Samantha Adams joined the university this month as an administrative assistant in the recently launched Master of Social Work program. She had been involved in several volunteer efforts, including working with Doernbecher Children’s Hospital at Oregon Health & Science University, the Oregon Food Bank, and refugee services in Portland. She worked most recently as a barista at Starbucks in Hillsboro, Ore., and previously worked as an administrative intern with Intel in Hillsboro (2009-10). Samantha also gained administrative experience as a front desk coordinator for salons and spas both in Seattle and Portland (2007-2009). She was a professional pianist for several years and still enjoys creating music. She attended Seattle Pacific University and earned a psychology degree from Portland State University in 2010. She lives in Beaverton and attends Sunset, A Jesus Church in Hillsboro.
The university welcomes Belinda Creighton as an accounts payable specialist in the financial affairs office. For the past eight years she has served as the business manager for St. Peter Catholic Church in Newberg, handling bookkeeping, accounts receivable and payable, and monthly and annual finance reports. She also gained administrative and educational experience as an accounts payable assistant (2006) and as an educational assistant (2005-06) for the Newberg School District. Belinda holds a bachelor’s degree in home economics from Washington State University (1984). She lives in Newberg with her husband, Casey. They have five children – Amie, Mackenzie, Sara, Andrew and Megan – and attend St. Peter Catholic Church in town.
Mail Services has hired Tommy Kokinos to work on a half-time basis. He has been working part time for the university as a mail and print clerk specialist since January. He’s also spent the last two years working as a roofer for Liberty Roofing of Newberg. From 2010 to 2012, he was a direct care worker for Oregon Mennonite Residential Services in McMinnville. Tommy attended Portland Community College to study accounting. He lives in Newberg with children Brandon and Samantha and attends Newberg Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Jennifer Lichtenberg joined the university this month as an administrative assistant in the Graduate School of Counseling. For the past two years, she has worked as a faculty administrative assistant and conference services coordinator at Warner Pacific College in Portland, where she assisted business and social science chairs, faculty and students. Previously, Jennifer served as a regional director based in Portland for the Campus Crusade for Christ organization from 2008 to 2011, supervising leaders of teams in six states as part of a collaborative team. She also worked for the same organization as a regional conference coordinator from 2004 to 2008. Jennifer holds a certificate in spiritual formation and discipleship from George Fox Evangelical Seminary (2011), a master’s degree in Christian Studies (art emphasis) from Regent College (2004) and a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Alabama (1985). She is an artist and lives in Portland with her husband, Michael. She has two children, Jared, who just graduated from Mt. Hood Community College, and Lexi, a senior at Sandy High School. She attends East Hill Foursquare Church in Gresham.
The university hired Jennifer McCollum last week as an administrative assistant in the Department of Biology and Chemistry. She worked as a vocational support specialist for Branching Out Services in Newberg in 2013 and, previously, was an art teacher and artistic coordinator for three years at Northwest Christian Elementary School in Newberg. Also, since 2004, she has been self-employed as a creative design artist and consultant. Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cal State University, Monterey Bay (2003). She lives in Newberg with husband Logan, who is currently enrolled in the university’s MBA program, and daughters Kyndall (7), Hailey (10) and Madelynn (12). The family attends Newberg Christian Church.
John Regier joined the seminary last week as associate director of master’s programs. An alumnus of the seminary, from which he earned a master’s degree in ministry leadership in 2010, John has worked on a part-time basis as an online facilitator and educational technologist at the seminary since 2009. He previously served for a decade as a youth pastor and lead pastor. Most recently, he worked for the public school district in Springfield, Ore., as the coordinator for a student re-engagement program. In addition to his degree from George Fox Evangelical Seminary, John holds a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from Tabor College (1996). He lives in Tigard with his wife Lisa and three teenage daughters.
Steve Wasson joined the university as a media specialist in the IT department this fall. For the past three years he’s worked as a simulcast production manager at City Bible Church in Portland, video broadcasting services to and from four Portland-metro-area campuses and to an online campus. Before that, he worked for three years as a game operations manager for the Portland Winterhawks hockey team, serving as creative game-day director for all home games in the Rose Garden and Memorial Coliseum. Steve has also been self-employed as a media producer for the past 14 years. He studied video production and technical theater at Portland Community College and technical theater at Portland State University. He recently moved to Tigard and attends City Bible Church.
Lori Scharton (Biology and Chemistry) left the university last week to move back to Redmond, Ore., where her husband was transferred for his job.
After six and a half years as the administrative and executive assistant in the engineering, math and computer science departments, Kristin Bontrager is leaving George Fox to pursue new ministry opportunities. A farewell reception for her is set from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, in Wood-Mar 201.
