Nadine Englert, RMU’s Dean and Chief Nurse Administrator of the College of Health and Human Sciences, announced the newest Associate and Assistant Deans in an email on August 30th.
Dr. Samantha Monda accepted her role as the College of Health and Human Sciences’ Associate Dean. Dr. Monda earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in 2005. Her first master’s degree was in Sport and Exercise Psychology in 2008 and her second master’s was in counseling in 2011 both completed at West Virginia University. She completed her Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Psychology at West Virginia University in 2011.
She is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Dr. Monda is also a member of the United States Olympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry.
Dr. Monda began her tenure at Robert Morris University in 2011 as an Associate Professor of Psychology. She has also worked as a Mental Training and Peak Performance Specialist at KPEX Consulting since 2012. Dr. Monda previously served as the Coordinator for the M.S. in Counseling Psychology Program and as the inaugural Department Head for the Department of Psychology and Health Sciences in 2019.
Dr. Monda is very excited about her new role, “I am most excited about getting to know the students, faculty, and staff in all of our majors and finding the cross-connections in our interests. There is a little magic that happens when you put people together from different disciplines in the same room. Some of the best ideas and solutions to problems come when people see things differently than we do. I’m excited to foster that curiosity amongst us and help make ideas happen.”
Dr. Heather Pinson accepted her role as the College of Health and Human Sciences’ Assistant Dean. Dr. Pinson earned her bachelor’s in music at Samford University in 1998, her Master’s in Musicology at Louisiana State University in 2002, and her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Arts from Ohio University in 2007.
She is a violinist and performs outside of RMU. She performs as part of the Antz Marching Group, a country classic rock and Dave Matthews tribute band, Gin and Sonic, an early 2000s cover band, The Richard Parker, a 1980s cover band, and Josh Brown Bluegrass, Dr. Pinson mentioned: “The name gives it away”.
Dr. Pinson began her tenure at Robert Morris University in 2006. While working at RMU she has held many roles including the Coordinator for Humanities, Co-Director of the Communications Skills Program, Department Head of Communication, and the Department Head of Arts and Humanities.
Dr. Pinson is also very excited to step into her new role, “I’m very excited to join Dr. Nadine Englert and Dr. Samantha Monda to lead the newly formed College of Health and Human Science. I will continue to be an advocate for the arts and humanities in general while supporting all six departments in this college. I’m happy to be a support in any way I can.”
Dr. Monda and Dr. Pinson began their new roles on Sept. 3.
