BSHS Faculty & Staff
Chair—Health Sciences Department
Faculty & Staff
Dr. Beltran is a scholar and practician in the field of Health Sciences. He completed his Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, but his work experience extends beyond academia. He completed his post-doctoral training at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Division of Adolescent and School Health and in the Division of STD Prevention. He also served three years as the deputy director of a binational, non-profit,community-based organization that provided healthcare to underserved populations. Dr. Beltran’s research and practice focuses on HIV/STI prevention, substance use/abuse, Hispanic/LatinX health disparities, and behavioral health. At Butler University, he engages in teaching, research, and service around these topics.
Dr. Susanna F. Scott is an assistant professor of health sciences in the Department of Health Sciences at Butler University. Her research focuses on narrative approaches to reproductive health. She teaches health communication and first-year seminar (medical humanities) and advises the healthcare and business club.
Prior to earning her graduate degrees, Susanna worked for IU School of Medicine. She earned her BA from Butler University, her MPA from Indiana University, and a PhD from Indiana University. Her work has been published in the Journal of Applied Communication Research, Breastfeeding Medicine, and Health Communication.
Key Publications
Scott, S. F., Johnson, N. L., Brann, M., Bute, J. J. (2022). ‘Had I gone into the office, they would have caught it a little bit sooner’: Narrative problematics in US pandemic birth stories. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 50(6), 711-729
Scott, S. F., Johnson, N. L., Kruer, K., Zimet, G. D., Head, K. J. (2021). Communicating positive HPV test results: A directed content analysis of women’s preferences using self-determination theory. Iowa Journal of Communication, 53(1).
Johnson, N. L., Scott, S. F., Brann, M. (2020). "Our birth experiences are what binds us": Women’s motivations for storytelling about birth to build Motherwisdom. Communication Studies, 71(4), 649-668.
Shere, H., Weijer, L., Dashnow, H., Moreno, L. E., Scott, S.F., & Baker, H. Chronic lactation insufficiency is a public health issue. Breastfeeding Medicine, 16(12), 933-934.
Heidi Hancher-Rauch, PhD, MHES® has been a university faculty member and researcher for 20 years. She has taught at Purdue University and spent 17 years at the University of Indianapolis where she was a professor and director of the Public Health Program. She recently joined the faculty at Butler University as a professor of health sciences where she teaches public health and health science courses. She has practiced in the field for approximately 25 years, including work in the areas of community disease prevention and worksite health. Her areas of expertise include health policy and advocacy, program evaluation, and evidence-based health promotion. Health advocacy has always been her main passion, with the majority of her publications and professional presentations on the topic. Dr. Hancher-Rauch has provided professional service to Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) as the Board Trustee for Advocacy & Resolutions, a long-term member of the Advocacy Committee, and now as the president-elect to the Board of Trustees. Additionally, she has been the SOPHE delegate to the Coalition of National Health Education Organizations where she served as the coordinator for three years, is a member of the Top 10 Coalition Steering Committee, and previously served as the director of Indiana SOPHE Advocacy for two terms. She engages with community organizations such as the Indiana Minority Health Coalition as an outside evaluator and uses her advocacy skills to promote health equity and social justice every chance provided.
Dr. Williams is a nationally certified and state licensed athletic trainer. He has practiced in clinical settings including outpatient physical medicine/rehabilitation, as well as sports medicine departments in the NCAA Division III and NAIA settings. Dr. Williams recently served as an invited member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Access Task Force and formerly as the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association (GLATA) Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair. As an active teacher-scholar, he has been involved in numerous research investigations that have been published in refereed journals and presented at regional and national conferences. Dr. Williams’ research is predominantly aimed at examining prevention and treatment strategies for musculoskeletal conditions in the upper extremities and spines of overhead athletes. Williams has also served as an Associate Editor for the peer-reviewed publication, Athletic Training and Sports Health Care. Originally from the south suburbs of Chicago, he earned an undergraduate degree in athletic training from Olivet Nazarene University, and masters and doctoral degrees from Illinois State University. At Butler University, Dr. Williams teaches a variety of health science and kinesiology-related coursework. He aims to challenge and support students to ignite their development. As an educator, his goal is to be good company on his students’ journeys toward their personal- and professional aspirations.