Skip Navigation

Meet the Professors

Kelly Cartwright
Instructor, Biology
B212
847/543-2792
bio343@clcillinois.edu


Teaching full time at CLC since: 2001; also served as a teaching assistant at Purdue University and teaching and research assistant and instructor at Kansas State University; co-chair of CLC’s Environmental Action Committee.

Education: B.S., Purdue University; M.S. Kansas State University.


Jason Cashmore
Instructor, Biology
V208
847/543-6538
jcashmore@clcillinois.edu


Specialties: Aquatic ecology, endangered species and invasive species.

Teaching full time at CLC since: 2008; previously taught at CLC for three years as an adjunct; served as academic advisor for the department of biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Subjects taught at CLC: Environmental biology, principles of biology, general biology and introductory evolution.

Education: A.S., College of Lake County; B.S. and M.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

What inspires me about my field: I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know that I wanted to be a biologist. Nothing has ever interested me more than plants and animals, their lives and their interactions. When I was a student here at CLC, it was such a great experience because the teachers really care about the students. I decided I wanted to teach biology at a community college, preferably CLC. I still can’t believe that I am here. It truly is a dream come true for me.


Mark Coykendall
Instructor, Biology
A165
847/543-2481
bio548@clcillinois.edu


Teaching full time at CLC since: 2002; also served as academic advisor at Northern Illinois University and a biology instructor at the College of DuPage; visiting lecturer at Northern Illinois University; life science instructor at Rock Valley College; laboratory instructor at Waubonsee Community College.

Education: B.S. and M.S., Illinois State University.


Kristi Dameron
Instructor, Biology
C265
847/543-2335
bio570@clcillinois.edu


Teaching full time at CLC since: 2004; previously taught at CLC part time and as an assistant and visiting assistant professor at Loyola University in Chicago; worked as a scientist at a company that promotes science education for children using fun, interactive experiences.

Education: B.S., University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse; Ph.D., Northwestern University.


Lakshmi Gollapudi
Instructor, Biology
A157
847/543-2324
bio562@clcillinois.edu


Specialties: Molecular neuroscience research.

Teaching full time at CLC since: 2002.

Education: B.S., University of Delhi in India; M.S.; diploma in education from the University of Bombay; Ph.D. from Finch University of Health Science/Chicago Medical School.


Marsha Hay
Instructor, Biology
A165
847/543-2772
mhay@clcillinois.edu


Specialties: Molecular and developmental biology.

Teaching full time at CLC since: 2013; previously was a term-limited and part-time instructor at CLC in 2010-13; also taught as an adjunct at Morton College and Triton College; conducted molecular research of horseshoe crabs at Northeastern Illinois University; curriculum development and teaching as a naturalist at Heller Nature Center.

Subjects taught at CLC: Principles of biology, anatomy and physiology.

Education: A.S., Kishwaukee College; B.S., Northern Illinois University; M.S., Northeastern Illinois University.

What inspires me about my field: I’m enthralled with how the human body (and all living things) have adapted to find a way to do all of the functions necessary to live.


Shane Jones
Instructor, Biology
C265
847/543-2885
bio565@clcillinois.edu


Specialties: Invertebrate biology, field biology and human anatomy.

Teaching full time at CLC since: 2004; previously worked as a graduate research assistant and graduate teaching assistant at the University of Oklahoma.

Courses taught at CLC: Anatomy and physiology and environmental biology.

Education: B.S., University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse; M.S., University of Oklahoma.


Elisabeth Martin
Instructor, Biology
A161
847/543-2884
bio568@clcillinois.edu


Specialties: Developmental genetics; human anatomy and physiology.

Teaching full time at CLC since: 2002; she previously taught at Black Hawk Community College; received a Teaching Excellence award from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development.

Subjects taught at CLC: Anatomy and physiology, genetics.

Education: B.S., Virginia Tech; Ph.D., University of Virginia.

Main goal in teaching: My students are taking anatomy and physiology courses as a prerequisite course to enter an allied health program. I tell my students that I am successful not when they finish my class but when I hear that they have graduated from an allied health program. My goal is to instill knowledge, critical thinking skills and self-confidence in my students. They need all three of these to be strong advocates for their patients.


Liz O'Grady
Instructor, Biology
A159
847/543-2322
eogrady@clcillinois.edu


Specialties: Molecular genetics and microbiology.

Teaching full time at CLC since: 2007; previously taught at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Subjects taught at CLC: Principles of biology, general biology, anatomy and physiology, evolution and genetics. She also has co-authored microbiology-related articles for academic journals and a textbook.

Education: B.S., St. Norbert College; M.S. and Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

What inspires me about my field: Growing up on a farm near LaCrosse, Wis., I have had an interest in biology since childhood. My family passed on its respect for nature and the environment to me, and I became fascinated by the interconnections in the natural world.


Bob Remedi
Instructor, Biology
A159
847/543-2326
bio567@clcillinois.edu


Specialties: Environmental biology, anatomy and physiology and higher-education teaching.

Teaching full time at CLC since: 2002; previously taught full time at Blackhawk Community College and part time at Joliet Junior College, Moraine Valley Community College, College of DuPage and North Central College. In 2011, Professor Remedi was the first CLC instructor to receive the Outstanding Full-time Faculty Member Award, presented annually by the Illinois Community College Trustees Association. In 2010, he received the Two-Year College Biology Teaching Award from the National Association of Biology Teachers.

Subjects taught at CLC: Anatomy and physiology, environmental biology and a field biology course in the natural history of southwestern Virginia.

Education: A.S., Moraine Valley Community College; B.S. and M.S., Western Illinois University; currently a doctoral student at Northern Illinois University in adult and higher education.

What I do to engage students: My philosophy of teaching is deeply rooted in the idea of being student centered, which means that I consider the needs of students every time I plan activities and goals for class. As a result, I utilize multiple teaching strategies and interesting activities to present course information. For instance, I might begin with a traditional lecture, but then follow it up with a small group critical thinking activity or a short assessment. No matter how material is delivered, I try to present it with passion and energy. In addition, I set and communicate high expectations and teach students how to successfully reach these goals, both directly and by modeling proper behaviors.


Cynthia Trombino
Instructor, Biology
A163
847/543-2882
bio563@clcillinois.edu


Teaching full time at CLC since: 2003; previously taught at Morehead State University, Hope College, Kishwaukee Community College; also taught and worked as a research assistant at Northern Illinois University.

Education: B.A., Iowa State University; Ph.D., Northern Illinois University.