Vola Andrianarijaona, Ph.D., specializes in lasers, solid state physics, and AMO physics. He has been an "Assistant d'encadrement" (assistant teacher) at the Universite catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, a " Wissenschaftlicher" (scientist) at the Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany, and a research associate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Outside of work, he also enjoys playing with his children.

Libna Arroyo grew up as the daughter of a missionary pastor and a teacher. She lived in several countries in Central America, Canada, and several states of the United States of America. Libna graduated from Southern Adventist University with a BA in Psychology, a Minor in Spanish, and a Masters in School counseling. For the last 14 years, Libna has worked in all areas of education and counseling, across 7 states, as counselor in elementary, middle/high school, alternative and adult education, mental health centers and taught college in Denver, Colorado.

She is interested in pursuing a PH. D in either counselor education, developmental or cognitive psychology.

Libna has a passion for research in psychology and some of her research interests include: the correlation between child

development and technology, academic achievement among minority students in the USA, the correlation between childhood trauma, fear development and resiliency.

She is married to Jonathan, a hospital and Air Force chaplain and they have two children, Nolan, and Katherine, and live in Angwin.

Rachelle Berthelsen-Davis, D.M.A., specializes in violin performance and violin pedagogy. She has taught at Columbia Union College; been the assistant director and concertmaster of the New England Symphonic Ensemble and assistant director of the New England Youth Ensemble; directed a middle school orchestra program; toured Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, China, Southeast Asia, the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean as a soloist and orchestral and chamber musician; and continues to participate in local chamber music and solo recitals. She is currently fascinated with alternative musical styles (non-classical music) and how to translate them to violin. She enjoys jamming with any group of instruments, reading, having interesting, meaningful conversations, and raising two young boys.

Katrina Blue specializes in teaching theology and Christian spirituality. Her Ph.D. dissertation is on “Union with Christ in the Writings of Ellen G. White.” She has presented papers at the Ellen G. White Symposium on the Holy Flesh Movement, and has published articles in the Ellen White Symposium Journal, a series on Paul in Galatians for the Compass Magazine, as well as Spectrum magazine. She is a member of the American Academy of Religion, the Adventist Society for Religious Studies, and the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality. She has worked as a teaching assistant at Fuller Theological Seminary, a hospital chaplain, associate pastor (intern), and as an adjunct professor at Andrews University in the undergrad Religion Department as well as in the Theological Seminary. She is married to David, an anesthesiologist.

Susan Bussell, professor of nursing, started teaching full-time at PUC in 2005 after teaching clinicals as an adjunct professor at Kaiser Vallejo in 2003. With a CNE, she taught pharmacology, pathophysiology, and multiple medical/surgical classes. Between 2014 and 2020, she was the AS program director. Susan was honored to be awarded Educator of the Year in the 2022-23 school year.

She graduated from LLUSN in 1993 with a BSN and received her MSN and acute care nurse practitioner from USCF in 1999. In 2013, she graduated from LLUSN with her DNP. Susan met her husband Ty at PUC, and they have been married for almost 30 years. Napa Valley has been home for 31 years with their four children, including her daughter-in-law. She loves baking, providing food for groups, traveling, and being with her family and dogs. Susan enjoys crafts, sewing, and everything Christmas.

Dr. Butterfield is the Clark Professor of Conservation Technology at Pacific Union College. Dr. Butterfield developed and has taught all of the classes that are part of the BS in Conservation Technology degree program since 2021, and teaches a College Early course in Conservation Technology that is offered to high school students. Dr. Butterfield is also the Lead Scientist for the Land Program at The Nature Conservancy in California, where he has worked since 2006. Dr. Butterfield holds a Ph.D. in Plant Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior from Michigan State University where he studied the application of conservation technologies to rangeland management and monitoring, and also their effect on and usage by the California rancher and range management community. When not working and spending time with his family, Dr. Butterfield enjoys playing tennis, traveling the world, and listening to music.

As a professor of art history, Jon Carstens brings a breadth of knowledge of the humanities and a passion for art history, with a concentration in American art of the nineteenth century and the work of Winslow Homer in particular. He believes that “looking is not as easy as it looks," and in his courses he employs the visual image as a document to reveal how art and architecture reveal the cultural and historical milieu in which it was created.

Carstens rejoins the college faculty after previously teaching at PUC for 25 years. He lives in Angwin with his wife Claudia. In his free time, he enjoys auto racing, interior and landscape design, and travel.

Keunsang "Chris" Cho began teaching at PUC in 2019. He had previously worked as a flight instructor at Napa Jet Center. He really enjoys teaching students to fly not only in the air but also throughout the whole process towards each student's goal.

Tony Chung, adjunct nursing professor and clinical instructor at Piner’s Nursing Home in Napa, California, joined PUC in 2021. He has a background in geriatric care, and his transition from bedside nurse to educator allows his nursing students to apply their learned concepts to a clinical setting under experienced guidance. He wants to ensure each student nurse has an equal opportunity to deliver care, safety, and comfort to their patients with confidence.

Amy Cronk, MAAT, spent the last two years in the heart of downtown Chicago studying to receive her master's in Art Therapy from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. While interning, she had the privilege of working with a variety of populations including children with autism, older adults with Alzheimer's Disease and dementia, ex-prison offenders and women receiving treatment for cancer. Before moving to Chicago, she received her BFA from La Sierra University where she emphasized her art practice in oil painting on wood, incorporating three dimensional elements, as well as welding metal sculptures. When she's not in the studio, she enjoys yoga, reading, and playing with her pets.

Tim de la Torre, Assistant Professor of Film & Television, has partnered with his wife, Jaymie, to run a boutique media production company since 2009. With a particular passion for non-fiction storytelling, Tim has produced TV shows for Hope Channel, documentaries, and various projects for many corporate clients. His favorite parts of his work are to have his subjects trust him to tell their stories, and opportunities to travel the world. He is excited to mentor his students and challenge them to take their projects to the next level.

Jaymie de la Torre is a fine artist with a passion for texture and found objects. Focusing her artistic practice on sculpture and ceramics, her work reflects both the natural world and landscapes we find within our own mind and heart. She encourages students to explore the ways art-making teaches us about the deeper themes of life. Jaymie brings to her artwork and teaching a broad range of experiences including working with diverse groups in the inner-city, disaster relief and documentary film production. She loves experiencing different cultures and natural wonder across the globe.

Originally graduating from Atlantic Union College with her AS and BS degrees she has been a nurse for 22 years. Kimberly has worked in a variety of Critical Care nursing areas, specializing in Adult, Surgical, Medical, Oncology, Thoracic, Neurology and Cardiac Surgeries. In addition to holding academic teaching positions, both in the classroom and in clinical instruction, she previously taught at her alma-mater, Atlantic Union College as an Associate Professor of Nursing. She has taught in both pre-licensure medical-surgical nursing, nursing research and RN-BS courses in Informatics and Nursing Leadership as well as master's level nursing education and leadership courses. Her doctoral research and publications focus on, "The Empowerment of Nursing Faculty, development, and Orientation." Her core values focus on student outcomes and retention and academic and clinical faculty satisfaction and development.

In addition to her work in academics, Kimberly is a SIGMA Advisor and author for new nursing educators and has served in accreditation roles.

Most recently, Kimberly comes to us from the Fortis Institute in Nashville, Tennessee, where she was the dean of nursing, and provided leadership in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of the nursing program under the president of the college and national VP of Nursing at Education Affiliates.

I come to PUC with 13 years of experience in medical/surgical nursing and two years experience teaching nursing part time. I am happy to return to PUC in this new role, having attended PUC as a student and lived in Angwin as a staff spouse. In my leisure time, I enjoy gardening, cooking, hiking, backpacking, reading, and needle arts. My favorite place to be is outside.

Jennie Furness is the Credential Analyst in the Education Department. As a Credential Analyst, she guides education students through their years at PUC and assists them with obtaining a teaching credential when they graduate. Jennie and her family moved to Pacific Union College in 2023 when her husband, Nate Furness, was hired as the Lead Pastor of the PUC Church. Pastor Nate and Jennie have two sons, Alexander, 14, and Andersen, 12. They love living in Angwin and their involvement in the community. Jennie was previously a teaching principal and has years of teaching experience in Adventist schools. She is passionate about education and helping students succeed. To Jennie, "The best thing about PUC is all the amazing people that have become our friends and part of our extended family!"

Linda Gill specializes in Victorian England, development of the novel, literary theory and dramatic performance. Gill has written articles for Dickens World, The Journal of Popular culture and Victorian Institute. She has also presented papers on Victorian authors such as Bronte, Dickens and Kipling, in addition to papers on the Harry Potter novels at Popular Culture conferences. She is particularly interested in investigating identity construction, meaning making and power in narratives. In addition to teaching courses in Romantic and Victorian literature, Gill teaches courses in Acting and performs regularly in DAS productions.

Floyd E. Hayes, Ph.D., professor, is a zoologist specializing in the ecology, behavior and biogeography of birds. While an undergraduate student, Dr. Hayes took off a year to teach in an elementary school on the island of Kosrae in Micronesia. He worked for three years as a vertebrate biologist for the US Peace Corps, based in the National Museum of Natural History of Paraguay. He also taught biology for nine years at Caribbean Union College (now University of the Southern Caribbean) and the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, and spent a year working as a wildlife biologist for the Division of Fish and Wildlife in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Dr. Hayes was editor in chief of Journal of Caribbean Ornithology during 2005-2013 and was a Fulbright Scholar to Paraguay in 2012. He enjoys birding, rock climbing and snorkeling.

Michael Jefferson grew up the son of a minister and nurse in the town of Ojai, California. Upon graduating from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, he received his master's degree in counseling psychology from Bowie State University in Maryland. After working two years for Social Services in Loudoun County, Virginia, Michael started working on a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at The Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He completed his internship in Washington, D.C., with Shambu N. Banik and Associates, former chair of the Presidents Counsel on Mental Retardation. Michael is currently completing his dissertation on the experience of interpersonal intimacy by the adult children of ministers. He teaches for both the psychology and social work department and ECE program at PUC. His mental health interest and training are in ADHD, depression, and men's issues. Michael and his wife, Kathy, have two boys, Christopher and Nicholas, and live in Angwin.

Jeff Joiner has worked in healthcare as an RN since 1980. He has served as staff nurse, department manager, nursing supervisor, and hospital vice-president. He obtained his MSN as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Critical Care/Trauma. Jeff holds national certifications in Emergency Nursing and as a Wilderness EMT. He has been active in Emergency Management and Disaster Response at the local, state, national and international levels since 2001. He has over 10 years of experience in higher education teaching Nursing and Emergency Management. He has served as a content expert and lecturer in Disaster Response and Emergency Management. Jeff has been married to his wife Judy for over 30 years. They have two grown daughters and two grandsons. Jeff enjoys reading, scuba diving and international travel.

Young-Chun Kim specializes in soteriology (the study of religious doctrines of salvation), Karl Barth and Martin Luther. He has worked as a teaching assistant, lecturer, consultant, and instructor-in-training at Fuller Theological Seminary and has taught English at the SDA Language Institute in Seoul, Korea. Kim has played the violin for over 30 years and enjoys drawing, traveling and learning new languages. The example of his family serves as a constant inspiration in his life.

Brian Kyle is a multi-disciplinary artist with a background in photography, graphic design, illustration, and printmaking. Brian holds undergraduate degrees in Photography and Graphic Design from Pacific Union College, and an MFA in Photography from the Academy of Art University. Before coming to teach at Pacific Union College in 2011, Brian worked for 6 years as a graphic designer and illustrator in San Diego, California, working for such clients as Disney, Universal Studios, NBC, Urban Outfitters, and Nordstroms. Brian also enjoys mountain biking, cooking, playing music on a variety of instruments, and designing/building/fixing things.

Helene Linzau teaches fundamentals of nursing. She continues to work occasionally at the St. Helena Hospital. She enjoys shopping for her nieces, quilting, taking pictures, and, if she has time, scrap-booking and traveling.

Emily Logan specializes in creative writing with an emphasis on prose. She is particularly interested in short story, flash fiction, and personal essay forms. Her stories and essays appear in The Roadrunner Review, Reflex Fiction, Watershed Review, and elsewhere, and her work has received support from AWP's Writer to Writer Mentorship Program and the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. She teaches courses in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

After graduating from PUC with a B.S. in advertising design and one in studio art, Milbert Mariano acquired his M.F.A. from Academy of Art University in San Francisco. In summer 2019, he shifted into his new role as vice president for academic administration and academic dean. With four years as a student, nearly 25 years of teaching graphic design, and 12 of those as department chair, Mariano’s intimate knowledge of and love for the college goes back nearly three decades.

Taking a deep interest in every area of campus, Mariano has served on several student committees as advisor and sponsor, co-directed the annual Publications Workshop for high school students, and has been part of PUC’s Cultural Engagement Taskforce and Academic Standards & General Education, among others. Mariano’s overarching goal as an educator and an administrator is to provide spaces that spark creative learning, and to innovate curriculum that encourages collaboration between departments.

Tammy McGuire, Ph.D., professor, specializes in organizational communication. She taught English for many years at Sunnydale Academy (Missouri) and Upper Columbia Academy (Washington) and has written and presented extensively on communication topics, with several presentations at the National Communication Association Conventions. However, she is particularly proud of her communication research students winning numerous top paper awards themselves at these conventions. She loves mountain climbing, rock climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, bikepacking, and tennis.

Keith Neergaard, professor, has taught at PUC since 1988. His teaching specialization is in marketing, economics, and management; and his research specialty is consumer behavior and services marketing publications. Dr. Neergaard has worked as a consultant, worked in the health care field and the defense industry, and taught at the college/university level. He enjoys tennis, golf, scuba diving, and traveling, and is a ski patroller at Heavenly, spending about 30 days a year there.

Bryan D. Ness, Ph.D., professor, has been at PUC since 1989. His research interests include plant systematics and genetics. He advises in the areas of biology, natural science, veterinary medicine, medical radiography and occupational therapy.

Marie Pak, Ph.D., professor, began teaching at PUC in 1999. She specializes in biochemistry and spent six years as a postdoctoral research fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Maryland. Dr. Pak enjoys reading, going to state fairs, and watching movies.

Jenna Park grew up in the Bay Area most of her life and returns to PUC as a nurse educator. She has experience working in multiple skilled nursing rehabilitation facilities as a charge nurse as well as in acute care settings in mostly in the medical surgical unit. She is passionate about the geriatric population, specifically those diagnosed with dementia, and she hopes to continue on the research to further the community and fellow nurses’ knowledge about dementia. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, trying out new cuisine, and planning her next trip to Disneyland.

Laurie Parson, DNP, RN-BC, Associate Professor, has worked in healthcare for over 25 years starting as a certified nursing assistant. She has experience in medical/surgical acute care, long-term care, and nursing education. She holds ANCC Board Certification as a medical/surgical nurse and as a gerontological nurse and NLN Certification as a Certified Nurse Educator. Some of her favorite pastimes include, hiking, camping, reading, and traveling with family.

Bob Paulson, Ph.D., professor, began teaching at PUC in 1994. He works in areas of aquatics, recreational running, cross country, track and field, sport officiating, volleyball, basketball, first aid and injury prevention, technology and pedagogy, intramural recreation, and sport psychology. He has taught at the academy level, coached various teams, served as president of the Adventist Virtual Learning Network, and received NAIA California Pacific Conference Coach of the Year for Cross Country awards. He also does projects and presentations in his field and enjoys spending time with his family, recreational running, water sports, digital photography, home projects, and listening to music. Check out Coach Paulson's twitter page and his Doc Paulson website.

Jennifer Oliverio Peñaflorida is an assistant professor in the Department of Education and the Department of English. She is a teacher educator with a focus on literacy learning.

Dr. Peñaflorida is also a teacher consultant for the Northwest Arkansas Writing Project and a researcher for the National Writing Project. Peñaflorida’s research interests include writing process pedagogy, writing instruction and new teacher coaching. She has been published in the English Journal, Oklahoma English Journal and the International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies. She has presented in numerous national and state conferences.

Assistant Professor of Nursing Nicolette Piaubert loves God and lives to serve. Her commitment to service includes a career as a Family Nurse Practitioner, but Nicolette’s impact on her community is widespread. She has been active in serving underprivileged children as the founder and CEO of The Talented Tenth Highlanders Summer Camp, as well as helping others obtain their nursing degrees through her Gab-Nic Excelsior Nursing Tutoring Center, both in Brooklyn, New York.

Nicolette is a published author who is also dedicated to supporting marginalized people to find their voices and make them heard through self-publishing. Her first book, Becoming, was published in 2013 and How to Beat a Rigged School System: 13 Steps to 100% followed in 2020. She is currently working on her third book and maintains an active vlogging presence on Facebook and TikTok.

Nicolette received her BSN from Atlantic Union College and her MSN from Pace University, and her favorite text is Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Sandra Ringer, MSN, RN, known as Sandy to most, began her career as a Medical-Surgical nurse in Chattanooga, TN. Her clinical experience includes adult medical-surgical nursing, specializing in oncology, gastroenterology and community health. Sandy worked in home health as an IV nurse for 9 years before switching focus to community health. She worked as an RN and lead RN for a preventative medicine clinic in Pennsylvania. She then transitioned into the coordinator for employee wellness programs, working with a team of health professionals to develop employee wellness programs and health screenings for businesses in the greater Reading, Pennsylvania area. She also worked with a clinic that provided healthcare for patients without insurance at no cost. Her most recent clinical experience was with gastrointestinal patients on a medical-surgical unit.
When not working, Sandy loves to cook, travel, camp, watch HGTV and spend time with her husband, David, and their adult sons, Mark and Jonathan and daughter-in-law, Janelle.
Sandy's desire is to share her passion for the nursing profession and Jesus with her students.

Timothy Robertson specializes in data science and partial differential equations. His interests include applying machine learning algorithms to interesting datasets and mathematical models. In his spare time he enjoys sports, games, rock climbing and hiking.

Dr. Backil Sung has been at PUC since 2012. He has degrees in medicine (M.D.), physiology (M.S.), and medical biotechnology (Ph.D). He has authored or co-authored 39 scientific papers in neuroscience, mainly in the area of pain mechanisms. He has also authored two book chapters, and frequently goes on medical mission trips. He teaches Neurobiology, Microbiology, Medical Microbiology and Biological Foundations.