Main Contents
Full Time Faculty
Mark Ainsworth, Ph.D.
Ph.D. Plant Biology, University of California, Davis
- Subjects Taught
- Biology
Mark Ainsworth grew up in Cleveland, Ohio but headed west for graduate school at UC Davis. After working for a time as a research scientist at CombiMatrix Corporation he changed career paths and became an instructor at SCCC. He currently teaches biology and biotechnology classes, in addition to acting as the faculty coordinator for the Biology Program.
Liz Campbell, M.A.
M.A. Biology, Boston University
- Subjects Taught
- Biology, Oceanography
Liz Campbell, before coming to Seattle in 1980, taught non-majors biology at U.Mass. Boston. Her education includes a B.A. in music from Smith College (plays the oboe) and M.A. in biology from Boston University where she worked with invertebrate marine parasites. Among the programs at SCCC that have contributed to her teaching style are CSPs. She has found teaching with and learning from colleagues in other disciplines motivating in terms of expanding her curriculum and appreciating other ways of looking at the world. She currently teaches 2 non-majors biology lab courses- biological principles and marine biology as well as oceanography.
Daniel Gong, M.S.
M.S. Biological Structure, University of Washington
- Subjects Taught
- Anatomy & Physiology
As an undergraduate at UC Berkeley Daniel became fascinated with the miracle called life. Through experiences in graduate school as a teaching assistant he developed a desire to help students, particularly those planning to go into the health sciences. His goal is to prepare students for their future academic pursuits, careers, and life. For pre-nursing students and other students whose goal is to enter a health related profession he wants to help them establish a strong anatomy and physiology foundation so when they enter their respective programs or afterwards, their practices, they will be knowledgeable and capable. He primarily teaches his specialty, human anatomy and physiology.
Wendy Rockhill, Ph.D.
M.S. Vertebrate Morphology & Zoology, Washington State University
Ph.D. Developmental Biology; University of Washington
- Subjects Taught
- Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Nutrition
As a continual lifelong learner, Wendy Rockhill returned to graduate school at the University of Washington to work on a PhD in Development Neurophysiology. Through professional connections, she has become a valuable resource for student considering transferring to the University of Washington and other four-year institutions. Wendy is currently serving as the Interim Dean of Science and Math, but continues to teach undergraduate research.
Grace Sparks, Ph.D.
Ph.D. Ecosystems Analysis, University of Washington
Grace Sparks earned a B.S. in Environmental Science, with minors in Biology and English, at Allegheny College. She moved to Seattle in order to pursue graduate studies in forest ecology at the University of Washington’s College of Forest Resources. Her doctoral dissertation research focused on the effects of forest-clearcut edges on the fruiting patterns of fungi in the foothills of Washington’s Cascade Mountains. Before beginning to teach at Seattle Central, she was a laboratory teaching assistant and a summer instructor at the University of Washington. In addition, she has also done some teaching in martial arts and self-defense classes. She teaches plant biology and biology courses.
John Wiseley, M.S.
M.S. Plant Biology, University of California, Davis
- Subjects Taught
- Biology, Botany
John Wiseley earned a B.A. in Biochemistry at Whitman College, and began a Ph.D. program at the UC Davis. While there, he studied plant cellular and molecular biology, with plans for a career in research. During teaching assistantships, he found an unexpected love for teaching, and returned to the Northwest to begin his career.
Lauren Yasuda PhD
Ph.D. Genetics, University of Washington
- Subjects Taught
- Genetics, Microbiology
Lauren Yasuda earned a B.S. in Biology at UCLA and a Ph.D. in Genetics at the UW. After completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Lauren began her teaching career at SCCC. She greatly enjoys the diversity of her students and appreciates their motivation and eagerness to learn. Lauren teaches microbiology and genetics, attempting to continually update her courses to keep up with the rapid changes in these areas of biology.
Part Time Faculty
Anna Davis
Ph.D. Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington
- Subjects Taught
- Anatomy & Physiology
Anna Davis has an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from Smith College, a doctorate from the University of Washington in Physiology and Biophysics, postdoctoral work studying muscle development and is a certified yoga instructor. Her interest in science education led her to work with a small team of scientists at the UW developing simulation software to teach Cell Physiology. Her teaching goals include helping students develop a deep understanding of anatomy and physiology concepts so that they can apply their knowledge to real world situations.
Natasa Kesler
M.A., Hunter College, City University of New York
- Subjects Taught
- Anatomy & Physiology, Biology
Natasa Kesler joined SCCC in 2003 after working for a Redmond-based nanotechnology company Micronics, Inc. Before moving to Seattle, Natasa worked as a Research Coordinator in Neurology Department of Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in NYC and received her MA degree in Biology from Hunter College. She teaches biology, anatomy and physiology and nutrition classes.
Jessica McAbee, Ph.D.
Ph.D. Plant Biology, University of California, at Davis
- Subjects Taught
- Biology, Botany
Jay McLean-Riggs, M.D., M.P.H.
M.D., M.P.H., Yale University
- Subjects Taught
- Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Nutrition, Health
Jay was born and grew up in South Africa, immigrating to the US in 1985. She did her BS in Zoology at WSU in Pullman, and headed to Connecticut to Yale for her MD and MPH in International Health. In addition to teaching Health and ANP at Central she is spending time raising two daughters. Jay loves to teach and enjoys learning new and different pedagogical techniques, and the diversity of students at Central.
Samantha Morefield
M.S. Neurophysiology, University of North Texas
- Subjects Taught
- Microbiology, Biology
Deborah Ocken
M.S., Kansas State University
- Subjects Taught
- Nutrition, Biology, Health, Anatomy & Physiology
Josh Whorley
Ph.D. Zoology, University of Washington
- Subjects Taught
- Environment Science, Health, Biology, Botany, Nutrition
Josh earned a BA in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley, where he began cultivating a lifelong interest in Vertebrate evolution, behavior and functional morphology. As an undergraduate he studied diet and foraging ecology of various Mojave Desert rattlesnakes. His doctoral work focused on phylogeography and reproductive biology of Antelope Ground squirrels, a widespread desert-dwelling Sciurid. He found deeper satisfaction through teaching climbing and biology than through research, and so began teaching full time after earning his degree, and tries to integrate his interests in rock-climbing, cycling and yoga practice into his classroom teaching.
Instructional Staff
Jeff Rash, B.S.
B.S., University of Washington
Jeff Rash, Program Support Supervisor at Seattle Central Community College, is a transplant from Lorain, Ohio. His passion for marine mammals brought him to the Pacific Northwest in 1979 to pursue a degree in Zoology at the University of Washington. He worked as Research Coordinator for a volunteer group based in Seattle, The Marine Animal Resource Center, and became involved in rehabilitating, rescuing and researching our resident marine mammal population. During the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989, he worked with many other researchers to assist in rescuing oiled sea otters. He is also a certified Master Gardener and Seattle Mariner Expert Extraordinaire.
Kate Sowell
B.S., University of Washington