Public Safety Faculty

Daniel Bilodeau received his Masters Degree in Public Safety Administration and started his academic career in 2007 with Kaplan University (now Purdue Global) in the Criminal Justice Program where he continues to teach. Bilodeau has been in law enforcement for over 20 years and has worked in corrections, court services, and many aspects of police work including administration of a large criminal justice organization and has been selected as "Police Officer of the Year." In addition to academic training, he has attended multiple training and administration programs pertaining to law enforcement and criminal justice.

At Purdue Global, Bilodeau teaches courses on the Criminal Justice System and Criminal Investigations along with Introduction courses. He has also taught in the Fire Sciences Program.

Honors and Achievements: Outstanding Faculty Member Award 2017

Terry Campbell began his Purdue Global career in 2003 and helped write the corrections curriculum; he currently teaches undergraduate classes. Additionally, he serves as course lead for a number of courses focusing on the prison system and corrections. Campbell started his academic career at Western Illinois University where he served on various committees; he has since retired from the corrections field. Campbell has presented at numerous University service events; presented at the American Correctional Association Conference; serves as a chair, distance education and program specialist for the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools; and serves as distance education and program specialist for the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

Education: MPA, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Publications: Corrections Today: American Corrections Association, regular contributor to corrections.com

Honors and Achievements: Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award (Kaplan University)

Brian Danigole has been instructing criminal justice at the college level since October 2008 and with the University since 2010. In the professional world, Danigole began working as a law enforcement practitioner in 1994. During that time, he worked in criminal patrol, street crimes, narcotics, K-9, robbery, burglary, and economic crimes. He has worked in federal task forces consisting of local, state, and federal partners conducting safe street gang operations and narcotics trafficking. Danigole has also been a certified crisis negotiator for 17 years.

Education: MS, University of Phoenix

Certifications: Certified Crisis Negotiator, FBI’s National Instructor Development course, national certification through the FBI and the Louisiana POST Council, Louisiana POST Certified Law Enforcement Officer

Honors and Achievements: 2008 Slidell Elks Lodge Deputy of the Year, 2008 Louisiana American Legion District, Regional, and State of Louisiana Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, 2007 St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Department Deputy of the Year

Memberships: Louisiana Narcotics Officers Association; National Narcotics Officers Association

Research Interests: Law enforcement use of force and vehicle pursuit technology

James Ebert began his career with Purdue Global as a part-time adjunct instructor in 2021 and became a full-time professor in 2022. Prior to teaching at Purdue Global, he served as a part-time Adjunct Instructor with University of the Cumberlands beginning in 2017. Ebert’s professional experience includes 20 years of law enforcement, with the last five years serving as Chief of Police in Richmond, Kentucky. Simultaneously, James served a second career in the military reserves. His 20-year military career included service in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and United States Navy where he served in the capacity of both enlisted and as an Officer. From 2010-2016, he serves as a Commanding Officer of three different Navy Reserve Security units.

Education: MS, University of the Cumberlands; BS, Upper Iowa University, Graduate Certificates from the University of Louisville and Purdue Global.  

Certifications: Certified Crime prevention through environmental design specialist. 

Memberships: Associate Advisor in Alpha Phi Sigma, Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police

Research Interests: Recruitment and Retention in Law Enforcement, Influences of politics in Law Enforcement

At Purdue Global, Chris Findley teaches criminal justice and forensic psychology courses and participates in the college transfer credit review process. He also serves as a course lead for the University. Upon completion on his PhD, Findley continued to teach at a 2-year college in Georgia in the criminal justice program and in 2012, he joined Purdue Global as a faculty member. Findley has spent the last 23 years working in law enforcement (both part time and full time) in many different positions including a jail setting, patrol, patrol supervision, crime scene supervision, and command level. During his time in the law enforcement field, he taught at several colleges and universities in criminal justice programs.

Education: PhD in Public Safety, Capella University; MS in Forensic Science, National University; BS in Psychology, Georgia College

Publications: The Need for Higher Education in Law Enforcement. POAG (Police Officers Association of Georgia) Magazine 2012.

The Psychology of Officer Survival. POAG (Police Officers Association of Georgia) Magazine 2013.

Summer Conference: A Year of Change. POAG (Police Officers Association of Georgia) Magazine 2015.

Certifications: Georgia Peace Officer training certifications such as firearms, defensive tactics, emergency driving, and basic law enforcement officer

Memberships: Member, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police; Member, Society for Police and Criminal Psychology

Research Interests: Law enforcement supervision and management

Tim Kozyra teaches criminal justice courses in both the undergraduate and master’s program, in addition to developing and revising courses. Prior to joining higher education, Kozyra served as a correctional officer, deputy sheriff, and criminal defense attorney. He also managed a law enforcement and corrections recruitment academy.

Education: JD, South Texas; MS, Kaplan University (now Purdue Global)

Mary Lannon is a public safety professional with 15 years of experience in police and fire emergency communications. She began her career as a 911 operator/radio dispatcher with the Charlotte Fire Department in North Carolina before spending 11 years as a police communications supervisor with the Phoenix Police Department in Arizona. Lannon has been teaching at Purdue Global (formerly Kaplan) since 2013. She has experience teaching in graduate and doctoral-level public safety programs and chairing dissertation committees. Lannon has served in a variety of roles, such as subject matter expert, course developer, faculty lead, faculty research consultant, comprehensive exam reviewer, and as a member of the faculty curriculum committee and institutional review board. She also has experience as a reviewer and quality assurance auditor for a private institutional review board.

Education: PhD, Northcentral University; MA, American Military University, BA, Arizona State University

Publications: The Role of Leadership in Employee Motivation, 2017; The Human Component of Communications Center Management, 2016; What Is Human Subject Research, 2022         

Certifications: Certified Public Manager 

Honors and Achievements: Faculty of the Year Award, 2020; Outstanding Professor Award, 2019; Outstanding Achievement in (Adjunct) Faculty Performance, 2014; Author Excellence Award, 2013

Memberships: International Association of Emergency Managers; Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

Research Interests: Emergency communications; emergency preparedness and response; interagency coordination in counterterrorism; leadership in public safety organizations; organizational behavior

Jodi Levit’s criminal justice experience includes correctional officer/counselor for Illinois State Police and intelligence crime analyst. At Purdue Global, she teaches undergraduate courses focusing on an introduction to criminal justice and preparing students for a career in criminal justice.

Education: MS, University of Illinois-Chicago; BS, University of Wisconsin-Madison

As an Industry-leading Criminal Justice expert, Kristi Pitts has honed skills and refined knowledge across criminal justice, forensic science, and higher education. Pitts is known for consistently creating an environment where students can think critically and communicate viable solutions. With a goal to instruct beyond the curriculum, Pitts provided real world examples from her 15 years of hands on experience in corrections, the court system, and crime scene management. Continuing education is a key portion of Pitts' professional career, as a scholar she has researched key strategies to ensure diversity and leadership development with a criminal justice lens toward coaching, goal setting and reflection.

In addition to the work she's done as a Professor, she has a proven history in: Scientific & Technical Writing, Program Development, Online Learning Techniques, Curriculum Development, Educational Planning. Her passion for criminal justice and higher education allows her to apply experience from different perspectives to resolve unique challenges. Pitts has been highly involved in the development and implementation of new, state approved curriculum, evaluation of existing curriculum, and communication of complex information for public audiences. Pitts is a certified crime scene investigator where she has been featured on The First 48 Presents: Atlanta.

 

Education: DM, Colorado Technical University; MS and BS, Colorado Technical University               

Publications: "Exploring Policy Improvements Criminal Justice Managers Need to Reduce Cultural Bias in a State Correctional System" by ProQuest Dissertations Publishing

Certifications: Fingerprint Classification; Friction Ridge Comparison; Bloodstain Pattern Analysis; Basic Photography and Digital Imaging; Crime Scene Investigation; Latent Print Development; Evidence Presentation; Crime Scene Investigation / State of Georgia / PS1020150017S / Specialized: Jailer / State of Georgia / PBJA0500733: Management Researchers / CITI Program, A Division of BRANY       

Honors and Achievements: Implemented / Trained CSI competition team for Atlanta Technical College, 2017 & 2018; Led CSI Competition team for Skills USA Crime Scene Investigation Contest to a win for Atlanta Technical College, 2017

Memberships: British Society of Criminology Organization - Active Member; International Association for Identification Organization - Active Member; National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice Organization - Active Member; National Criminal Justice Association Organization - Active Member

Research Interests: Diversity & Inclusion, Cultural Diversity, Cultural Bias in a correctional system

Over the past 20 years, David White has taught criminal justice at the undergraduate and graduate levels, first as an adjunct and now as a full-time professor. At Purdue Global, he teaches various criminal justice graduate courses. He is also a course lead and facilitator for the comprehensive exam. In addition to teaching, he is on numerous committees, including the Institutional Review Board and Professional Competency Committee. Prior to joining Purdue Global, White was a law enforcement officer with over 25 years of service, working in two departments: Ludlow (MA) Police Department and Collier County (FL) Sheriff’s Office. He was a criminal investigator for many years, investigating property and violent crime, then supervised an Economic Crimes Unit.

Education: PhD, Northcentral University; MPA, Florida Gulf Coast University; MS, American International College; Graduate Certificate, Kaplan University (now Purdue Global)

Certifications: Certified Fraud Investigator

Robert Winters joined the University in 2004 as an adjunct professor in the School of Criminal Justice and subsequently served as an academic department chair, assistant dean of faculty, and assistant dean of curriculum (interim) for the graduate and undergraduate criminal justice programs. He is currently a full-time professor, teaching a wide variety of courses as well as course lead and prior learning analyst. He has also served as a four-term president of the Faculty Senate as well as on multiple academic and administrative task forces and committees. Winters is a prolific writer in the corrections and related areas, and his research is regularly cited in other corrections, criminal justice, and social justice works. He has presented at multiple conferences and University-sponsored events on criminal justice and education-related topics.

Education: JD, Western State University College of Law

Publications: Author of five textbooks in the criminal justice field, Procedures in the Justice System, 12/e (in progress); regular contributor to corrections.com

At Purdue Global, Donna Yohman teaches various undergraduate criminal justice courses in areas such as: preparing for a career in public safety, introduction to criminal justice, juvenile delinquency, criminal procedure, and deviance and violence. She also serves as a course lead for the juvenile delinquency courses. Prior to joining the University, Donna Yohman was an arbitrator in the South Carolina Juvenile Arbitration program, working with first-time, non-violent juvenile offenders to divert them from prosecution in the juvenile court system; her emphasis was in rehabilitative behavior.

Education: MS, Kaplan University (now Purdue Global)