Comings and Goings
The university welcomes Dana Bates as an assistant professor of athletic training and as clinical coordinator of the athletic training education program. For the past year she was an instructor and assistant athletic trainer at Whitworth University. Prior to that, she was the clinical coordinator and assistant athletic trainer at the University of Texas at Austin (2011), director of the athletic training education program at Nebraska Wesleyan University (2007-10), and the head athletic trainer at Nebraska Wesleyan (2006-07). Dana also gained athletic training experience at Western Oregon University (2002-04) and in Europe for a Vienna, Austria, football team in the early 2000s. She is completing her doctorate in educational studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and holds a master’s degree in health and human performance from Oregon State University (2001). Dana lives in Carlton with husband John and their two children, Ryan and Alexandra.
Doug Beatty joined enrollment and marketing as director of analytics in August. For the past two and a half years he’s worked as a lead analyst at the Portland offices of the international company Dow AgroSciences (the agricultural subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company), where he made critical contributions to research and development experiments with software development and data analysis. Before that, he worked for nearly two years as a bioinformatics research scientist for Exelixis Plant Sciences, a company focused on discovery-phase cancer pharmaceuticals later acquired by Dow AgroSciences. He also picked up experience working in the data center at Providence Health Systems post-graduation (2006-08). He has interest and expertise in track and field, and has consistently coached the best jumpers in the conference, serving as an assistant track coach at George Fox since 2006. Doug earned bachelor’s degrees in computer science (2004) and mathematics (2005) from George Fox. He lives in Newberg and attends Newberg Friends Church.
The nursing department hired Lisa Bingham as an assistant professor of nursing. For the past year, she has worked as an adjunct clinical instructor at George Fox while also serving as an adjunct professor in the nursing department’s health assessment course. Also, since 2004, she has worked as a staff nurse for home health care for Providence Health and Services in Newberg. Before that, she spent five years as a medical-surgical registered nurse at Providence. Lisa earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Oregon Health and Science University in LaGrande, Ore., in 1997, and recently completed a masters in nursing through Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. (2012). She has worked in the nursing profession since 1997. Lisa lives in Newberg with husband Aaron and children Abigail (10), Jacob (9) and Elijah (6). The family attends Trinity Presbyterian Church in Newberg.
Valeri Bobzien joins the Department of Nursing this fall as a clinical coordinator in the program. She will be combining her past employment experience of working as a childbirth educator in area hospitals and as an American Red Cross health and safety instructor with her more recent experience as an administrative assistant at an architecture and design firm in Portland. She lives in Hillsboro with her husband and son and attends St. Peters Lutheran Church, where she volunteers as the church librarian and Sunday school teacher.
Randy Dalzell joins the university as an assistant professor of health and human performance, head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach. For the past seven years he’s served as head track and cross country coach at Concordia University in Portland, where he led the 2011 women’s track team to a national championship at the NAIA level. He was subsequently named the 2011 NAIA Women’s Track and Field National Coach of the Year. In 2001, he won a national men’s cross country title at Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho. He’s also taught at several high schools in the region, including Centennial (2008-09), Milwaukie (2005-06) and Bend (2002-05). Randy earned a master’s degree in education from Linfield in 1995 and is currently pursuing a doctorate. He lives in Damascus, Ore., with his wife Charlene and their three children: Allison (16), D.J. (14) and Matthew (12). The Dalzells attend the Abundant Life Church in Happy Valley, Ore.
Michele Eave joins the Graduate Department of Counseling to work as an assistant professor of counseling on a one-year contract. She has been an assistant professor in Corban University’s counseling program for the past year while concurrently serving as the clinical director of the Salem Free Clinics/Corban University Mental Health Clinic. Before that, she was the clinical director for the SouthLake Christian Counseling organization, based in Wilsonville, Ore., for three years. She also has teaching experience as an adjunct instructor at both Lewis & Clark College (2008-11) and George Fox (2007-11). Michele earned a PhD in counseling from Oregon State University in 2011 and holds a master’s degree in counseling from George Fox (2006). She lives in Wilsonville with husband Scott and their two teenage boys, Nathan and Dominic, and attends SouthLake Foursquare Church.
After serving in the university’s plant services office from 2005-08, Vickie Eggert has returned to campus to work as a full-time custodian. She performed administrative assistant duties her first go-around at the university, and she gained secretarial experience as a maintenance office secretary for Precision Helicopters in 2004-05. She also worked at George Fox as a catering manager for Marriott Food Service on campus from 1990 to 1999. She recently moved back to Newberg with her husband Vern after living in Henderson, Nev., the last four years. She has two children, Jenna and Luke, and four stepchildren: Autumn, Krissa, Aaron and Rachel. The family attends Second Street Community Church.
After serving as an adjunct in the School of Business since 2010, Bob Ellis joins the university as an instructor of business on a one-year basis. Prior to his teaching tenure, he worked as a senior account executive in Portland for Hartford Life from 1998 to 2009. He worked in the insurance industry for 33 years, for companies that included Northwestern Mutual, Standard Insurance (as a company officer), Connecticut Mutual and Hartford Life. Bob earned both a bachelor’s degree in English (1970) and a master’s degree in teaching (1971) from the University of Pittsburgh, for whom he played football and was a team captain. He lives in Sherwood and has been married to Sue for 42 years. The couple has two children: Jen, a doctor in Nashville, Tenn., and Jamie, a business owner in Tualatin. Both daughters are married and each has two children.
George Fox alumna Stephanie Fisher joins the nursing department this fall to serve as an assistant professor of nursing. For the past three and a half years she has worked as an advanced registered nurse practitioner for the Steck Medical Clinic in Chehalis, Wash. Prior to that, she volunteered in hospital settings and was employed as a central supply technician at Providence Medical Center in Newberg in 2005-06. Stephanie earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree with the family nurse practitioner specialty from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in 2008 and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from George Fox (2006). She recently moved back to Newberg and is currently looking for a church home in the area.
Kathie Hummel-Berry joins the Doctor of Physical Therapy program this fall to serve as director of curriculum and faculty development and as a professor of physical therapy. She has extensive experience in the field, both as a practitioner and educator. For the past three years, Kathie was a contracted physical therapist for Therapists Unlimited, working in mostly rural home health settings all over western Washington. And, for 27 years, she taught the discipline at the University of Puget Sound, directing that school’s physical therapy program from 1995 to 2009. Kathie holds three degrees from the University of Washington: a PhD in epidemiology (2001), an MEd in higher education (1978) and a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy (1975). She lives in Tacoma, Wash., with her small dog Elphie and enjoys spending time with her two grown children: Allison, a medical student at Johns Hopkins University, and David, a Seattle firefighter. Kathie will be on campus two or three days per week.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program welcomes Andy Meszaros as an associate professor of physical therapy this fall. He has been a licensed physical therapist for more than 20 years, having worked in a variety of clinical settings. At the University of Iowa, he completed a PhD (1998) and NIH post-doctoral fellowship (1999) in the College of Medicine’s Injury Prevention Research Center. Andy comes to George Fox from the University of Toledo Department of Neuroscience, where he taught DPT, PhD and MD student courses in gross anatomy, neuroscience, neuro-rehabilitation and biomechanics. He is a Fulbright Scholar and recipient of several awards for excellence in teaching and professional service. He has served as manuscript reviewer for publications such as Journal of Applied Physiology, Journal of Neurophysiology, and Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. He will not be moving to the area, but will instead teach hybrid courses online and make the trip to Newberg three or four times per year. Andy serves on the local parochial school board as well as the citizen’s patrol squad. Outdoor activities, music, art and prayer are integral to the Meszaros family’s culture (wife Susan, 9-year-old Dominic and 7-year-old Magdalena). All are involved with providing care to his elderly parents.
Joel Moore has joined the university as a graduate admissions counselor for the Graduate Department of Counseling. He most recently worked in the admissions office at Oregon Tech, where he was the campus visits and programs coordinator since January of 2012 and, before that, an admissions counselor for a year and a half. His arrival at George Fox marks a return to his alma mater: He graduated from the university in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in writing/literature and international studies. Joel lives in Newberg with his wife, Meagan, also a 2009 George Fox grad. The couple is expecting their first child in January. Joel and Meagan are still seeking a church home after their recent return to the Portland metropolitan area.
The social work program welcomes Debra Penkin to work on a one-year contract as an assistant professor of social work. She has spent the past 10 years as an adjunct faculty member in the George Fox sociology and social work programs. Also, for two years, she worked as an adjunct faculty member in the social sciences and adult degree program at Warner Pacific College in Portland. Debra has also worked as an adjunct in Linfield College’s Division of Continuing Education (1998 to 2011) and as a part-time faculty member in the sociology program at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash., (2002-05). In all, she has more than 20 years of higher education teaching experience. Debra earned a master’s degree in social work from Boston University in 1990 and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from State University College at Fredonia (N.Y.) in 1985. She lives in Vancouver, Wash., with husband Bernie and their children, Rita and Michel, and attends All Saints Church.
The nursing department hired Cheryl Pippin as an assistant professor of nursing on a one-year contract. She has worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner for Integrative Pediatrics of Portland the past two years and, in 2010-11, was a nursing instructor at ITT Technical Institute of Portland. Previously, from 2000 to 2009, Cheryl worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner for Kaiser Permanente in Beaverton. In all, she has more than 30 years of experience in the nursing field. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing, with a nurse practitioner specialty, from UCLA (1997) and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from California State University-Long Beach (1989). She lives in Beaverton with her husband, Jim, and attends Solid Rock Church.
Josh Sauerwein joins the School of Business as an assistant professor of accounting this fall. For the past four years, he’s worked as an assistant professor of accounting at Bethel College in Indiana, teaching accounting, finance and business law courses. Previously, he taught as an affiliate faculty member at Colorado Christian University (2008) and worked as a staff accountant for a CPA firm in Fort Collins, Colo., (2007). Before that, he was an associate and executive pastor of a church in Windsor, Colo. Josh holds an MBA from Emporia State University (2001) and is in the process of earning a doctorate of business administration through Anderson University. He lives in Newberg with his wife, Michelle, and their three children: Kai, Isaac and Maycen.
Carol Sherwood returns to the nursing department as an assistant professor of nursing on a one-year contract, teaching half time. She taught previously at George Fox for two years before retiring in 2008 and teaching on an adjunct basis. In the 12 years before coming to George Fox, she was a clinical and classroom instructor in McClennan Community College’s (Waco, Texas) nursing program, specializing in psychiatric and neurology courses. She also taught nursing as an assistant professor at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, N.Y., (1996-2000), and held the same title at Simmons College of Boston (1991-96). She has worked as a nurse or nursing instructor since 1975. Carol earned a post-masters degree in 2000 through the University of Rochester, an MSN from the University of Texas at Austin (1978), and a BSN from Villanova University (1975). She lives in Newberg with husband David, who also taught at George Fox. They have two sons: Steve, a religious studies professor at George Fox, and Jonathan, who lives in the Boston area and is a national AIDS housing consultant.
The School of Business welcomes Bill Stevens for a one-year teaching tenure as an instructor of finance. A graduate of both Harvard and Stanford, Bill has, since 2008, worked as an investor and LLC manager for the Angel Oregon Fund. Before that, he spent nine years working as a senior strategic investments manager for Intel Capital of Hillsboro. In addition, he has worked the past two years as an adjunct instructor of business courses at Portland Community College and Marylhurst University. He also has taught on an adjunct basis at Concordia University in Portland since 2008. He earned an MBA from Harvard and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Princeton and Stanford, respectively. He lives in Portland with his wife Carolyn. He has two children, Elizabeth and William, Jr., and William Jr. is a George Fox MBA graduate. Bill attends Trinity Episcopal Church in Portland.
Plant Services hired Caleb Wirth to serve as a full-time custodian beginning the first week of August. He has worked the last seven summers doing residential painting jobs, the last few years of which he did while enrolled at George Fox. He’s also enjoyed volunteering as a camp counselor for people with special needs during two summers. Caleb earned a bachelor’s degree in music from George Fox in 2012. He lives in Newberg with his wife, Debra.
Melanie Newell (Center for Peace and Justice/Center for Global Studies) has accepted a position as a student coach for InsideTrack in downtown Portland. Her last full day at George Fox will be Thursday, Sept. 13.
Martha Wood and Becky Weber (Residence Life) left the university at the end of July. Becky got married and has moved to the Kansas City, Mo., area. Martha left to continue graduate studies at Seattle School of Theology and Philosophy.
Tony Pruitt (IT) left George Fox in early August and has accepted a position at Oregon Health and Science University.