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Program Websites A-Z Pre-majors/Transfer Programs Communication Arts & Modern Languages Faculty Biographies

Faculty contact information is listed below. Click on the faculty email address to send an email. The globe icon identifies faculty web sites. Click the globe to visit the site. Acevedo Gutierrez, Eliud; Spanish Instructor Office: 24-124 Phone: (509) 533-3472 Email: Eliud.AcevedoGutierrez@spokanefalls.edu   The world is a big place. There is a lot to see out there, many people to meet, and many stories to be told and heard. That was my motivation when I first started studying my major at Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. I wanted to learn other languages that would broaden my horizons and would let me walk the world crossing cultural and language boundaries. Though I have traveled a lot in the past few years, I do not know what it is like to live in a foreign country. Being the Spanish TA at SFCC is my opportunity to live with a local family, experience the American culture, and improve my English. On the other hand, through this program I become a promoter of the Latin American identity conveying to others my culture and the way of thought specific to my country. Back to Top Broughton, Irv; Instructor Office: 5-133 Phone: (509) 533-3824 Email: Irv.Broughton@spokanefalls.edu   Irv Broughton has taught at SFCC Since 1976. He came from the University of Washington where he taught in the School of Communications. He's author of ten books including Producers on Producing and Forever Remembered: The Fliers of WWII. Irv is a filmmaker and a three-time winner of the NW Film and Video Festival. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Florida State and an M.A. in Creative Writing from Hollins College. A former collegiate basketball player at FSU, he still loves his "hoops" and is a huge fan of FSU football and basketball. He likes bonsai. Back to Top Brunt, Bonnie; Spanish Instructor Office: 24-124 Phone: (509) 533-3597 Email: Bonnie.Brunt@spokanefalls.edu It is exhilarating to experience other cultures and to be able to communicate with others in their own language. I love teaching Spanish because I get to share that joy with the students in my classroom. I have been teaching Spanish since 1992... and still love it! During that time I have led many student trips to Spain and Mexico, and it is one of my greatest rewards when I see a student's life transformed through the experience. My interest in Spanish and in travel comes from my childhood, when I lived in Peru for five years with missionary parents. I was only a year old when we moved there, so I learned both English and Spanish at once. When I was six, my family spent nine months traveling down to Chile and then up through all the countries along the western coast of South America, up Central America and Mexico, all the way to California. During college I decided to study abroad in Valencia, Spain (on the eastern coast) for a year, and that's when I realized that I loved Spanish and would like to make it my profession to teach it. I spent three summers studying in Galicia, Spain (northwest corner) for my MA and then in 2000 I moved to Spain where I lived and traveled for a year and a half (one year in the city of Pamplona, Navarra, near the border with France and then six months in Cádiz, near the southwest coast). Since the summer of 2005, I have spent four weeks each summer in the city of Salamanca (on the Portugal side of Madrid). I encourage everyone who has the opportunity to travel or study abroad. For those that don't, you can experience some of that excitement by studying a foreign language! Back to Top Estrada, Hadda; Instructor Office: 24-108C Phone: (509) 533-3646 Email: Hadda.Estrada@spokanefalls.edu   My name is Hadda Estrada, and I was born and grew up in Paris, France. I spent most of my life in France where I got the opportunity to travel throughout Europe. After I graduated from the University of Marne-la-Valle in Business Administration, I decided to pursue my interest in communication and languages. I moved to Monroe, Louisiana and went to the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) where I furthered my education in Business Administration. In 2001, I graduated with my BA in Economics. Soon after, I enrolled in the Master of Arts in Communication with a concentration in Mass Communication. I received my MA from ULM and began teaching Communication courses for over 7 years. As a Speech Instructor, I taught students from diverse academic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds to combat fears associated with public speaking and to help them realize speaking attributes. In 2006, I began working as a Retention Advisor and Communication Studies Instructor and was strongly committed to academic advising, retention and graduation efforts. I was involved in all aspects of the Student Success Center's functions, to include advising, teaching, program development and management. I also taught multiple sections of University Seminar each semester. This class was part of ULM's First Year Experience and the Learning Communities program, a very critical component that impacted every incoming freshman at the institution. I worked very closely with students each semester to help them transition both socially and academically to the university. In 2010, my family and I moved to Spokane. We enjoy being outdoors, going on hikes, and riding our bikes. Our love and passion for traveling and discovering other cultures is never-ending. All my family lives in Europe, so we try to visit them as much as possible. Back to Top Guo, Gloria; Chinese Instructor Office: 5-137 Phone: (509) 533-3701 Email: Gloria.Guo@spokanefalls.edu Ni Hao (This is a way to say Hello in Chinese) I am a Chinese Language Instructor. I am very lucky to follow the trend of teaching and learning Chinese Language. The use of Internet makes this world smaller and smaller. So teaching Chinese Language and let you learn Chinese Culture is my mission. My door is always open to welcome you. I have an MS degree in USA and MA degree in Chinese Language and Literature from Qufu Normal University. This is the Confucius's hometown. So I inherited Confucius's pedagogic and thoughts. I have been a faculty member in Shandong University for many years. Teaching is my passion. Let us enjoy learning Chinese Language together. My hobby is reading, gardening and cooking. Back to Top Huff, Yasuka; Japanese Instructor Office: 5-105A Phone: (509) 533-3367 Email: Yasuka.Huff@spokanefalls.edu My name is Yaska Huff and I have been teaching Japanese at SFCC for over 8 years. After I graduated with a BA from Gonzaga University in Spokane, I worked with K-12 students at Spokane District 81 which provided me with the opportunity to meet many teachers who introduced me to a variety of teaching methods with not only teaching Japanese, but also other subjects. After I received a MA from Gonzaga University, I taught undergraduate and graduate students at the Education Department at Gonzaga University; such as "Computer Methods in the Classroom", "Network & Telecommunication". Before I came to SFCC as the Japanese instructor, I taught computer software applications for senior citizens at IEL (Institute for Extended Learning) I also taught a Business Japanese class for the Master of International Management degree program at Whitworth University. I have lived in the U.S. for over twenty years, while my family still lives in Japan, so I try to visit them as much as possible. Before I moved in Spokane, I lived in Martin, Tennessee and Portland, Oregon as a student. While I was living in the U.S, I visited many places within the U.S. and other countries in Europe which led me to see what opportunities I had. Things I love to do are out-door activities such as sailing, x-country skiing, and hiking. I enjoy taking a walk with my wonderful dogs; Luna and Cocolo and doing Yoga. Back to Top Hyatt, Mary; Instructor Office: 5-135 Phone: (509) 533-3593 Email: Mary.Hyatt@spokanefalls.edu I have been teaching for 42 years, 10 at Mead High School and 32 at SFCC. I teach speech, composition and film courses on campus as well as on line. I have no plans of retiring because I love learning and working with students. Maybe I'll make it 50 years of teaching. I am most known around the SFCC campus for my cars (4 different corvettes) and my little white dog Sophie that I take with me to class every day. I train with my Golden Retriever in agility exercises, the ones where the dog goes on teeter totters, in tunnels, up ramps etc. I love down hill skiing and have a season pass to Mt. Spokane. The other season I ride a dirt motorcycle, but I'm not as reckless as I use to be. I love teaching film and have seen Citizen Kane so often that I have almost all of the lines memorized. I'm really into independent and foreign cinema more than the traditional Hollywood style films of entertainment. Speech is my favorite class to teach because it gives me the chance to really get to know the students. I conduct a very interactive class and become more of a coach than an instructor. When I teach composition, my major goal is to help students write in a style that is organized and clear for a specific audience. Back to Top Islam-Zwart, Khalil; Instructor Office: 5-121 Phone: (509) 533-3373 Email: Khalil.Islam-Zwart@spokanefalls.edu   Khalil Islam-Zwart is a father, husband, teacher, researcher, and generally engaged citizen. He grew up in Tacoma, WA, and after attending Pierce College, transferred to EWU where he earned his undergraduate degree and subsequently worked as an administrator in the Division of Student Affairs. While working at EWU, Khalil completed a Masters in Public Administration and found his passion for working with students, particularly those who are from under-represented populations, was no longer being fed by his administrative job requirements. He left EWU in 2003 to work towards a PhD at Washington State University. He is currently working towards completing his dissertation and teaching courses for SFCC and EWU. Khalil's top priority is his family. They like to spend free time exploring Spokane, looking for family-friendly places to play and learn. During the summer months, he and his family pull a 29-foot trailer around the west coast and are particularly fond of camping and hiking along the central Oregon coast. Khalil is currently teaching CMST 101 for SFCC. He also teaches statistics, research methods courses, critical media studies, cultural studies courses, and group communication courses. Other teaching interests include intercultural communication, organizational/business communication, interpersonal communication, persuasion, and interracial communication. His research interests focus on the intersections between organization, culture, and identity. He's focused much of his efforts on volunteer voice and narratives, examining how volunteers in grass-root non-profit organizations structure their volunteer and workplace identities and experiences. In the Spokane community, Khalil has worked on numerous social justice and human rights issues, some of which include: the Spokane Human Rights Commission; the Pride Foundation; the Spokane NAACP; and numerous like-minded organizations. He believes the most important part of being in a community is engagement with that community. In his spare time, Khalil can be found playing with his girls, taking pictures of people and landscapes, biking around the neighborhood, and using his sit-on-top kayaks in local waterways. Khalil is also an avid Mac user and is constantly looking for ways to use technology to enhance learning and fun. Back to Top Johnson, Erin; Spanish Instructor Office: 5-107B Phone: (509) 533-3948 Email: Erin.Johnson@spokanefalls.edu Learning the Spanish language and experiencing Latin culture has enriched me thoroughly and made my world a more colorful place. However, Spanish is more than just fun, interesting and fulfilling – it is incredibly useful! Over three hundred million people speak Spanish as their native language and over 20 countries are considered to be Spanish-speaking. By learning to speak this beautiful language one can communicate with diverse people in the US and abroad, gain a more global perspective, and develop a valuable skill for work or travel. I am thrilled to be able to share the passion I have for Spanish with my students as they begin their own journey as a language learner. I grew up in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and stayed in the area for college. I received my M.A. in Spanish from Washington State University where I also taught a variety of Spanish courses. As an undergraduate student at the University of Idaho, I studied abroad in San Jose, Costa Rica and Torino, Italy. My travels also include trips to Mexico, Spain, and Panama. I am a major advocate for studying abroad and am very excited that SFCC students have the opportunity to do so! Back to Top Johnson, Lynda; Instructor Office: 5-107C Phone: (509) 533-3158 Email: Lynda.Johnson@spokanefalls.edu Lynda was raised outside a small logging town of Potlatch, Idaho. She left there after graduation thinking "There must be more to life than this!" Her studies and career took her to Portland, Chicago, and New Delhi and back, with some stops in between, some for a few years, some longer. She left a good editing job in San Jose, California, in 1994 feeling a need to return to her roots. She lived in Lewiston, Idaho, where she taught in the Intensive English Institute and also at Walla Walla Community College across the border in Clarkston, Washington. Lynda has an undergrad degree in Journalism and a master's in communication with a cross-cultural emphasis. Lynda's four years in India have been a highlight in her career, where she felt more at home than she does in the U.S. It all has to do with values and what's important to her. For this reason, she says, "I'm excited about teaching Intercultural Communication because I hope to inspire students to broaden their horizons and see how much more there is to life than what they know!" Living on her treed acre just north of Spokane, Lynda enjoys her animals and wildlife, gardening, and doing some freelance writing and editing. Back to Top Lapadat, Ada; French Instructor Office: 5-161 Phone: (509) 533-3598 Email: Ada.Lapadat@spokanefalls.edu   Ada was born and raised in Eastern Europe, Romania. At the age of 12 she moved to the U.S. with her parents and two sisters. She fell in love with French language, culture, history and literature during her sophomore year in high school and ever since then she has continued her foreign language education. Ada attended Georgia State University where she received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in French literature and culture. Her passion for French has taken her overseas to the mother country to an experience she will never forget. Learning and teaching French is and has been a lifelong dream that she is now pursuing. She is more than excited to continue her journey with Spokane Falls Community College and to share her passion with the students. Back to Top Massey, Larry; Instructor Office: 24-241 Phone: (509) 533-3518 Email: Larry.Massey@spokanefalls.edu Larry came to teaching college after 20 years in the business world. He was in sales and marketing and senior executive management for markets in North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, and Latin America before a ''youthful retirement'' in 1998. Larry has recently been tenured at SFCC, and has also taught Communication and Speech Communication courses at the University of Washington, Gonzaga University, and Bellevue Community College. Courses he has taught include Intercultural Communication, Small Group Communication, Public Speaking, Organizational Communication, and the introductory course to Communication. Larry is a graduate of Gonzaga University, summa cum laude , with concentrations in Philosophy and Communication. He has his MA in Communication from the University of Washington, and has completed one year toward the Ph.D. at the UW, in the Department of Communication. He is a member of the Iota Rho Chapter of Lambda Pi Eta , the National Communication Association Honor Society, and Phi Sigma Tau, the National Philosophy Association Honor Society. His approach to teaching Communication courses is from a grounding in the ''real world'' as well as scholarly theory, having spent his previous career in the practical application of the art. Back to Top Phan, Elodie; French Instructor Office: 5-161 Phone: (509) 533-3892 Email: Elodie.Phan@spokanefalls.edu Élodie Phan is a true intercultural personality; born while her family fled Communist rule in Viètnâm, raised in France, and educated in the United States. A US citizen, Élodie is keenly interested in all things American and loves to infuse her varied interests with her own particular French cachet. She is especially drawn to US military and intelligence history and tactics. She describes her friends as mostly police officers and security operatives and is as happy at the pistol range as she is conjugating irregular French verbs or throwing chalk at her students. Élodie was a cheerleader in high school, and as she puts it, was "small enough to be thrown... and dropped." Following high school in the Seattle area, Élodie earned her BA in French literature at the University of Washington. She also earned her MA from the University of Washington, while teaching undergraduate French classes during her own graduate work. Élodie has been at SFCC for over six years, is the current Foreign Languages Department Lead. She has also developed and taught a class on French Cinema, from its birth to the present, for Whitworth College. In addition to advising the French Club and the national honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, Élodie works for SFCC's International Education Committee and is involved in Student Government as a faculty representative. One of her two favorite projects is the SFCC Winter French Film Festival, held at The Met starting this January 2006, that she developed with Mary Hyatt. However, closest to her heart is the Gérard H. Phan Scholarship for SFCC French language students. Élodie created this scholarship in 2005 as a memorial to her father, whose guidance and example she credits for her own determination and success. Back to Top Reames, Steven; Instructor (Department Chair) Office: 5-119A Phone: (509) 533-3611 Email: Steven.Reames@spokanefalls.edu   Steve has been around so long he looks like his own grandfather, but that's okay because his grandpa used to be the love of his life and now his granddaughters are. Steve holds a B.A. from Whitworth College and an M.A. and a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate School, all in English because someone told him he had to declare a major. What he really wanted to study was everything, and that has come in handy since Steve has taught a variety of things at SFCC since 1977. During most of the 1980's he was the SFCC debate coach. After that he helped to found the Learning Communities program, and he served as that program's first coordinator in the early 1990's. Nowadays Steve teaches film and communication studies. Steve has way too many favorite films: Modern Times; Grand Illusion; Singin' in the Rain; Wild Strawberries; Vertigo; Some Like It Hot; 8 ½; The Graduate; McCabe and Mrs. Miller; Solaris; Taxi Driver; Apocalypse Now; Manhattan; Blade Runner; A Fish Called Wanda; Wings of Desire; Three Colors: Blue; Fargo; Twelfth Night; Lost in Translation; Across the Universe; and everything Kurosawa ever made. Whenever the sun is shining or the snow is falling, Steve is happy. The Little Spokane River is the center of the universe, and he loves to paddle up and down. Above ninety degrees, the river is mandatory. In the winter and spring, Steve's goal is to ski up, down and horizontally as much and as often as possible. Some snow is good; more snow is better. Back to Top Rickett, Craig; Instructor, Communication Studies Office: 24-311 Phone: (509) 533-3608 Email: Craig.Rickett@spokanefalls.edu Walk the main hallway of building 5 and you will see much of what I do. No, not the restrooms! The other side – the trophy case and the theatre. I coach competitive, intercollegiate speech and debate. The trophies represent the reward I feel helping students develop their skills in public speaking, oral interpretation, and debate. The theatre behind the trophy case represents the other part of my teaching life. I direct shows every year, teach Introduction to Theatre, and occasionally act in plays here and at Spokane Civic Theatre. Back to Top Rickett, Darlene; Instructor Office: 24-122 Phone: (509) 533-3308 Email: Darlene.Rickett@spokanefalls.edu Darlene Rickett, originally from Bethany, Oklahoma, and a 1977 graduate from Southern Nazarene University, holds a Masters in Speech Education and is a professor in the Communication Department at Spokane Falls Community College in Spokane, Washington. Darlene specializes in Intercultural Communication and is involved in a variety of intercultural programs, including Japan Week, a yearly community event. On campus, she is the International Club advisor, a member of the International Education Committee, and a member of the Diversity Dimensions team for the First Year Experience Initiative. Darlene also chairs SFCC's Intercultural Week, a campus and community event with extended programs, speakers, and activities. She worked collaboratively to initiate an International Peer Mentoring program, matching American and International students. Darlene has participated in the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication, and she is a certified administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory, as well as the Intercultural Conflict Style Inventory. She has lived in London and in Budapest, Hungary, where she taught at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Currently, she is the campus liaison for the Hungarian exchange program. In 2005, she was nominated to receive the Equity in Diversity award for the Community Colleges of Spokane. Darlene has been teaching college students since 1980. Back to Top Rihn, Bernie; Instructor Office: 5-138 Phone: (509) 533-3605 Email: Bernie.Rihn@spokanefalls.edu Bernie Rihn has been teaching at the Falls since 1983. Currently he teaches composition and film communications classes. He has a Ph.D. from Stanford University which he completed in 1978. He grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is a diehard Pittsburgh Steeler fan. His hobbies are reading, fishing, and golf. He is married and has three children. His taste in film is very eclectic, ranging from the classics to contemporary independent film. It would not be odd to find him watching The Godfather or Pulp Fiction. If he had to choose one movie to take to a desert island, it would probably be the 1942 classic Casablanca. Back to Top Spencer, Jenni; Instructor Office: 5-107C Phone: (509) 533-3158 Email: Jenni.Spencer@spokanefalls.edu   Jenni holds a B.A. in communication from Washington State University. After earning her undergraduate degree, she continued on to receive her M.A. in communication with an emphasis in intercultural communication from the University of New Mexico. For the past 14 years Jenni has taught a variety of communication classes including public speaking, intercultural communication, small group communication, and introduction to communication. She enjoys teaching communication classes because they are practical and students can see the relevance to their lives. One of Jenni's passions is intercultural communication and travel. She has lived in Japan on two different occasions, once as a study abroad student and once as a teacher on the JET program. In addition to teaching, she has worked as a study abroad advisor at the University of Oregon. She recently moved back to eastern Washington after living in Olympia, Washington, for the past seven years. Back to Top Wolfsen, Amy; Instructor Office: 24-310 Phone: (509) 533-3825 Email: Amy.Wolfsen@spokanefalls.edu Amy was born and raised in southern California, but has lived in Washington long enough that she considers herself to be from Washington. Raised with six brothers, Amy learned that communicating effectively plays a key role in getting one's point across. After graduating high school, Amy earned her B.A. from Walla Walla College and her M.A. from Washington State University. She then left Washington to complete her Ph.D. course work at the University of Utah. She returned after accepting a permanent teaching position at Spokane Falls Community College in 2006. Amy believes in being a life long learner. In fact, her brothers call her a "lifer" because she loves teaching and taking classes. Amy hopes to instill this love for learning in every student in each-and-every class she teaches. In speech classes specifically, Amy strives to help her students become more effective communicators in interpersonal, organizational, cultural, and public contexts. Outside the classroom, Amy loves most sports, especially those that take her outside. In the winter, Amy enjoys to snowshoe and ski. In the summer, getting outside includes hiking, camping, backpacking, and waterskiing. Prospective trips in the future include hiking the John Muir Trail, rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and hiking in Alaska. Internationally, Amy would like to return to Africa and Europe and travel to Costa Rica and Australia to name a few. Back to Top