Faculty

Contact info and brief biography of our Education and Psychology faculty. 

Our dedicated faculty and staff are committed to preparing students for a life of service, purpose, and leadership by developing each person’s unique gifts in a Christian community of faith and discovery. The School of Education and Psychology is a place for students to develop 21st Century skills required in this ever-changing world such as problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and cross-disciplinary thinking. As a community of Christian scholars, we encourage students to develop themselves physically, mentally, and spiritually to their highest potential.

See what degrees you can earn when you learn from these professors.


Maria Bastien Valenca

Dean, School of Education & Psychology

 

(509) 527-2212

maria.bastien@wallawalla.edu


Education

  • BS Pacific Union College, 2004; Public Relations/Journalism
  • BA University of Windsor, 2010; English: Literature and Language
  • MA University of Windsor, 2011; English: Literature and Language
  • PhD University of Ottawa, 2017; Education - Society, Culture, and Literacies

Teaching Areas

  • EDUC 211/511 Introduction to and Foundations of Education
  • EDUC 350/EDCI 550/PSYC 350 Language Development in Young Children
  • EDUC 360/EDCI 560 Teaching & Learning: Inclusive Literacies I
  • EDUC 361/EDCI 561 Teaching & Learning: Inclusive Literacies II
  • EDUC 382/EDCI 582 Teaching & Learning: Social Studies
  • EDUC 405/505 Elementary Classroom Organization and Management
  • EDUC 444 Teaching & Learning: Cultural Diversity
  • EDUC 475 Teaching Reading Skills in the Content Area
  • EDUC 497 Small Schools

Research/Interests

  • Agencement, Second Language Education, and Becoming: A Deleuzian Take on Citizenship. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies. (with Fleming, D., Waterhouse, M., and Bangou, F.) 2017.
  • My Chinese is in a Tiny Box with a Roof, My French and English Vocabulary are in Boxes with No Roof. The Wind Blows Them Away: Creation, and Resistance - Reconceptualizing Early Learning with Multilingual Children. Cultural Studies <=> Critical Methodologies (with Masny, D.) 2016.
  • Family Literacy Interventions in Canada: Meeting the Needs of Newcomer Parents with Young Children. Education Review (with Masny, D.) 2015.

Melody Ezpeleta

Assistant Professor of Psychology

 

(509) 527-2689

melody.ezpeleta@wallawalla.edu


Education

  • BS Walla Walla University, 2015; Psychology
  • MS Loma Linda University, 2018; Marital and Family Therapy
  • DMFT, Loma Linda University, 2022; Doctor of Marital and Family Therapy

Teaching Areas

  • PSYC 130 General Psychology
  • PSYC 215 Development Psychology
  • PSYC 217/517 Psychology of Learning and Development
  • PSYC 278/478 Applied Psychological Research
  • PSYC 366 Theories of Personality
  • PSYC 430 Psychological Testing
  • PSYC 455 - History and Systems of Psychology

Research/Interests

  • ​​​The Importance of Assessing the Mental Health Needs in SDA Academies: An Invitation to Collaborate. [Poster Presentation - Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association Conference (AHSRA); Oral Presentation - Andrews Research Conference (ARC)]. 2021.
  • From knowing to doing: Guidelines for socioculturally attuned family therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 2019

Other

  • 2022 Research Excellence Award - Loma Linda University, School of Behavioral Health

Hobbies

Music ministry, recording music covers, going on family walks, running, swimming, learning how to cook family recipes. 



Brian Hartman

Assistant Professor of Education

 

(509) 527-2940

brian.hartman@wallawalla.edu


Education

  • BS Walla Walla University, 1993; Biology
  • BS Walla Walla University, 1993; Engineering
  • MAT Andrews University, 1996; Science Education
  • PhD Oregon State University, 2016; Science Education

Teaching Areas

  • EDUC 315/515 Technology in Education
  • EDUC 365/EDCI 565 Secondary Classroom Management
  • EDUC 373/EDCI 573 Teaching & Learning: STEM I Math & Technology
  • EDUC 383/EDCI 583 Teaching & Learning: STEM II Science & Engineering
  • EDUC 390/EDCI 590 Measurement & Evaluation
  • EDUC 395/595 Secondary Methods of Instruction I
  • EDUC 396/596 Secondary Methods of Instruction II

Research/Interests

  • Expanding Student Ideas about Technology. Technology and Engineering Teacher, (with Flick, L.) 2016.
  • Learning to Teach Elementary Science through Iterative Cycles of Enactment in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Contexts. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 26:8, (with Bottoms, S. & Ciechanowski, K.) 2016.
  • Shedding Light on Inferences. In P.D. Morrell, & K. Popejoy. A Few of Our Favorite Things: Teaching Ideas for K-12 Science Methods Instructors. (with Bell, R.L.) 2014. 

Linda L. Ivy

Professor of Psychology

 

(509) 527-2216

linda.ivy@wallawalla.edu


Education

  • AS Walla Walla College, 1980; Graphics Technology
  • BS University of Oregon, 1999; Psychology
  • MS University of Oregon, 2001; Psychology
  • PhD University of Oregon, 2005; Clinical Psychology

Teaching Areas

  • PSYC 120 Introduction to Psychology Major
  • PSYC 140-141 Introduction to Psychology: Social & Biological Foundations
  • PSYC 200/400 Topics:
  • PSYC 215 Developmental Psychology
  • PSYC 344 Social Psychology
  • PSYC 464 Introduction to Counseling
  • PSYC 478 Applied Psychological Research
  • PSYC 492 Abnormal Psychology
  • PSYC 493 Psychology Practicum
  • PSYC 498 Senior Project in Psychology

Research/Interests

  • Recognizing and Avoiding Potential Triggers for Internet Gaming Addiction. Journal of Adventist Education. 2017.
  • Maternal Warmth Moderates the Link Between Physical Punishment and Child Externalizing Problems: A Parent-Offspring Behavior Genetic Analysis. In P. Smith & A. Rutland, Childhood Social Development (with Deater-Deckard, K. & Petrill, S.) 2014.
  • Using Humor in the Classroom. Education Digest. Journal of Adventist Education. 2013.
     


Amanda Ramoutar

Assistant Professor of Education and Psychology

 

(509) 527-2281

amanda.ramoutar@wallawalla.edu


Education

  • AdvDip The Association of Business Executives, 2010; Business Information Systems 
  • Dip The Association of Business Executives, 2011; Human Resource Management 
  • BEd The University of Trinidad and Tobago, 2012; Special Needs Education 
  • MEd The University of the West Indies, 2014; Inclusive and Special Education 
  • MSc University of South Wales, 2021; Psychology 
  • PhD The University of the West Indies, 2023; Inclusive Education 

Teaching Areas

  • SPED 210/510 Introduction to Special Education and Inclusive Classrooms 
  • SPED 322/522 Methods of Teaching and Learning in Inclusive Classrooms 
  • SPED 440/540 Functional Behavioral Assessment 
  • SPED 437/539 Teaching Students with Autism/Moderate and Severe Disabilities 
  • SPED 212/213/214/520 Early Childhood through Adolescent Special Education 
  • SPED 438/538 Consultation, Collaboration, and Transitions 
  • SPED 330/530 Professional Skills in Special Education 
  • SPED 593 Practicum in Special Education 

Research/Interests

  • Exploring Educators' Perceptions about Necessary Supports for Inclusive Practice: Development and Assessment of a Conceptual Model.  
  • Flamboyant: Poems on Life, Love and Learning. Kindle Direct Publishing, 2020. 
  • Implementing Inclusive Education: A Call for a Postmodern Perspective in Trinidad and Tobago. Journal of Advances in Education and Philosophy, 2019. 
  • Prevalence Estimates of Behaviour Problems in Primary Schools in Trinidad and Tobago: A Baseline Inquiry. Assessing the Current State of Education in the Caribbean, (with Carrington-Blaides, E.) 2017. 
  • The Perceptions of Trinidadian Special Education Paraprofessional Regarding the Roles they fulfil while working in Inclusive Settings in District X. UWIspace, 2014. 


Staff

Stacy Maxted

Head Teacher, Child Development Center

 

(509) 527-2252

stacy.maxted@wallawalla.edu


Carlos McDonald

State Certification Officer and Administrative Assistant 

 

(509) 527-2924

carlos.mcdonald@wallawalla.edu


Stephanie Onthank

Advising and Placement Coordinator
Office Manager
Curriculum Library


(509) 527-2210

stephanie.onthank@wallawalla.edu


Elizabeth Yaw

Assistant Preschool Director, Child Development Center
 

(509) 527-2252

elizabeth.yaw@wallawalla.edu



Professors Emeriti

Austin Archer

Professor Emeritus

 

austin.archer@wallawalla.edu


Tamara Randolph

Professor Emeritus

 

tamara.randolph@wallawalla.edu



University Supervisors

Kathy Forbis

University Supervisor, Contract Instructor

(509) 527-2623

kathleen.forbis@wallawalla.edu


Cindy Solis

University Supervisor

 

cynthia.solis@wallawalla.edu


Ed Tillotson

University Supervisor

 

edward.tillotson@wallawalla.edu

Debbie Muthersbaugh

University Supervisor

 

debbie.muthersbaugh@wallawalla.edu


Jennifer Stacey

University Supervisor

 

jennifer.stacey@wallawalla.edu


John Vixie

University Supervisor

 

john.vixie@wallawalla.edu