Health Association.  During his tenure, he has received several awards including the ECU Graduate Faculty Mentor Award, the NC Asthma Champion award, and Senator Ken Pruitt Medallion of Excellence.

Armin Krishnan, PhD

Dr. Krishnan is Director of the Security Studies Program and Assistant Professor for Security Studies at East Carolina University. He holds the MA in Political Science, Sociology, and Philosophy from the University of Munich, the MA in Intelligence and International Relations and the PhD in Security Studies from Salford University (UK). He previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor for Security Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Mark Rasdorf, MA, NCC

Mark Rasdorf is the Senior Associate Director in Intercultural Affairs at East Carolina University with primary responsibility for the programming and long-range planning for the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center, as well as serving as the staff liaison with the LGBTQ Advancement Council. In addition to his work with the LGBTQ Center, he has served as a Cluster Facilitator (2015) and as Program Coordinator (2016) in the LeaderShape Institute. He led the return of a campus production of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” in 2015 and co-directed the 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 productions as part of ECU’s Pledge Purple campaign. In 2016, he collaborated with the Victim Advocate and the University Writing Center to create “To Girls Everywhere,” an event exploring the impact of sexual assault and sexual violence on college campuses based on the victim letter in the 2015 assault at Stanford University. In 2017, his work on campus was recognized with the East Carolina Creed Award for Diversity; the 2017 Diversity and Inclusion Award; and the Division of Student Affairs Inclusion Award. Most recently, he was honored with the 2019 Public Service Award from the Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Identities in the ACPA College Student Educators International. Mark earned his Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy from Appalachian State University in May 2013. While at Appalachian, he served as the graduate assistant for the LGBT Center for two years and his work was honored with Appalachian’s prestigious Gregory S. Blimling Award for Outstanding Graduate Student in Student Development. In 2012, Mark received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from the Association for LGBT Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC), a division of the American Counseling Association (ACA). A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Mark earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University and worked for over 20 years in marketing, communications, and general management for the performing arts including eight years at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., six years at UApresents, the University of Arizona’s performing arts series, and four years as General Manager for Broadway in Tucson/A Nederlander Presentation. He is a founding board member of PFLAG Greenville NC, a local chapter of the United States’ largest organization for parents, families, friends, and allies united with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.

Lauren Thorn

Lauren Thorn received the BS and Master of Social Work with a specialization in family and child welfare. In 2020, Lauren received the 40 under Forty leadership award from ECU’s Office of Student Affairs and Development. She has served at the Oakwood School, in numerous roles at Personalized Therapy Inc., as a staff counselor and an outreach coordinator at ECU’s Center for Counseling and Student Development, and currently serves as Associate Dean for the Dean of Students Office at ECU. In this role, Lauren oversees established programming from the Dean of Students Office such as Cupola Conversations and CREED Week/Awards, planning student memorial services with student groups and Office of Parent and Family Programs, collaborating with other departments and offices on the Resiliency Initiative, and continuing to build programs around civility and tenets of the Creed. Thorn is an active member of the of Junior League of Greenville and serves as the Vice President of Communications.

Eric Soule

Eric Soule is an Assistant Professor in Health Education and Promotion in the College of Health and Human Performance. He holds memberships in the American College Health Association and the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.