Comings and Goings
Donna Barber joined the university as interim director of intercultural life last week. She has worked since May as the Act Six Academy community coach at Warner Pacific College, where she helped facilitate retreats, led weekly training sessions with the Portland Leadership Foundation program and mentored Act Six scholars. Prior to that, she worked for a year and a half as the Cleveland city coach with the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative, coordinating weekend trainings and managing on-site logistics for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based organization that specializes in urban leadership development and youth ministry. Donna has also worked, since 2005, as a self-employed trainer, coach and event planner for urban youth and urban youth program leaders, as executive director of Community Fellowship’s Youth Development Group through FCS Urban Ministries, and as worship leader for the Community Life Church in Atlanta. She holds a master’s degree in education from Georgia State University (2005) and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Temple University (1985). Donna lives in Portland with her husband Leroy, and together they have five children.
Alumnus Joel Bock joined George Fox this week as university photographer in the marketing communications department. Many in the community know Joel from his work at the Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends, where he served as director of communications the past four years. He’s also run his own business, Joel Bock Photography, since 2007, and he’s done photo shoots for the George Fox Journal publication. Prior to his return to Oregon in 2009, he worked as staff photographer for Princeton Theological Seminary in 2008-09. Joel holds a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from George Fox (2007). He lives in Newberg with his wife Cherice, who attended George Fox in the early 2000s, and children Espen (7) and Kylan (3). The Bocks attend North Valley Friends Church.
The university hired Elise Gibson last week to serve as a career coach in the IDEA Center. Most recently, she worked as a career counselor graduate assistant at Azusa Pacific University (2013-14) and before that served as a prevention education specialist and program director at California State University, Northridge (2012-13). She also gained higher education experience at Azusa Pacific as an event coordinator graduate assistant in 2013. Elise earned a master’s degree in college counseling and student development from Azusa Pacific in 2014 and also holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Cal State, Northridge (2012). She lives in McMinnville with her husband, Seth, and their three children: David, Grace and Fiona.
Emily Maynard (Portland Center Operations Manager) left the university on Oct. 24. She is relocating to Southern California and getting married in November. She says she enjoyed her time at George Fox and hopes to continue to work in higher education.
Marlee Zakrevsky (Print Services Coordinator) is leaving the university and plans to complete her student teaching and the MAT program.