Four new faculty join Woodring College of Education

Joining Woodring in the 2017-18 academic year are three new Health and Community Studies faculty members who are assigned to Western’s growing Registered Nurse-to-Bachelor of Science Nursing Program. In addition, the Elementary Education Program adds a new member who also holds a half-time appointment in the College of Science and Engineering.

Health and Community Studies Faculty Members:

Sarah Bear begins an assignment as the Director of Nursing Program.  Her degrees are in Education Leadership from the University of Washington and in nursing.  She is licensed as a Washington State Registered Nurse, a Certificated Integrative Nurse Coach, and as a Certified Nurse Educator.  Most recently she served as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Nursing at Seattle Pacific University.

She sought the RN-to-BSN director position because she is passionate about academic progression for nurses and enjoys the content specific to this level of nursing education.  She moved to Bellingham from Mount Vernon to live and participate in the community in which she works. And oh – she notes that then there are the mountain, ocean, and lakes.  She believes in, and practices self-care which -- for her -- includes being outside.  She’s an avid reader, loves a good coffee or glass of wine (depending on time of day!), and conversation.

William Lonneman  holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Madonna University in suburban Livonia, near metropolitan Detroit, Michigan.  He has taught courses in Epidemiology and Population Health, Managing and Advocating for Vulnerable Patients, and Evidence-Based Population-Focused Primary Health Care Nursing, as well as other health and nursing related courses.  He has also received no fewer than five awards for his justice/inclusion

Lonneman chose to come to Western this past January as a visiting professor, at the invitation of then-Dean Rios.  He welcomed the break from his university in Cincinnati, where he had been for ten years.  He and his wife were also glad to be nearer one of their daughters, who lives in Seattle.  At the end of that time, he was very happy to accept an offer to join the permanent faculty.  The well-designed nursing program, the vibrancy of Western, and the beauty of the PNW also drew them to our community.  They have enjoyed hiking the countryside, watching Bellingham Bells baseball, riding Amtrak, discovering Vancouver and BC, sampling local beers, and many, many beautiful sunsets over the bay.

Christine Espina begins a new position with Woodring but she is not new to the college’s RN-to-BSN (Registered Nurse-to-Bachelor of Science) Program.   During the 2015 and 2016 academic periods she served as Visiting Professor with Interim Director duties and she held both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Espina holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice with an emphasis in Advanced Practice Community Health Systems and she has a Registered Nurse License from the Washington State Nursing Commission.  Her research interests include public health nursing, health disparities, and diversity in nursing education.

On a personal note, she enjoys spending time with her family - including her new son whose first birthday is still months away.

 

Elementary Education and Science Education Faculty Appointment

Deborah Hanuscin

Elementary Education department faculty member Deborah (Debi) Hanuscin grew up on the East Coast and is a graduate of Indiana University.  She is a scholar in the field of science education with a focus on teacher education and professional development. She began her career as a 4th grade teacher and informal science educator in Florida, and worked at the University of Missouri for 13 years before joining Western’s faculty. As a jointly-appointed faculty member in Science, Math, & Technology Education (SMATE), Hanuscin will continue investigating strategies and structures that promote teacher learning looks forward to collaborating with WA state teachers to improve elementary science education.

Her husband is a Western alumnus, and has enjoyed helping her get to know the Pacific Northwest and in her spare time, Debi enjoys hiking, biking, and curling up with a good  book.