PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY
FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS 2026–27
Newly Tenured Faculty New Tenure-Track Faculty
OUR MISSION Pepperdine is a Christian university committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.
NEWLY TENURED FACULTY 2026–27
RUTH BERNSTEIN
AMY BRONSON
Associate Professor of Nonprofit Management Seaver College
Founding Dean School of Physician Assistant Studies
BS in Geology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
BA in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Metropolitan State College of Denver
MS in Geology, Brown University
MMS, St. Francis University
MA in Philanthropy, Indiana University
EdD in Leadership in Higher Education, Bethel University
Doctor of Management, Case Western University Ruth Bernstein joined the Seaver College faculty in 2020 as an assistant professor. She previously held teaching positions at Seattle University; the University of Washington, Seattle and Tacoma; and Pacific Lutheran University. Bernstein prioritizes experiential learning and collaborative assignments. Since joining Pepperdine in 2020, Bernstein’s scholarship has demonstrated a clear upward trajectory. As of August 2026 her work has received more than 1,700 citations, 1,500 of those since joining Pepperdine. Bernstein’s publications appear in toptier journals including Journal of Business Ethics, and her work has been downloaded more than 20,800 times via Pepperdine Digital Commons. Since 2011 she has published three books (with a fourth under contract for 2026), 27 peer-reviewed journal articles, six book chapters, and four conference proceedings and has delivered nearly 50 refereed conference presentations. Bernstein’s teachings emphasize and incorporate the University’s values of purpose, service, and leadership, which enable her to share with students the benefit of being civically engaged and doing good for others. Bernstein worships at Congregation B’nai Israel in Tustin, California, where she worked with two other congregants to rewrite the organization’s by-laws. She serves in the Coalition of Christian Nonprofit Leaders, the Executive Service Corps, and the Kitsap Community Foundations. She has also volunteered with Arron’s Angel, Tel Aviv, Israel, with sorting donations for displaced families.
Before joining Pepperdine as the founding dean of the School of Physician Assistant Studies, Amy Bronson served as dean of the Texas Master of Physician Assistant program at West Coast University and as a founding director of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program and assistant vice president for research and innovation at Colorado Mesa University. Bronson’s areas of focus include technology integration, communitybased population health, and holistic, team-based care models. Her scholarship covers rural healthcare access, diagnostic methodologies, mentorship, pedagogy, viral genomic sequencing, and altruistic testing. She has served on several committees and advisory boards, including Healthier Colorado and the American Academy of Physician Assistants Team Initiative. She has more than 15 years of experience as a practicing physician assistant. Bronson believes in preparing future clinicians to serve with empathy, excellence, and a spirit of service. Her life, she says,” has been marked by an active and sustained commitment to Christian community and service. I grew up in a faithfilled home, where my parents modeled servant leadership and unwavering obedience to Christ.” Today at Calvary Community Church In Westlake Village, she is involved in small group discipleship, worship, and community outreach. “These rhythms of faith are not peripheral,” she says. “Faith is central to how I live, lead, and serve. It shapes how I see students, colleagues, and the work God has entrusted me with in higher education.”
HELEN HOLMLUND
JESSICA HOOTEN WILSON
Associate Professor of Biology Seaver College
Professor of Great Books and Humanities Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books Seaver College
BS in Biology, Oklahoma Christian University PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz
BA in Creative Writing, Pepperdine University
Helen Holmlund began teaching as an assistant professor at Seaver College in 2020. Before joining Pepperdine’s faculty, she taught at Oklahoma Christian University and the University of California, Santa Cruz. Holmlund expertly blends classroom time with active field research, demonstrating to students how scientists make a positive impact on society.
PhD in Theology and Literature, Baylor University
Holmlund has established a nationally engaged, externally funded, and student-centered portfolio that balances discovery-oriented and applied scholarship. Her research focuses on plant resilience to environmental stress, using innovative combinations of fieldwork and technology. She has published six peer-reviewed articles and one peer-reviewed commentary, several coauthored with undergraduate researchers. She has secured a $500,999 National Science Foundation grant and is an investigator on a $280,000 Prop 50 grant. Since 2021 Holmlund has been engaged in service with the University Church of Christ through the women’s ministry and campus-connected programs. She organizes and hosts two to four annual events and regularly volunteers at the church’s welcome table. Holmlund also serves as a guest speaker for UCC Campus Ministry, and assists in worship services through prayer, scripture reading, and hospitality. She has provided IT and instructional support for multiple Sunday school classes and hosted Zoom-based Bible studies with student participation.
MA in English, University of Dallas
Jessica Hooten Wilson joined Seaver College in 2022 as a visiting scholar and was appointed to the role of Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books. Hooten Wilson previously taught at Baylor University and the University of Dallas. With scholarship that bridges theology and literature, she blends faith integration into her student-centric pedagogical practices. As Fletcher Jones Chair, she has enhanced the Great Books program’s distinction through the Educating Character Initiative and the proposed Great Books Honors College, securing a $393,000 Educating Character Initiative Institutional Impact Award. She has published eight books since 2022, has developed a Great Books course for the London summer program and a series for the Great Courses on “How the Bible Shaped Western Literature” (2028). Through her activities, she has advanced the Great Books program while integrating research, pedagogy, and service to the broader community. Hooten Wilson was raised in Churches of Christ and is grateful for the tradition’s grounding in Scripture. She first came to Pepperdine as a Seaver College student, drawn by its conviction that truth withstands investigation and by the Great Books and international programs. Coming back as an educator, she hopes to achieve her vocation of knowing Christ and making Him known through her teachings, her public speaking, and her writings. Teaching the Great Books curriculum allows her to ask students to reflect on the enduring questions of who God is and how we love Him, while also teaching them that the Great Books are tools for discipleship and the good life. Hooten Wilson attends Waves Church in Malibu.
CLARK JOHNSON
KATHERINE PARSONS
LEAH STIEMSMA
Associate Professor of Marketing Graziadio Business School
Associate Professor of Digital Art Seaver College
Associate Professor of Biology Seaver College
BA in Business Administration, Hannibal-LaGrange University
BFA in Fine Art, Graphic Design, Montana State University
BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson
MBA, University of Central Missouri
MA in Digital Art, Video, California State University, Northridge
PhD in Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia
MFA in Media Arts, University of California, Los Angeles
In 2018 Leah Stiemsma joined the faculty at Seaver College as an assistant professor. Before then, she was a postdoctoral guest lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles. Stiemsma fosters a collaborative classroom, prioritizing lab- and project-based learning to help undergraduates absorb new knowledge. Stiemsma has established an independent, externally funded research program centered on microbiome–host interactions. She has published three corresponding/senior-author manuscripts since 2020 and contributed as first or coauthor on six additional peer-reviewed publications. Her work is distinguished by two flagship research programs in which she serves as the lead analyst: (1) studies of the breast tissue microbiome and breast cancer risk and (2) investigations of the soil microbiome in wildfire recovery within Mediterranean ecosystems.
MS in Economics and Finance, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville PhD in Marketing and International Business, Saint Louis University Clark Johnson joined the faculty at Graziadio Business School in 2020 as an assistant professor after teaching at Jefferson College and Saint Louis University. Johnson equips students with the skills to succeed as ethically responsible business leaders. His research examines how psychological processes and technology shape decision-making in global markets and organizations. He publishes in fields beyond marketing, including organizational behavior, international business, and human resources. Johnson has published in top journals and contributed to edited volumes, including Social Marketing & Sustainable Development Goals. His research has been recognized as the Jay Lindquist World Marketing Congress Best Paper (2024) and the Academy of International Business Southeast Chapter Best Paper (2021), and supported by the Cross-School Collaborative Research Program and the Pepperdine Graziadio Faculty Research Fund. Johnson is a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks and is actively serving on its Annual Pledge Drive Task Force. He is also on the board of Aeon for Ocean, supports Hearts and Hope for Uganda and Three Avocados, and has developed service-learning courses that engage students in behavioral economics and sustainability. His faith influences his teachings and his research, and his mindset of stewardship reminds him of his role in employing the abilities and talents that he has been blessed with in ways that benefit others.
Kate Parsons joined the faculty of Seaver College in 2017 as an assistant professor. She previously taught at the University of California, Los Angeles; Irvine Community College; and Pasadena City College. Parsons prioritizes interdisciplinary study and experiential learning, and has been a leading architect of the digital media lab on the Malibu campus. Parsons’s creative and scholarly practice is anchored by a number of externally supported projects, including Love & Mercy, Blue (2025–26), a faculty–student exhibition selected for Personal Structures at the European Cultural Centre in Venice and Doomer Optimism: The Machine and Human Nature, a finalist for the Palladium Pictures Documentary Film Incubator. These projects are supported by a Seaver Research Council Grant and a pending NEA America250 grant ($100,000). Parsons is a member of the Church of the Resurrection in Los Angeles, where she participates in biweekly Compline and table groups and monthly religion-centered art and film discussions, and contributes through live-stream production, virtual prayer leadership, guest panel participation, and co-curation of Visio Divina for Lent. She appreciates the Pepperdine affirmation that truth extends beyond secular culture and its commitment to Christian values that support students’ intellectual and spiritual formation. Her faith informs her teaching: in each digital art course, she dedicates time to examining works centered on charity, empathy, belief, and love.
Stiemsma’s teaching at Pepperdine is shaped by her Christian faith and her own journey of vocation and calling. She integrates faith and science by helping students understand science as a powerful tool for studying the natural world while affirming the role of faith in addressing questions beyond its scope. She emphasizes our responsibility to serve as stewards of God’s creation and to approach biological study with reverence for the Creator. Stiemsma’s faith is sustained through participation at Saint Matthew’s Episcopal Church in the Palisades. She serves regularly as a lay eucharistic minister and participates in small-group dinners and Bible studies with other young families, experiences that inform her spiritual leadership and pastoral care of students.
DANA SUMPTER
KEVIN WONG
Professor of Organization Theory and Management Graziadio Business School
Associate Professor of Education Graduate School of Education and Psychology
BS in Liberal Arts, Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
BA in Psychology, Duke University
MS in Human Resources and Industrial Relations, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign PhD in Management, University of California, Irvine Dana Sumpter has served as a faculty member at Graziadio Business School since 2020. She previously taught at the University of California, Irvine, and California State University, Long Beach. Sumpter teaches with a relational approach, to ensure students learn in a welcoming environment. Sumpter’s research has been published in 15 peer-reviewed publications, and she has five articles under review, three in draft, and ongoing and upcoming data collection projects. Her work appears in top-tier journals in management and organizational behavior and psychology, and has been cited more than 1,000 times. She is passionate about bridging the fields of management, organizational psychology, human resource management, and international business, with a particular emphasis on understanding how relationships, culture, and life circumstances shape professional experiences and outcomes. Sumpter was raised in a Catholic household and shaped by experiences in parochial school and Young Life. Her faith journey has been both personal and reflective, deepening through travel, exposure to diverse religions in Singapore, and pivotal life events such as the death of her mother and raising her own children. She is a member of Los Altos United Church of Christ and is inspired by its ethos of welcome and inclusion. She gives back through volunteer work at Naples Bayside Elementary School and Rogers Middle School, and by collecting donations for Women’s Shelter Long Beach.
MA in English Language Teaching, The Chinese University of Hong Kong MEd in International and Comparative Education, Teachers College, Columbia University PhD in Teaching and Learning, New York University Kevin Wong has served as a faculty member at Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology since 2020. He previously taught at Pui Kiu Primary School in Hong Kong, Monroe College, and New York University. As an educator, Wong cultivates a community of belonging in which students feel safe to engage with the complex topics that influence education. Wong’s research is devoted to providing multilingual students with sustaining learning environments and skills by using ChineseEnglish bilingual programs, multiracial identity in children’s literature, and humanizing pedagogies and AI in language education. At Pepperdine, Wong has published one book, 27 peer-reviewed journal articles, and six peer-reviewed book chapters. He has given 14 conference presentations. Wong and his family are members of Renew Church LA in Santa Monica, California, where they participate in weekly Bible study and prayer gatherings. He also serves in the Safe Families for Children ministry, offering support to families experiencing hardship. The Wongs have hosted about 30 children in their home for one to four days each. Through this, they encounter families they would not otherwise have met, learning to appreciate God’s radical love for His people. Wong notes the importance of faith in his personal life and that Pepperdine has given him the freedom to live out his Christian faith in his work life as well.
NEW TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 2026–27
LADAN BABAEIAN
KUN (AMANDA) BU
RICHARD DE THORPE
Assistant Professor of Nursing College of Health Science
Assistant Professor of Data Science Seaver College
Assistant Professor of Economics Seaver College
ADN, Nursing, Carrington College
BBA, East Tennessee State University
BSN, Nursing, California State University, Channel Islands
MS, Finance, University of Tampa
BA, Economics, BS Applied Mathematics, University of California, San Diego
MSN, Nursing Leadership and Management, Western Governors University DPN, Grand Canyon University Laban Babaeian has served as a surgical nurse and operating room manager. At present, she is a clinical nurse educator with Kaiser Permanente in Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills. In this capacity, Babaeian leads orientation programs for newly hired nursing staff and clinical employees and evaluates education, cross-training, and competency programs. Her approach to teaching is studentcentered,and supportive. She strives to create an environment in which students feel comfortable asking questions and developing confidence in their clinical judgment. She enjoys helping students see nursing not only as a science, but also as a profession rooted in compassion and service. Her scholarly interests focus on the relationship between physical activity, mental health, and academic success. Babaeian’s Christian faith is an important part of who she is and how she approaches her professional and personal lives. She values the opportunity to serve others through nursing and education and she strives to lead with compassion, humility, integrity, and a genuine commitment to caring for the whole person. She is grateful to have the opportunity to work at an institution where faith, learning, service, and purpose are intentionally connected. Babaeian believes that Pepperdine’s Christian mission of serving others and the heart of nursing are interconnected in its goal of recognizing that everyone we encounter is of inherent value.
MA, PhD, Mathematics/Statistics, University of South Florida Kun (Amanda) Bu’s academic work focuses on developing new methods in statistical machine learning, with applications spanning finance, biomedical data, and natural language processing. In the finance field, for example, she has developed the Financial NeQTL framework, a novel Bayesian approach that adapts genomics-inspired methods to uncover latent structures in financial markets. In the biomedical field, she has designed frameworks for drug-drug interactions, and has built software tools to make the methods accessible to both researchers and practitioners. Such efforts demonstrate Bu’s ability to bridge theory with impactful applications to contribute to modern data science, such as statistical learning, computational statistics, and optimization. Bu is committed to high-quality teaching and mentoring, and her students at the University of South Florida have consistently recognized her clear explanations, availability outside of class, and her ability to make challenging material engaging and understandable. Bu will teach in the Natural Science Division of Seaver College. Pepperdine’s integration of faith and learning is what most excites Bu about the opportunity to serve its students. As a Christian scholar, Bu believes that the pursuit of knowledge and the development of data science tools should serve both intellectual and moral purposes. Her faith informs how she mentors students: emphasizing humility, service, and integrity in research and professional practice.
MA, PhD, Economics, Princeton University Richard De Thorpe’s scholarly interests lie in the labor, public, and urban economics fields. His research includes exploring how remote work affects employees’ choices regarding where to live and the responses of state and local governments to resident migration and turnover, and studying how being over- or underqualified for a position early in one’s career affects further skill acquisition, retention, and promotion. Prior to Pepperdine, De Thorpe served as a teaching assistant at Princeton and in that capacity has designed and led lectures and overseen student evaluations. He was nominated for the university’s Graduate School Teaching Award. As a member of Pepperdine’s Social Science Division, he is eager to offer courses in labor and public economics, incorporating discussion of how Christian ethics can inform economic reasoning and policy design. De Thorpe is passionate about helping students gain vocational skills and stay active in their faith. He and his wife are recently married and are active in multiple Catholic young adult groups; they hope to be involved in student ministry on campus and at the nearby Our Lady of Malibu, as such young adult and campus ministries have been very helpful to their spiritual development. As a Pepperdine professor, De Thorpe will aim to integrate faith into both his teaching (for example, by incorporating moral reflection into discussion of core economic models) and his mentorship of undergraduate students. In his mind, the most important thing for graduating students is to have a good relationship with the Lord.
ALEXANDRA DILDINE
DEREK ESTES
WESLEY GUIMARÃES
Assistant Professor of Political Science Seaver College
Assistant Professor of Ethics and Religion Seaver College
Assistant Professor of Theatre Seaver College
BA., Sociology and Human Rights, Barnard College of Columbia University
BA, Philosophy, Freed-Hardeman University
BA, Liberal Arts, Amherst College
MA, PhD, Political Science, Johns Hopkins University
MA, Theology, Abilene Christian University
MFA, American Conservatory Theater
PhD, Philosophy and Bioethics, Saint Louis University
Wesley Guimarães is a Brazilian-born stage actor, director, and educator and has worked in both films and live theatre. Guimarães guides students through rigorous technical training while encouraging them to explore theatre as a space of inquiry, imagination, and service. He has trained actors at the American Conservatory Theater, the Latino Theater Company, and the Garry Marshall Theater. As a director, he emphasizes ensemble collaboration, embodied storytelling, and artistic risk taking.
Alexandra Dildine has expertise in American politics and institutions. She researches how ordinary people’s ability to act collectively is affected by the digital age. As a scholar of democracy and community participation, Dildine sees the classroom as a site of both democratic practice and intellectual exploration, and her students reflect on their own values while learning community-organizing strategies. Prior to Pepperdine, Dildine served as an affiliate instructor at Loyola University, Maryland and as a teaching assistant at Johns Hopkins University. She will teach in the Social Science Division of Seaver College, helping undergraduates understand the complexities of American political life. Dildine was baptized in Churches of Christ in 2017. Her husband, Todd, a Pepperdine alumnus, was a minister of a Church of Christ congregation and Dildine was an active participant in their church’s life, leading worship nights and organizing seasonal events. She finds that a faith-based school offers an environment in which her spiritual life can enrich her inquiry, and she seeks to not only model for her students the self-sacrifice that God calls us to, but to use her courses to inspire them to practice these values. Dildine is eager to explore how her faith will be lived out at Pepperdine, trusting that she and her husband will be led by the community’s needs.
Derek Estes is a visiting assistant professor of philosophy at Pepperdine. He writes primarily in the areas of bioethics, the philosophy of religion, and moral metaphysics, with a focus on how philosophical concepts are illuminated when employed in bioethical theory and applied in medical decision-making. He also publishes research in philosophy of religion and theology, centered on both the relationship of Churches of Christ to philosophy and in the Catholic intellectual tradition. He will teach in Seaver College’s Religion and Philosophy Division. Estes believes he is tasked with focusing on and inculcating his students with the intellectual moral virtues. To this end, he asks them to critically assess dilemmas from opposing viewpoints and to engage in mock mediations. Estes also serves as the Seaver College director of Foundations of Reasoning and is the faculty sponsor for Pepperdine’s Philosophy Club. A lifelong member of Churches of Christ, Estes embraces Pepperdine’s mission and affirmation statement, especially their anchoring in the StoneCampbell tradition. As one who has freely received from Churches of Christ and its universities, Estes feels called to give back through teaching. He has been a regular Bible class teacher, song leader, and guest preacher for the Simi Church of Christ, the Conejo Church of Christ, and the San Clemente Church of Christ. He previously taught high school theology and mathematics at Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis, a school affiliated with Churches of Christ.
Guimarães believes that actor training must engage the whole person—intellectually, emotionally, physically, and spiritually—and he strives to create environments where students’ diverse backgrounds are valued, and their artistic voices are strengthened. He is the recipient of the StageScene Los Angeles “Scenie” Award – Breakout Performance in 2025 and the American Conservatory Theater Citizen Artist Award for his work in communitybased arts education. He will teach in Seaver College’s Fine Arts Division. Guimarães is an active participant in his faith community, and his Christian values guide his teaching and creative work. “Faith is not an addition to the classroom,” he says, “but a way of inhabiting it: with humility, curiosity, and reverence for the worth of each student. I encourage students to approach theatre as both a craft and a calling: the pursuit of artistic rigor alongside the cultivation of character, compassion, and responsibility. In this way, the work of actor training becomes inseparable from the formation of purposeful lives.”
ALEXIS KORB
BRITTNEY LANE KUBISCH
MARK KUBISCH
Assistant Professor of Computer Science Seaver College
Associate Professor of Law Caruso School of Law
BS, MS, PhD, Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles
BA, Psychology, Harvard University
Associate Professor of Legal Research and Writing Director of Appellate Advocacy Program Caruso School of Law
Alexis Korb’s research focuses on functional encryption (FE)—encryption that allows users to compute specific functions on encrypted data without revealing the underlying information. She aims to develop new cryptographic schemes that address privacy and functionality challenges in modern data environments while improving security, efficiency, and applicability. A major contribution of her research is the development of streaming functional encryption (sFE), which allows encrypted data to be processed incrementally, making FE practical for large datasets. Her broader research interests include iterative proof systems, computational complexity, and information theory. Overall, her research seeks to expand the theoretical foundations of cryptography while developing tools that make secure computation more practical. Korb will be teaching in Seaver College’s Natural Science Division.
Brittney Lane Kubisch has taught at the Caruso School of Law as a Ken Starr Faculty Fellow and at the Georgetown Center for the Constitution. As a teacher, her goals are to make the material clear, energize and engage the class, and be approachable outside the classroom. To do so, she breaks down the different aspects of constitutional law so that students understand both the building blocks of the law and how to put them together to get the complete picture. She also offers retellings of the events that led to constitutional disputes and shares her daily life with students so they view her as someone with whom they can relate. Kubisch’s research focuses on the original public meaning of the Constitution, especially as it relates to structural limitations on government power and procedural constitutional rights..
Korb identifies her Christian faith as the central influence in her life. She strongly supports Pepperdine’s Christian mission. Her faith shapes how she interacts with students, and in her teaching, she stresses the ethical responsibilities associated with technology, encouraging students to consider the societal impact of their work. Interested in the relationship between faith and academia, Korb attended the Veritas Graduate Conference, and she hopes to partake in events and discussions that promote faith on college campuses. She attends Immanuel Bible Church in North Hills, California, and volunteers with the young adults group and the church’s cleanup crew. In her personal life, she prioritizes spiritual growth through prayer and Bible reading, drawing inspiration from Philippians 4:6–7.
JD, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law
“Academic aptitude,” she says, “is a gift from God and can and should be used to serve others and further His will. I wanted to return to Pepperdine as a law professor because it lives out the promise of treating my faith in God as a complement to my intellectual pursuits rather than as antithetical to them.” Kubisch and her husband attend weekly Mass near where they live in Los Angeles and have really enjoyed being co-advisors to the Catholic Law Students Association. They also participate in events with the law school’s Christian Legal Society, including in the annual Words of Life ceremony.
BA, University of Dallas JD, University of Notre Dame Mark Kubisch has taught at the Caruso School of Law as a professor of legal research and writing. Kubisch’s goal is to help students develop the analytical skills they will need as lawyers and cultivate the character traits that will make them exceptional individuals. His research focuses on the intersection of corporate law, securities law, and the rights of human investors, with a particular interest in the speech rights of corporations and their shareholders. He plans to consider potential avenues for regulating corporations consistent with the original public meaning of the Constitution. As the product of a Christian education at Notre Dame, Kubisch has personal experience with an education grounded in ethical and moral values, and he recognizes the distinct advantage it offers in investing in the holistic development of students. He believes that because of its mission and Christian values, Pepperdine provides the ideal environment in which to train law students to think critically about the goods that the law seeks to promote. Kubisch has given talks at the Christian Legal Society’s weekly Bible study and has participated in the annual Words of Life ceremony. He and his wife, Brittney, are active parishioners at St. Anastasia’s Catholic Church in Playa del Rey and he participates in a weekly Bible study at the law school.
JAMES LEE
VERONICA LEON
JENNY ROBINSON
Assistant Professor of Economics Seaver College
Assistant Professor of Nursing College of Health Science
BS in Mathematics, BS in Statistics, BA in Economics, University of Chicago
BS, Biology, La Sierra University
Assistant Professor of Physician Assistant Studies College of Health Science
MS, Education, California State University, Los Angeles
BS, Biology, Psychology, Chemistry, Lipscomb University
MS, Nursing, California State University, Dominguez Hills
MSM, Medicine, Trevecca Nazarene University
MA, PhD in Economics, University of California, Los Angeles James Lee’s specializations in the field of economics include public economics, econometrics, and the economics of education. His research focuses on how circumstances impact college students’ experiences and success, such as transferring to a school or being admitted directly, and how the pandemic affected college students’ academic prowess and postgraduation outcomes. Lee has been the primary instructor for statistics and econometrics courses at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a Teaching Assistant Award and a Teaching Fellowship. His classroom philosophy is to emphasize approachability, clear organization, and relevance to students’ goals. At Pepperdine, he will teach in the Social Science Division, furthering undergraduates’ ability to think critically as economists. Lee’s faith, which blossomed while beginning his doctoral studies, has led him to mentor young people—recalling how transformative the support he received as a new believer was. He makes himself available to students in his classes for personal guidance and offers spiritual counsel by leading his church’s undergraduate Bible study sessions. He shepherds those questioning how to live out Christian values in finance and consulting careers to remember Jesus’s call to be “the salt of the earth,” and “the light of the world,” and to see their work as an opportunity to live out these values. Motivated professionally by his Christian faith, Lee strives to support students in their faith journeys.
PhD, Nursing, University of Arizona Veronica Leon has worked in the medical field since 2008. Beginning as a student nurse intern, she practiced as a nurse for a number of years before moving into managerial and research roles. She is currently a nurse consultant for the VA Office of Inspector General, where she provides leadership and direction to the Office of Healthcare Inspections staff. Leon has taught in the Edson College of Nursing at Arizona State University for five years. Foundational to her philosophy of education is the recognition that God is the source of all wisdom and understanding. She believes that a complete education enriches the physical, mental, and spiritual faculties toward the development of a character that emulates the character of Jesus Christ. Her research and scholarly interests include spirituality among healthcare providers and holistic approaches to wellness. Leon has a passion for international missions and has participated in mission trips to Peru, Kenya, and Tanzania. She feels a calling as a nurse educator and nurse scientist, and is committed to nurturing nursing students’ characters so they can provide holistic and compassionate care rooted in Christian values, but inclusive of all faiths. She considers creating and providing opportunities for spiritual care as essential to overall healing and wellness. She is excited to see how God can use her to help inspire and guide nursing students to integrate spiritual care into their nursing practice and help heal a hurting world.
DMS, Medical Science, Shenandoah University Jenny Robinson has served as an assistant professor at the Pepperdine College of Health Science since the fall of last year. Robinson previously taught at South College and Mercy College, and she was the founding director of clinical education at Lipscomb University. At Pepperdine, she has participated in the development of the didactic curriculum and the clinical phase curriculum of the Physician Assistant program. Robinson has taught classes in women’s health, internal medicine, and pediatrics and in patient assessment and clinical skills, and she has served as a student coach and as an academic advisor and mentor. Robinson’s approach to teaching is welcoming, engaging, and unassuming. She supports students in becoming both competent healthcare providers and compassionate and empathetic individuals. Her scholarly interests are focused on graduate health professional education, particularly student professionalism and clinical readiness. Robinson is a lifelong member of Churches of Christ and she has been fortunate to serve on mission trips to Peru, Scotland, and Ghana. She tries to reflect Christ through her interactions with others. Robinson feels strongly connected to Pepperdine’s mission because she believes that education is not just an opportunity to prepare students for a career; it is also an opportunity to help them use their knowledge and gifts to serve others. Being part of a University that intentionally integrates faith, learning, and service allows her to bring those values into her work every day.
CAMRYN WALLACE
LATONYA WOOD
Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry Seaver College
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology Graduate School of Education and Psychology
BA in Chemistry, University of San Diego PhD in Chemistry, University of California, Irvine Camryn Wallace is experienced in the field of chemical synthesis and catalysis for the development of novel methods of accessing synthetically challenging motifs. She is skilled in multistep synthesis, methodology development, and mechanistic analysis. Throughout her graduate studies, Wallace developed a passion for undergraduate education by teaching organic chemistry and mentoring student researchers. Her advisor at the University of California, Irvine, said her mentees “flourish under her patience, clear explanations, and her belief in their abilities. She brings a positive energy to her mentoring that is contagious and inspiring.” She will teach in Seaver College’s Natural Science Division. Christian values guide Wallace’s teaching, research, and mentorship. She views scientific investigation as a way to praise the wonder and complexity of God’s creation. While at the University of San Diego, she became part of a vibrant Christian community that strengthened her spiritual life. There, she joined weekly services, took biblical studies courses, and volunteered at student-led outreach events. While in graduate school, she has continued to practice her faith and remains rooted in prayer and personal study. These habits have given her a strong foundation as she looks forward to participating in Pepperdine’s worship gatherings, the Center for Faith and Learning events/workshops, and service programs as part of a more permanent church home.
BS in Education, Educational Psychology, University of Georgia MEd in Education, Educational Psychology, University of Georgia PhD in Clinical Psychology, University of Virginia LaTonya Wood is a licensed clinical psychologist who currently serves as the director of clinical training in the PsyD program at the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Prior to her appointment at Pepperdine, she was program manager in the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, where she provided clinical assessment and psychotherapy services for youth in foster care. She has extensive supervision and teaching experience and has taught courses on child development, clinical interventions with children, and psychological assessment. She also has experience treating behavioral and learning disorders and working with youth exposed to trauma and violence. Wood’s specific research interests include the reduction of health disparities, crosscultural issues in treatment, and supervision and professional development of trainees and staff. Wood has provided numerous presentations on cultural diversity, clinical supervision, community violence, and adaptations of evidence-based practices for community mental health. Wood centers her personal and professional lives around Christian values of humility, gratitude, service, purpose, and compassion. Wood is active in a church community centered on service and belonging. Engagement in this church has been crucial in faith formation for her family and in strengthening her relationship with God. Her integrated commitment to rigorous scholarship, compassionate service, and lived faith aligns closely with Pepperdine University’s mission to pursue academic excellence within a Christian context.
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY AFFIRMS That God is That God is revealed uniquely in Christ That the educational process may not, with impunity, be divorced from the divine process That the student, as a person of infinite dignity, is the heart of the educational enterprise That the quality of student life is a valid concern of the University That truth, having nothing to fear from investigation, should be pursued relentlessly in every discipline That spiritual commitment, tolerating no excuse for mediocrity, demands the highest standards of academic excellence That freedom, whether spiritual, intellectual, or economic, is indivisible That knowledge calls, ultimately, for a life of service.
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