Health Sciences Faculty

Wesley Benton teaches various undergraduate classes for the School of Health Sciences and has been a faculty member at Purdue Global since 2008. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in distance higher education, having taught in both online and on-campus formats in institutions since 2004. As an educator, Benton specializes in leveraging technology to assist students in learning complex material and is known for his ability to create a supportive learning environment where both novice and experienced adult students thrive and learn.

Education: DC, Logan University; MA; MSEd

Honors and Achievements: Distinguished Adjunct Faculty, 2012 Excellence in Teaching Award (Davenport University), additional teaching awards

Jennifer Claire has worked with the School of Health Sciences since early 2007. She teaches undergraduate courses in health care administration, but previously taught in the medical office administration and medical assisting programs. Claire has been an active member of numerous committees throughout Purdue Global, including the Curriculum Committee, IRB, Faculty Senate, Academic Appeals Committee, and the Innovation and Learning Committee. She has also served as a Portfolio Evaluator and Faculty Advisor for student clubs. Prior to Purdue Global, she taught health science and medical assisting at various colleges and schools. She began her career as a nursing assistant, followed by medical assistant, RN, and then office manager at various medical practices. Claire is working on a Patient Advocate Certification.               

Education: MS Law, Kaplan University; MSHS, Touro University; MSPH, Trident University International; BS Psychology, Chapman University; BS Sociology, Trinity University

Publications: The Secrets of a Nigh Nigh

The mind body connection

Exam Study Methods for the Online Student: Here is What Really Works!

Developing a Cohesive Course with Effective Student Learning Outcomes

Miracle, Upon Miracle. Turning cancer tragedy into triumph

Certifications: Post-bachelor paralegal certification; Graduate certificate in law, Certified Alternative Health Practitioner, Certified Allied Health Instructor (CAHI) Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) 

Honors and Achievements: Faculty Scholarship Award, Purdue Global 2019; 2013, 2011 Outstanding Faculty Award (Kaplan University); Graduation speaker Chapman University and Cero Coso Community College. Proceeds from Claire's book, The Secrets of a Nigh Nigh were used to create a scholarship fund for single moms returning to school.     

Memberships: HCCA (Health Care Compliance Association); American Medical Technologist Society; Online Learning Consortium; Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education; Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE); National Teachers Association; International Association of Administrative Professionals; American Association of University Women

Research Interests: Effective teaching methods, ethics, bioethics, leadership styles, DEI, naturopathic medicine, integrative oncology

Sean Craig teaches a variety of undergraduate courses in the School of Health Sciences, assists with curriculum development, and works passionately with students to provide a path forward in their pursuit of a health-science-focused career. Craig joined Purdue Global as a part-time faculty member and later transitioned into a full-time member. Prior to working in higher education, he managed and grew a team of nutrition professionals that provided virtual counseling for clients across the country. Additionally, through his work as a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer, Craig has a decade of professional experience working with diverse populations in a health and wellness capacity.          

Education: MS, Saint Elizabeth University; BS, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania          

Certifications: Registered and licensed dietitian               

Honors and Achievements: Recipient of White House Healthy Campus Certificate

Memberships: National Nutrition Academy and Local Nutrition Associations

Research Interests: Rapport building and long-term client outcomes in an outpatient counseling setting, sports nutrition in adolescent populations

Kim Dunn teaches various undergraduate courses in the health care administration and medical assisting program at Purdue Global over 15 years ago. In addition to teaching, Dunn works in the medical field, where she has over 30 years of experience in a number of positions and sub-specialty practices. Currently, she serves as a consultant for a large regional health information exchange as well as a member of the readmission coalition for her community.               

Education: MBA/MHA, Pfeiffer University; MS in Psychology with a concentration in Addictions, Purdue University Global       

Publications: Phlebotomy Skills for the Nurse

Certifications: Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management, Applied Behavior Analysis

Memberships: American Academy of Professional Coders, American Association of Medical Assistants, American Medical Technology, Medical Group Management Association

Research Interests: Improving patient education and coordination of care in the post-acute setting

Christopher Gransberry teaches several graduate courses in the School of Health Sciences at Purdue Global. Gransberry began his career with the university as an adjunct faculty member and transitioned to course leader, then full-time faculty where he specializes in health information governance, healthcare technology, health informatics, and healthcare operations management. His industry expertise includes electronic health record (EHR) implementation, change management, and utilization in support of key healthcare goals, objectives, and deliverables during the deployment of an EHR software application using a comprehensive set of strategies and project management. Gransberry has led numerous research studies and authored articles, policy briefs, and position papers. He is a trained instructional designer and has developed academic courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.        

Education: PhD, Northcentral University; PMHOM, Nebraska Methodist College; MHI, Louisiana Tech University; BGS, Southern University at New Orleans; AGS, Delgado Community College

Publications: A Quantitative Study to Explore the Relationship Between Organizational Leadership and Employee Innovation

How Emotional Intelligence Promote Leadership and Management Practices

Current Industry Trends and Future Career Outlook in Health Informatics

Certifications: Certified Healthcare Technology Specialist: Implementation Manager (CHTS-IM); Certified Associate in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CAHIMS); Executive Leadership (NSLS-EL) Certification; Certified Federal Program/Project Management (FAC-P/PM) Professional; Certification in Effective Online Teaching Practices (ACUE)         

Memberships: American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA); The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS); Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

Research Interests: Electronic health record modernization; Social determinants of health; Health science workforce and leadership development

Shelly Johnsen has over 30 years of experience in Health Information Management and has held many different leadership positions, as well as serving as a Joint Commission accreditation specialist and a subject matter expert in electronic health records (EHRs). Johnsen teaches undergraduate courses in the BS Health Information Management program at Purdue Global. She began her teaching career at the University in 2013 as a part-time adjunct and became a full-time university faculty member in August 2018. Johnsen also serves on the Learning and Leadership Community Advisory Board, GEL Committee, BSHIM/MBC Advisory Committee, and the Ultimate Medical Academy – Medical Billing and Coding Advisory Board. In addition to teaching, she also does outreach for medical coding students as a tutor/mentor. Johnsen’s involvement with AHIMA includes serving on the RHIT Certification Exam Development Committee. She also volunteers as the Education Liaison for the Michigan Health Information Management Association.     


Education: MBA, Tiffin University; BHS, Ferris State University

Certifications: Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)

Memberships: American Health Information Management Association, Michigan Health Information Management Association

Todd Kane is a full-time faculty member in the School of Health Sciences at Purdue Global, where he teaches undergraduate courses in health care finance, quality improvement, and health care management. Kane’s experience in business, human resources, health care, and health care administration spans more than 20 years. During this time, he served as president and chief executive officer of a multi-million dollar private national health care recruitment, human resources, and outsourcing firm for more than a decade, as vice president of a publicly traded health care staffing and outsourcing firm, and in various leadership positions including chief operating officer, regional vice president, and regional director.

Education: MEd, MBA, BBA, Northcentral University; MSIT, Kaplan University (now Purdue Global)

Jericho Leftwich began his career with Purdue Global in 2021 as an adjunct faculty and became a full-time faculty member in 2022 for the School of Health Sciences. Leftwich is a board-certified Doctor of Natural Medicine, Holistic Health Practitioner, Master Herbalist, Homeopathic Practitioner, and Usui Reiki Master/Teacher who maintains a private holistic health care practice. Leftwich is also a public health practitioner with focus areas in infectious diseases, program management, and system building using the Collective Impact Model. Prior to establishing his private practice, he served as the Regional HIV/STD Program Manager for the Texas Department of State Health Services and has worked as a Contract & Compliance Officer for the City of Houston Health Department.   

Education: MPH, Kaplan University; BS, Chowan University          

Certifications: Board Certified Doctor of Natural Medicine, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Certified Homeopathic Practitioner, Certified Master Herbalist, Certified Reiki Master/Teacher,  Certified Traditional Naturopath            

Memberships: Board Member, American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioner (AANWP)

Research Interests: Metaphysical science, herbal medicine, meditation and health, mindfulness-based stress reduction, conscious living, public health practices

Sandra Masten teaches various graduate courses in the Masters of Health Information Management Program and Health Informatics programs, as well as undergraduate courses in the Health Information Management BS program. Previously, Masten has worked as a health information management department director for various health care organizations.      

Education: Doctor of Health Sciences, A.T. Still University, Mesa, AZ; MS Health Services Administration, University of Central Florida; BS Health Information Management, University of Central Florida; Licensed Practical Nurse, Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, Orlando, FL            

Publications: "Acknowledgement for Fourth Edition Review:  Sanderson, Susan, “Computers in the Medical Office.” McGraw-Hill, 2007.

The Blending of Health Information and Health Informatics.  Blog Post.  July 11, 2022 Purdue Global University

Certifications: Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA), Billing & Coding Specialist (BCSC), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CPHIMS)

Honors and Achievements: Community service hours tutoring young adults seeking GED

Memberships: Member of National (AHIMA), State (NCAHIMA) and Local Health Information Management Associations. Member of National and State Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

Research Interests: Global health

Holly Parker teaches several courses in the School of Health Sciences at Purdue Global. She began her career with the university as an adjunct faculty member and soon transitioned to full-time faculty and course leader. She has served on the Academic Appeals Committee and the Faculty Senate as well as the Science GEL Committee. She has significant experience revising courses and working with the curriculum team to ensure the classes she works with are relevant and up to date in terms of current industry trends. In addition, Parker has experience managing the office of a medical clinic as well as owning a company responsible for creating electronic health records. She is also a certified integrative health and nutrition coach, working one-on-one with individuals to help them improve their health and wellness holistically.

Education: MA, Missouri State University; BS, Missouri State University; BS, Kaplan University

Certifications: Medical Billing and Coding Certificate (Kaplan University); Medical Records Transcription Certificate; Integrative Nutrition Certificate; Stress Management Certificate               

Honors and Achievements: 2016 Spirit of Excellent Award (Kaplan University); 2014 Outstanding Full Time Faculty (Kaplan University)              

Memberships: National Wellness Institute; American Holistic Health Association, American Medical Certification Association Certificate 

Research Interests: Food security in economically insecure populations, end-of-life and Hospice care, the emerging use of psychedelic plant medicine to aid in the management of anxiety, depression, PTSD, end-of-life anxiety, memory issues and neurogenesis

Gregory J. Privitera is a full-time faculty member in the School of Health Sciences at Purdue Global, where he is deeply committed to student success through online education. With more than a decade of experience teaching in remote and hybrid learning environments, Privitera has earned top teaching awards at multiple universities for his ability to create engaging, student-centered classrooms that foster collaboration, growth, and practical skill development. His teaching philosophy is rooted in accessibility, support, and empowering students to see themselves as future leaders in their chosen fields.

In addition to his work at Purdue Global, Privitera serves as Chief Data and Analytics Officer for Umoja Health, where he provides strategic support for programs aimed at reducing health disparities in underserved communities. He is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Education: PhD, SUNY Buffalo; MA, SUNY Buffalo; BA, SUNY Buffalo        

Publications: Privitera, G. J. (2026). Essential Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3rd ed.). Sage.

Privitera, G. J., & Gillespie, J. J. (2025). Toward a Healthy Society: Comparative Perspectives on American Health Care Policy (1st ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Privitera, G. J., Gillespie, J. J., Pamula, A., & Piper, B. J. (2025). Physician workload attenuates the impact of mental health care workload on community health outcomes: Implications for distributing provider workload. Population Health Management, 28(4), 198-203. https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2025.0080

Privitera, G. J. (2025). Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences (4th ed.). Sage.

Privitera, G. J. (2024). Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (4th ed.). Sage.

Honors and Achievements: 2024 Textbook Excellence “Texty” Award, Textbook and Academic Authors Association; 2024 Most Promising New Textbook Award, Textbook and Academic Authors Association; 2015 Outstanding Early Career Professional Presentation Award, Division 38 (Health Psychology) of the American Psychological Association; 2014 Most Promising New Textbook Award, Textbook and Academic Authors Association

Research Interests: Addressing structural barriers to care and advancing equitable, patient-centered health systems;  Exploring the impact of health policy, insurance structures, and provider networks on access to care;   Reducing health disparities in underserved communities; Examining the intersection of population health, behavioral science, and policy design; Investigating how provider shortages and care coordination impact community-level health metrics; Developing strategies for expanding points of care through innovative, multi-entry care models; Using rigorous data analytics and practical policy insights to develop evidence-based interventions; Informing sustainable health policies that promote long-term, equitable health outcomes
 

David Segal is a full-time faculty member in the Doctor of Health Sciences program at Purdue University Global, where he teaches graduate courses and mentors doctoral projects. Segal has held several academic positions at other universities and serves as a subject matter expert and reviewer for peer-reviewed journals and federal grant panels. Passionate about student development, he is deeply committed to mentoring emerging scholars and health professionals. In addition to his academic work, Segal advises public and private health care organizations on quality improvement, biostatistics, research design, data analysis, and health technology interoperability.  

Education: Post-doctoral fellowships, Neurology & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami School of Medicine; PhD, Medical Sciences, University of South Florida College of Medicine; BS, Chemistry, University of Florida    

Publications: Zhuo, Y., Rodriguez, Z., Zimmer, M.M., & Segal, D.M. (2025). Review: Pathogenicity and Virulence of Filoviruses. In: Shapshak, P., Balaji, S., Kangueane, P., Kuhn, J.H., Somboonwit, C., Sinnott, J.T. (eds) Global Virology V: 21st Century Vaccines and Viruses. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-77911-4_31

Kimla, L.J., & Segal, D.M. (2025). Underestimated Risk of SV40 Polyomavirus Neoplasms. In: Shapshak, P., Balaji, S., Kangueane, P., Kuhn, J.H., Somboonwit, C., Sinnott, J.T. (eds) Global Virology V: 21st Century Vaccines and Viruses. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-77911-4_29

Sinnott, J.T., Kim, K., Somboonwit, C., Cosnett, C., Segal, D.M., & Shapshak, P. (2023). Emergent Dangerous Risk Group-4 (RG-4) Filo-Viruses: A Paradox in Progress. Bioinformation, 19(8), 829-832. doi: 10.6026/97320630019829    

Honors and Achievements: 2021 Bernard L Turner Dissertation Committee Chair Excellence Award (Walden University), 2009 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award (University of Central Florida), 2008 Technology in Teaching Award (University of Central Florida), 2008 Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Technology Award (19th International Conference on College Teaching & Learning), 2005 Best Paper Award (14th International College Teaching & Learning Conference)

Memberships: American Society for Clinical Pathology Clinical Scientist; American Society for Microbiology; American Health Information Management Association; Healthcare Information Management Systems Society    

Research Interests: Bioinformatics application to the molecular and epidemiological aspects of HIV/AIDS and other infectious disease pathogens; predictive analytics application to precision medicine

Michael Snell is a faculty member in the bachelor’s degree in health care administration program at Purdue Global. He specializes in health care administration, health care policy and economics, and operational analysis and quality improvement. With more than 20 years of managerial health care experience, Snell has worked for a variety of private, nonprofit, and government health care entities, including the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission. He was appointed and re-appointed to the Commission by the governor of Washington. Snell served in this role for 6 years, during which he helped establish the policies and procedures for the practice of health care in the state.

Education: DBA, MBA, University of Phoenix; EJD, Concord University; MCSS, MCPM, Villanova University

Leslie Young teaches a wide range of nutrition courses, assists with course curriculum development, and serves on various University committees such as the Library Committee and the General Education Literacy (GEL) Committee. She frequently helps guide students with degree, career, and certification related questions. Young has been teaching college nutrition courses in the traditional and online environments since 2006. She has also worked as a clinical dietitian in both hospital and home healthcare fields and has extensive training in nutrition support methods. Young has authored articles and given presentations on topics relating to:  essential oils, dietary collagen, navigating the nutrition job market and the link between adolescent nutrition habits, weight status & activity levels on adult metabolism.

Education: MS, Winthrop University; BS, Appalachian State University

Certifications: Registered and licensed dietitian

Honors and Achievements: 2015 Kaplan Way Award (Kaplan University); 2005 State Dietitian of the Year

Memberships: Local and national nutrition associations,  American Holistic Health Association

Research Interests: Effect of childhood and adolescent obesity on early development of type 2 diabetes