Introducing Some of Chatham’s New Full-Time Faculty
Each year, Chatham Pulse sends a questionnaire to new full-time faculty members at Chatham to help them introduce themselves to the campus community.
This year, you’ll read about new professors who have backgrounds in criminal justice and healthcare, while others may look familiar after their time spent studying or working at Chatham in the past.
Dave Dudek
Assistant professor, physician’s assistant program
Where are you from?
The where is Algonac, MI. I grew up on a small island in a fishing village on the Great Lakes waterway. Growing up was a blur of fishing rods and hockey sticks. If the question also includes a who, I come from helpers. The Dudeks include a mostly unbroken line of union electricians—my brother, father, four uncles, grandfather, two great uncles—mostly IBEW, Local 58. We are terrifically tight knit; that’s the central privilege of where I’m from.
What were you doing before you came to Chatham?
I’ve been bouncing around Big Ten schools for some time. It began at the University of Michigan (B.S., [1] Political Science and [2] Cellular & Molecular Biology). Last year, I completed my professional training. That’s been in biochemistry (Ph.D., Indiana University) and allopathic medicine (M.D., Penn State University). Along the way, I specialized in membrane protein biochemistry and honed a primary passion for teaching everything I could to anyone who asked: physiology, biochemistry, bioethics, scientific writing, human anatomy, general and organic chemistry, intensive research mentorships, etc.
What subjects/courses do you teach?
I am the course director for CAP I and CAP II; that’s Clinical Anatomy & Pathophysiology. This is didactic year coursework for the Chatham PA program at Eastside. I like that it’s a “whatever it takes” teaching assignment and that the content is broad and deep – roughly spanning all of medicine from the atomic to the anatomic. I see professional education as high stakes and am drawn to that. Basically, the goal for my students can’t be less than to develop into lynchpins and leaders for their communities. To become the next generation of ethical, high aptitude providers requires considerable energy and productive habits, and my job is a front seat for the transformation.
What should students know about you?
My favorite stories regard the mechanisms that underpin human health and disease, and I get to tell and expand on these stories every day. You could say that I’ve never had a teaching day I didn’t enjoy. And that’s not a thing you can say without committing your future to the classroom.
Also, as a first-gen college student, it’s personal for me that I detect and catch students who might otherwise slip through the cracks. For example, I know how common it is to matriculate with less prior knowledge than one’s peers and how that alone can cause self-doubt. But there’s always a way to get ahead, and it’s usually “never quit” and “build a great team.”
Ian Elliott
Assistant professor of criminology and psychology
Where are you from?
I'm originally from Coventry in England. So, the best U.S. reference for my British accent is probably John Oliver, who's from a short drive down the A45 in Birmingham. But under duress I can slip into that region's native "Brummie" accent (think Cillian Murphy in "Peaky Blinders"). My wife is from Johnstown, so that's my link to western PA.
What were you doing before you came to Chatham?
I've been back-and-forth from the U.K. since I came to the U.S. in 2012 as a post-doc at Penn State. I'm a criminal psychologist by training, so my previous jobs have focused on why people commit crime, and I've worked in academia, the criminal justice system, and the non-profit sector. Most recently, I was a visiting lecturer at University of Massachusetts Lowell, and prior to that spent seven years as the head of accredited programs evaluation at the British Ministry of Justice.
What subjects/courses do you teach?
I have a foot in both the psychology and criminology departments here at Chatham, so I teach across both programs. This semester I'm teaching Intro to Sociology, Social Psychology, and Forensic Psychology. In future, I'll also be likely to teach courses broadly on personality, corrections, and criminology.
What should students know about you?
In my class on criminal deception and interrogation, we play "two truths and a lie". Mine are that I am a direct descendent of Robin of Loxley (Robin Hood), that I published a scientific paper on how many people I could fit inside a pair of Spanx, and that I was invited to represent Great Britain in the 1992 World Trampolining Games.
Elizabeth Skrovanek
Assistant professor of nursing
Where are you from?
I am originally from Wexford, just north of Pittsburgh, about 40 minutes from Chatham. Pittsburgh has always been home for me, and I enjoy being close to both the city and its surrounding communities.
What were you doing before you came to Chatham?
I completed both my bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in nursing at the University of Pittsburgh, where my academic focus was on genetics and women’s health. During my time there, I had the opportunity to teach in the nursing program, which sparked my passion for education and working with students. That experience led me to my previous faculty role at Duquesne University, where I spent five years teaching undergraduate nursing students and mentoring them through the early stages of their careers.
What subjects/courses do you teach?
I teach in the MSN and DNP tracks. My courses include Health Policy and Advocacy, Leadership in Health Systems, and the Evidence-Based Practice courses that support graduate students as they develop and complete their DNP projects. These courses allow me to guide students through meaningful, practice-changing work.
What should students know about you?
I strive to create a classroom environment that feels collaborative, supportive, and welcoming—a space where students feel safe to share their perspectives, ask questions, and take risks in their learning. I love bringing energy and fun into the classroom, and I believe that learning is most powerful when it is interactive and student driven. I also try to weave in aspects of my research and clinical interests whenever possible.
My passions lie in women’s health and genetics, and I am actively involved in advocacy groups and professional organizations that aim to raise awareness and improve outcomes in these areas. Beyond content knowledge, what brings me the most joy as an educator is watching students grow, build confidence, and succeed in their professional goals. Teaching is truly one of my favorite parts of nursing, and I feel privileged to be part of my students’ journeys.
Anna Vioral
Assistant professor, nursing
Where are you from?
Born and raised in Pittsburgh and live Gibsonia, PA, about 15 miles north of Pittsburgh
What were you doing before you came to Chatham?
I have been an oncology RN for 37 years in various roles, most recently as a director for a cancer institute. I have also been adjunct nursing faculty for over 25 years, 10 of which were here at Chatham prior to me joining as full-time assistant professor nursing faculty earlier this year 2025.
What subjects/courses do you teach?
I have taught in the DNP and MSN programs, but now I am the program coordinator for the RN-BSN Program.
My favorite courses to teach include research and evidence-based practice. But I love teaching all the courses in every program.
What should students know about you?
I love teaching and learning with the faculty and students! I enjoy mentoring, creating an interactive and engaging classroom, and remaining active in oncology which contributes to my scholarly aspirations. I also enjoy sharing life, talents, and goals with students. I have four children, a boxer, love the outdoors as a long-distance runner, hiker, skier, and world traveler. These personal attributes contribute to teaching and learning with the students the importance of balance in life experiences.
Aimee Wyant
Assistant professor, physician assistant program
Where are you from?
I tell people I am from Pittsburgh, but more specifically, I grew up in Imperial, PA, a small town west of Pittsburgh near the Pittsburgh International Airport.
What were you doing before you came to Chatham?
I started my educational journey at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, where I graduated with a B.S. in Athletic Training in 2007. I practiced at Shady Side Academy, a local private school, for four years as the assistant athletic trainer where I covered all high school and middle school athletics, precepted athletic training students, taught health classes, and coached field hockey.
In 2011, I returned to the classroom at Old Dominion University, where I earned my MSEd with a focus in post-professional athletic training. I then decided on a career change and had my first stint at Chatham as a student in the MPAS program from 2014-2016.
I spent my first five-and-a-half years as a PA in the emergency department with Heritage Valley Health System, after which I transitioned to a full-time inpatient/outpatient cardiology role with the health system. During this time, I precepted PA students from multiple universities, and after nine years on the clinical education side, I ultimately landed back here at Chatham as an assistant professor in the physician assistant studies program. I am also a captain/physician assistant in the Air National Guard and serve out of the 171st Air Refueling Wing here in the greater Pittsburgh area.
What subjects/courses do you teach?
Currently I teach Clinical Skills for the Physician Assistant I and II. I will also be teaching the Procedures and Topics courses in the summer term. Additionally, I am doing some specialty lectures for other courses in the PA program and hope to eventually be involved in teaching in the athletic training program as well.
What should students know about you?
I have high expectations of my students, because being a physician assistant requires a commitment to hard work and dedication. But I also want students to feel comfortable coming to me at any time. Part of my job is to give formal grades, but my ultimate goal is for the students to truly learn and understand the material, to gain the tools necessary to transition from education to clinical practice, and to have some fun while doing it!