Faculty
( As administrative and faculty positions become available they will be listed on the CSU Jobs webpage: http://www.csu.edu/eeo/jobsandposition.htm )

David J. Slatkin, Ph.D. R.Ph. is Founding Dean of the Chicago State University College of Pharmacy.  He is providing the leadership in establishing his third college of pharmacy.  Previously, he served as Founding Dean and Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Midwestern University College of Pharmacy - Glendale.  He served in that capacity since the college's founding in 1998.  Dr. Slatkin originally joined Midwestern University (MWU) in 1991 as Founding Dean of the Chicago College of Pharmacy.  Prior to joining MWU, he served as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Director of Graduate Programs at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. 

Born in Brooklyn, NY and graduated from Scarsdale High School, Dr. Slatkin holds Bachelors Degrees from Wayne State University, Detroit (1966 in Chemistry) and Mercer University's Southern School of Pharmacy, Atlanta (1968) and the M.S. (1971) and Ph.D. (1972) degrees from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy.  From 1972 to 1973, he taught at the Northeast Louisiana University School of Pharmacy.  From 1973 until 1991, he served on the Faculty of the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. He was the recipient of the Merck Award from Mercer University and was an American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education - Edwin Leigh Newcomb Memorial Fellow at the University of Mississippi. 
           
His research interests encompassed several areas within Pharmacognosy. He has authored over eighty scientific publications, served as a reviewer for the Journal of Natural Products and Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and has been the major advisor for twelve graduate students.  He is a member of Rho Chi Honorary Society and Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity.  He has been very active in many professional and scientific organizations, including serving as Treasurer of the American Society of Pharmacognosy since 1981. In 1999, Dr. Slatkin was selected by American Pharmacist magazine as one of the 50 Most Influential Pharmacists in the US.

Miriam Mobley Smith, Pharm.D. is Associate Dean of the Chicago State University College of Pharmacy.  Dr. Mobley Smith is also an adjunct faculty member in the Allied Health, Nursing and Human Services Department at South Suburban College (SSC), South Holland, Ill., serving as a member of a curriculum advisory board and on the "Tech Prep Medical Professional" advisory committee.  She is a member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans, was a 2006 Academic Leadership Fellow with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and a 2005 Primary Healthcare Policy Fellow with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.   She has chaired the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination Standards Setting Committee, the 2005 National Practice Analysis, and was Past-President of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Certification Council.  Dr. Mobley Smith was featured in the Aetna 2005 African American History Calendar for her impact in older adult communities, received the 2006 Sid Granet Aging Network Achievement Award from the Illinois Area Agencies on Aging, recognized as the 2005 Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists “Pharmacist of the Year”, and awarded the 2004 National Pharmaceutical Association’s James N. Tyson Award in recognition of outstanding achievement in contributions to the profession of pharmacy.  Active in local and national pharmacy professional organizations, she is a member of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Council on Education and Workforce Development, JACHO Health Care Professional Education Roundtable, and Illinois Drug Policy Coalition.

Dr. Mobley Smith received her B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Michigan and Pharm.D. from the University of Illinois.  Her research and program grants are focused on preventive health-related issues affecting older adults, including an Illinois Department on Aging, Title III-D program entitled "Medication Monitoring and Safety in Older Adults: A Community-Based Education Program", the “Senior Medication Education and Review Program” for the Woodlawn Community Development Corporation and Chicago Housing Authority, and Chicago Department on Aging Wellness Program (in collaboration with Area Agencies on Aging). She has delivered over 100 invited local, regional and national presentations and published in areas relative to her areas of focus.

Michael T. Ellison, Ed.D. is Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean of the Chicago State University College of Pharmacy.  Dr. Ellison served as the Director of the Premedical Education Program here at Chicago State University from July 1990 to June 2007.  He is past President of the National Association of Medical Minority Educators, Inc. (NAMME) and he currently serves on the board of directors for the Central Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (CAAHP), and for the Illinois Health Education Center (IHEC/AHEC).  Dr. Ellison also chairs the Committee on Diversity for the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP).  He was named Advisor of the Year in March 2007 by the Student Government Association at Chicago State University and Dr. Ellison received the Outstanding Service Award from the National Association of Medical Minority Educators, Inc. in 2004.

Dr. Ellison received his B.S. and M.S. in Education from Chicago State University in 1979 and 1988 respectively.  He earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Roosevelt University of Chicago in 2007.  Dr. Ellison has taught at the high school and college level and has served students for more than 25 years of his career. He is currently the advisor to the Pre-Pharmacy Club at Chicago State University and he is responsible for area of student affairs with the College of Pharmacy.

Elmer J. Gentry, Ph.D. is Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences for the Chicago State University-College of Pharmacy.  Dr. Gentry received his B.S. from Missouri Western State College (1993 in Chemistry) and M.S. (1996) and Ph.D. (1999) in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Kansas.  He served on the faculty at Midwestern University, College of Pharmacy-Glendale from 1999-2007.

He was named the 2007 Teacher of the Year for both the first and second year pharmacy classes at the College of Pharmacy-Glendale.  Additionally he has received the Edgar C. Little Outstanding Chemistry Graduate Award from Missouri Western State College, the Pharmacy Graduate Student Honors Symposium Award from the University of Kansas, and an American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education Pre-doctoral fellowship from 1997-1999.  He was honored as the National Advisor of the Year runner-up by the Phi Delta Chi pharmacy fraternity.

Dr. Gentry is a member of numerous scientific and professional organizations and has served as the Chair of the Section of Teachers of Chemistry of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.  His research interests include:  synthetic manipulation of antimicrobial agents to modulate potency and spectrum of activity, use of combinatorial chemistry for drug discovery and development, and improving delivery of science courses for professional and pre-professional students.

Dolores Nobles-Knight, Pharm.D., M.P.H. is Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacy Practice for the Chicago State University College of Pharmacy.  Dr. Nobles-Knight received her Pharm.D. from the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy in 1987 and her M.P.H. in Clinical Effectiveness (Epidemiology) from Harvard University in 2004.  She also completed a general pharmacy practice residency in 1988 at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, and received certificate training in Pharmacoeconomics and Economic Analytical Methods from the University of Arizona and the University of Southern California Schools of Pharmacy.  She served as an adjunct clinical instructor at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy from 1988-90 and again from 1994-96.

Prior to joining CSU-COP, Dr. Nobles-Knight provided clinical pharmacy services at several hospitals in the Chicago metropolitan area before joining Pfizer Inc. in 1993.  At Pfizer Inc., Dr. Nobles-Knight served the organization in several capacities.   She initially developed & delivered educational programs for health professionals, resulting in numerous presentations before local, regional and national audiences.  She moved into Outcomes Research in 1998, focusing on outcomes research studies and projects for Pfizer compounds, leadership of OR teams & committees, as well as development & dissemination of OR training & tools to Pfizer Inc. customers.  Just prior to leaving Pfizer in 2007, Dr. Nobles-Knight was a Regional Medical Specialist in the area of Healthcare Policy, educating and interacting with regional medical leaders on pharmaceutical policy issues such as Medicare Part D implementation and the application of EBM principles to medical decision-making. Dr. Nobles-Knight is a member of several professional associations and societies, including the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA) and the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).

Charisse Johnson, M.S., Pharm.D. is the Director of Experiential Education and Assistant Professor of the Chicago State University College of Pharmacy. Dr. Johnson received both her Doctor of Pharmacy degree (1998) and Master of Science degree in Pharmacy Administration (2003) from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy. Possessing formal teaching experiences in both didactic and experiential arenas with student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, Dr. Johnson has served in various capacities as a guest speaker, course instructor, and graduate teaching assistant lecturing on topics such as regulatory policy, patient safety, and the pharmacist’s role in community health.

Prior to joining Chicago State University, Dr. Johnson was the Professional Affairs Manager at the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. She also has practice experience in community and health-systems pharmacy. Dr. Johnson is currently a board member of the National Pharmaceutical Association and Chicago Pharmacists Association. She is also a member of Rho Chi Honor Society, Phi Lambda Sigma Leadership Fraternity, Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, and the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. She has received a number of awards and accolades, the most recent being the Young Pharmacists Award from the National Pharmaceutical Association.

Yolanda M. Hardy, Pharm.D. is an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Chicago State University College of Pharmacy.  Dr. Hardy holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio (1999).  She earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio (2001).  Following this, she completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency in Community Care with The Ohio State University School of Pharmacy and the Columbus Neighborhood Health Centers, Inc. in Columbus Ohio.  She served on the faculty of Northeastern University School of Pharmacy in Boston, Massachusetts from 2002-2008.

Dr. Hardy’s research interests consist of examining the role of pharmacists in reducing health disparities and exploring the role career exposure programs have on underrepresented students’ perception and selection of careers in pharmacy. Dr. Hardy has held leadership roles within professional and community organizations.  She currently serves as Secretary for the National Pharmaceutical Association.  She has received a number of awards for her service, the most recent being the Terrence Burroughs Leadership Award from the National Pharmaceutical Association.

Sabah Hussein, Pharm.D. is Assistant Professor of Community Pharmacy Practice at Chicago State University College of Pharmacy.  Dr. Hussein received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy in 1991.  She also completed a Community Pharmacy Practice Residency in 2004 with Dominick’s Pharmacy and Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy.

Dr. Hussein has held academic appointments at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy and South Suburban College.  She has been actively involved in the education of student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians for several years.  Dr. Hussein has served the Chicagoland community through her clinical and staff positions at Dominick’s Pharmacy and Rush Medical Center and through her dedicated participation in numerous outreach, disease prevention, and health education activities and events.

Dr. Hussein’s research interests include evaluating the impact of patient-centered pharmacy care services on patient health outcomes and determining the causes of low enrollment rates of Latino students in Illinois pharmacy schools.  Dr. Hussein was awarded an Incentive Grant for Practitioner Innovation in Pharmaceutical Care in 2003 by the American Pharmacists Association Foundation for the development of a weight management program at Dominick’s Pharmacy. Dr. Hussein is a member of several pharmacy professional organizations including the American Pharmacists Association and the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists.  She currently serves on the Pharmacy Technician Advisory Committee at South Suburban College.

Lwandiko E. Masinde, B. Pharm., Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Pharmaceutics in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, in the College of Pharmacy at Chicago State University. He was a Director of Medical Programs at Capsulated Systems, Inc. (CSI) in Ithaca, New York for three years (2005 – 2008). Prior to joining CSI, he held teaching positions at Hampton University College of Pharmacy (1998 – 2005); and at Xavier University of Louisiana’s School of Pharmacy from 1995 – 1998. Dr. Masinde had worked as a Research and Development Scientist for Pharmedic Company in Wheeling Illinois in 1992 – 1995; shortly after completing his two years’ Postdoctoral experience at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy.

Dr. Masinde is a native of Tanzania, where he received his Pharmacy degree, B.Pharm. (Hons), from the University of Dar es Salaam, Faculty of Pharmacy. His graduate study was carried out at the Welsh School of Pharmacy, University of Wales, Cardiff in the United Kingdom. He has received a number of awards, including the British Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship Award, and the Fogarty (NIH) International Fellowship Award.  His area of research interest is in drug delivery, dosage form design and formulation.  Patent application for his most recent work at CSI, on long term release of local anesthetics for postoperative pain relief is under review by the US Patent Office. He holds membership to several professional organizations including American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP); The Association of American Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), and International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).

Melany P. Puglisi, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Chicago State University College of Pharmacy.  She received her B.A. in chemistry from Southampton College, now part of Long Island University, in 1991.  Her graduate studies were carried out at University of Guam where she received her M.S. in Biology in 1995 and the University of Mississippi, School of Pharmacy where she received her Ph.D. in pharmacognosy.  She received grants from the American Museum of Natural History and the Australian Museum of Natural History to conduct her research on Guam and the Great Barrier Reef (Lizard Island).

Prior to joining CSU she conducted post-doctoral research at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego, the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, and Shannon Point Marine Station at Western Washington University.  Dr. Puglisi’s research interests include marine natural products and chemical ecology of algae and marine invertebrates.  She has participated in numerous research expeditions in the tropical Atlantic and Pacific including the 2005 NOAA Florida Coast Deep Corals research cruise. 

Dr. Puglisi is a member of several scientific and professional organizations including the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) and the American Society of Pharmacognosy.  She has served as chair of the Younger Members Committee of the ASP.  Dr. Puglisi has received awards throughout her academic career that not only recognize her research achievements but also highlight her service to the community.