Mount Mercy's team of talented and accomplished academic department leaders, in conjunction with our provosts, are responsible for shaping the faith-inspired, practical and values-based education that we provide. Together, these individuals boast a combined 230 years of experience and service in the higher education arena; they are poised to utilize their expertise to help inspire and shape Mount Mercy students into the future leaders of tomorrow.
Undergraduate Programs
Undergraduate programs at Mount Mercy are organized into eight academic departments led by chairs.
Robert Walker, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Business
Associate Professor of Business
Robert Walker received his Bachelor of Philosophy degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio and a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in finance from the University of Iowa. He completed his Ph.D. at Iowa State University in 2011.
David Doerge, M.A.
Chair, Department of History, Politics & Justice
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Davide Doerge has held various positions in the U.S. Congress including the Arms Control and Foreign Policy Caucus and the Senate Armed Services Committee. He is instrumental in introducing students to the political realm through internships in Washington, D.C., Congressional offices, and on presidential campaigns. He holds a Master of Arts from Arizona State University.
Neil Bernstein, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Natural and Applied Sciences
Professor of Biology
Bernstein's scholarship interests include ornithology, conservation, environmental issues and animal behavior. He studies Antarctic seabirds and, currently, ornate box turtle ecology while conducting research on the state-endangered yellow mud turtle. Bernstein holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and is former president of the Iowa Academy of Science (IAS) and editor of The Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science.
Kathryn Hagy, M.F.A.
Chair, Department of Communications, Literature & Arts
Associate Professor of Art
Kathryn Hagy holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting/printmaking from the University of Washington in Seattle, and a Master of Fine Arts in painting/printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, Rhode Island. Hagy's printmaking work focuses on pattern and rhythms in nature, which manifest themselves in the phenomena via movement through air, space and fluid. Hagy is a 2010 Fulbright Scholar, studying in Nepal.
Ellen O'Keefe, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Education
Associate Professor of Education
Ellen O'Keefe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rivier College in New Hampshire, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Iowa, where she completed doctoral research on self-advocacy and self-determination with middle school children with disabilities.
Joe Givvin, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Philosophy, Religion, and Campus Ministry
Professor of Philosophy
Joe Givvin's area of teaching expertise include philosophy of human nature, theoretical and applied ethics, Asian philosophy and contemporary philosophy. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Francis University, a Master of Arts degree from Duquesne University, and a Ph.D. from St. John's University.
Mary Tarbox '74, Ed.D., R.N.
Chair, Department of Nursing
Professor of Nursing
Mary Tarbox has been on the Mount Mercy nursing faculty since 1977. She previously worked as a pediatric nurse at the University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics, and in various public health nursing roles. She holds an Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University. She has been recognized as one of the 100 Great Nurses of Iowa for 2008, and was awarded the Iowa Nurses Association Region 2 Nurse of the Year award (2007).
Don Damsteegt, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Social Work
Professor of Psychology
Damsteegt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hope College, a Master of Divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary, and a Master of Arts and Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. He currently serves as the Public Education Committee chair for the Iowa Psychological Association and is a health service provider in psychology, bringing best practices in counseling and psychology into the classroom.
Adult Accelerated Programs
Thomas Castle, M.B.A.
Interim Assistant Provost/Dean of Adult Programs
Associate Professor of Business
Thomas Castle was instrumental in the development of Mount Mercy's accelerated Master of Business Administraton program and continues to provide strategic direction for all adult-focused and off-campus business initiatives, including the expansion of accelerated programs. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and holds a Master of Business Administration from the same institution. Castle has been a faculty member and administrator at Mount Mercy since 1990, serving as the chair of the Business Department from 1996-2004 prior to his appointment as Dean of Adult Accelerated Programs in 2005.
Colette Atkins
Assistant Dean of Accelerated Programs
Colette Atkins maintains the overall academic integrity of Mount Mercy's adult accelerated programs. Her primary responsibilities include recruiting a diverse group of adult students, monitoring the program's effectiveness and student success and providing leadership within all areas of the program. She also chairs Mount Mercy's Sustainability Committee.
Graduate Programs
Randy Lyle, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies
Associate Professor of Psychology
Randy Lyle is a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Iowa, and an approved supervisor of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Lyle is a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and is a BCIA (Biofeedback Certification Institute of America) EEG certified neurofeedback practitioner. He oversees his own private practice, providing individual, couple and family therapy and neurofeedback training. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research.