| Date: |
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August 31, 2012 |
| Contact: |
|
Bonnie Hughes, Communications Officer, 509-865-8588 or hughes_b@heritage.edu |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Record growth for new faculty and administrators at Heritage
Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University topped its previous record-breaking additions of faculty and top administrators this fall with the addition of 16 new full-time members of the academic community.
The new faculty included nine who have completed their doctoral studies and two Heritage University alumni. The sixteen are:
Dr. Curt Guaglianone, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, joined Heritage the beginning of July after spending 19 years in the California State University system. Prior to his appointment at Heritage, Dr. Guaglianone was a member of the Provost Office at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB). He was first an associate professor at CSU Stanislaus, became professor and associate dean at Fresno State, and then was hired as Dean of the School of Education at CSUB. All three campuses are federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institutions in California.
Sarah Augustine joins Heritage as an assistant professor of sociology. She earned a Master of Arts in Whole Systems Design, specializing in group conflict transformation, from Antioch University. In 2004 she co-founded the Suriname Indigenous Health Fund, an international organization that focuses on advocating for the tribal people of this third-world country.
Dr. Jessica Black, assistant professor of environmental sciences, holds a Ph.D. in geological sciences from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. Before joining Heritage, she was an adjunct professor and postdoctoral researcher for the University of Southern Florida in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Dr. Linda Dale, director of the physician assistant program and associate professor of science, joined Heritage University following lengthy careers as a practicing physician assistant and in higher education. She has a doctorate degree in health education from A.T. Still University and graduated from the University of Washington MEDEX Northwest Physician Assistant Training Program. She managed that same program for 10 years and joined the faculty at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in 2009.
Dr. Troy Kammerdiener, associate professor of applied computer science, comes to Heritage with 20 years of experience teaching in higher education. He has taught all levels of computer programing and has a special interest in Internet software development and systems management, systems administration and networking. Dr. Kammerdiener holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Tulane University.
Netty Hull, assistant professor of education, joins Heritage following a 22 year career working in K-12 education, including 10 years in educational administration. Most recently she served as the principal at Barge-Lincoln Elementary in the Yakima School District. She is a Heritage alumnus having earned a B.A. in Elementary Education in 1997 and a M.Ed. in Professional Development and Administration in 2000.
Dr. Michelle Jacob, faculty fellow in sociology and director of the Center for Native American Health and Culture, has a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has taught at the college level since 2003 and is a well-published researcher in the areas of health, culture and social justice for Native American people.
Elaine Lopez joins Heritage as a full-time nursing instructor. Her background includes experience working in nursing for hospice, outpatient community mental health and inpatient hospitals. She has worked with patients from youth to older adults and taught nursing skills classes part time at Heritage.
Kristen Maxwell, assistant professor of mathematics, has 20 years of experience teaching math education, both at the K-12 and college levels. She has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and completed the course work for the doctorate program at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Dr. Joanie Monroy, associate professor of bilingual education, completed her doctorate in educational leadership at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has twenty years of experience as an educator and administrator working in K-12 districts with high populations of English language learners.
Dr. Nina Oman, director of institutional research, comes to Heritage with extensive experience in research for government agencies and higher education. Prior to joining Heritage she was a senior research analyst and project manager for the Washington State Legislature, where she worked with the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee and the Higher Education Coordinating Board in Olympia. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and a Ph.D. in education, both from the University of Washington.
Dr. Michael Parra, assistant professor of biochemistry, holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Washington State University. He is molecular and cellular biologist with expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, cell biology and microbiology.
Amber Richards, pre-college English instructor, earned both her B.A. and M.A in English from Heritage and has been teaching courses at the university since 2009. She was a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow and has presented her work at several academic conferences.
Kathleen Smith, clinical laboratory sciences instructor and Tri-Cities site coordinator, comes to Heritage with nearly 30 years of experience working in a clinical lab setting. Most recently she served as the laboratory supervisor at Pathology Associates Medical Laboratory in Grandview, WA.
Oscar Verduzco, Financial Aid director, joins heritage following six years of service in the financial aid department at Washington State University. He is a member of several professional organizations dedicated to the field of college financial aid and serves as vice president of ethic awareness for the Washington Financial Aid Association Executive Committee.
Dr. Cheryl Young, associate professor of science, is a scientist with more than 10 years of experience working in a wide-variety of settings, including academia, government and private industry. She has a Ph.D. in Geology from University of Southern California.