Faculty from the department direct and contribute to many programs, including:
Our interdisciplinary department is representative of FranU’s mission of preparing highly skilled professionals, integrated thinkers, and faith-filled citizens. We share commitments to excellent teaching, scholarship, and service to our community. Please check out our brief profiles, visit our program pages, and contact us if you would like to learn more.
Dr. Boria earned his doctorate in philosophy from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. His research interests include existentialism, ecological philosophy, and philosophy of literature. He is the author of numerous book chapters and journal articles, as well as coeditor of the book Earthly Engagements: Reading Sartre After the Holocene.
Phone: 225-526-1794 | Email: Damon.Boria@franu.edu
Dr. Brigman teaches courses in developmental psychology, focusing on human growth across the lifespan, and enjoys mentoring students as they navigate their academic journeys. Dr. Brigman is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment where all students feel valued and supported. Dr. Brigman earned a BA in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma, a MEd in Counseling from Oklahoma City University, and a PhD in Cognitive Developmental Psychology from Louisiana State University. Her research interests include age-related memory changes and the scholarship of teaching and learning. In her downtime, she enjoys spending time with her partner, Angus Woodward, crocheting, and tackling puzzles.
Phone: 225-526-1815 | Email: Susan.Brigman@franu.edu
Pearce Cinman received his MBA and MPA from Louisiana State University. He has served as an educator for over 23 years and has over 15 years of direct experience in business programing and development, including as a small business owner, a fiscal analyst at the state legislative level, a public/private sector policy researcher (BI), a business lobbyist, and over a decade in HiEd as Business faculty. Pearce is a 3-time alumnus of Louisiana State University; he possesses a BA with a focus on Industrial Sociology, as well as master's degrees in business administration (MBA) and Public Administration (MPA) focusing on Public Policy, Economic Development, and Organizational Behavior. He is also a graduate of LSU's Center for Internal Audit program.
Phone: (225) 526-175 | Email: Pearce.Cinman@franu.edu
Dr. Dreznick grew up in New York City, and earned his bachelor's degree in psychology and English at the University of Buffalo, and PhD in Personality and Social Psychology from the University of Albany. He teaches courses within the Sociocultural Domain, such as Social Psychology, Personality, and Group Dynamics. He also teaches Introduction to Scientific Research, Health Psychology, and Biological Psychology. His research interests include deception in interpersonal relationships and the scholarship of teaching and learning. He has also served as the Chair of the Institutional Review Board at FranU since 2007. Dr. Dreznick is married with two daughters who are both Honors students at Louisiana State University. In his spare time, he is an avid poker player.
Phone: 225-526-1982 | Email: Michael.Dreznick@franu.edu
Dr. Lepper earned her doctorate from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Her clinical experience includes the application of behavior analytic interventions to improve skills for individuals with traumatic brain injury, neurocognitive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and Down’s syndrome. Her research interests include the role of conditioned reinforcement in the acquisition of language, and strategies to improve communication skills and access to healthcare for children with autism spectrum disorder.
Phone: 225-526-1640 | Email: Tracy.Lepper@franu.edu
Dr. Morel specializes in moral theology, with a focus on family issues and economic realities. Most recently, she has published on the use of St. John Paul II’s Scriptural methodology for doing moral theology and applied it to the study of masculinity and femininity. As part of this study, she traveled the world and did interviews with cultural experts in 14 various cultures on women and men in each culture, their gifts, and their challenges. Currently, she is analyzing the results of her investigations and completing an academic book on this theology of masculinity and femininity. Jennifer and her children are parishioners at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Baton Rouge.
Phone: 225-526-1502 | Email: Jennifer.Morel@franu.edu
Dr. Moser teaches courses in dogmatic and historical theology. Among his research interests are medieval scholastic theology, the Trinity, the Incarnation, and sacramental theology. His book The Humanity of Christ as Instrument of Salvation: A Study in Thomistic Christology is forthcoming from Cambridge University Press, and he has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. He also serves as Managing Editor of the International Journal of Systematic Theology. He is married to Heather, and they have five wonderful children. They are parishioners at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Baton Rouge.
Email: David.Moser@Franu.edu
Dr. Pedraza's scholarly interests include evangelization and catechesis, theological anthropology, the theology of revelation, the Second Vatican Council, and ecclesiology. He has published popular and peer-reviewed articles on catechesis, evangelization, the Second Vatican Council, among other topics, and his book, Catechesis for the New Evangelization: Vatican II, John Paul II, and the Unity of Revelation and Experience was published by CUA Press. He and his wife, Adrienne, along with their three boys, attend Christ the King Parish in Baton Rouge.
Email: Brian.Pedraza@franu.edu
Dr. Purdy’s educational background includes an MBA degree from Tulane University and a doctorate in healthcare administration from Central Michigan University. Prior to joining Franciscan University, Dr. Purdy held healthcare leadership positions at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She has a graduate certificate in international health completing study in Mexico, Belize and at the World Health Organization in Switzerland. Her passion in teaching is to prepare students with the necessary skills and knowledge to have a successful career in a healthcare profession. She teaches in both the undergraduate and graduate courses in the health administration programs and Population Health studies. She lives in Baton Rouge and spends time with her husband fly fishing and hiking throughout the US.
Email: Elaine.Purdy@franu.edu
Dr. Ragusa specializes in natural law and virtue ethics along with their applications for bioethics. He is the REACH Fellow and Coordinator of FranU’s Bioethics Lecture Series as well as a consultant for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He teaches Introduction to Theology, Introduction to Moral Theology, Theological Bioethics, Philosophy for Theology, and the Good Community. He has a forthcoming article on natural law and natural rights due out with the American Maritain Association. He and his wife, Hannah, are parishioners at Most Blessed Sacrament in Baton Rouge.
Email: Christopher.Ragusa@franu.edu
Mr. Woodward earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan and an MFA (a terminal degree in writing) at LSU. He has taught college writing since 1990, first at Delgado Community College, and at FranU since 1998. Professor Woodward’s stories, poems, essays, and graphic narratives have been published in a wide variety of literary journals and magazines. His books of fiction are Down at the End of the River (Margaret Media, 2008), Americanisation (Livingston Press, 2011), and Oily (SpaceBoy Books, 2018). Professor Woodward has four adult daughters and lives in Baton Rouge with his wife, Susan Brigman.
Email: Angus.Woodward@franu.edu
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