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.

Prior to teaching at PUC, Dr. James Cephas worked within the California state prison system as a clinical psychologist, working directly with the inmate population at a maximum-security prison. He also worked for the Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center as a therapist in the outpatient program, as well as an adjunct professor of psychology at Argosy University for their graduate program. Dr. Cephas has over 20 years of diverse experience in the field. His counseling and advocacy experience includes children, adolescents, and adults, working in special education, probation, detention, psychiatric hospitals, community clinics, and homeless populations. He is also very interested in the multicultural aspects of social and psychological development, and in issues of social justice.

Dr. Cephas received his bachelor’s in human services from California State University, Fullerton, in 2003; his master’s in clinical psychology from Alliant International University in 2010; and his clinical psychology doctorate degree with an emphasis in multicultural communities at Alliant University in 2012.

Samuel likes to play Scrabble, Boggle, table tennis, take nature walks, collect stamps and postcards, and plan study tours.

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.

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.

Kent A. Davis , Ph.D., associate professor, specializes in physical chemistry and surface science. He has taught at PUC since 2003 and has also been a visiting professor at Texas State University-San Marcos and an adjunct professor at Trinity College. He enjoys reading, jazz, listening to classical music, and much more.

Tim de la Torre, Resident Artist for 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.

Hobbies: enjoy listening to classical music, reading, travel and swimming.