Faculty — P
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Pacini, Christine M.
Christine M. Pacini
Professor, McAuley School of Nursing, College of Health Professions
Pacini served as the Dean of the College of Health Professions and McAuley School of Nursing from 2010-2017. Prior to that she served as director of Professional Development, Research, and Innovation for Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia and has worked in a similar capacity at the University of Michigan Health System, Indiana University Health System, and Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. She began her academic career at Mercy College of Detroit as an instructor in 1979. Pacini progressed to the role of tenured associate professor and received her Ph.D. in Nursing and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan; her M.S.N. from Wayne State University in Detroit; B.S.N. from Mercy College of Detroit; and B.A. from University of Detroit. Upon completing her Ph.D., she returned to University of Detroit Mercy and progressed from a tenured faculty position to that of Associate Dean. Prior to becoming a nurse, Pacini was a certified secondary teacher of history and political science. She has consulted and presented in the areas of educational redesign, clinical advancement, accreditation, and shared governance. Her publications address issues and practice in the areas of professional development, leadership development, educational redesign, clinical transformation, and the utilization and application of conceptual models as frameworks for practice and curricular redesign. She holds leadership positions for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and serves on several professional and hospital boards.
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Padilla, Diego A.
Diego A. Padilla
Assistant Professor of Management, teaches management and ethics courses in the College of Business Administration. Padilla holds degrees from Universidad Católica San Pablo, Instituto Pastorale Redemptor
Hominis, Pontificia Universita Lateranense, Libera Universita Maria Santissima Assunta and Pontificia Universita Santo
Tomasso d’Aquino – Angelicum, Universidad de Navarra. Padilla earned a PhD from ESE Business School, Universidad de
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Palanci, John G.
John G. Palanci
Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Clinical Dentistry, Division of Clinical Essentials and Simulation, Director, Accelerated Dentistry Program, is the coordinator for the faculty in-service program and co-director of Strategies for the Prevention of Oral Diseases. In addition to his academic and clinical commitments, he is a faculty research mentor assisting students with original research accepted at IADR,AADR and ADEA. Dr. Palanci has provided student and continuing education instruction in geriatric dentistry. He is a Fellow in the Academy of Dentistry International. Dr. Palanci graduated from the University of Detroit in 1972 with a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. He served two years in the U.S. Army as a Dental Officer and had a general dental practice in Jackson, Michigan until joining the faculty full time in 2009.
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Papa, Andrew M.
Andrew M. Papa
Associate Professor of Theatre, University Honors Program Affiliate Faculty, teaches Fundamentals of Acting, Fundamentals of Human Expression, Introduction to the Arts, Voice & Movement and Voice Acting, among other courses. Papa earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Broadcast & Cinematic Arts at Central Michigan University, a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre at Wayne State University and holds a Certificate in Advanced Theatre Training from The Moscow Art Theatre School in Moscow, Russia. Papa is also a Fitzmaurice Voicework® certified teacher and has studied at the Stratford Festival in Ontario and The Second City Training Center in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to teaching, Papa regularly works as a director and actor with the Detroit Mercy Theatre Company (DMTC). He remains active professionally in the theatre and voice over industries. Papa has performed as an actor with the Jewish Ensemble Theatre, the Williamston Theatre and the Matrix Theatre Company, among several others. He also works as a dialect/text/speech coach, having worked at the Tipping Point Theatre and Wayne State University’s Hilberry Theatre and Bonstelle Theatre, as well as individually with professional clients. His research and other scholarly publications have appeared in the Voice and Speech Review and Methods: A Journal of Acting Pedagogy. Papa joined Detroit Mercy in 2015.
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Parise, Mary
Mary H. Parise
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Graduate Education, teaches first-year dental students and residents, covering requirements for progress notes. Advanced record keeping and legal requirement lectures are presented to the AEGD residents along with seminars on Dental Management of the Compromised Patient. She is a presenter in continuing education courses on cased based learning of care of patients living with HIV. Dr. Parise is currently a fellow in the ADEA Leadership Institute with graduation planned March 2016. In addition, Dr. Parise supervises and manages after hour emergency call system covered by the residents. Dr. Parise practices as a general dentist one day a week in the faculty practice clinic. She earned her D.D.S. from the University of Michigan and completed a General Practice Residency at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Allen Park, Michigan. Prior to dental school, Dr. Parise received her B.S.N. (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) from Mercy College of Detroit and worked for the Visiting Nurse Association in the Detroit Central office.
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Paruch, Deborah
Deborah Paruch
Professor of Law, received her B.A. in Psychology, an M.B.A., and a J.D. (summa cum laude), from the University of Detroit. She teaches Applied Legal Theory and Analysis, Evidence, Children and the Law, and a Seminar in Family Law. She has authored several articles and presented nationally on topics concerning family law, children and the law, evidence and legal writing. She joined the University in 2000.
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Pasqualina, Stephen
Stephen Pasqualina
Assistant Professor of English, teaches Transnational Modernist Literature, Study of Fiction, Study of Poetry and special topics courses in literature. Pasqualina holds a doctorate from the University of Southern California and was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he taught courses in American Studies and Science, Technology and Society in the Modern World. Pasqualina is currently working on a book project titled Mechanical Failure: Modernism, Technology, and the Mediation of History. This work explores how U.S. modernist literature and visual media abstracts transnational histories of violence and racialization from speed and visual media technologies. His work related to this project has appeared in Modernism/modernity, J19: The Journal of Nineteenth-Century Americanists, The Journal of American Culture and The Mark Twain Annual, among others. Pasqualina joined the University in 2022.
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Paulik, Mark J.
Mark J. Paulik
Professor and Chair of the Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science Department (ECECS), teaches design, embedded systems, digital systems, controls, and digital image and signal processing. His area of expertise is in digital image processing and robotics, where his publications have focused on industrial and military object identification, autonomous vehicles, and signature analysis. He is currently doing research on sensor fusion for visual simultaneous localization and mapping and the combined use of genetic algorithms and wavelet modeling. He holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Detroit, a Science Master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. degree from Oakland University. He joined the University in 1984. -
Paurazas, Susan
Susan Paurazas
Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Endodontics - Dr. Paurazas is a Board Certified endodontist. She teaches Current and Topical Literature, Pulp Biology and Endodontology to graduate Endodontic residents. Dr. Paurazas is an active member of the American Association of Endodontists, and has served on several AAE committees. She is also involved in continuing education courses. Additional responsibilities include advising of graduate resident research and graduate Endodontic admissions. Her interests focus on evidenced-based endodontics, and regenerative endodontics. Dr. Paurazas holds Masters degrees in Health Services Administration and Endodontics and a D.D.S. degree from the University of Detroit Mercy. -
Patel, Ashish G.
Ashish G. Patel
Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Clinical Dentistry, Clinic Lead, teaches cariology, Essentials of Clinical Dentistry and Introduction to Operative Dentistry as well as restorative dentistry to third and fourth year dental students. He is also the director of the Accelerated Dental Program. His interests focus on clinical teaching and restorative dentistry. Dr. Patel holds a B.D.S. from Rajiv Gandhi University, a Master of Science degree from Indiana University and a D.D.S. degree from the University of Detroit. He joined University of Detroit Mercy in 2012.
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Paurazas, Susan B.
Susan B. Paurazas
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Graduate of Education, Director, Graduate Endodontics Program, teaches Current and Topical Literature, Pulp Biology and Endodontology to graduate Endodontic students. She is also involved in presenting continuing education courses. Additional responsibilities include advising of graduate student research and graduate Endodontic admissions. Her interests focus on evidenced-based endodontics, and regenerative endodontics. Dr. Paurazas holds Master's degrees in Health Services Administration and Endodontics and a D.D.S. degree from the University of Detroit Mercy.
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Perez, Helena
Helena Perez
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Clinical Dentistry, Oral Surgery
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Peterson, Evan A.
Evan A. Peterson
Lecturer in Business Law and Arnold Jarboe Chair of Business Administration, teaches business law and social responsibility. Dr. Peterson obtained his BS, BA, and MBA from the University of Detroit Mercy, his JD from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and his PhD from Walden University. He serves as director of undergraduate business programs, director of the Center for Practice & Research in Management & Ethics (PRIME Center), and co-director of the University Honors Program. He has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles related to the intersection between law, ethics, and business strategy. Peterson has served as legal counsel to the International Association of Jesuit Business Schools, the International Honor Society in Decision Sciences and Information Systems (Alpha Iota Delta), and the Business Leadership Network of Michigan (MIBLN). He is also currently the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic Law Journal. Prior to joining Detroit Mercy full-time in 2014, Peterson worked as a licensed attorney, representing business clients throughout Michigan. He joined the University full-time in 2014.
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Phillips, Dennis S.
Dennis S. Phillips
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Clinical Dentistry, is a clinical prosthodontist. He also provides screenings for new patients. He has received a number of awards from the dental students. Dr. Phillips graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. and D.D.S. He joined the University in 1974.
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Pitera, Allegra F.
Allegra F. Pitera
Professor and Director, Digital Media Studies, teaches both architecture and digital media courses and is the coordinator of the first-year Architecture Studios. She brings to the University active research, teaching and service in design, art, and technology; fostering student engagement and academic exploration through experimental short videos and a heuristic mode of teaching. Her pedagogy is rooted in teaching students to learn to think by challenging them to solve problems and engage critically through multi-faceted conceptual angles and energetic project processes. In the spirit of student-centered projects, both Media and Architecture students are engaged in doing what they love as a vehicle for reaching their fullest professional potential. Pitera is director of the inter-disciplinary Digital Media Studies (DMS) program. DMS is rooted in theory, design, and technology. DMS students create digital media projects (print, video, web) often with a broad outreach focus. Student work has be highlighted in various local venues. Pitera has won awards for her experimental short videos and has a solid architecture, design, and art foundation with a Master of Fine Arts from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Kansas as well as a professional Architecture degree from the California College of Arts in San Francisco. She has lectured, taught, and/or reviewed projects locally and around the country. She joined the University in 2001.
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Pitera, Daniel W.
Daniel W. Pitera
Dean and Professor of Architecture. Dan Pitera, FAIA is a political and social activist masquerading as an architect. Before being appointed dean of the Detroit Mercy School of Architecture in August 2019, he was the executive director for 20 years at the Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC), which just received the National AIA’s 2017 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award and was included in the 2017 Curry Stone Design Award’s Social Design Circle. Pitera co-led the Civic Engagement process for the Detroit Works Project Long Term Planning in 2010. On January 9, 2013, the Long Term Planning team released its decision-making framework titled: Detroit Future City. DCDC’s engagement process was included in the Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt Design Museum’s exhibition: By The People and the DCDC’s Roaming Table has been added to the Smithsonian Institute’s permanent collection.
Pitera was a 2004-2005 Loeb Fellow at Harvard University and was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2010, an honor bestow to only 3 percent of all American architects. Under his direction since 2000, the Design Center won the 2011 and 2002 Dedalo Minosse International Prize, Italy and was included in the US Pavilion of the 2008 and 2012 Venice Biennale for Architecture. The Center was awarded the 2011 SEED Award and the 2009 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Design Excellence for the St. Joseph Rebuild Center in New Orleans. The Design Center has also been the recipient of the NCARB Prize in 2002 and 2009 and was included in the international exhibit/conference ArchiLab in 2001 and 2004 in Orleans, France. Pitera is regularly a resource member for Mayor’s Institute for City Design (MICD) and the National League of Cities (NLC). He has co-authored the book, Syncopating the Urban Landscape: More People, More Programs, More Geographies and co-edited the book, Activist Architecture: The Philosophy and Practice of the Community Design Center. He lectured and taught globally. He likes “fallout shelter” yellow…
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Plantenberg, Kirstie A.
Kirstie A. Plantenberg
Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Her areas of expertise include tribology, dynamics, vibrations, controls and engineering graphics. Her research interests lie in tribology, specifically the effects of vibrations on friction. She holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University. Before joining Detroit Mercy, she taught for several years at Wayne State University and two years at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She also has worked at General Motors Corporation Inland Division, and was involved in testing the safety and strength of new seat designs and designed new testing fixtures. She joined the University in 2000.
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Plaza Villegas, Francisco J.
Francisco Plaza Villegas
Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Integrated Biomedical Sciences
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Porcerelli, John
John Porcerelli
Professor of Psychology and Director of the Detroit Mercy Psychology Clinic, teaches graduate and undergraduate courses and supervises psychotherapy and doctoral dissertations. Porcerelli held the rank of professor and served as director of Behavioral Medicine (1996-2016) in the residency program in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. He is board certified in clinical psychology and clinical health psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology and is a graduate of the Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, Society for Personality Assessment, American Academy of Clinical Psychology, American Academy of Health Psychology and the Michigan Psychological Association. He joined the University in 2016.
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Poznick, Nancy
Nancy Poznick
Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Clinical Essentials and Simulation
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Putman, Kathy
Kathy Putman
Assistant Professor, McAuley School of Nursing, has experience in community clinical management in Saginaw Michigan and Memphis Tennessee. She worked to development dedicated education units (DEU) between University of Tennessee in Memphis and Methodist University Hospital. She has an extensive background in critical care and emergency room nursing before pursuing community health nursing and the focus on preventative health care.
She has participated in medical trips to several areas in Haiti and Romania. Dr. Putman is a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society as well as a member of The Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE) and other national nursing organizations. Her focus includes working with victims of human trafficking and other vulnerable population, integrating the clinical and the class room, holistic care and epidemiology.
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Presbey, Gail M.
Gail M. Presbey
Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive, teaches courses related to social and political philosophy including peace and social justice ethics and African philosophy and culture. Presbey's interests are in cross-cultural and feminist explorations in philosophy and the philosophy of non-violence. She has edited an introductory philosophy text, The Philosophical Quest: A Cross Cultural Reader (1995, 2000). She is first editor of Thought and Practice in African Philosophy (2002) and editor of Philosophical Perspectives on the 'War on Terrorism' (2007). She has authored many journal articles and book chapters. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of Detroit and a Master of Arts and a doctorate from Fordham University. From 1998-2000, she held a two-year J. William Fulbright Senior Scholar position at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, during which she researched sage philosophy. In 2005 she had a six-month research Fulbright grant, hosted by World Peace Center at MIT, Pune, India, where she studied Gandhian nonviolence. Presbey came to University of Detroit Mercy in 2000 and received the Faculty Achievement Award in 2003. Presbey received University of Detroit Mercy's Mission Leadership Award in 2006. In 2018, she received the Purple Ribbon Award for Peace from Pax Christi Michigan.
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Pyatenko, Michael
Michael Pyatenko
Clinical Assistant Professor, serves as a Clinical Leader to dental and dental hygiene students. His responsibilities include the management of a team of faculty and staff with a dedicated goal of directing and managing a group of students towards the development of practice ready competent dentists and dental hygienists. He earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery from University of Detroit. He proudly serves as a Forensic Investigator for the Livingston County Sheriff's Department. Prof. Pyatenko joined the university in 2015.