This fall, Columbus State University welcomes 16 new faculty and administrators. Notably, the group includes two Columbus State alumni returning to teach at their alma mater and new leadership in the Office of the Provost & Chief Academic Officer and the Department of Art. They include:

College of the Arts

Erica (Bascom) Anderson
Lecturer, Department of Theatre & Dance

Anderson joins the faculty this fall as a lecturer in costume as well as the Costume Shop supervisor. Prior to her current role, she taught costumes at Southern Utah University and the University of Florida. She has worked professionally in theatres and opera houses across the U.S., such as the Sarasota Opera, Indiana Repertory Theatre and Utah Shakespeare Theatre, and backstage for IATSE on touring Broadway shows. Some of her past creative roles include serving as shop manager, draper, dyer/painter, costume crafts, and tutu maker—just to name a few.

Timothy Artz, MFA
Instructor, Department of Theatre & Dance

Artz joins the faculty as an instructor with more than two decades of New York City-based professional actor experience in film, television and theatre. His acting credits include roles in films such as “Manchurian Candidate” with Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington, “Brooklyn Sonnet” with Olympia Dukakis and Philip Bosco; and television roles on “Law and Order,” “Law & Order Criminal Intent,” “New York Undercover” and recurring stints on the soap operas “Guiding Light” and “One Life to Live.” His favorite theatre roles include Stanley Kowalski in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Bloody Five in “A Man’s a Man” by Bertolt Brecht, and Odis “Beef” Midzursky in the NYC Fringe Festival winner “The Big Doolie.”  His previous duties include postings at Fayetteville Technical Community College, Greensboro College, East Carolina Community College and Wake Tech Community College. He is also a founding member and co-artistic director of the Firebox Theatre in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He earned a bachelor’s from Point Park College and a master of fine arts from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts.

Christine Cannon, MA ‘07
Visiting Lecturer, Department of Art

A new visiting lecturer in graphic design and a Columbus State alumna, Cannon is an interdisciplinary artist and designer working with a blend of traditional and digital media. Her personal work focuses on current issues surrounding the state of the environment and the impact of our society on the natural world. Her recent community projects include interior murals for The Children’s Treehouse and Twin Cedars, and a mural for Peach Little League at Lakebottom Park. She earned a bachelor’s in studio art at Columbus State and continued to the University of South Carolina School of Visual Art & Design, where she earned her master’s in painting.

Julianna Cowsert, MFA ’17
Lecturer, Department of Art

A Columbus State alumna, Cowsert joins the faculty this fall as a lecturer, where she will teach courses in printmaking and freshman seminar. She previously served as part-time faculty at Columbus State, working with undergraduate students in foundations and art appreciation. Her studio practice in painting focuses on figurative realism, landscapes and narratives of the Southeastern United States. Cowsert earned her BFA from Columbus State University and her MFA from the New York Academy of Art. Her work, exhibited under the name Wells, has been shown nationally and internationally at venues such as New York’s Forum Gallery, Sugarlift Gallery and The Salmagundi Club, ArtFields in South Carolina and (SC), and in Leipzig, Germany, where she completed a residency through the Leipzig International Art Programme at the Spinnerei.

Jonathan Kline, Ph.D.
Rothschild Distinguished Chair, Department of Art

An internationally recognized scholar specializing in Italian Renaissance art history, Kline began his tenure in July 2025. His research has been published in leading academic volumes—including works on Michelangelo, Botticelli and Renaissance visual typology. His 2021 chapter in “Space, Image, and Reform in Early Modern Art” explores philosophical imagery in Raphael’s Disputa, and his numerous publications reflect a deep engagement with Christian and classical symbolism in early modern art. His service in higher education includes teaching roles in addition to leadership as department chair, dean of academics and chief academic officer. He holds a Ph.D. in art history from Temple University and a bachelor’s in art history and a minor in English. He earned a master’s in art history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Geneil Perkins, D.M.
Lecturer, Joyce & Henry Schwob School of Music

Perkins joins the faculty this fall as a lecturer of voice and will teach classical and musical theatre voice as well as courses in lyric diction. Her academic interests include vocology, vocal health and development, as well as vocal fach. Before Columbus State, she taught as an associate instructor of voice during her doctoral studies and has performed widely in opera, concert and choral settings. She holds a bachelor’s in music and voice from Southern Utah University, a master’s from Brigham Young University, and a doctorate in voice from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, with additional studies in vocology and music education.

Laura Thomason, DMA
Lecturer, Joyce & Henry Schwob School of Music

Thomason is a mezzo-soprano, music director and vocal pedagogue committed to applying evidence-based pedagogy to help her students find their most efficient singing. Prior to Columbus State, she taught at the University of Mobile, Anderson University, the University of South Carolina Upstate, and the Lawson Academy at Converse University. Her interests include elevating marginalized voices, as well as studying studio hierarchy and power dynamics. She has performed with the Marble City Opera, GLOW Lyric Theatre and Mosaic Arts, among others. Her notable performances include “I Can’t Breathe,” “The Gondoliers,” “The Crucible” and “Dido and Aeneas.” She holds a DMA in voice with a pedagogy cognate from the University of Mobile, and performance degrees from Indiana University (MM) and Converse University (BM).

Turner College of Business & Technology

Sean Glieberman, M.S., MPA
Director, TSYS Center for Cybersecurity

Glieberman began his tenure in July 2025, bringing to his new role a wealth of experience in both academia and the cybersecurity industry. He most recently served as executive director of the Center for Cyber Defense at Tiffin University in Ohio, where he led numerous innovative initiatives—including securing more than $1 million in research grants and alternative revenue sources across the state. His leadership saw the development of a state-of-the-art cyber center equipped with a 24/7 interactive cyberwall threat map, a mobile cyber range, Boston Dynamics’ SPOT robot, and even a Tesla Cybertruck. He has also built significant partnerships with key public and private sector stakeholders, including the White House Office of the National Cyber Director, the Department of Defense, CISCO, and US Bank, as well as through roles in established companies, startups and the National Security Agency’s Threat Operations Center. He holds a bachelor’s in information sciences and technology from The Pennsylvania State University, a master’s in strategic intelligence from the National Intelligence University, and an executive master of public administration from Syracuse University.

College of Education & Health Professions

Eria Brooks, Ed.S.
Lecturer, Department of Teacher Education, Leadership & Counseling

Brooks joins the faculty this fall as a lecturer, teaching courses in elementary education with a focus on literacy, science and classroom instruction. Her academic interests include reading development, student engagement and effective instructional practices for diverse learners. For more than a decade, her elementary grade-level teaching spanned second through fifth grades. She emphasized strong foundations in math, science and social studies for her students while integrating social-emotional learning strategies to support the whole child. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in humanism, with a commitment to fostering both academic success and personal growth in future educators. She holds a bachelor’s degree, a master of arts in teaching, and an educational specialist degree, along with an academic coaching and gifted endorsement.

Carlene Robinson, DPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences

Robinson joined the faculty during the Spring 2025 semester after working for multiple years in state government as an applied epidemiologist in chronic disease and with children with special healthcare needs. She teaches several courses in research methods, epidemiology, biostatistics and grant writing. Her research focuses on social determinants of health, maternal and child health, chronic diseases, community development and social support systems. She holds a bachelor’s in molecular biology and a master of public health in epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a doctorate in public health in epidemiology from Georgia Southern University. She is a member of the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA), Association of Maternal & Child Programs (AMCHP), and the Council of State & Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE).

College of Letters & Sciences

Jasmine Betties, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology

Betties begins her tenure this fall as an assistant professor. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in social science and counseling psychology from Troy University and her doctor of philosophy in educational psychology from Auburn University. Betties' research, rooted in Black feminist qualitative methodology, explores how Black women and girls use embodied knowledge to navigate educational and workplace settings, and how educators can apply this insight to reimagine discipline practices.

James Bland, Ph.D.
Lecturer, Department of History, Geography & Philosophy

Bland joins the faculty this fall, bringing specialties he’s developed in colonial Spain, Native history and Native American art through his academic and museum experience to his teaching role. He earned his doctorate at the University of Oklahoma, where he studied the frontier society and experiences on the Spanish Borderlands of the Southwest. Additionally, he holds a master’s degree in history with an emphasis in public history at George Mason University and bachelor’s degrees in history and economics in the Honors Program at the University of Wyoming.  

Tianyu Chen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, School of Policy, Justice & Public Safety

Chen begins his tenure this fall as an assistant professor. His research focuses on public and nonprofit management, policy analysis and the applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the public and nonprofit sector. His work has been published in various outlets, including Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, the Urban Institute and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He teaches courses in policy analysis, research methods, nonprofit management and public administration. He holds a bachelor’s in environmental science with a minor in applied economics from the University of Minnesota, master’s degrees in public administration and environmental science from Indiana University Bloomington, and a doctorate in public administration and a graduate certificate in data science from American University.

Subhas Mukherjee, Ph.D., SAPM
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology

Mukherjee is a seasoned brain cancer biologist and biotechnology leader who brings to his new role as an assistant professor. His experience includes more than a decade of expertise in translational oncology, drug discovery and genetically engineered models. He previously served as a research assistant professor and project leader at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, where he led a multidisciplinary preclinical drug development program focused on brain cancer. His work in academia and the private sector has contributed to the discovery of novel biomarkers and therapeutic strategies targeting glioma stem cells, has been featured in high-impact journals and on scientific magazine covers, and has garnered multi-million-dollar grant funding. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in zoology and animal biology from the University of Calcutta and a doctorate in genetics and molecular biology from Howard University.

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST & CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER

Dustin Anderson, Ph.D.
Provost, Executive Vice President & Chief Academic Officer

Anderson was named provost, executive vice president and chief academic officer in July 2025 to lead the university’s academic affairs enterprise. He joined the university from Georgia Southern University, where he had spent most of his higher education career. His 15 years at GSU included teaching, directing graduate programs, and leadership in the Office of the Provost—his final appointment being associate provost for student success & academic programs. His teaching and scholarship focus on memory and neuropathies as they materialize in language. He holds a bachelor’s in English literature from Carson-Newman College and both a master’s and doctoral degree in English from Florida State.

Michael Rothlisberger, Ed.D.
Chief Academic Strategy Officer
Assistant Professor, Department of Management

Rothlisberger began serving as chief academic strategy officer and an assistant professor of management in July 2025. In his administrative role, he will lead data-informed academic strategy to drive innovation and academic excellence and to further institutional outcomes. Previously, he served as the University System of Georgia’s associate vice chancellor for academic strategy & analytics and held various roles at Kennesaw State University, including assistant vice president for academic strategy & finance. He has an Ed.D. in leadership and learning in organizations from Vanderbilt University, along with degrees in accounting and management from Kennesaw State University.

Background information about these and current Columbus State faculty is available in the university's online and searchable employee directory.