Faculty Senate Members
2025-2026
Jake Butera, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Office: Office: 123 Whitesides Hall
Email: jbutera@unca.edu
Dr. Butera came to UNC Asheville in 2012, having received his Ph.D. in 2010 from Duke University and having taught at Brigham Young University during the 2011-2012 academic year. He studied for two years at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and has worked at the archaeological sites of Corinth and Samothrace. He has studied and traveled extensively through Greece, Italy, Turkey, and Egypt, and continues to work on topographical and archaeological projects in Greece. Dr. Butera works on topics in Greek and Roman military history in addition to archaeological and material culture topics.
Education
- Ph.D., Classical Studies, Duke University, Durham, NC
- B.A., Classical Studies; Ancient Greek, Miami University, Oxford, OH
Courses Taught
- ARTH 311/CLAS 315, Greek Art
- ARTH/CLAS 373, The Art and Architecture of Classical Athens
- CLAS 101, Latin I
- CLAS 102, Latin II
- CLAS 103, Greek I
- CLAS 104, Greek II
- CLAS 178, Visualizing the Ancient City
- CLAS 179, War and Warfare in Ancient Greece and Rome
- CLAS 344/HIST 373, The Roman Republic
- CLAS 345/HIST 373, History of the Roman Empire
- CLAS 373, Advanced Greek, Longus, Daphnis and Chloe
- CLAS 374, Ancient War and Modern Memory (honors seminar)
- CLAS 374/HIST 374, Imagining Greece and Rome: Ancient Mediterranean Studies in Film
- CLAS 400, Advanced Greek, Herodotus, Selections
- CLAS 412, Advanced Latin, Livy, Selections
- CLAS 425/HIST 374, War and Warfare in Ancient Greece and Rome
- CLAS 474, Greek Historians: Xenophon, Anabasis
- CLAS 498, Greek, Roman, and “Other” (senior capstone)
- HIST 373/CLAS 343, Greek History
- HUM 124, The Ancient World (Humanities)
This faculty member teaches in UNC Asheville’s Humanities Program.
Teaching and Research Interests
Teaching interests: Greek and Roman military history; Greek and Roman history; Greek and Roman art, architecture, and archaeology; papyrology and palaeography.
Research interests: The representation and commemoration of the ancient military; the battles and battlefields of the ancient world; the role and position of the sea in Greek thought; papyrology, palaeography, and textual criticism; the archaeological site at Samothrace.
Selected Publications and Work in Progress
- In Progress, book on the ancient battles and battlefields of Greece.
- Forthcoming: “P.Duk.inv. 727r: New Evidence for the Meaning and Provenance of the Word Προσήλυτος,” co-author, JBL (Journal of Biblical Studies)
- 2011: “P.Duk.inv. 727: A Dispute with ‘Proselytes’ in Egypt,” co-author, ZPE (Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik) 177: 201-6.
Recent Papers
- 2019 The Battles and Battlefields of Ancient Greece: A Guide to their History, Topography, and Archaeology, co-author, under contract with Pen & Sword Books, Barnsley, UK (2018)
- 2017 “The Camps of Brutus and Cassius at Philippi, 42 BCE,” co-author, Hesperia 86.2: 359-377. [Peer Reviewed]
- 2013 “P.Duk. inv. 727r: New Evidence for the Meaning and Provenance of the Word Προσήλυτος,” co-author, JBL (Journal of Biblical Literature) 132.1: 159-178. [Peer Reviewed]
- 2011 “P.Duk.inv. 727: A Dispute with ‘Proselytes’ in Egypt,” co-author, ZPE (Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik) 177: 201-6. [Peer Reviewed]
Recent Talks
- 2019 “Reconstructing Ancient Battles: History, Topography, and Technology,” University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (Invited Lecture)
- 2017 “‘A Work to be Admired:’ Monument, Landscape, and Naval Identity in 4th Century Athens,” Celtic Conference in Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Montreal, Canada
- 2017 “The Battle of Pydna, 168 BCE: New Methods, New Evidence,” Joint Meetings of the AIA/APA, Toronto, Canada (co-presented with Matthew A. Sears)
- 2016 “The Camps of Brutus and Cassius: Reconstructing the Battle of Philippi,” Annual Meeting of the Society for Military History, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
- Co-organized with Matthew A. Sears: From Landscape to Soldier: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Ancient Greek and Roman Battle. Presenters: C. Jacob Butera (UNCA), Maria A. Liston (University of Waterloo, Ontario), Dave Blome (Stanford University), Kathryne Milne (Wofford College). Respondent: Peter Krentz (Davidson College).
- 2015 “The Camps of Brutus and Cassius: Reconstructing the Battle of Philippi,” The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (Invited Lecture, sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America)
- 2015 “‘The Many Things Fit to be Seen:’ Architecture and Naval Representation in Classical Athens,” Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island (Invited Lecture, panel entitled The Art of War)
- 2015 “The Camps of Brutus and Cassius: Reconstructing the Battle of Philippi,” Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts (Invited Lecture)
- 2015 “Thucydides, Topography, and the Battle of Amphipolis,” Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina (Invited Lecture)
- 2015 “The Site of the Battle of Philippi (42 BCE),” Poster Session, Joint Meetings of the AIA/APA, New Orleans, LA (co-presented with Matthew A. Sears)
- 2014 “Battlefield Topography, History, and Reconstruction; The Battle of Chaeronea,” Summer School Invited Lecture, American School of Classical Studies, Athens, Greece (co-presented with Matthew A. Sears)
- 2013 “Thucydides, Topography, and the Battle of Amphipolis,” Poster Session, Joint Meetings of the AIA/APA, Seattle, WA
- 2012 “Thucydides, Topography, and the Battle of Amphipolis,” New Faculty Lecture, University of North Carolina, Asheville, Asheville, NC
- 2011 “‘The Many Things Fit to be Seen:’ The Ship-Sheds, The Long Walls, and the Public Image of the 5th Century Athenian Navy,” Classical Association of Utah (Invited Lecture)
- 2009 “‘The Land of the Fine Triremes:’ Naval Identity and Polis ‘Imaginary’ in 5th Century Athens,” Graduate Student Symposium, “Martial Arts: Art, the Military, and State Power,” Graduate Program in Art and Architectural History, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
- 2008 “‘The Land of the Fine Triremes:’ Naval Identity and Polis ‘Imaginary’ in 5th Century Athens,” Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Miami: A Bicentennial Forum, Miami University, Oxford, OH
- 2008 “Representing the Fleet: Naval Imagery and Urban Identity in 5th Century Athens,” Duke University, Durham, NC
- 2008 “Representing the Fleet: Naval Imagery and Urban Identity in 5th Century Athens,” American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Athens, Greece
Kirk Boyle, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English
Office Hours
Monday – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Wednesday – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
By appointment
Fabrice Julien, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.A.
Assistant Professor of Health and Wellness
Office: 463 Sherrill Center
Phone: 250-2396
Email: fjulien@unca.edu
Office Hours
Monday 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm
Wednesday 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Friday By Appointment Only
Rob Shrode, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Office: 221 Zageir Hall
Phone: 825-6816
Email: rshrode@unca.edu
Kelly Biers, Ph.D.
Department Chair and Associate Professor of French
Office: 233 Whitesides Hall
Phone: 232-2440
Email: kbiers@unca.edu
Office Hours
Thursday 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Or by appointment
Suzanne Dittenber
Associate Professor of Art - Painting Concentration
Office: 212 Owen Hall
Phone: (828) 251-6875
Email: sdittenb@unca.edu
Peter Kusek
Lecturer of New Media
Office: 307 Owen Hall
Phone: (828) 350-4569
Email: pkusek@unca.edu
Office Hours
Tuesday 8:30 am – 10:00 am
Tuesday 5:15 pm – 7:10 pm
Thursday 8:30 am – 10:00 am
Thursday 5:15 pm – 7:10 am
Or by appointment
Melissa Mahoney, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Economics
Office: 157 Karpen Hall
Phone: 251-6672
Email: mmahoney@unca.edu
Laura Meadows, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Office: 303 Karpen Hall
Phone: 251-6615
Email: meadows@unca.edu
Office Hours:
Monday 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Wednesday 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Friday 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Tuesday 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Or by appointment.
Ted Meigs, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology
Office: 305 Zeis Hall
Phone: 232-5155
Email: tmeigs@unca.edu
Office Hours:
Monday 8:15 am – 9:50 am
Friday 8:15 am – 9:50 am
Sophie Mills, Ph.D.
Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Office: 122 Whitesides Hall
Email: smills@unca.edu
Office Hours:
Monday – 9:00 am – 9:30 am
Tuesday – 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Wednesday – 9:00 am – 9:30 am
Friday – 9:00 am – 9:30 am
Or by appointment.
Carolina Perez
Assistant Professor of Music
Office: 027 Lipinsky Hall
Phone: (828) 251-6456
Email: cperez4@unca.edu
Giovanny Pleites-Hernandez, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Political Science, Humanities 414 Coordinator
Office: 204 Zageir Hall
Phone: 251-6634
Email: gpleites@unca.edu
Farzana Rashid, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Office: Rhoades Robinson 224
Phone: 250-3918
Email: frashid@unca.edu
Michael Sarris
Lecturer of Computer Science
Office: 218 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Email: msarris@unca.edu
Office Hours:
Monday 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Please email for an appointment (msarris@unca.edu).
Yvonne Villanueva-Russell, Ph,D.
Provost & Executive VC for Academic Affairs
Yvonne Villanueva-Russell earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She joined the faculty at Texas A&M University-Commerce and eventually held administrative roles as department head, assistant dean of the Honors College, associate dean of the College of Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts, dean of University College and founding dean of the College of Innovation and Design. During her time at A&M-Commerce, she coordinated the first-year experience and core curriculum, developed online new programs and initiatives, for adult learners, and served as PI for grants totaling $2.6 million.
Dr. Villanueva-Russell joined the University of North Carolina Asheville as the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in July 2024.
