Dean’s Office Staff

Jan Nerger, Dean

(970) 491-6974; janice.nerger@colostate.edu

Professor Janice L. Nerger was appointed Dean of Natural Sciences in 2010. She received her Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of California, San Diego in 1988. After a two-year postdoctoral research appointment at NASA/Ames Research Center at Moffett Field and the Stanford Research Institute, CA, she joined the faculty at Colorado State in 1990 becoming a full professor in 2002. Nerger is internationally recognized for her research on human vision, in particular on the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying color perception. She is also a faculty member in the Molecular Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences Program at CSU and led the Behavioral Neurosciences program for five years. She is a strong advocate for diversity, particularly for women in science, and is the co-founder for the Women in Natural Sciences organization at CSU. Nerger was also instrumental in co-founding the CSUSTEM Center, recently created to address science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education across the country. During Nerger’s tenure at Colorado State she has held such administrative appointments as Associate and Acting Chair of the Department of Psychology and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Interim Dean of the College of Natural Sciences.

Shana Bode, Donor Relations Coordinator

(970) 491-2647; shana.bode@colostate.edu

Shana Bode was born and raised in Fort Collins and received her Master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University. Prior to her employment at CSU, she spent over a decade working and volunteering in the Poudre School District and also served as the District Coordinator and Poudre River Regional Director for the Odyssey of the Mind Program. She joined the College of Natural Sciences as the Donor Relations Coordinator in 2014. In this position, she works with the Development Team to support philanthropic relationships and generate support for our students and programs.

Judy Brobst, Career Center Liason

(970) 491-1190; judy.brobst@colostate.edu

Judy Brobst has been employed as a career counselor at Colorado State University since 1998, with a joint appointment between the College of Natural Sciences and The Career Center. A native of Maryland, she earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Maryland, College Park and her master’s at the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Judy previously worked for the University of South Carolina before coming to CSU. Judy works with students from their first year through post-doc students. She has expertise in career development and exploration, internships, graduate school application, and employment services. She works with all majors in the College of Natural Sciences and students across campus. When not at work, Judy will be competing in dog agility trials with her Australian Shepherd, Cooper. Being from the South, Judy is usually found with a glass of sweet tea readily available for consumption.

Korina Burn, Assistant to the Dean

(970) 491-6974; korina.burn@colostate.edu

Korina joined the College of Natural Sciences in 2017 as Assistant to the Dean. In her administrative role, she provides executive support to the Dean of the College as well as coordinates the processing of faculty promotion and tenure, reappointments, sabbatical leaves, faculty annual performance, progress-to-tenure, post-tenure reviews, and annual departmental reviews. Korina also serves as HR Liaison and Equal Opportunity Coordinator, supporting the hire of state classified, administrative professional, postdoctoral fellow, and non-tenure track faculty personnel across the College. Korina grew up in Fort Collins and began her career with CSU in 1988.

Margi Cech, Financial and Research Manager

(970) 491-5201; margaret.cech@colostate.edu

Margi received her MBA from Colorado State University in 1997, and has worked on campus since 1998. She has extensive experience in STEM research grant administration, program development, data mining and analysis, and broadening participation among diverse and underserved populations within STEM disciplines. She is now providing support to Natural Sciences faculty with proposal preparation, financial tracking, and in graduate student enrollment and retention data analysis. Margi also serves as the Chairperson for the College Administrative Advisory Group (CAAG) on campus. Prior to her employment with CSU, Margi worked as a technical writing and training consultant for a variety of software development entities.

Simone Clasen, CFRE
Executive Director of Development and Operations

(970) 491-0997; simone.clasen@colostate.edu

Following graduation from California State University Northridge in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with an emphasis in foreign languages, Simone held several international sales, management, and marketing positions in Los Angeles, California. Simone moved to Fort Collins, CO in 1998 and joined the College of Natural Sciences initially as assistant director of development and since 2004 as director of development. In this position, she builds relationships and generates philanthropic support from alumni, foundations, corporations, and friends for our students and programs.

Katie Courage, Director of College Communications

(970) 491-5291; katie.courage@colostate.edu

Katie Courage hails from Oklahoma and joined the College of Natural Sciences in 2016 after working as a freelance journalist. Prior to that, she was a reporter and associate editor for Scientific American magazine in New York City. She received her Master’s degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism (2009) and her Bachelor’s degree in English from Vassar College (2005). Katie has also worked in book marketing at Random House and is the author of two books. As Director of Communications, she covers news and discovery happening at the College and leads efforts to improve CNS communication—locally and globally.

Jim Cox, Director of Information Technology

(970) 491-2138; james.m.cox@colostate.edu

Jim attended the University of Nebraska for both undergraduate and graduate school. He received his bachelor’s degree in math education, and his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in instructional technology. Jim joined the college in 2000 as the information technology coordinator, and serves as the primary liaison with Information Technology administrative units on campus and represents the College on several committees.

Lisa Dysleski, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs

(970) 491-5397; lisa.dysleski@colostate.edu

Lisa joined the CNS Dean’s office as the Assistant Director of the College of Natural Science’s Learning Community in the summer of 2013. Prior to that, she was a faculty member with a senior teaching appointment in the Department of Chemistry at CSU, teaching general chemistry and serving as the department’s Key Academic Advisor. She became the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs in 2015. Originally from New Jersey, Lisa received her B.S. degree from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, with a double major in chemistry and performing arts, and her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Colorado State University.

Steve Garten, Assistant Coordinator of IT

(970) 491-5506; steve.garten@colostate.edu

Steve Garten began his tenure with the dean’s office as a senior psychology major in early 2013. Since then, he’s stayed on and performed various IT-related duties, including laying the technological groundwork for the recent opening of the College of Natural Sciences Learning Community at Laurel Village. In February 2015, he was appointed to the position of Assistant Coordinator of IT for the College and is now responsible for all things Web-related, including design, improved functionality, maintenance, and web applications. He continues to be an on-demand resource for web imagery and logos, troubleshooting, and various installations.

Allie Keller, Learning Community Coordinator

(970) 491-2369, a.keller@colostate.edu

Allie joined the dean’s office in April 2015 having spent her earlier career in science education and program development. Armed with extensive intercultural experience, she joins our team ready to lead efforts related to the College of Natural Sciences Learning Community. Allie recently returned from an appointment as a Fulbright scholar at the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo in Mexico, and she earned a master’s degree in biology and an undergraduate degree in international affairs from Northern Arizona University.

Arlene Nededog, Director of Inclusion

(970) 491-2036; arlene.nededog@colostate.edu

Arlene Nededog, Director of Inclusion received her M.Ed. degree in 1983 and bachelor’s in 1979 from Colorado State University. She has been at Colorado State University since 1985. She joined the dean’s office in 1998, bringing with her a background in diversity, TRIO and advising programs. For the past several years, she has served as the Director of Enrichment and Engagement, worked with learning communities, led academic support services, retention initiatives and served as advisor for several CNS student organizations. She has inspired, retained, and mentored numerous historically underrepresented students, first-generation and women students through to graduation. In addition, she serves as the CSU Site Coordinator for the Colorado Alliance for Minority Participation (COAMP). Combined with these roles she has been actively involved in diversity training and as a steadfast community member, she serves as a committee participant across the campus and throughout Ft. Collins because of her experience and knowledge with diversity.

Cheryl Peregoy, Budget Officer

(970) 491-5329; cheryl.peregoy@colostate.edu

As the Budget Officer for the College of Natural Sciences, Cheryl oversees fiscal and budgetary operations, working closely with the Dean, Associate Deans, Department Chairs, support staff and faculty in the academic departments that comprise the College. She serves as the primary liaison with financial administrative units on campus and represents the College on several committees. She has been with the College since 1983 and worked in several of the departments in the College prior to that time.

Kirsten Slaughter-Rice, Assistant to the Associate Deans

(970) 491-1948; k.slaughter-rice@colostate.edu

Kirsten joined the College of Natural Sciences in fall of 2016 to manage the College’s scholarship program and provide support to the Associate and Assistant Deans. She has a background in research administration, graduate education and program development, and events coordination. She received her Master’s degree from Northern Arizona University in Anthropology: Archaeology (2010) and her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Anthropology from the University of the South: Sewanee (2005).

Jim Sites, Senior Associate Dean for Research

(970) 491-5850; sites@lamar.colostate.edu

Jim Sites is a long-term faculty member in Physics. Before becoming Associate Dean for Research, he was Chair of the Physics Department. His personal research in semiconductor physics has focused on solar energy, particularly the use of thin-film solar cells to convert sunlight to electricity efficiently and economically. He has trained a large number of PhD students in this area, many of whom are working for solar- energy companies across the country, and he has become increasingly involved in federal initiatives in photovoltaics.

Simon Tavener, Associate Dean for Academics

(970) 491-6645; simon.tavener@colostate.edu

Simon Tavener received B.E. and M.E. degrees in Engineering Science at the University of Auckland before completing a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Oxford. He spent a year as a postdoc at the Institute of Mathematics and Its Applications at the University of Minnesota and then 13 years in the Mathematics Department at Penn State. Simon joined CSU in 2000 and served for eight years as the Chair of Mathematics. Tavener’s current research interests are largely focused on numerical techniques for the accurate computation of multiscale, multiphysics problems, most recently including issues arising due to the presence of uncertainty. With Dr. Antolin from the Department of Biology, he co-directs the undergraduate research program FEScUE which involves undergraduates and faculty from both the mathematical and biological sciences in jointly mentored research clusters. Simon has recently enjoyed two visiting fellowships at the Oxford Center for Collaborative Applied Mathematics and is currently Secretary of SIAM (Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics).