Biology Faculty | Butler Community College

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Biology Faculty

Bob Broyles
Professor
316.323.6974
Office: BOA 5122N
[email protected]

Hi, I'm Bob Broyles, and I teach Anatomy and Physiology and General Biology. I began my college career at a community college, earned my B.A. in Biology and my M.S. in Biology at Wichita State University.

I am excited to be teaching here at Butler, a quality school with wonderful faculty and staff!
I am passionate about the natural world, and I try to incorporate this excitement in my teaching. I am fascinated by the wonder of the human body -- how the systems and structures function together to maintain health and vitality. I am equally excited about birds and their ecology, particularly birds of prey. My graduate research was the nesting ecology of the Cooper's hawk, Accipiter cooperii, in south central Kansas. I am also fascinated with spiders and snakes, and I teach a non-credit course here at Butler where we discuss the importance of these misunderstood yet vital "underdogs" of the natural world.

I am a Master Gardener and enjoy organic gardening. I also have an interest in landscaping for wildlife, including the restoration of tall-grass prairie with native prairie plants originally adapted to our climate.

Most importantly, I am here for you, the student, to help you succeed in your endeavors at Butler Community College. I am thrilled to be here to assist you on this leg of your journey through life in any way possible!

 

 

Jordnn Cogan
Assistant Professor
316.323.6977
Office:  BOE 15147
[email protected]

 

 


316.323.6869
Office: BRH 605
[email protected]

Hi! My name is Melissa Elliott. I graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. I completed my Master of Science degree from St. Joseph College in West Hartford, CT. My Master's research included a study of the frequency of MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) carriers in First Responders. My other research interests include the effects of E. coli 0157:H7 enterotoxin on epithelial cells. 

I teach Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Pathophysiology for students going into the health professions. I teach at the Butler Community College Early College Academy in Rose Hill, where I work with high school students that are completing their Associate’s Degree while still in High School.  I also work with nursing students helping them prepare to take their TEAS test, the entrance exam required for the Butler Nursing Program. 

My interests outside of teaching include spending time with my granddaughter and on our family farm in northeastern Oklahoma, where we raise chickens (and cattle, but the chickens are more fun). 

 

 


316.323.6130
Office:  BOA 5265
[email protected]

Hello! My name is Kerry Fahnestock. I am the General Biology (BI 110) Instructor for the McConnell campus.

I received my Bachelor's of Science in Biology from Western Kentucky University, located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Immediately after receiving my degree I moved to Ft. Collins, where I was accepted into a graduate program at Colorado State University. I spent most of my time in Colorado pursuing my Master's Degree in Botany, though I did find time to explore the beautiful terrain.

I have many interests outside of teaching, although developing my teaching skills is certainly top priority these days. I enjoy many types of outdoor sports including rock climbing, biking, running and whitewater kayaking. I also spend time reading and writing, and am currently learning how to paint (though quite poorly). I still keep in touch with the proprietors of W.O.L.F. , a wolf-refuge located near Ft. Collins where I spent time volunteering. I try to get back to Colorado to see "my" wolves as often as possible.  

 

 

Lindsey Fields
Department Chair
316.323.6279
Office: BOA 5267
[email protected]

Hi! My name is Lindsey Fields and I teach a variety of course here at Butler including, General Biology, Majors Biology 1 and 2, and Anatomy and Physiology. 

I started my academic journey at Seward County Community College where I graduated with an Associates Degree in Pre-Veterinary medicine, after which I transferred to Oklahoma State University. I earned my Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Zoology from OSU. My undergraduate research focused on positive reinforcement training with zoo animals (specifically big cats) and I interned at the Oklahoma City Zoo. My graduate research was examining water quality in central plains reservoirs and I spent the majority of my time on Kansas lakes. I spent some time doing PhD work at the University of Mississippi working in molecular genetics and taught Biology at Ole Miss and Introductory Biology, Physical Science, and Anatomy & Physiology at Northwest Mississippi Community College.

Outside of the classroom I enjoy cooking, reading, hiking (any type of activity outdoors really) and spending time with my family and Great Danes. I love to travel to the mountains and spend time fishing.

 

 


316.322.3251
Office: BOE 15112B
[email protected]

Hi! My name is Susan Forrest. I have taught Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology, General Biology, and Chemistry Review for Biology Students (online) at Butler since the fall of 2001. Before that I taught at Allen Community College in Burlingame, Kan. and was an adjunct professor for two years at Butler while finishing my Master's degree.

I am a graduate of Butler Community College, Kansas State University and Wichita State University. My B.S. is in Secondary Education and my M.S. is in Biology.

I have taught Science at the Middle, High School, and now College level. I enjoy collecting microbes and culturing cells. My thesis was "Effects of DDT on adherens junction proteins in MDCK cells" so I classify myself as a cell biologist.

My goal to for all the classes I teach is to help students become more curious about the living world around them. If you are interested in participating in an undergraduate research project or a service learning option for Majors Biology or Microbiology, I have ideas and resources to get you started.

 

 

Glann Manning
Assitant Professor
316.322.3374
[email protected] 

Hi my name is Glenn Manning. I teach a wide variety of classes that may include General Biology, Majors Biology 1 & 2 and Microbiology.  
I’m originally from Iowa but moved to Valley Center, Kansas during elementary school where I eventually graduated high school. I started my college career here at Butler where I took three semesters of classes but never graduated with a degree. From here I transferred to Kansas State, where I graduated with degrees in both Biochemistry and Biology. Also, while there I was lucky enough to do insect biochemistry research on rice weevils and other pest insects. After graduation, I worked a short stint for Coleman making propane canisters for Y2K. I attended The University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) where I completed my PhD in biology and began my teaching career teaching biology labs. My research was on parthenogenetic (all-female) whiptail lizards. I taught at two private schools while finishing my PhD: John Brown University (Microbiology) and University of the Ozarks (Comparative Anatomy). Between finishing my PhD and beginning my service at Butler, I taught at the University of Arkansas at Monticello for more than thirteen years. My teaching duties primarily included General Biology, Zoology and Herpetology. I also taught Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology II, and Microbiology. 
I have many interests outside of my teaching duties. First and foremost is my interest in herpetology (snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs and salamanders) both professionally and as a hobby. In the wild I have seen all venomous reptiles in the U.S. but four. I also enjoy cooking, traveling, hunting and I am an avid cyclist. 
I’m very happy to have returned to Butler. I look forward to giving back to a school that has given so much to me since I attended here. Plus, my mother earned her A.S.N. at Butler.

 

 


316.322.3368
Office: BOE 15141
[email protected]

Hi! I'm Jeff Meyer and I teach Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Pathophysiology, and Cadaver Dissection. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, I was raised in Wichita and earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Kansas in 1991. After several years of continuing education in the natural and physical sciences I went to North Carolina where I earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Wake Forest in 1999. I stayed at Wake Forest until 2004, completing a residency program in anatomic and clinical pathology, and served as Chief Resident from 2002-2003. I worked as a forensic pathologist with the Forsyth County Medical Examiner (North Carolina) and the Franklin County Coroner's Office (Ohio) before leaving the practice of medicine to pursue a career in teaching. I have been at Butler since 2009 and could not be happier with my new professional position as a tenured instructor in the Biology Department.

 

 


316.323.6143
Office:  BOA 5269
[email protected]

Greetings fellow travelers on an oblate spheroid world. 
My name is Martha Sager and I teach General biology
I earned my Bachelor's in Biology from UCSC, and have a M.S. in biological oceanography and a Ph.D. in science education from Florida Institute of Technology. I’ve taught science at both the high school and college level and I enjoy most the interaction with students and those great “aha” moments when a concept becomes clear or a new interest starts to grow. It is always gratifying to see a student come into a class with concerns about “taking science” and to leave the class with a feeling of accomplishment and a greater understanding of biology and the environment. 
As might be assumed from my background, I also have an interest in aquatic and marine environmental science and the protection of these ecosystems. I was privileged to work as a volunteer for a summer on a sea lion cognition project at UCSC, and my Masters research included analyzing the bycatch from scallop trawling. I generally manage to work the ocean into my lectures sometime during the semester. I also enjoy wildlife photography as a hobby.
I hope my students leave my classes with a greater understanding (and interest) in biology, the environment, and themselves and are able to make informed decisions in these areas.

 

 

Kristy Zieman
Professor
316.322.3185
Office: BOE 15106
[email protected]

Hi! My name is Kristy Zieman. I have taught Microbiology and Anatomy & Physiology at Butler since the Fall of 2013. Before coming to Butler, I taught at Wichita State, Friends, and Newman Universities over the past 10 years. I am very excited to be teaching at Butler now with such fantastic faculty and staff!

I was drawn into the world of science at a young age after being diagnosed with a congenital reproductive syndrome known as MRKH. While learning about my syndrome and receiving treatments for it, I developed an insatiable curiosity for Genetics, Anatomy & Physiology, and Reproductive Biology; our bodies truly are amazing biological machines!

I began my college experience right here at Butler earning an Associate in Science and continued onto Wichita State University where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biology, and my Master of Science in Biology. My graduate research was focused on implantation and early pregnancy by studying the involvement of LIF during the uterine decidualization of the Golden hamster; so I consider myself a cell biologist. From there I moved on to the University of Texas Medical Branch where I was able to do some really amazing research in the field of Biomedicine with umbilical cord stem cell experiments involving differentiation and growth effects on stem cells including use of VPA and TEPA treatments to determine effects on CD133 percentages; as well as experiments looking at correlations between uterine environment and genetic factors using an apoE gene knockout mouse line to investigate the effects of fetal programming of cardiovascular disorders such as atherosclerosis. 

I am a huge Star Wars fan so stop by my office sometime and see some cool action figures! I also enjoy reading science-fiction books and love watching movies in my spare time. I am passionate about biology, and wish to pass my enthusiasm onto my students so that when they leave my class they are just as passionate as I am about the biological word within them as well as around them! I can’t wait to help you during your academic journey here at Butler.

 

 

Katya Frank
Assistant Professor
316.322.3356
Office:  BOE 15113
[email protected]

I grew up in rural Southern Wisconsin and moved to Kansas in 2017. I received my undergraduate BS in Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2016. My focus is Ecology.  I was a naturalist for my college at the time. I would take groups of people on tours and teach them about the natural history, flora, and fauna around the area.  I then studied bats for 3 summers around the Midwest. In 2017 I attended graduate school at Fort Hays and received my Masters in Biology in 2020 while researching bird diversity along Kansas shelterbelts. While attending Fort Hays, I was a teacher's assistant (TA) for Zoology and Biology as well as worked as a graduate assistant at the nature center in Great Bend (Kansas Wetlands Edu. Center). In the fall of 2020, I became a high school Biology and Global Studies teacher at East High in Wichita. I taught at East High for 2 years and received a teaching degree from Fort Hays State University. I have been a proud Grizzly, teaching Biology at Butler since the fall of 2022. Courses I teach include General Biology for nonmajors (BI110) and Majors Biology II for Majors (BI220).
In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, and birding. I love adventure!  When the weather isn’t suitable, or I need some time to relax, I enjoy playing and cuddling with my 2 dogs, watercoloring, baking, reading, and catching up with family and friends. 

 

 

Joseph LaForge
Assistant Professor
316.322.3332
Office:  BOE 15133
[email protected]

Welcome to Butler! I'm M. Sc. Joseph LaForge. I teach A&P I / II as well as Online Gen. Bio. I'm thrilled to continue my academic journey at Butler, where my passion for biology first took root. 
Having completed my Associates of Science with Presidential Honors at Butler, I've come full circle, now contributing to our academic community as a dedicated educator and researcher.
My educational background includes a B.S. in Education with a specialization in Biology, earned cum laude, as well as a M. Sc. in Biology, both from Emporia State University, Kansas. Also, I have been recognized as an Honorary Professor of the Universidad Nacional del Este, Paraguay   (FACISA-UNE). 
From my previous positions as a graduate teaching assistant, student teacher, online educator, and guest lecturer abroad to my current role as a Biology faculty member, I've continuously sought to create enriching learning environments where students can thrive.
My research endeavors span a wide range of topics, whether investigating the effects of microplastic exposure on native fish populations or exploring the dynamics of soil microbiota, each project has contributed to our understanding of the natural world. I'm particularly passionate about integrating Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) into the curriculum, as evidenced by my publications and presentations at esteemed conferences.
As a proud alum of Butler, I am honored to contribute to our legacy of academic excellence. I look forward to inspiring YOU to be a scientist and scholar while furthering our understanding of the world around us.