Human Services Faculty

Miranda Brand is the dean and vice president of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and School of Aviation at Purdue Global. Brand's areas of expertise are in leadership development, industry partnerships, faculty mentoring and new program development. As dean, Brand oversees more than 700 faculty members across 45 academic programs and five academic departments. She also cultivates the more than 1,000 college-industry partnerships that the college maintains. Brand’s experience in education allows her to focus on student success while serving almost 11,000 students who are pursuing degrees at the doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s, associate and certificate levels.

Since 2011, Brand has served as the associate dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. In this role, she facilitated the development and launch of twelve degree programs in the college, served on numerous university cross-functional action teams to promote institutional improvements and worked with then Dean Sander for over a decade to create and implement a strong college-industry partnership program for students and employer partners. Additionally, she has served in faculty and department chair positions within the college since joining the University in 2006. Prior professional experience includes 20 years of public education service in various roles including teacher, curriculum coordinator, district staff development presenter, and school administrator.

Education: EdD, Nova Southeastern University;  MA, Educational Leadership, Fayetteville State University; BS, Education, Methodist University

For many years, Lynn Massenzio's focus has been administrative, including strategic planning, accreditation, state approvals, and new program development. She previously served the University as an adjunct faculty member and assistant dean of faculty. Prior to entering the education field, Massenzio built on her experience as a former college athlete to start a small business as a fitness consultant and personal trainer. She earned her teaching certification through an alternative certification route at Oglethorpe University. After teaching high school science, she transitioned to higher education where she was a clinical instructor at Georgia State University and an assistant professor at LaGrange College. Both institutions, as well as Purdue Global, have enabled her to work with career changers entering the field of education through both traditional and alternative routes to certification.

Education: PhD, Georgia State University; MS, Georgia Institute of Technology; BA, Rutgers University

Tessa Holst currently serves as the assistant dean of students within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences where she oversees and generates initiatives to develop student engagement and improve student retention. She is also responsible for problem identification and resolution for second-level student complaints and conflicts. Prior to her current role, Holst served as the graduation director and event planner within the Provost Office. She was responsible for bi-annual graduation event ceremonies, celebrations, and faculty retreats. She has worked in higher education for over 25 years and recently completed her second term as school board member for her local school district, having served for 4 years as president. 

Education: MS, Kaplan University (now Purdue Global)

Honors and Achievements: 2017 Social and Behavioral Sciences Outstanding Non-Academic Support Team Award (Kaplan University), 2005 Hero Award (Kaplan University), 2003 Extra Mile Award (Kaplan Higher Education)

April Hrabar has been with Purdue Global since 2020 as an instructor with the School of Nursing. Before joining the Purdue Global team, Hrabar was the administrator of an online undergraduate health sciences program and the senior leader of a multi-leveled nursing department. In her 15 years’ experience in higher education, she has focused on adult and non-traditional learners, online instruction, program development and expansion, and institutional and programmatic accreditation.

As part of her passion for connecting students with global initiatives, she was previously the founder and executive director of an organization providing aid and medical care for Indigenous people of the Amazon Rainforest. Through this foundation, she has immersed students and faculty in life-changing cultural experiences to make a positive impact in these fragile communities. She continues to pursue community outreach in promotion of global health and wellness.

Education: EdD in Educational Leadership, Liberty University; MSN in Nursing Education, Liberty University; BS in Nursing, University of Maryland.             

Honors and Achievements: Nurse Leadership Institution Fellow (2010); Corporation for National Service National Service Award (2002)  

Research Interests: Professional behaviors, writing skills, faculty and student engagement in online environments

Maggie Morgan has served as the program chair for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences since February 2020. She joined Purdue Global in 2006, as an adjunct instructor and subsequently worked as an assistant chair in the School of General Education until her promotion to assistant dean. She has over 25 years of experience in human services with a specific focus on military families.

Education: PhD, Capella University; MEd, Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Research Interests: Assessment in higher education, resilience, educational outcomes in military children

Jessie Budzinski has served as an assistant department chair for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences since March 2021. Budzinski joined Purdue Global in 2009 as an adjunct instructor. In 2011, she added course leader to her role, and in 2015 she became a full-time instructor and faculty mentor.

Prior to her work at Purdue Global, Budzinski was a field instructor for the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina where she supervised and evaluated social work students in the master’s degree program. Budzinski also worked as a Head Start Director and Mental Health Coordinator for many years.

She presented at state Head Start conferences and national Birth-to-Three Institutes.

Education: MSW, University of Michigan              

Honors and Achievements: Human Services Board-Certified Practitioner, Human Services Faculty Member of the Year, Outstanding Professor Nomination, Outstanding Course Leader, Outstanding Full-time Adjunt Faculty Member    

Research Interests: Student retention and innovation in the online classroom

Juliet Bradley teaches a variety of courses in the Human Services Department, and has revised and developed courses on the undergraduate and graduate level. Within the Human Services Department, she has also acted as faculty advisor for different student organizations, mentored new faculty members, and has served as a course lead for several classes. Additionally, she served on several  University-wide committees and task forces and has facilitated orientation sessions for new students. Bradley has worked in higher education since 2006, teaching courses related to human development, behavioral health, and human services in onground and online formats. Additionally, she is a Licensed Social Worker with 17 years of experience in the fields of human services and social work and has experience writing grants for a nonprofit mental health agency.

Education: PhD, University of Delaware; MSW, Boston College; BA, West Chester University

Honors and Achievements: Presentations at national and international conferences

Research Interests: Children with disabilities, adolescents with mental health issues and substance use problems

Courtney Liferidge began her career at Purdue Global in 2021 as a part-time adjunct faculty member in the Department of Human Services and was promoted to full-time faculty member in 2023. Liferidge has served as a course leader and revised several courses on the graduate level. In addition to teaching, Liferidge has worked in the social and human services field for over 10 years, working with children, adults, and the senior population, in various capacities from direct care, program administration, to community engagement.

Education: PhD, Capella University; MEd, Cambridge College; BA, Winston-Salem State University

Certifications: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace  

Research Interests: Race/culture, religion/spirituality, family dynamics, human development and sexuality

Rebekah Haight began her career at Purdue Global in 2021 as a part-time adjunct faculty member in the Department of Human Services and is now a full-time faculty member. Haight is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LSCW) in the state of New York and state of Pennsylvania. She  has 10 years of clinical experience in the field of mental health where she has worked with a variety of populations to include foster care settings, correctional settings, higher education, crisis services, hospital services, and outpatient clinical treatment. Haight has experience working with youth, families, couples, college students, and incarcerated individuals.        

Education: MS, California University of Pennsylvania; MSW, University of Southern California; BS, University of Pittsburgh

Certifications: State of New York, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); State of Pennsylvania, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies

Memberships: National Association of Social Work (NASW)          

Research Interests: Traumatology, stress response regulation, suicidology, domestic violence, physiology, psychophysiology, neurofeedback, biofeedback, and trauma-related disorders

Tuwana Wingfield began her career with Purdue Global in 2021 in the Department of Human Services as a professor. Wingfield is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Arizona and Illinois and has over 20 years’ experience in social services  at the micro and macro levels of practice. as well as teaching in higher education. These experiences include early childhood education/Head Start, practice in schools from PreK-12, child welfare, non-profit community-based organizations, and higher education.

Wingfield has taught courses in introduction to social work, field education, practice with individuals and groups, human behavior in social environment, policy, social work practice within a multi-cultural context as well as researched focused independent studies at the undergraduate and graduate level. Wingfield presents at conferences in social work as well as education. She is the guest editor for the Critical Social Work Journal and served as a reviewer for an open access text Graduate Research Methods in Social Work: A Project-Based Approach. She also consults with doctoral students on their dissertations. Wingfield also has a small private practice where she works with clients on a range of issues from adjusting to life changes to depression/anxiety

Education:  PhD, Illinois State University; AM, University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration; BA, Purdue University

Publications:  Evans, T. T., Ashley, W., Swain, J. (2023). ‘We got this girl’…The use of Black girl magic to resist anti-Blackness. In E. A. Amoo-Adare, R. S-de Zoysa (Eds.), An Anthology of Non-Conformism (pp. 153 – 164). New York, NY: DIO Press, Inc. Publishing

Adams, R.A., Webb-Peoples, K., Evans, T. T. (2023). Incivility in SWK education: Reflections of three Black faculty teaching at HWIs. Critical Social Work, 24(1), 2-19.

Wingfield, T. T. & Adams, R. A. (2019). Reflections of two Black early career social work educators teaching mostly white students at PWI. Reflections, 25(1), 16-31.

Certifications: State of Arizona, Licensed Clinical Social Work, License LSWC 21897; State of Illinois, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, License 149.012576

Honors and Achievements: February 2024 The Last Lecturer for Commencement

Memberships: Council on Social Work Education; National Association for Human Services Professionals; Therapy for Black Girls      

Research Interests: Black feminism, critical race theory, critical race feminist theory, intersectionality, anti-coloniality, abolition, culturally responsive education, cultural humility, social work field education, educational experiences of African American women and girls, identity development, and mentoring.