Dean W. Thomas “Tommy” Smith first joined Manchester University College of Pharmacy in 2015 as the assistant dean of assessment and accreditation, and was appointed dean of pharmacy programs in 2017. In 2021, he was named dean of pharmacy and graduate life sciences.

Dean Smith is active in a number of professional organizations including the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the American Bar Association (ABA) and the American Society for Pharmacy Law (ASPL). He currently serves as AACP Administrative Board Representative on the Council of Deans.

A 1994 graduate of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Smith began his pharmacy career as the operations director of Corum Health Services, Inc., a long-term care pharmacy in St. Louis, MO. In 2002, he enrolled in law school at St. Louis University, and graduated in 2005 with a Juris Doctorate degree and certificate in health law from the school’s top-ranked Center for Health Law Studies.

Smith served on the faculty of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy from 2008 to 2015 where he served as director of the College’s online master’s program pharmaceutical outcomes and policy and director of the co-curriculum. He also taught pharmacy law and addition to other duties. Prior to his service at UF, Smith served on the faculty of the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy from 2005 to 2008.

Among his notable service accomplishments, Smith also has served as chair of AACP’s Health Disparities and Cultural Competence special interest group and completed its Academic Leadership Fellows Program. Smith also has been very active in the Health Law Section of the ABA, serving a 3-year term on its leadership council, and chairing a number of committees. In 2016, he was appointed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee.

Dean Smith has served as an author, speaker and leader in areas such as pharmacy law, cultural competency, health disparities, bioethics, and disability law.

Dr. Frank Aerts’ personal mission is to “continuously strive to attain life’s fullest potential and to help others achieve theirs”. As an educator, his priorities are assisting students in their growth and becoming physical therapists who strive for clinical excellence.

Frank graduated from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, Physical Therapy Program in 1990. He obtained his Doctor of Science degree from Andrews University in 2012. Frank is a board certified orthopedic clinical specialist (OCS) and holds specialization certifications in: Certified Blood Flow Restriction Training, Clinical Vestibular Therapist, Certified Mulligan Practitioner, Certified Manual Physical Therapist, Certified Medical Exercise Therapist, Certified Health Care Manager, Certified Cardiac Physical Therapist.

Since 2012, Frank has taught as adjunct faculty in the Andrews University DPT and DSc programs including courses in therapeutic exercise prescription, pathokinesiology, biomechanics, and physical therapy administration. Frank teaches continuing education courses internationally on the Medical Exercise Therapy - Assessment and Intervention Frameworks. A common trait throughout all the courses is the drive for an evidence-based and patient-centered approach to clinical practice.

Frank has 30 years of experience in physical therapy, practicing in different clinical settings including private practice, hospital inpatient and outpatient, skilled nursing, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Frank has experience as an administrator including private practice owner, director of rehabilitation, and executive director of the orthopedic service line.

He is the primary author of Inter-rater Reliability of Sustained Aberrant Movement Patterns as a Clinical Assessment of Muscular Fatigue (2016) published in The Open Orthopedics Journal Frank co-authored the textbook: Hand-Held Dynamometry - Guidelines for Daily Clinical Practice (2018 - ISBN: 978-164316219-5). His main research interests include the implementation of the International Classification Framework in daily clinical practice, including the adaptation of a biopsychosocial and aetiology-neutral assessment and intervention approach to chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Specifically, his interest lies in the establishment of a biopsychosocial classification, a “Functional Range of Motion Profile” and a hand-held dynamometry “Strength Profile”.

Frank is volunteer PEDRO rater for clinical trials. PEDRO is a partnership, established in 1999 by a small group of physiotherapists, both clinicians and academics. It is now based in the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Sydney and Sydney Local Health District. Its mission is to maximize the effectiveness of physiotherapy services by facilitating the clinical application of the best available evidence.

Dr. Edward Ball is a graduate of the Trine University DPT program and a graduate from the Brown Macke College PTA program.  He was in the second cohort of each program as they were both developing programs.  These experiences have given him a unique appreciation and fondness of the challenges of the accreditation process and learning curve of new programs.   

Since graduation, Ed has primarily practiced in the orthopedic outpatient setting, but has worked PRN in the skilled nursing and inpatient rehabilitation settings.  With eleven years of clinical experience as well as multiple full time clinical rotations in PTA/PT school, Ed has developed an appreciation for the importance of having meaningful clinical experiences and mentorship for both students and new clinicians.

Ed is a board certified orthopedic clinical specialist (OCS) and a certified orthopedic manual therapist (COMT).  He is also an APTA certified clinical instructor (CCI).  Ed values the importance of continuing growth as a professional with both education and research.  He is looking forward to expanding his research areas of interest and collaborating with students and clinicians.  

Dr. Brooke Murphy is a dedicated physical therapist with a specialization in orthopedic outpatient care. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training and Exercise Science from Manchester University and earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Trine University as part of the program’s inaugural cohort.

As an APTA Certified Clinical Instructor (CCI), Brooke has supervised numerous physical therapy students, fostering a supportive and hands-on learning environment. In addition to her DPT credentials, she is also a Certified Athletic Trainer and is also certified in dry needling, allowing her to provide a broader range of treatment options for her patients.

Brooke’s professional interests focus on working with individuals with limb loss and serving the geriatric population, where she is passionate about improving quality of life and enhancing functional outcomes.

With seven years of clinical experience as a physical therapist assistant, Holly joins the Manchester DPT team as the administrative assistant. She earned her associate degree as a physical therapist assistant from Brown Mackie College and her bachelor's degree degrees in health science from Kaplan. She also holds several certifications in Functional Movement Screen I (FMS) I, Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) I, Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner (CKTP), Various Maitland Manual Therapy courses.

Melissa Bray joined the Manchester University College of Pharmacy in 2016 and currently serves as the Director of Instructional Design. In this role, Melissa teams with faculty to improve their course delivery and design for the benefit of students. Melissa also provides support for the learning management system, as well as conducts training and research on educational technology and social media that can be used in the classroom.

Melissa previously worked as the Instructional Designer at the University of Saint Francis, where she provided support and documentation for faculty in course development and delivery, for both in-person and online courses, including detailed instructions for utilizing the university’s designated learning management system. Melissa has an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from Indiana Wesleyan University and a B.A. in French, English Literature, and Secondary Education from DePauw University.

Megan Chauncey is from Warsaw Indiana and completed her undergraduate degree from Manchester University in 2020. Her degrees are B.S. in Bio-psychology and Global health. She is currently enrolled in Manchester University’s Masters of Pharmacogenomics (PGx) program. Her position at Manchester is as the graduate admissions advisor. When not in the office or completing school tasks, Megan likes to spend time with family, friends, and her cat (Ricky), read, and be outside.

Sara joined Manchester University in 2023 as an Administrative Assistant for Health Sciences and Pharmacy. Sara is a graduate of Ball State University. While there, she was President of the National Society for Leadership and Success and was a 4-year Team Captain for Relay for Life. Sara earned a Bachelor of Science in Interpersonal Communication Studies with a Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution minor. Sara has over 10 years of administrative support experience and has a passion for bringing Hoosier hospitality to the workplace. Always taking the time to make faculty, staff, and students feel welcomed, valued, and heard.

Megan joined Manchester University in 2022 as the Student Affairs Coordinator. Earning her BS in Counseling and Sociology and her MA in Higher Education from Grace College, Megan is passionate about helping students learn and grow. Throughout her career, Megan has worked in a variety of student affairs roles including residential life, admissions & enrollment, and financial services. Megan is a South Bend native who enjoys living in Fort Wayne where she recently purchased her first home. In addition to DIY home projects, Megan likes spending time exercising, and being outdoors, and is an avid true crime enthusiast.

Michelle Kibiger first joined Manchester University Fort Wayne in March of 2014 in the Pharmacy Office of Experiential Education. She transitioned to the director of assessment for pharmacy and graduate life sciences in 2017 and currently serves as the director of assessment and accreditation for Health Sciences and Pharmacy.

Michelle earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Indiana University-Purdue University in 1996 and a Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment from University of Illinois at Chicago in 2019. Prior to joining the Manchester team, Michelle worked in the field of early and elementary education and early childhood administration for 20 years.

Renee Kiser joined Manchester University in October 2022 as the associate registrar at our Fort Wayne location. She was previously the associate director of graduate student services for the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at Indiana University. Her background is in student, faculty and administrative support and leadership. Renee and her family have recently moved to the area and are enjoying meeting such warm and welcoming new friends. In her spare time, Renee enjoys the outdoors, gardening and reading.

Laura Kozlowski joined the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department in June 2016. She reports to the Department Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences and provides senior administrative support to administrative leaders within the Pharmacy Program including Department Chairs, Program Directors and other Directors as necessary. Laura has over 16 years of Executive Assistant level administrative experience and most recently was part owner of a family business. She earned an Associate’s Degree in Business from Robert Morris College in Chicago, Illinois.

Jordan Patterson joined Manchester University in June 2022 as an Academic Support Specialist, Designproviding his expertise in Learning Management Systems and Online Examinations for the College of Pharmacy, Natural, and Health Sciences. Jordan will work with Faculty to support their course and exam delivery to students, local and distant. Jordan joins Manchester from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. Jordan has spent his career aiding effective educational experiences for faculty and students.

Jordan enjoys spending free time in nature with his family and dogs. He enjoys the arts, so you may find him at a museum, art fair, concert venue, or comedy club. His recent favorite activity is exploring Ft. Wayne and what it has to offer.

Shawn Patterson joined Manchester University in April 2014 and currently serves as the Health Sciences and Pharmacy Executive Assistant. She has over 15 years of administrative support experience in higher education previously serving at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and ITT Technical Institute. Shawn has held a number of positions within pharmacy programs and has a broad knowledge across departments which helps her perform her duties. She received her Associate Degree in Information Processing from Madison Area Technical College.

Zehra Ponjevic joined Manchester University in October 2023 as an Operations Specialist for the Office of Experiential Education. She earned her BS in Human Services from Purdue University with minors in Psychology and Sociology. Upon graduation, she worked in the referrals department at a non-profit agency that provided child and family services. She then worked in administration for the nursing management at a hospice facility.  Zehra then worked at a home care agency managing the new hire onboarding process and employee files, before landing at Manchester. She is excited to be back in a university setting and assist students in reaching their career goals.

Brook Schumann joined the Pharmacy Program in July 2015. He divides his time as the Health Sciences and Pharmacy Education coordinator and the Pharmacy Practice Laboratory Coordinator. Prior to joining Manchester, Brook worked for UF Health Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida and at Corum Health Services, a long-term care pharmacy in Saint Louis, Missouri. As a pharmacy technician, Brook has had many years of working with student pharmacists and sharing his expertise in sterile and non-sterile compounding. Brook received his B.S. degree in Personal Financial Management from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.

Eric Schwarz joined Manchester University’s Fort Wayne location in 2022 after more than a decade of working in other positions in higher education information technology. His resume includes desktop support, event support, telecom and network operations, and project management. Eric has also served in student life roles and earned both a Master of Science in Information & Communication Sciences and a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications from Ball State University.

Philip Spann began employment at Manchester University in the summer of 2012 as a University Safety Officer. Prior to that Spann worked for White’s Residential and Family Services where he learned Therapeutic Crisis Intervention techniques. During his time in the Safety Department, Spann worked on the creation of the Spartan Coin program. A way for the University Safety team to recognize students who displayed the University’s core values. He was trained and certified as a basic EMT for eight years of my time within the Safety Department. Spann enjoyed putting on small activities for Resident Assistants such as fire extinguisher training and a popular “drunk driving obstacle course” where students would wear special goggles while attempting to maneuver a golf cart through an obstacle course. Spann departed Manchester University in the summer of 2021 and took a position in the fall of 2021 as a campus safety officer of a local Fort Wayne factory. There he patrolled their five-building campus and parking lots assisting with OSHA safety requirements.

Sarah joined Manchester in 2022 as the Director of Student Affairs for Pharmacy Programs. Sarah is a 2007 graduate of the University of Saint Francis. While there, she was a four-year member of the softball team and earned a BA in Communication Management and a Speech minor. In 2013 she earned her MA in Professional Communication from Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW). During her career, Sarah has worked at PFW and Ivy Tech Community College in student service roles within student life and academic advising. Sarah and her husband Kyle have three children and enjoy living in Fort Wayne. In addition to spending time with family, Sarah enjoys being active, playing cards & games, being outside and watching Notre Dame football.