Welcome Back: Here's Our New Faculty

As the University grows and changes, each year we welcome new faculty into our ranks. This year, we add more than 20 full-time members to the team.

Jeff Askew, Special Contract Faculty

(School of Arts & Sciences, Conservatory of Music)
BM, Music Education, Biola University
BM ,Music Performance, Biola University
MM, Music Performance, University of Southern California


Jeff holds Bachelorʼs of Music degrees in Music Performance and Music Education from Biola University and a Master’s of Music degree in Studio/ Jazz Guitar Performance from the prestigious Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC). While at USC, Jeff had the opportunity to study with Joe Diorio, Frank Potenza, Scott Tennant, Pat Kelley, Steve Trovato, Richard Smith, Shelly Berg, and Carl Verheyen. Jeff joined the faculty of Biola University in 2003, serving as the guitar instructor and the Manager of the Music in Worship Department.

 

Valerie Baggett, Instructor

(School of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry, Physics and Engineering Department)
BS, California State University, Fullerton
MA, University of California, Irvine


Valerie has worked in industry, as a free-lance technical writer, and has taught chemistry as adjunct faculty at Biola and several other schools for a number of years. She desires to mentor students and enjoys the opportunity to openly talk about God’s design in creation as seen in chemistry. 

 

 

 

Carolyn Bishop, Associate Professor

(School of Education)
BS, California State University, Fullerton
MS, California State University, Fullerton
Ed.D., University of California, Irvine and Los Angeles

Carolyn Bishop started her career in education as a sixth grade teacher. Her post baccalaureate education focused on curriculum, staff development, cognition, educational administration, and online learning and thinking.
Carolyn is serving Biola students as the Director of Elementary Education, implementing her knowledge of quality teacher preparation and technology in the process of educating future teachers to serve all over the world. Dr. Bishop’s research agenda has been around teacher preparation, program design, environmental impacts of online education, and online thinking and learning.

 

Stephanie Chan, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Sociology Department / Cook School of Intercultural Studies)
BA, University of California, Los Angeles
MA, Stanford University
PhD, University of California, San Diego

Stephanie Chan received a B.A. in East Asian Studies at UCLA, an M.A. in East Asian Studies at Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in Sociology at UCSD. Her research interests revolve around exploring possibilities for cross-cultural cooperation in a globalizing world. She has investigated cross-cultural cooperation within non-governmental organizations in China and examined debates over U.S. human rights policy toward China. Her cross-cultural experience includes various stints in China as a student, volunteer, teacher, and researcher. Prior to pursuing her doctoral degree, she worked as an academic administrator for the Asian Languages Department at Stanford University.
 

 

Xidong Chen, Associate Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering Department)
BS, Shandong University
MS, The Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
PhD, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Xidong joins the Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering Department from Cedarville University, where he served as an Associate Professor of Physics. Xidong also held a special term appointment at Argonne National Laboratory where he conducted research on medium-range order structures in amorphous materials until 2008. Xidong's research interests include medium-range order in amorphous materials, fluctuation electron microscopy, interface roughness, and dynamical surface growth. His research is currently funded by grants from the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.
 

Teri Clemons, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders)
BA, Biola University
MS, University of Redlands

Teri has been teaching in an adjunct role in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders for the past four years, bringing her professional experience as a Speech Language Pathologist in the hospital setting to the classroom. Most recently she has been working as a Speech Therapist at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo and has expertise in the areas of adult cognitive, communication, and swallowing rehabilitation.
 

 

 

Deshonna Collier-Goubil, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Sociology Department)
BA, Langston University, Langston, OK
MA, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA
PhD, Howard University, Washington, DC

Deshonna Collier-Goubil received her Ph.D. in Sociology from Howard University in May 2010. She completed her M.A. in Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary and completed her undergraduate work in Sociology at Langston University. Dr. Collier-Goubil’s dissertation work used spatial analysis to look at the effects of economic strain (measured by home foreclosures) on domestic violence while controlling for characteristics of neighborhood deprivation. She also completed work on youth violence in urban communities, researcher-practitioner community collaborations, and perceptions of peaceful behaviors.
 

Daniel Andrew Elliott, Director of Forensics & Instructor
(School of Arts and Sciences, Communication Studies)
BA, Biola University
MDiv, Talbot School of Theology

Daniel’s success as an undergraduate student caused Biola to offer him a part time teaching position that he has held for the last 12 years. This year he joins the full time faculty as a professor of the Communication 100 class that he has enjoyed teaching all this time. In addition, he is now branching out to take responsibility of Biola’s successful forensics program.
 

 

 

Octavio Esqueda, Associate Professor
(Talbot School of Theology)
BA, University of Guadalajara
MA, Dallas Theological Seminary
PhD, University of North Texas

Octavio joins the Ph.D. and Ed.D. in Educational Studies Program in the Christian Education Department  at Talbot, with significant previous engagement in scholarly activities of research, writing, and academic conference presentations.  Octavio joins the Talbot community from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.  Originally from Mexico, Octavio’s areas of research include Christian Higher Education and foundations of Christian Education, in addition to the educational contributions of the Spanish Reformation.
 

 

John Fox, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Torrey Honors Institute)
BA, The Master's College
MA, New York University
MPW, University of Southern California

John’s Master’s degree from New York University specialized in European literature and literary theory, and his second Master’s from the University of Southern California focused on creative writing. He loves teaching students how to write online for blogs, wikis, microblogs, and social networks and has blogged at BookFox for the last five years. Under his leadership as the fiction editor for the Southern California Review, the journal won a Pushcart Special Mention. His journalism has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, PBS and US Airways Magazine, and his contest-winning short stories about missionaries were inspired by the four generations of his ancestors who ministered in China.

 

Annie Fujikawa, Instructor
(Rosemead School of Psychology)
BA, MA, PhD, Biola University

Dr. Fujikawa completed her Ph.D. at Rosemead School of Psychology in 2010.  She has served at Biola in several capacities; as an adjunct professor and as a staff therapist for the Biola Counseling Center as a post-doctoral fellow. In addition to Annie’s teaching assignment and her continued work the Counseling Center, she will also serve as the managing Editor for the Journal of Psychology and Theology. 

 

 

 

Ashley Hiestand, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Communication Studies Department)
BA, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH
MA, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
ABD, Purdue University


As a qualitative researcher, Ashley wants to continue research in the areas of public relations focusing on the ways in which organizations rhetorically construct their identities, manage issues, and (re)construct and maintain legitimacy. In organizational communication, she is interested in career identity, career calling and the meaning of work, emotion labor, and work-life balance. Having served as adjunct faculty for one year, Ashley has come to value the integrity and vision of Biola as well as its special Christian students.

 

 

Rebecca Hong, Assistant Professor
(School of Education)
B.A., University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
MA, Biola University, La Mirada, California
Ed.D., University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Dr. Rebecca Hong teaches research methods and research in culture classes in the graduate program of the School of Education.  While in the doctoral program at USC, she unearthed her love for research and decided to continue down that path.  After completing her doctorate, Rebecca pursued a post-doctorate fellowship that examined the issues of educational access for marginalized students in Cambodia.  It was the perfect intersection of two of her passions, research and traveling.
 

 

 

Dana Johnson, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering Department)
BS, California State University, Long Beach
MA, Biola University
PhD, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Dana is thrilled to be joining the Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering Department here at Biola. After his bachelor’s program in chemistry, he wanted more training in connecting his worldview with his work in chemistry. As a result, he came to Biola and was a part of the inaugural class of the M.A. Science and Religion program. His doctoral work centered on the synthesis and characterization of viral fusion protein mimics.
 

 

Carolyn Kim, Instructor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Journalism Department)
BA, MA, Biola University

Carolyn Kim is extremely pleased to be joining Biola University as the Public Relations and Corporate Communications faculty member in the Journalism department. Her background includes working with national and global clients such as Chuck Colson, James Dobson, Compassion Internationalm, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Fascinated by the changing landscape of P.R. and digital technology, she has focused recently in helping clients develop strong digital strategies to reach their audiences. Currently studying for her PhD in Communications at Regent University, Carolyn is also a speaker and author for Social Media and Search Engine Optimization.
 

 

Doug Lainson, Assistant Professor
(Crowell School of Business)
BA, Loma Linda University
MBA, Biola University

Doug is a doctoral candidate from Claremont Graduate University in Management and Political Economy.  He has served as the Director of Executive Education for the MBA program at La Sierra University and as an Assistant Professor.  Doug is an entrepreneur, starting his own firm, RetailBase Consulting, in Upland.
 

 

 

 

Susan Lim, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, History and Political Science Department)
BA, University of California at Berkeley
MA, PhD, University of California at Los Angeles

Susan is a historian who specializes in colonial American religion. Her current research examines how the Puritans, Quakers, and Baptists inculcated spiritual values in their children. She is a native of South Korea and immigrated to Guam before settling in California.
 

 

 

Julie Neiggemann, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts &  Sciences, Department of Nursing)
BSN, Biola University
MSN, California State University, Dominguez Hills


Julie is a Biola nursing alum and has served as an adjunct clinical instructor in the Nursing Department for five years. Having also worked at the City of Hope National Medical Center in LA and Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier, Julie brings quality experience in the clinical teaching environment and a passion for Christian nursing education.

 

 

 

Doretha O’Quinn, Vice Provost of Multi-Ethnic and Cross-Cultural Engagement (Provost Office)
Professor, School of Education
BA, Life Pacific College, San Dimas
MA, PhD, Biola University, La Mirada

Dr. O’Quinn, Professor of Education, will serve as Vice Provost of Multi-Ethnic and Cross-Cultural Engagement in the Provost Office. Dr. O’Quinn has served most recently as Associate Dean of Education at Pt. Loma Nazarene University and has previously served as Biola University’s Director of the Inglewood Master’s and Credential programs. Dr. O’Quinn will consult with the School of Education regarding urban and international service and periodically teach coursework in the graduate program, although her primary role will be in the Provost Office, serving all 6 schools in the university.

Sheri Sawchuk, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Department of Nursing)
BSN, Pacific Lutheran, Tacoma, WA
MSN, Chamberlain College of Nursing, Addison, IL


Sheri has 12 years of professional nursing experience, including serving with numerous short-term medial missions teams. She brings rich clinical experience in hospice home care, case management for uninsured homeless, and a lifespan of care of multicultural populations with international nursing experience in Haiti, Macedonia, Honduras, and Afghanistan.

 

 

Victor Velasquez, Assistant Professor
(School of Arts & Sciences, Modern Languages Department)
BA,  University of California, Irvine
PhD,  University of California, Irvine

Victor completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at UC Irvine where he became interested in French literature from the early modern period and literary theory. He culminated his studies by writing his dissertation on the literary relation between Michel de Montaigne and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Currently his research focuses on looking at how the circulation of narratives helps create individual and group identity.

 

 

Lorena Vidaurre, Associate Professor
(School of Education)
BS, MA, California State University, Los Angeles
PhD., Biola University

Dr. Vidaurre, Associate Professor and Early Childhood Director, developed the Early Childhood program at Biola University.  She teaches the Early Childhood courses, Elementary Spanish, as well as supervises Child Development Permit candidates.  Dr. Vidaurre has been an educator for 20 years in the roles of classroom teacher, parent educator, mentor, consultant, and college instructor. Originally from Ecuador, Dr. Vidaurre has enjoyed teaching in bilingual settings in Southern California and specializes in working with linguistically diverse students and parents.
 

Thanks to Athalia Bufano in HR for this information.