Instructors
Cynthia Brun
Cindy has been with the Center for New Learning since Fall 2006. She comes
to the Center with 25+ years of experience in nontraditional adult education.
She is the Program Coordinator for the bachelor's of Fire and Emergency Response Management degree, as
well as an instructor for the Center of New Learning. Cindy received her Bachelor degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb.
and her Masters degree in Continuing Adult & Vocational Education from the
University of Wisconsin Madison. Contact Info: UW Oshkosh, Dempsey Hall (929) 424-1458
Course/Subject Area: Coaching, Mentoring, Introduction to Liberal Studies and Senior Capstone
Sarah Smith
Course/Subject Area: Liberal Studies Capstone Seminar, Options & Strategies Sarah
Smith holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree
in Higher Education Counseling, all of which was attained as a nontraditional
student. Her professional experience includes work in banking, manufacturing,
telecommunications and human services. In addition to teaching for the Center
for New Learning, Sarah is a full time advisor for the Bachelor of Applied
Studies Leadership and Organizational Studies program and the Fire and Emergency
Response Management program. Sarah’s
UW Oshkosh office is located in Dempsey 322 and her Appleton office is at the
FVTC Bordini Center and she is available for appointments Monday through
Friday. Contact Info: UW Oshkosh, Dempsey Hall, Room 318 (920) 637-0059
Coy Sabel
Course/Subject Areas: Writing, Human Resources Management and Organizational
Behavior Coy Sabel has been teaching adult non-traditional students since 1998. She
has taught for the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Marian College in Fond du
Lac. Courses taught include writing, composition, research, management and
leadership. For each class, Coy attempts to address all learning styles with a
lot of hands-on activities and real-world applications.
She has spent 20
years in the business sector in various positions: Business Research Analyst,
Communications Manager and, most recently, Training & Development Manager.
When Coy is not teaching, she enjoys spending time reading and writing.
Kay Chitwood
Course/Subject Area: Presentations in the Virtual Workplace, Liberal Studies
and the Web Kay has been the Director of Learning Innovations since 2005. Chitwood retired from her position as director of the Wisconsin Online Resource Center at Fox Valley Technical
College, where she led statewide initiatives of the Wisconsin Online Resource
Center, a repository of more than 2,200 learning objects. Kay received her master's degree in Educational Media from the University of
Northern Colorado. Since 2001, she has presented nationwide on a variety of
topics, including developing learning objects, building online repositories,
establishing curriculum processes for faculty, identifying assessment strategies
and integrating technology.
James Poltrock
Course/Subject Area: Politics of Emergency Management, Conflict Resolution, Mediation, Arbitration and Negotiation Jim Poltrock’s philosophy of teaching is based on a belief that learning should be student focused. Now that the majority of his teaching is in a cyber classroom he believes that his primary role has shifted from being a provider of information to a cyber classroom facilitator. Poltrock earned an A.A.S. in Fire Protection Technology from Madison Area Technical College, a BA and MA in Public Service from Marquette University and a professional graduate certificate in Public Safety and Security from Northwestern University. His graduate studies and research at Marquette were focused in the areas health care administration, service quality improvement and dispute resolution. He earned a certificate in Public Administration from UW-Milwaukee. Poltrock has been employed at the Kenosha Fire Department for 17 years and has served as a firefighter/paramedic, apparatus operator, and lieutenant. He currently serves as the Assistant Division Chief of Emergency Medical Services. Contact Information:
Anna Filipova Ph.D.
Course/Subject Area: Liberal Studies Capstone Seminar and Public Administration courses Dr. Anna A. Filipova is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Administration (DPA) at UW Oshkosh. She teaches undergraduate public administration courses for the Center for New Learning and graduate public administration courses with health care emphasis in the DPA. She received her PhD in public administration from Western Michigan University in 2007 and her Master’s degree in leadership in public administration from Saginaw Valley State University, Michigan, in 2002. She has published in the journals of Nursing Ethics, Journal of Applied Gerontology, and Public Integrity.
Peter O'Leary
Peter O’Leary holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University, a Master of Public Administration from Illinois Institute of Technology and recently earned his Executive Fire Officer certificate from the National Fire Academy. He has held various positions throughout his fire service career in Illinois, New Hampshire and Wisconsin, where he currently serves as fire chief in Fond du Lac.
