The Kansas Board of Regents voted to name three faculty and one staff member from Wichita State as some of the Faculty and Staff of the Year for 2025. The program recognizes the outstanding contributions of faculty and staff at state universities to teaching, student success, research, institutional excellence and Kansas communities.
Faculty of the Year:
Dr. Lisa Parcell, director, Elliott School of Communication
Dr. Lisa Parcell serves as the communication graduate coordinator, the director of the Public Speaking Foundational Course and co-director of The Research Partnership (TRP). Parcell teaches a variety of courses at the undergraduate and graduate level, most of which have a strong emphasis in applied learning. Her applied marketing research with TRP brings in around $200,000 per year through contracts with businesses, non-profits and government agencies. She also publishes in two of the leading media history journals, Journalism History and American Journalism, where she focuses on advertising and public relations of branded food products in the first half of the twentieth century.
Dr. Erin O’Bryan, assistant professor, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
Dr. Erin O’Bryan is the director of the Wichita Adult Language Lab, a member of the Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine and Assistive Technology (IRMAT) and a research speech-language pathologist at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center. O’Bryan’s clinical research advances the use of music and person-centered storytelling in speech therapy for people with aphasia, a loss of language and communication abilities that frequently results from a stroke. In her lab, 24 stroke survivors have received aphasia therapy through research refining evidence-based methods, and 43 WSU students have worked with these participants, gaining valuable clinical experience. O’Bryan has published seven peer-reviewed journal articles and secured $44,664 in funding for her research and scholarly work. Her research has been featured in the nationally known “Aphasia Access Conversations” podcast series and in the evidence-based periodical The Informed SLP. O’Bryan serves on state, national and international conference planning committees, an editorial board and the CHP Faculty/Staff Affairs Committee.
Marco Hernandez, assistant teaching professor of print media and associate director, School of Art, Design and Creative Industries
Marco Hernandez is a Mexican educator and artist serving as foundations coordinator at WSU. His artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally, with shows in Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Poland and Croatia. He has received multiple recognitions for his creative work, including juried awards, fellowships, grants and solo exhibition invitations. At Wichita State, Hernandez has also been honored for his teaching, receiving awards such as the Faculty of Excellence in Special Fine Arts Endeavor, Faculty of Excellence in Creative/Scholarly Activity and the Outstanding Hispanic Faculty Member Award. Beyond the classroom, Hernandez actively contributes to university committees, student organizations and community art initiatives. Committed to elevating the arts and inspiring others, his work is deeply influenced by his cultural background and reflects his dedication to a lifelong career as both an artist and educator.
Staff of the Year:
Dr. Christopher Leonard, director of Counseling and Psychological Services
Dr. Christopher Leonard has revolutionized campus mental health care through innovative, data-driven leadership. He created a responsive model that adapts to student needs, expanded access and services, and seamlessly transitioned CAPS to virtual care during the pandemic. He fosters cross-campus collaboration and empowers his team to lead and innovate. Leonard is an active member of the WSU Staff Senate, the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board for psychologists and the National Advisory Committee for College Counseling Mental Health. He is organizing an inaugural statewide conference for higher education mental health professionals on the WSU campus. Through these roles, he contributes his expertise to advance mental health workforce development and advocate for systemic improvements in mental health care.
