New faculty and staff join Centenary College
SHREVEPORT, LA — Centenary College welcomed its largest incoming class since 2009 this fall, resulting in a 19% increase in the total undergraduate student population. Along with the new students came new faculty and staff members in a variety of academic departments and administrative divisions.
FACULTY
Ryan Doherty, Assistant Professor of French
Ryan Doherty is a Ph.D. candidate in French and Francophone Studies at Brown University, currently completing a dissertation examining concepts of decadence and nostalgia in fin de siècle literature and analyzing how Louisiana Francophone literature of the 19th century responds to these trends, paving the way for the creation of the Southern Gothic genre. Doherty has taught courses in French language and literature in addition to Southern and Scandinavian literature, and is the author of several publications and conference presentations drawn from his research and graduate work. He recently authored a biographical and literary scholarly introduction for the newest title from Centenary’s heritage language press, Éditions Tintamarre. The publication of Charles Lemaître’s Rodolphe de Branchelièvre: roman, including Doherty’s introduction, was published in 2023.
Eric Francis, Lecturer in Art and Visual Culture
Eric Francis is a contemporary realist acrylic painter, teacher, and videographer. He is a 2003 graduate of Centenary with a bachelor of arts in studio painting. His primary subjects are portraits, still lifes, and floral paintings, and he often creates videos documenting his creative process. Francis was part of the artist team that created Shreveport’s “Ascension Underpass” in 2022, a large public art installation located on the Marshall Street underpass. Francis is currently teaching all studio art classes at Centenary. Examples of his work are featured at culturalyst.com/eric.
Dr. Daniel Krywaruczenko, Assistant Professor of Sport Management
Dr. Daniel Krywaruczenko holds a Ph.D. in sport administration from the University of New Mexico-Albuquerque and also earned master’s degrees in psychology, economics, and statistics following his undergraduate training in mathematics and business administration. He has taught mathematics and statistics courses at Mississippi State University, Phoenix College, and Arizona Christian University, among other institutions. Krywaruczenko also served as director of football operations at Arizona Christian University and has an extensive background in sports analytics, scouting, and coaching.
Dr. Katie Lazarowicz, Visiting Assistant Professor of Art and Visual Culture
Dr. Katie Lazarowicz holds a Ph.D. in Asian Studies with a specialization in South Asian art from the University of Texas at Austin. Her diverse academic training also includes a Master of Divinity with a focus on South Asian religious traditions from Harvard Divinity School, a master’s degree in the humanities with a specialization in medieval and Renaissance studies, and a bachelor of fine art in painting and printmaking. Lazarowicz has received Fulbright fellowships for research and language study as well as a research fellowship from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. She has taught courses in art history, history, religious studies, and visual culture and has served as a consultant and curator for art museums in Georgia, Ohio, and Texas.
Thomas Moran, Visiting Assistant Professor of Accounting
Thomas Moran is a licensed insurance agent and retired CPA with over 40 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has a B.S. in Accounting and an MBA in Finance, both from Indiana University at Bloomington. He has worked as an agent in the life insurance industry for ten years and is currently affiliated with 1st Financial Investments in Louisiana. His experience also includes serving as a senior tax officer for two financial services companies and a partner with two international accounting firms. He has previously taught courses in investments, accounting, entrepreneurship, and real estate at Centenary’s Frost School of Business.
Dr. Briana Sosenheimer, Assistant Professor of Music
Dr. Briana Sosenheimer earned a doctor of arts in vocal performance and stage directing from Ball State University in Indiana, where she completed a dissertation focused on writing, directing, producing, and touring opera for children. She also holds a master of music in vocal performance from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and a bachelor of music and minor in dance from Hope College in Michigan. Dr. Sosenheimer has taught voice and opera at colleges and universities in Georgia and Indiana and has worked with numerous professional opera companies and festivals as an instructor, singer, and director, in addition to performing internationally in Italy, Austria, Canada, and South Africa.
Dr. Joan Turek, Visiting Assistant Professor of Education
Dr. Joan Turek joins the Centenary Education Department with nearly 40 years of experience as a K-12 educator, as well as more than a decade as an instructor at the college and university level. After teaching academically gifted courses in ELA, reading, and math at public and private schools in both Caddo and Bossier Parishes, Turek became the Gifted and Talented Coordinator for Bossier Parish Schools in 2017, overseeing the development and implementation of approximately 1,500 gifted/talented IEPs for the parish’s students, providing professional development to G/T teachers, and collaborating on curriculum development.
STAFF
Dr. Ali Montazerighahjaverestani, Director of the Music Library
Dr. Ali Montazerighahjaverestani (Montazeri) is an accomplished musician, composer, and music instructor. His compositions include orchestral and chamber pieces, film scores, electronic and electroacoustic music, and pieces composed for traditional Iranian ensembles. Montazeri has also performed with traditional Iranian ensembles playing the tar, a long-necked, waisted instrument from the lute family. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in composition from Texas Tech University and also completed a master’s degree in music theory at the University of North Texas. Montazeri has taught composition, music history, music theory, and courses in Iranian music in Iran and in the United States.
Kevin Porter, Student Success Coordinator
Kevin Porter earned a bachelor of science in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. After graduating, he began working in Alachua County Public Schools in Gainesville, Florida, quickly advancing from a long-term substitute role to a highly-effective certified math and special education teacher. Porter received Alachua County Schools’ “Best and Brightest” scholarship for his work with neurodiverse and special needs students.
Kristin Sorensen, Collections Manager of the Meadows Museum of Art
Kristin Sorensen, a University of Memphis graduate, brings a background in both practical art and art history to her new position as Collections Manager at the Meadows Museum of Art. She has worked and developed programs at two other museums and most recently has taught K-8 art courses in both Shreveport and Marshall, Texas. She also works as a professional working artist. In her free time, Sorensen is also a volunteer leader for Young Life at Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport.
Kaylin Swoboda, Administrative Assistant to the Education Department
Kaylin Swoboda graduated from Centenary in 2022 with a bachelor of science degree in biology and minors in chemistry and sociology. She is currently completing a master’s degree in public health from Tulane University in New Orleans, specializing in the social, behavioral, and population sciences. During her undergraduate studies at Centenary, Swoboda had the opportunity to work in a pathology research lab at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport.