Faculty and Staff (L - Z)

Faculty and staff in the Department of Physical and Health Education at SRU have experience as physical educators, health educators, coaches, fitness trainers, athletes, and fitness buffs. Combining both personal and professional expertise in physical and health education means that faculty and staff provide students with the knowledge of best academic and practical applications.

Dr. Joanne Leight, Department Chair

Office:109 A Morrow Field House
Phone: 724.738.2795
Email: joanne.leight@sru.edu

Dr. Joanne Leight serves as professor and chair of the Department of Physical and Health Education. Prior to starting at SRU in 1996, Leight worked as a professor and softball coach at Westminster College for nine years. Since arriving at SRU, Leight has taught 23 different courses and created the Minor in Coaching. She serves as the NCAA Faculty Athletics representative for the university. She earned her B.S. degree and M.S. from SRU and her Doctorate of Education from Duquesne University. Her website is: and you can follow her on Twitter, @dr_leight.

Dr. Wenhao Liu

Office: 118 Morrow Field House
Phone: 724.738.2819
Email: wenhao.liu@sru.edu

Dr. Wenhao Liu is a professor and has worked in SRU since fall 2004. Before joining SRU Dr. Liu taught at Wuhan Sports University in China for 14 years, at Sage Colleges (New York) for two years, and worked as a visiting scholar at Lund University in Sweden for one year. Dr. Liu is a Fellow of American College of Sports Medicine and a Fellow of SHAPE America. He has published one monograph, two chapters, and 50+ peer-reviewed articles, and made more than 100 presentations with 60+ of them presented at national or international conferences. His research is in the area of physical activity and health promotion. Dr. Liu has also been active in service holding multiple national and international positions, including Associate Editor (Epidemiology Section) for Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. Email: wenhao.liu@sru.edu, homepage: .

Dr. Randy Nichols

Office: 110 G Morrow Field House
Phone: 724.738.2818
Email: randall.nichols@sru.edu

Dr. Randy Nichols serves as professor of the Department of Physical and Health Education at SRU. Prior to his tenure at SRU, Nichols worked as an administrator, faculty member, and coach for six years at Penn State University. He is interested in physical activity, wellness, and fitness and his hobbies include running, cycling, and outdoor actives. He received his B.S. and M.Ed. from ��㴫ý and his Doctorate of Education from West Virginia University.

Sherri Novad

Office: 109 Morrow Field House
Phone: 724.738.4904
Email: sherri.novad@sru.edu

Sherri Novad began working at SRU in April, 2017 in the Department of Physical and Health Education.

Robert E. Ogoreuc

Office: Pool - Morrow Field House
Phone: 724.738.2816
Email: robert.ogoreuc@sru.edu

Robert E. Ogoreuc is an assistant professor in the Department of Physical and Health Education at SRU. He also serves as aquatic director for the department overseeing the scheduling and operation of the lifeguards for academic classes. He received his B.S. in health and physical education with an emphasis in aquatic administration at Indiana University of Pennsylvania master of education degree in physical education and athletic administration at ��㴫ý. Ogoreuc has had the honor of working on the American Red Cross Water Safety Advisory Group that revised the Water Safety Instructors program in 2004. He has also worked as a Technical Reviewer for their Lifeguard Manuals. He has contributed to the United States Lifesaving Association, YMCA and StarGuard lifeguard textbooks.

Jeffrey Smith

Office: 110E Morrow Field House
Phone: 724.738.2815
Email: jeffrey.smith@sru.edu

Jeff Smith serves as assistant professor of outdoor adventure education SRU where he also earned a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management and Environmental Education degree. He has served as coordinator/counselor of outdoor programs at Youth Alternatives in Northwestern Pennsylvania and coordinator of the Center for Outdoor Recreational Experience (CORE) at Edinboro University prior to working at SRU. Smith has presented, lectured, and led hands-on-demonstrations at the local, regional, state, national, and international levels. His presentations include Pennsylvania State Association for Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance (PSAHPERD), , , and the to name a few. Recently, the Chinese Ministry of Higher Education invited him to China, where he presented at five separate universities to faculty members and graduate students.

Dr. Traci Zillifro

Office: 110F Morrow Field House
Phone: 724.738.2284
Email: traci.zillifro@sru.edu

Dr. Traci Zillifro is a professor in the Department of Physical and Health Education at SRU. She received her B.S. in physical education and health from Kent State University and a M.A. in counseling from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Zillifro earned a PhD in park, recreation, and tourism management from Penn State, where she taught for one year. Research interests include sustainable tourism, outdoor recreation, and marketing, as well as active leisure and lifetime physical fitness. Prior to her employment at SRU, Zillifro worked for a number of years in the field of outdoor recreation and spent five years at Edinboro University as the coordinator for campus outdoor recreation.

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Physical and Health Education

Faculty and Staff (L - Z)

Physical and Health Education

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