The faculty of the School of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences comes to Tiffin University from the real world. Our faculty has worked for the federal, state and local governments, and in all levels of the Criminal Justice and Social Sciences fields. These are real practitioners, ready to share their knowledge and experience in the classroom. They also maintain real connections to their areas of expertise, which adds to real engagement and immersion into the fields of study in the classroom. In short, “our faculty make it real!”
Meet Our Dean & Professors:
Dr. Thomas M. Newcomb
Dean of the School of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences and Assistant
Professor of Criminal Justice and Security Studies
B.A., J.D., University of Minnesota
Until January 20, 2005, Tom served as a Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and was the Senior Director for Combating Terrorism in the National Security Council. Before joining Tiffin University for the fall of 2005, he completed a fellowship at the Institute of Politics at Harvard University.
Over the course of a 25-year career in intelligence, Tom served at the Senior-Executive level in all three branches of government – as a legal advisor to the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, an attorney in the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review in the U.S. Department of Justice, a counsel and subcommittee staff director on the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, an attorney with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and as a CIA case officer and chief of station conducting Cold War, counter-terrorism, and war-zone operations in five CIA stations in Europe and Africa.
Tom began his federal service in Vietnam as a buck sergeant in the 101st Airborne infantry. He comes from a long line of preachers and closet phrenologists.
Dr. Elizabeth
Athaide-Victor
Professor of Criminal Justice and Psychology
B.A., Anna Maria College
M.A., Middle Tennessee State University
Ph.D., University of Toledo
Dr. Victor began her career with a plan to consistently combine academics and applied service because she truly believes that one cannot teach without “doing”. As a result, she has been able to monitor both the extension of her field in academia, as well as its application in the real world. She feels this best enables her to educate her students, and prepare them for the challenges they will encounter in their careers. During all levels of her own education, Dr. Victor has worked in the field.
Born and raised in Southeastern Massachusetts, she started in the late 1970s working for the Department of Youth Services (DYS) for the States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. After leaving DYS, she worked in Boston for a suicide prevention center. During college, both undergraduate and graduate, she also worked for a juvenile lock-up facility, a hunger-relief program, and volunteered in programs specializing in mental retardation, autism and in substance abuse rehabilitation programs.
As part of her pre-Doctoral program, Dr. Victor studied with Dr. Lawrence Kohlberg at Harvard University, doing research on moral reasoning and attribution of responsibility. Dr. Victor also worked for several years at a Sleep Disorders Center, a Community Mental Health Center, and a Sexual Disorders Center, all located in Toledo.
Dr. Victor joined the faculty of Tiffin University in 1989. She has conducted abundant research on jury behavior, jury cognitive processing, child sexual abuse litigation, toxic tort litigation, juror competence, and juror bias. Dr. Victor was the first Dean of the School of Criminal Justice. She belongs to several professional organizations including the American Psychological Association, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, the Association for Women in Psychology, the Association of Hispanic Psychologists, and the American Society of Criminology. She is a Board Certified Forensic Examiner.
Professor Keith N.
Haley
Professor of Criminal
Justice
B.S. Wright State University
M.S. Michigan State University
Keith Haley is a Professor of Criminal Justice, holding a
master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State
University. Professor Haley has served as a U.S. Marine,
municipal police officer; professor and administrator in several
colleges and universities; state agency head of a peace officer
standards and training commission, and an organizational consultant
and trainer.
Haley has written and published many papers, articles, and book
chapters and is the author, co-author, and editor of 19 published
books, one of which has been translated into Romanian. His
research interests are varied, but currently focuses on
international justice systems, illegal immigration, video
surveillance systems, and the firearms debate.
Dr. Steven D. Hurwitz
Professor of Psychology and Criminal Justice
B.A., Queens College, Citv University of New York
M.A., Syracuse University
Ph.D., Syracuse University
Dr. Hurwitz began his professional career in 1982 as an instructor in the Syracuse University Inmate Higher Education Program at Auburn Correctional Facility. After two years in that program, he went to work at Hutchings Psychiatric Center conducting program evaluation research and developing computer applications for Quality Assurance Monitoring from 1984 through 1987.
Upon leaving Hutchings, he joined the staff of the Psycholinguistics Research Corporation where, from 1987 through 1992, he conducted quantitative and qualitative research in forensic psycholinguistics. Most of this research focused on analysis of threatening communications to determine demographic and psychological characteristics of the author as well as assessments of their potential for violence.
In 1989, Dr. Hurwitz again returned to Auburn Correctional Facility in an expanded role of instructor tutor and academic counselor. He remained at Auburn until 1993. Immediately prior to arriving at Tiffin University in 1994, he spent a year as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology at the State University of New York at Oswego.
Since joining the faculty at Tiffin, he has been an active member of Seneca County TRIAD, a cooperative effort between law enforcement and human service agencies to improve the quality of life for senior citizens. Dr. Hurwitz has developed programs designed to educate senior citizens on methods to avoid becoming victims of the many types of frauds and scams that specifically target senior citizens. Dr. Hurwitz has also served as the Acting Dean of the School of Criminal Justice. He has published and presented research on juror decision-making and expert testimony. Other research interests include corrections and criminology.
Dr. Teresa Shafer
Dean of Assessment and Accreditation
Professor of Sociology
B.A., Ohio State University
M.A., Bowling Green State University
Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
Dr. Shafer began her academic career at the Ohio State University ’s Marion campus. During her tenure, she served as an Admissions and Financial Aid Officer and Public Relations Director. Upon completion of her master’s degree, she joined the Shelby Insurance Company and served nearly ten years in various corporate positions including Public Relations Specialist, Sales Manager, Territorial Marketing Manager and Underwriting Director.
She joined Tiffin University in 1993 as an adjunct professor. In 1996, she became the Director of the Lorain Degree Center and was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Fast Track degree completion program in Organizational Management. She joined the full-time faculty as Dean of Arts and Sciences in 1999. In 2005 she took over as Dean of Assessment and Accreditation.
As a family demographer, her scholarly work includes research into the dependent care patterns of elders and the resulting strains on family members. Dr. Shafer has published and presented her research at numerous conferences both regionally and nationally. She is a member of several professional organization and serves on a number of local program boards.
Dr. Jeffry J. Stockner
Professor of Business Law and Criminal Justice
B.S., Bowling Green State University
J.D., Ohio Northern University
Dr. Stockner has maintained a private law practice since his graduation from law school in 1985. A former criminal defense attorney, municipal prosecutor, and county prosecutor (since 1989), he has tried misdemeanor and felony bench and jury cases, including murders. Currently, he is Chief Civil Prosecutor for the Seneca County Prosecutor's Office, representing county officials and employees (including the Sheriff and Seneca County Jail) in their elected and administrative capacities.
An acknowledged book reviewer for a nationally published law text, Dr. Stockner has been selected by the Ohio Supreme Court Board of Bar Examiners as one of 25 professors, attorneys, prosecutors, and judges to review Ohio's Bar Exam testing methods. His undergraduate degree is in education.
He was selected Faculty Member of the Year at TU in 1998-1999, and again in 2002-2003, in addition to being recognized in Ohio Magazine in 2003 as being one of the 100 best educators in Ohio. Most recently, Dr. Stockner served as President of the Ohio Council of Criminal Justice Education, and continues to serve as a Trustee of the organization.
Dr. Phyllis Watts
Professor of Sociology
B.A., University of Kentucky, Lexington and State University of New York, Potsdam
M.A., Ohio State University, Ohio
Ph.D. Ohio State University, Ohio
Dr. Watts is a Professor of Sociology within the School of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences. She is a local graduate of New Riegel High School. She pursued her undergraduate career at the University of Kentucky, Lexington campus and the State University of New York, Potsdam Campus. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from SUNY, Postdam. Her life then led her to the Ohio State University for graduate study, but not before she worked several years as a cost accountant clerk.
Dr. Watts was awarded a graduate administrative assistantship with the Office of Women’s Studies and completed both her Master of Arts and Doctorate of Philosophy there. Her areas of study included social sciences, education, and women’s studies.
She has taught at a number of institutions throughout her career. These include the State University of New York, the Ohio State University, Columbus Technical Institute, Franklin University, the Pontifical College Josephinum, Heidelberg College, and Tiffin University.
Dr. Watts is also a certified chemical dependency counselor III, and has worked within several mental health facilities, the court systems and private practice. While at Franklin University, she assisted with development, marketing and implementation of the Employee Assistance major. She also served as a primary therapist for the Maryhaven driver intervention program, assessing chemically dependent clients.
Her recent interests focus on studying various cultures from a sociological perspective. Concurrent with her expertise and interests, she received the first Tiffin University Travel Grant to research Scandinavian culture. She has also traveled and researched the diverse cultures of First Nations within the United States and Hawaii, participated in research and travel in South Africa, and has participated in an educational exchange with the Peoples Republic of China. Most recently, she has been part of an educational study tour of Ireland and England.
She has conducted original research, written, and presented professional papers at a variety of conferences dealing with her areas of interest. She has directed workshops and participated as a panel referee and discussant within professional organizations and at professional conferences. She has also published several articles.
As a member of the full time teaching faculty, Dr. Watts has also served on a variety of committees at each university. To include president designee to chair full faculty meetings, the Faculty Athletic representative for NCAA, a member of the curriculum committee, an ad hoc member of all university standing committees, and chairs the Academic/Athletic Committee. She has served as a representative of the First Year Experience program committee and has taught as part of the F. J. Miller Society Leadership Living Learning Community team.
Her community service has also been diverse through the years serving as a board member and grant writer for the Blanchard Pow Wow Club and as the area coordinator for the National Association for Native American Studies. She volunteers with the Seeds of Hope organic farming cooperative and is a member of the TU Trotters Equestrian Club.
Dr. Charles Christensen
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Associate Professor of Political Science and Security Studies
B.A., Eastern Michigan University
M.A., University of Notre Dame
Ph.D., The Ohio State University
Dr. Christensen joined Tiffin University as an Assistant Professor of International Security Studies and Political Science in January 2000. Since that time he has served as the Director of Tiffin Online, Coordinator of the International Security Studies Program, and Dean of the School of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences. Prior to coming to Tiffin University, Dr. Christensen spent 26 year in the Air Force in a variety of intelligence related combat, staff, and command positions. He was also an Air Force Fellow at the Mershon Center for International Security and Public Policy at the Ohio State University from 1984 to 1985. He retired in 1993 at the rank of Colonel.
In 1993 Dr. Christensen returned to the Mershon Center as Deputy Director of the Program for International Security and Military Affairs, where he served until January 2000. Dr. Christensen is the author of The History of Technical Intelligence in the Air Force: Operation LUSTY, and several articles on intelligence and military affairs.
Dr. Christensen is currently serving as TU’s Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Dr. Allen Smith
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
B.S., Ohio University
M.S., Eastern Kentucky University
Ph.D., Ohio University
Dr. Smith came to Tiffin University in January 2004 as an adjunct instructor. In July 2004 he was awarded a full-time appointment as an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice. He had half-time responsibilities as the Director of Columbus programs and half-time responsibilities teaching.
In January 2005, Dr. Smith was appointed full time as a Professor. At that same time he was appointed program director for development of a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Homeland Security. In cooperation with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Training Academy and the Sheriff’s University, Dr. Smith has developed the degree with substantial input from that department.
Dr. Smith is an honorably discharged U.S. Marine. He volunteered for a tour of duty in Vietnam, serving with the 3rd Marine Division. After returning to civilian life he began his effort to obtain a college education. Dr. Smith has served in various capacities in the criminal justice system prior to his coming to Tiffin University. He has served as a deputy sheriff, chief deputy, state probation-parole officer, chief probation officer in a juvenile court, and has two presidential appointments, with U.S. Senate confirmation under Presidents Carter and Clinton, to the position of United States Marshal, Southern District of Ohio. Dr. Smith served a two-year appointment as the chair of the Director’s U.S. Marshals Advisory Committee. He also served on the U.S. Marshals Service Headquarters committees for finance and personnel distribution.
Dr. Smith has received several awards during his career including the 1998 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Eastern Kentucky University College of Justice. Dr. Smith is a member of the Alpha Phi Sigma, National Police Honors Society, Eastern Kentucky University, and Phi Delta Kappa, Professional Education Honors Society, Ohio University Chapter. Dr. Smith served as an advisor to the Ohio Supreme Court on matters concerning the courts in the State of Ohio. He has been an invited guest lecturer to the University of New York, SUNY, the University of Maine, AGUSTA, and the University of Nevada, RENO, National Judicial College, on matters pertaining to criminal justice administration and court security.
Dr. Smith currently holds several certificates for training and is certified in Homeland Security by the American College of Forensic Examiners. His interests are pistol and rifle shooting, reading, and boating. His sons are engineers (civil and chemical), his daughter-in-law is a high school chemistry teacher, and his stepdaughter is a lawyer, specializing in agricultural law. Dr. Smith’s wife, Linda, is a certified sign language interpreter and director of the interpretation department of a nursing home for the deaf.
Dr. Smith continues to serve his country as a 1st Lt. in the Ohio Military Reserves, serving as the CID Officer, and Assistant S-2 officer in the 1st Military Police Brigade.
Dr. Jonathan Appel
Associate Professor of Psychology & Criminal Justice
B.A., Kent State University, Ohio
M.Ed., Kent State University, Ohio
Ph.D., University of Akron, Ohio
Dr. Jonathan Appel has worked in the field of Behavioral Health
for over two decades. He has worked with individuals, groups,
families, and organizations as a counselor, psychotherapist,
clinical supervisor, program director, consultant, and
educator.
Dr. Appel has worked with a diverse range of populations/problems,
including persons diagnosed with developmental disabilities, severe
mental illness, and substance use disorders. He has designed,
managed, and worked in clinical programs that have included
clinical services for the mentally ill, couple/family therapy
interventions, substance abuse assessment and treatment, dual
diagnosis, forensic treatment services, court-ordered anger
management and violence prevention services, career counseling,
community crisis team intervention, and employee
assistance program (EAP) services. He has also provided counseling
and psychotherapy in a private practice setting.
Dr. Appel received his B.A. in psychology from Kent State
University, a master’s degree in Community Counseling from
Kent State University, and a Ph.D. in Counseling (specializing in
Marriage and Family Therapy and Organizational Psychology) from The
University of Akron.
Dr. Appel is a Diplomate in Psychotherapy and is a National
Certified Counselor, a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor,
a Certified Career Counselor, an Approved Clinical Supervisor, an
Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, as well
as a Clinically Certified Forensic Counselor. He
has also received training as a Certified Red Cross Mental Health
Disaster Worker, and a Critical Incident Trauma Responder.
Dr. Appel is a professional member of the International Association
of Addiction and Offender Counselors, the American Psychological
Association, the American Counseling Association, the National
Association of Forensic Counselors, as well as a Clinical Member of
the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. He also
has been an executive board member of the National Organization for
Human Services, serving as its Education Chair.
Dr. Appel has presented nationally and internationally, and has
taught at The University of Akron, Old Dominion University
(Virginia), and as part of a faculty exchange program at The
University of Kitakyushu in Kitakyushu, Japan. He has done research
and/or applied work with organizations around stress,
trauma/violence in the workplace, family violence, employee
burnout, issues related to family-work balance, and the
applications of “Mindfulness” to psychotherapy. Dr.
Appel also has co-authored training curriculums in Domestic
Violence for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is currently an
editorial reviewer for the Family Relations Journal, the
International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, and the
Open Social Sciences Journal. He has been published in such
peer-reviewed publications as the Journal of Aggression,
Maltreatment, and Trauma, the Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect,
the Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and
Families, and the International Journal of Mental Health and
Addiction. His research interests include family violence, cultural
competency, workplace violence, the mentally ill offender, and
international issues in behavioral health. Dr. Appel has done
extensive travel and research in Asia.
Dr. Appel is currently licensed in Ohio as an Independent Marriage
and Family Therapist, an Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor,
and a Supervising Professional Clinical Counselor.
Professor Scott Blough
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
B.A., Mount Vernon Nazarene College
M.S., Tiffin University
Scott Blough is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Tiffin University, where he specializes in policy development, comparative criminal justice systems, human resources and computers in criminal justice. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Blough served as the Chief of the Bureau of Adult Detention in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, where he oversaw the jail inspection process and provided training and technical assistance to local jail officials throughout Ohio.He has co-authored papers on jail standards and jail statistical reports and conducted numerous training programs, such as grant writing, effective jail management and organizational context and leadership, for Ohio jail officials.
Mr. Blough specializes in consulting for criminal justice technology systems and correctional operational issues. He was also a featured speaker in Romania, where he lectured on developing standards for adult and juvenile incarceration. Mr. Blough holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Mount Vernon Nazarene College and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Tiffin University.
Dr. Gene Chintala
Dean of Advising & Freshman Year Experience
Assistant Professor of History & Political Science
B.A., Elmira College
M.S., West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
Dr. Chintala came to Tiffin University as the Dean of Freshmen in the Fall of 2000. Previously, he filled in as acting Director of Career Development in the Fall of 1999. Dr. Chintala currently teaches courses in political science and history at Tiffin University. His research area is with the Truman Commission on Higher Education and Post-War education policy. He also does research on popular culture and college students. He has presented at several national conferences on his research and on popular culture.
He also serves a dual administrative role as the Dean of Advising and Retention, overseeing the advising for undergraduate students and promoting programs that increase the retention of students. Dr. Chintala is a member of the American College Personnel Association where he serves on the Directorate for Academic Success in Higher Education, the History of Education Society, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and the National Academic Advising Association.
He has worked in a variety of positions in academic and student affairs including, residence life, career development, student activities, international student services, orientation, academic advising, judicial affairs, and admissions and recruiting. Dr. Chintala also worked with the Adult Learner Focus of the College Student Personnel (CSP) Program at Bowling Green State University, where he taught and recruited in the graduate CSP program. He has also taught at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Dr. Erin Dean
Assistant Professor of Psychology & Counseling
B.A., Kent State University in Psychology
M.Ed., Kent State University in Community Counseling
Ph.D., Kent State University in Counselor Education and Supervision
Dr. Dean is a supervising licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC-S) in the State of Ohio. Her areas of specialization include HIV/AIDS, sexuality and gender issues, dually diagnosed clients, and working with those diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI).
Before coming to TU, she served as the Project Director at Kent State University (KSU) for a $3.5 million dollar National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) HIV prevention program for inner-city women grant. During that time, she also taught as a part-time instructor for KSU's Counseling and Human Development Services (CHDS) Department, and worked with the SPMI population as a clinical therapist for Harbor Behavioral Healthcare in Toledo, Ohio.
She has had a variety of community mental health experiences including work with couples, families, and children at Family Solutions in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and work with persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS at AIDS Holistic Services in Akron, Ohio. Dr. Dean’s research interests include HIV/AIDS, satisfaction in counseling among sexual minority clients, and undergraduate students’ perceptions of what it takes to be successful in college.
Her passion for clinical work, ensuring that clients receive the highest level of care, and her desire to mentor students, are the driving forces behind her decision to transition into the academic community. By doing so, she hopes to play a role in training ethical and competent future counselors. Dr. Dean is excited about the addition of addictions counseling courses to TU’s curriculum and also the possibility of helping to plan and develop a graduate program in counseling at TU.
Dr. Fang-Mei Law
Assistant Professor of Psychology & Criminal Justice
B.Ed., Changhua University of Education, Taiwan
M.Ed.,Changhua University of Education, Taiwan
M.Ed., University of Wisconsin, River Falls
Ph.D., Mississippi State University
Dr. Law joined Tiffin University in the Fall of 2005. Her academic experience includes an appointment as Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work in Taiwan at Shih-Chien University. She served as an adjunct faculty member in the University of Dayton's Department of Counselor Education and Human Services as well as in Columbus State's Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Dr. Law is both a Licensed Professional Clinic Counselor (LPCC) in Ohio and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Her professional role as a clinician has been actively maintained through direct service in the Counseling Centers at Shih-Chien and Mississippi State Universities, and in the criminal justice field at Bai-Chou Prison for Juvenile Delinquency in Taiwan.
From 1999 to 2005 she served as the Executive Director of – and as a counselor/cultural competence trainer/interpreter trainer – for Asian American Community Services, a non-profit organization, to provide prevention and intervention programs for Asian Americans in Central Ohio.
For years, she has actively been involved as a committee member for non-profit organizations in central Ohio, such as the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, Ohio Coalition of Sexual Assault Association, the BEST program of American Cancer Society, and the American Red Cross. In addition, she was also a field instructor for the College of Social Work at the Ohio State University. In these settings she has gained experience working with clients and students of diverse cultures and backgrounds.
Dr. Law has published and presented papers on topics such as college student development and adjustment; counseling practice in a multicultural setting; violence against women and substance use problem; and culturalization issues in Asian American communities. Her publications and presentations, in both English and Chinese, are testimony to her interest in research.
She is the member of the American Counseling Association (ACA). Her teaching goal is to draw on her multicultural and clinical experiences in the classroom to make the subject matter more enjoyable, relevant, and practical to both her undergraduate and graduate students and to fulfill their educational needs.
Professor Michael R.
Lewis
Degree Completion Program Coordinator and Instructor of Criminal Justice
B.A., Myers University, Criminal Justice
M.S., Tiffin University, Criminal Justice Administration
Ph.D., Walden University, Policy and Public Administration (ABD)
Michael R. Lewis possesses nearly twenty years of
professional criminal justice leadership expertise. Mr. Lewis holds
a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, a Master’s
Degree in Criminal Justice Administration and Management, and is
completing a PhD in Public Policy and
Administration.
Mr. Lewis is a
recently retired police officer from a Northeast Ohio suburb
where over the years he has served in various positions including
the detective bureau, patrol division, swat unit, and hostage
negotiations unit. Mr. Lewis has also proudly served in the United
States Navy.
Mr. Lewis is an active member of the Junior
National Young Leaders Association and serves as an Educational
Advisor in Washington, D.C. Mr. Lewis has lectured
nationally about criminal justice and social issues and has also
appeared on Blog Talk Radio and National Public Radio Shows as a
guest speaker. Most recently, Mr. Lewis was invited to speak on
Capital Hill for the re-authorization of social services funds in
Washington, DC. Mr. Lewis also has several publications in
circulation.
Dr. Timothy Shaw
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
B.A., Muskingum College in 1977 in Education
J.D., Ohio Northern University, Claude W. Pettit School of Law
Dr. Shaw joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in March of 1985. He retired from active service in February, 2006 and is a 21-year veteran of the bureau.
As an FBI agent, Dr. Shaw investigated complex criminal and terrorism matters. During Dr. Shaw’s career, he received three Awards for Exceptional performance and two Outstanding Law Enforcement of the Year Awards from the Southern District of Florida, and 16 different Letters of Commendation for investigative, administrative and tactical efforts.
Throughout Dr. Shaw’s career, he has been active in training for all levels of law enforcement. He has provided training in the areas of Legal Instruction, Major Case Management, Street Survival, SWAT Tactics and Terrorism. Dr. Shaw has written affidavits for Federal Search Warrants, Criminal Complaints, Title III Wire Communication Intercepts, and affidavits for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Court. Dr. Shaw has investigated white-collar crimes, violent crimes, narcotic crimes, cyber crimes, and for the past three years he has investigated domestic and international terrorism matters. His experience with terrorism investigations has enabled him to work throughout the United States and with investigators in the Middle East and Canada.
Dr. Shaw was also a FBI SWAT Team member for over 17 years both in the Miami Office and the Cincinnati Office. He was the Senior Assistant Team Leader for the Cincinnati Field Office upon his retirement. As a SWAT team member and team leader he wrote and planned several complex operational plans for high-risk missions, including drug operations, motorcycle gangs, and violent felons. Dr. Shaw participated in several major events as a SWAT team member. These included Central American – Caribbean Games, Summit of the Americas, the siege at Waco, Texas, several Super Bowls and All Star Classics, and protection details for the Attorney General of the United States and the Director of the FBI.
Dr. Shaw has been certified as a Tactical Air Officer/Rappel Master, WMD HAZMAT tactical operator, and was also an Assistant WMD Coordinator in the Cincinnati Office. He conducted several SWAT and Street Survival schools in South Florida and Ohio. Dr. Shaw helped establish the Greene County Sheriff’s Department SWAT Team, by conducting a week-long training course. This enabled the Greene County Sheriff’s office to have there own operational team.
Dr. Shaw received his BA from Muskingum College in Education in 1977. While at Muskingum he participated in varsity track and was three-year letter winner. Upon His graduation, Dr. Shaw was sworn in as a United States Marine Corps officer in June 1977, and resigned his commission in March 1985.. Dr. Shaw attended the basic school and was then assigned to Fort Sill, Okalahoma, for artillery training. After graduation he was assigned to the Second Marine Division in Camp LeJune, North Carolina. Dr. Shaw was assigned as a forward observer and Fire Support Coordinator Liaison Officer while twice deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. He was transferred to the 6th District Marine Corps Recruiting district where he served as the Assistant Contact Team Leader. He also trained and inspected recruiters in the seven southeastern states.
Dr. Shaw left active duty for the Marine Corps to attend Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit School of Law. He remained in the Marine Corps reserves where he served as the Weapons Officer for Weapons Company 3rd Battalion 24th Marines in Toledo, Ohio. During his tenure at Weapons Company, it was honored as the outstanding reserve company of the year. Dr. Shaw was promoted to Captain and assigned as the Company Commander of Headquarters and Service Company 3rd Battalion 24th Marines, in Detroit, Michigan.
Dr. Shaw completed law school and was awarded a Juris Doctorate degree from Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit School of Law. Dr. Shaw was admitted to the West Virginia state bar in 1983. He served for a short period of time in the Hardin County Prosecutors Office as a Special Investigator assisting in the prosecution of cases.
Dr. Shaw is a member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. He is also an Adjunct Professor for Wright State University School of Liberal Arts, where he developed a course on terrorism and is teaching Criminal Justice courses.
Robert James Orr III
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and National Security Studies
Prof. Orr comes to Tiffin University after 24 years as a U.S. Navy Judge Advocate, having retired with the rank of Commander. In his last assignment, he served as the Deputy Legal Advisor for NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, Transformation. In addition to general duties as deputy Legal Advisor for the Headquarters, then-Commander Orr had specific duties including development of legal doctrine, training, and education programs for NATO, as well as providing legal support and classroom instruction at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany, and legal advice and support to the NATO Training Mission in Iraq and NATO’s Undersea Research Centre in La Spezia, IT.
A graduate of Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio (cum laude, 1981) with a degree in Political Science and History, Prof. Orr entered the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps Student Program while enrolled at The Ohio State University College of Law, from where he received his Juris Doctor in 1984. Following admission to practice in Ohio and completion of Naval Justice School, then-Lieutenant Orr reported to Naval Legal Service Office (NLSO), Groton, where he served as Trial Counsel and as Head of Legal Assistance. Follow-on duty assignments included Assistant Legal Officer, USS MIDWAY (CV 41), homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, Senior Defense Counsel and Assistant Officer in Charge, NLSO Detachment North Island, CA, Assistant Force Judge Advocate, Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and legal advisor for Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 12. His career had a strong operational emphasis, including deployment for Operation EARNEST WILL onboard USS MIDWAY, post-DESERT STORM operations in the Arabian Gulf onboard USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69), Operations DENY FLIGHT and PROVIDE PROMISE onboard USS SARATOGA (CV 60) as well as a number of other interagency and NATO operations and exercises. From July, 1995 until August, 1998, Prof. Orr was assigned as Assistant Fleet Judge Advocate on the staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, where his duties involved serving as Legal Counsel to the Director, Shore Activities Readiness for outsourcing, privatization, and real estate matters, and as the staff specialist on International and Operational Law issues. He served as legal advisor for Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic from September 1998 until April 2002, and from April 2002 to November 2004 as the deputy legal advisor for Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
Prof. Orr was an adjunct instructor for the U.S. Joint Forces Staff College from 1996 through 2002, providing instruction to students at the Joint Information Warfare and other courses on legal issues connected with Information Operations. From 1996 to 2003 he supported the U.S. Naval War College, instructing at their off-site programs on international law, law of the sea, and the law of armed conflict.
In addition to his J.D. from the Ohio State University, Professor Orr holds a Masters of Law in International Law from the University of Virginia and is a graduate of the College of Command and Staff, U.S. Naval War College (with distinction). In 1991 he was selected as the Navy’s recipient of the American Bar Association Young Military Lawyer of the Year Award and as the DoD recipient of the Federal Bar Association’s Younger Federal Lawyer Award. He holds several unit and personal awards from his military service.
He is a member of the Class of 2000 of Leadership Hampton Roads, an executive development program of the Hampton Roads, Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Professor Orr is affiliated with a number of professional organizations, including the American Society of International Law and the American Political Science Association. He also teaches taiji and tang soo do. His wife Kathleen is a former public school teacher and currently owns and runs Dragon Connections, a martial arts school in Virginia Beach, VA. They have three children, Jessica, John and Robert.