Faculty News - July 2010

Brian Webb, M.A. Online Dean
Dr. Brian Webb was trained as an organist and conductor, but today, as the dean of Union Institute & University’s Master of Arts Online program, he conducts a team of faculty, staff, and learners hard at work creating one of the most innovative M.A. programs in the country. Read Dr. Webb's complete profile.

Laurette Brady, B.A. Faculty
Laurette Brady was recently inducted into the Norwich University chapter of Delta Mu Delta and is the recipient of the first Distinguished Faculty Service award.

Kate Fetherston, B.A. Faculty
Dr. Kate Fetherston was awarded a residency scholarship to the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vermont, which began in May 2010.

Dr. Dorothy Firman, M.A. Online Faculty
Dr. Dorothy Firman recently returned from a visit to St. Petersburg, Russia, where she worked with students at the Harmony Institute, presenting a workshop, True Power: Building, Sustaining, and Living From Within the Soul of Who We Are.

Dr. Lisa Fontes, Psy.D. Faculty
Dr. Lisa Fontes presented a talk titled Physical abuse, discipline and culture: Working with culturally diverse parents toward non-violent parenting at Enders Auditorium, Children's Hospital, Boston, on April 8.

Dr. Linda Gray, B.A. Faculty
Dr. Linda Gray has been awarded a two-month Fulbright Scholar grant to return to Ukraine, in order to follow up on the work she began during an 18-month Fulbright grant two years ago.

Laban Hill, B.A. Faculty
Laban Hill has been invited to serve as a judge for this year’s National Book Awards.  He is hosting a breakfast at the American Library Association in June to launch Dave the Potter, a poem that has been turned into a picture book and published by Little Brown.  Two of his poems will be published in the spring issue of the Solstice Literary Magazine.

Laura Knott-Twine, B.A. Faculty
Laura Knott-Twine was elected in January 2010 as vice president of the Connecticut Preservation Action organization, which seeks to bring together organizations and individuals to unite behind a common public policy agenda at local, state, and national levels promoting historic preservation.

Dr. William Lax, Psy.D. Dean
Dr. Bill Lax recently attended the joint National Council of School and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) and Council of Chairs of Training Councils (CCTC), which met in Florida. The group focused on training issues in professional psychology.

Dr. Richard Sears, Psy.D. Faculty
Dr. Richard Sears recently conducted an eight-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy course for members of the community.  He is continuing to provide reduced-fee and pro bono psychology services to the local community. He also recently submitted an article on mindfulness-based relapse prevention for the peer-reviewed Ohio Psychologist and is creating a book proposal for an edited book on addressing diversity issues of spirituality in psychotherapy. 

In addition, Sears is also serving as president-elect and webmaster of the Cincinnati Academy of Professional Psychology and has been asked to be a keynote speaker on November 12 for the annual conference of the Alzheimer’s Association.