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Faculty and Staff
"Each of these individuals brings talent, experience, and a passion for Pitt State," said Pitt State President Thomas Newsom. "We are excited for the future and look forward to the contributions they will make in their new roles."
Following an internal search, Damian Smithhisler was appointed as the next director of Facility Operations.
Smithhisler succeeds Tim Senecaut, who is retiring after many years of service in a variety of roles. His final day on campus will be Aug. 21.
Smithhisler previously served as the primary administrator in Intercollegiate Athletics, where he served as facility and event management, including oversight of the Robert W. Plaster Center.
Additionally, Facility Operations has moved from Business, Finance, and Facilities to the President's Division and now reports to Executive Vice President Jim Johnson.
Earlier this year, Associate Professor Byron McKay was appointed as interim director of the School of Automotive & Engineering Technology.
A Pitt State alum (BSEd ‘13, MS ‘16), McKay has been a faculty member in the College of Technology since 2017. He has served as Kansas State Technology Student Association Advisor for several years, served on the national ITEEA Board of Directors, and has been co-advisor for Pitt State’s Technology & Engineering Education Collegiate Association, which engages in service projects, student competitions regionally and nationally.
In 2023, he was chosen for the Leader of the Year Award from the Council for STEM Leadership, and in 2026, he received ITEEA's Special Recognition Award from as well as the Presidential Citation.
Professor Nancy Brooker began this summer as the new chair of the Biology, Chemistry, and Physics departments
A Pitt State alum (BS ‘86), Brooker’s career has spanned higher education, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, quality assurance, and research, with leadership positions at organizations including Bayer, Dow, Abbott Laboratories, and Recursion Pharmaceuticals.
In the 1990s, Brooker served as a faculty member at Pitt State. Her work has contributed to groundbreaking scientific discoveries, the development of innovative STEM initiatives, and the mentoring of future scientists and leaders.
In a previous story, the university announced this week that former Commissioner of Education Randy Watson has been chosen as the interim dean for the College of Education, continuing efforts to support academic excellence and student success across one of the university's largest academic units. A longtime educator who has served in a variety of roles, he will begin at Pitt State on Oct. 1. Full story here.
Chris Hawk (BS ‘17) has advanced from assistant director of Housing & Residence Life to the position of director of Student Support and Case Management in the office of the Dean of Students.
There, Hawk will engage with students who encounter difficulties navigating Pittsburg State due to multi-faceted or particularly disruptive life circumstances and connect them to various resources, assist them in advocating for themselves, and help them learn how to make the best of their Pittsburg State experience.
In addition to being a Pitt State graduate of the Communication Department, Hawk also has a master’s from Western Illinois and is working on his EdD at the University of Kansas.
After a period as interim chair, Professor Casie Hermansson was appointed this summer to the permanent role of chair of English and Modern Languages and the Intensive English Program.
Hermansson began in the English Department in 1997 and has taught a range of courses. Her undergraduate degrees in English and French were earned at Massey University, New Zealand. She has a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language and taught briefly in the IEP.
She is a Fulbright Scholar, and has published academic monographs, co-edited collections, and published more than 20 children's readers with Heinemann. She is enrolled in LETRS (Lexia) and also trained as an interventionist in the university’s Center for READing.
A Pitt State MBA graduate is staying at her alma mater to help the next generation succeed.
Rylee Croft (BBA ‘25, MBA '26), has been named assistant director of First Year Programs, where she will support incoming students and begin teaching Gateway courses this spring. Gateway is designed to help freshmen learn how to connect with academic resources and campus services and empowers them to overcome challenges. First Year Programs is part of Pitt State Student Success Services.
Throughout college, Croft worked the Registrar’s Office.
The Music Department appointed Associate Professor Andrew Chybowski as interim chair following the departure of longtime chair Professor Susan Marchant, who has returned to teaching.
Chybowski, who joined the faculty in 2017, has long been a champion for instrumental music students and school band programs throughout the region, and is the co-founder of the Pittsburg Community Band. He also conducts the Four State Symphonic Winds.
In his new role, Chybowski will continue conducting the university's Wind Ensemble and some teaching assignments.
Lacy O'Malley has been named assistant director of Service and Civic Engagement — a new position on campus.
O'Malley previously worked for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as a regional community health specialist, and has been involved in a number of service and civic engagement roles in Pittsburg including for the YMCA, the Neighborhood Advisory Council, and Pittsburg Area Young Professionals.
At Pitt State, she will help connect students with meaningful service opportunities that enrich their educational experiences while strengthening partnerships throughout the community, all through the use of the newly launched Gorilla Action platform.
Her work will support the university's ongoing commitment to civic engagement, volunteerism, and experiential learning.
