CFIT Faculty

Kenneth Turley
Kenneth Turley, Ph.D., FACSM
Department Chair
About Kenneth Turley
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Turley is a fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine and is past president of the Central States Chapter. He previously was the chair of the department of exercise and sport sciences where he taught physiology of exercise and laboratory methods in exercise physiology and conducted research for 25 years. Turley’s research has focused on the systemic control of blood pressure during exercise in both the pediatric and adult populations. He has published 24 peer-reviewed articles, including three invited reviews, and has presented at regional and national conferences. Turley earned his doctoral degree in exercise physiology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1995. He received his master’s degree from Harding in 1990 and his bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University in 1986.
Tristan Pendergrass
Tristan Pendergrass, MS, MBA, FHRS, CCDS, CEPS, CDRMS
Assistant Professor
About Tristan Pendergrass
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Tristan Pendergrass is a fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society and is certified by the International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners as a Certified Cardiac Device Specialist, Certified Electrophysiology Specialist and Certified Remote Monitoring Specialist. He has nine years of experience working in the cardiac device technology industry and five years of experience teaching at the Arrhythmia Technologies Institute in Greenville, South Carolina.

Pendergrass earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of South Carolina in 2022. He received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Louisiana Tech University. He also completed Arrhythmia Technologies Institute’s certificate program in cardiac devices in 2007.

Todd Watson
Todd Watson, MS
Assistant Professor
About Todd Watson
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Todd Watson has over 19 years of experience working in the cardiac device technology industry. He was previously working as a principal sales representative and clinical specialist for Medtronic, plc. Todd also served on the Mountain West Region Leadership Council during his last 2 years at Medtronic. Prior to working in the cardiac industry, Todd taught Anatomy and Physiology at Harding University.

Watson earned his Master of Science from Missouri State University in 2001. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Harding University. He also completed Arrhythmia Technologies Institute’s certificate program in cardiac devices in 2004.

John R. Hunter
John R. Hunter, M.S., BME
Field Clinical Research Director
Adjunct Instructor
About John R. Hunter
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John Hunter has over 25 years of experience working in the cardiac electrophysiology and cardiac implantable electronic device industry. He became a Certified Cardiac Device Specialist in 2007 by the International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners. Hunter has held various field positions of increasing responsibility from multiple cardiac device industry manufacturers. He currently holds the position of global director of Field Clinical Research and Medical Science for Cardiac Rhythm Management at Medtronic, PLC. Hunter earned a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University in 1999 and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Harding University in 1994.

Susan Bartelt
Susan Bartelt, MS Biomedical Engineering, MS Physiology, MBA
Adjunct Instructor

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