Younghee Kim
Younghee Kim, Ph.D., Professor, Coordinator of the Early Childhood Development program, School of Education, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, Oregon.
Dr. Kim teaches in the Early Childhood Development, Elementary Education, and Master of Arts in Teaching Programs at Southern Oregon University. After graduating from Sogang University in Seoul, Korea, in 1985, she received her master’s degree in 1992 and her doctorate in 1996 from the University of Oregon in the area of early intervention/early childhood special education. Prior to coming to SOU in 1999, Dr. Kim taught in the Early Child Education Program and the Master of Arts in Teaching program in the School of Education at Oregon State University, Corvallis during 1996-1999.
Her research interests include holistic education, alternative assessment for young children with special needs, family collaboration in early intervention, whole child and teacher development, core reflection, the human potential, presence and compassion, contemplative practices in teacher education, as well as multicultural education for individuals with diverse backgrounds.
Susan Faller-Mitchell
Susan brings 15 years of classroom experience to her role as a faculty member with Southern Oregon University. She is a nationally board certified teacher as a Middle Childhood Specialist. She holds a Master of Science degree in Mass Communication from San Jose State University and earned her teaching credential from California State University East Bay in 1993.
Her areas of interest include reflective teaching, differentiation, math investigations, science inquiry, and mentoring of student teachers. She considers her role in the School of Education as an investment in our future teachers.
Megan Farnsworth
Dr. Megan Farnsworth is an associate professor of special education at Southern Oregon University, and earned her PhD in Multicultural Special Education from the University of Arizona (2010). She taught in schools for 17 years in General Education, Special Education, and English Language Development, in California, Hawai’i, Oregon, and Arizona. Dr. Farnsworth’s current research explores the ways grief and resilience in Storytelling affects teaching and learning. She currently coordinates Educate Chombo, a grassroots organization that seeks to empower women with literacy skills and economic development in Malawi, Africa.
Willam Greene
Dr. William L. Greene is an educational psychologist and professor in the School of Education at Southern Oregon University (USA). His research and scholarship focuses on holistic teaching and learning with an emphasis on self-development, human potential, and the spiritual nature of education. His teacher education courses include: Human Development, Social-Emotional Learning, Introduction to Core Reflection, and Philosophic Foundations of Education. He helped to establish the international Holistic Teaching and Learning Conference that will (tentatively) convene again in the fall of 2020 at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon, USA.
Pat Bentley
Pat is a Professor Emeritus at Southern Oregon University. She completed her graduate and post graduate work at the University of Oregon. She also earned a graduate diploma from Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, KS. Her undergraduate work was completed at George Fox College (University), Portland Museum Art School, and Southern Oregon College (University).
She has served on the faculty at SOU in a variety of capacities since 1978, most recent before retirement, as Director of Distance Learning for 12 years, pioneering Distance Education at the institution, and training other faculty to use online teaching tools. Pat also served as an Associate Professor, teaching courses in the Masters of Education/Continuing Teaching Licensure programs.
In post-retirement, she continues to serve in the Division of Education. Having been employed professionally in the field of education since 1967, Pat has enjoyed working as a secondary/middle school teacher, and media specialist, in addition to the many hats worn at SOU. With 48 years as a professional in education, she specializes in the areas of Talented and Gifted education, exceptional learners, differentiated curriculum and instruction, intervention/prevention of child abuse and neglect, and intervention/prevention of bullying in the schools.
Pat is a master printmaker and an artist. She firmly believes that "A great teacher is a dream maker, not a dream breaker!" ~ Chauncey Veatch, 2002 National Teacher of the Year.
Cathy Lemble
Cathy Lemble earned her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Colorado in 1990 with a focus in Education. She then went on to teach and help direct 11 years of preschool in Montessori-enriched programs. In 2010, Cathy earned her MAT from SOU after teaching 10 years at Willow Wind and Walker Elementary schools in Ashland, Oregon.
Cathy’s interests include alternative education, multicultural curriculum, children’s literature, social emotional learning, and family-community relationships. She values interest-led learning in a child-centered environment and weaves the value of respecting our environment and all of its creatures throughout her curriculum.
Sara Stearns
Sara Stearns, M.Ed., works for the Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children as Associate Executive Director. Sara received her M.Ed. from Southern Oregon University in 2014. She earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education from SOU in 1983 with an emphasis in early childhood education. Sara has worked in the field of early childhood education for over thirty years holding many positions including parent educator, teacher, mentor, trainer, and director. Her professional focus over the past few years has been on teaching, training and mentoring early childhood care and education practitioners. Her experience encompasses the non-profit and for-profit market. Her last year before joining Oregon AEYC in 2014 was concluding her nine-year tenure as SOU Schneider Children’s Center Director in Ashland.
Sara is an adjunct faculty member at Southern Oregon University’s School of Education. She is a Master Trainer for the Oregon Registry. Sara orchestrates conferences and workshops for the early childhood care and education workforce though out Oregon. She is a native Oregonian and lives in Oregon City.
Rebecca Tree
Rebecca Tree has over 35 years in the early childhood field. After serving as the Founder and Director of Roots & Wings Community Preschool for 25 years she joined The Community Preschool at SOU as its Director in addition to adjunct faculty in the ECD program. Ms. Tree received her Master’s in Education from SOU at the age of 62, proving that learning is a life-long endeavor and as long as we breathe we should be engaged in meaningful work.
Paula Lynam
Paula Lynam, M.Ed., is the Founder and Director of The Secret Garden Preschool and Kindergarten, an adjunct faculty member at SOU, RCC, and Waldorf Teacher Training Eugene, and is pursuing her Ph.D. in Applied Eco Psychology. For close to 40 years she has been working with children and families in a variety of capacities, including Parent/Child Facilitator, Handwork/Art Teacher, Educational Support Teacher/Practitioner, Games/Integrative Movement Teacher, and Waldorf Kindergarten Teacher and Mentor.
Paula advocates for the effectiveness of holistic practices in education and nature-play-based early learning, while encouraging educators on their path of inner-development to incorporate nature, creativity, hand-work, and soul filled reflective practices into their daily life.
K.C. Sam
K.C. Sam is our Distance Transfer Specialist for the School of Education at SOU. She has been with the University for 12 years. She works closely with undergraduates who are wanting to transfer to SOU to earn their Bachelor degree in either Early Childhood Development or Elementary Education. She loves supporting our students and helping them reach their goals.
Kayla Rapet
