Have you met the new University of Redlands faculty members yet? This semester, there are eight: six within the College of Arts and Sciences, one in the School of Education and one in the San Francisco School of Theology. Some are completely new to the university, while others are familiar faces in new departments.
Ross Conkey is from Eugene, Oregon, but grew up in various European cities like Berlin, Prague and Rotterdam before returning to the US to earn a Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas in Austin. He then worked in the video game industry in the Bay Area, as a freelance writer in Chicago, and finally turned to teaching in the English departments at La Sierra University and University of California in Riverside (UCR) before coming to the area in 2009.
Since 2015, Conkey has been an adjunct professor in the University of Redlands’ Visual Media Studies, Creative Writing and English departments. As a visiting lecturer in the new Media and Communications departments, Conkey said he is looking forward to expanding the opportunities for students interested in this field.
“Media and communication are growing ever more important to understand a social world,” he said. “Because of this, there are new platforms for media and new ways to communicate that push us all into new territories.”
James Griffin, a San Diego native, received his undergraduate degree in Chemical Biology from UC Berkeley and his PhD in Chemistry from UC Irvine. While conducting PhD research at UC Irvine, Griffin attended one of the University of Redlands’ chemistry seminar courses, where chemistry majors prepare research presentations and invite visiting researchers and graduate students to give their own presentations.
Having enjoyed the event and the community, Griffin said he kept an eye out for hiring notices. When a visiting lecturer position opened, he applied and has been teaching at Redlands since the Fall semester of 2024. Griffin still lives in San Diego and commutes an hour and a half to work every day, which he said has been difficult.
“But every morning, when I get to campus, I feel like it’s worth it because it’s really, really fun to be teaching organic chemistry in a university setting,” he said.
The university’s size is another benefit that Griffin encourages students to utilize to the fullest.
“Being at a smaller university setting like this, where your professors are in the same building that you have your classes in, and their doors are open and you can walk in and talk to them as needed – that is the edge that a university like Redlands offers over the bigger institutions that I’m used to,” he said.
After graduating high school, Ömer Aziz Kayhan left Istanbul, Turkey for a college education in the United States. He earned a double major in economics and music at Cornell University, followed by a masters in music from Eastman School of Music, both in New York.
As a visiting lecturer in the Conservatory of Music, Kayhan said he is looking forward to expanding his collaborations with students, faculty and other departments.
“We have already worked on intra-departmental projects with the Maker Space studio, creating 3-D printed batons for our students in conducting classes,” he said. “We have incredible musicians, both academically and professionally, making music with them is the greatest joy of teaching here.”
In addition to his work at the university, Kayhan said he enjoys exploring the area.
“As I discover the beaches, the hikes, the food and the music scene, I find so many more anchors to be here,” he said.
Benjamin Fields, a Seattle native, earned an undergraduate from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, where he competed on the swim team. Fields then earned his masters degree in higher education administration at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and his doctoral degree in Sociology at UC Riverside.
While at UC Riverside, Fields’s love for swimming led him to become the assistant swim coach for the University of Redlands. This role gradually expanded, and as Fields spent more time at Redlands, he started looking for teaching positions. When the full-time visiting professor position in the Sociology Department opened last year, he applied and is excited to expand his role in the Bulldog community.
There are even more exciting opportunities on the horizon for Fields, however, as he was offered a tenure track professor contract at the University of Nevada in Reno starting in the fall 2025 semester.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time here, and I’m still looking forward to the next few months, but it is sort of the end of my Redlands time,” he said.
Kendra Nelson is originally from Texas but has bounced back and forth across the country several times. After earning an undergraduate journalism degree from Southwestern Adventist University in Texas, Nelson moved to California where she worked in North Hollywood at a radio station. However, this career was not quite “paying the bills” and she desired to explore other opportunities.
An avid runner who has competed in more than 15 marathons, and has goals to qualify for the Boston Marathon, she decided to channel this passion into pursuing physical therapy. Nelson pointed out that physical therapy encompasses more than just running, though: it applies to overall health, comfort and wellbeing.
“If you fix some physical habits that you’re doing now, you’re going to be so much better when you’re 30 and 40,” she said. “You can continue being athletic and active your whole life if you fix these things now.”
After earning a doctorate in physical therapy at Loma Linda University, Nelson worked with student athletes in sports rehab health clinics at Stanford and the University of Georgia in Athens. It was in Athens that Nelson first began guest-lecturing and discovered she enjoyed the academic environment.
Nelson returned to California when her husband was offered a teaching position at UC Riverside. She pursued clinical work at Redlands Community Hospital before becoming an adjunct at the University of Redlands during Covid. After two years as a visiting professor, Nelson is now the newest Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and said she is looking forward to everything that this new position entails.
“I’m excited to see how many students are really interested in getting a degree in kinesiology,” she said. “I’m hoping that it brings in some more students to the university.”
Specifically, Nelson said she expects the new kinesiology degree to attract more athletes because of the strong correlation of interest, and hopes this will enhance Redlands’ athletic department.
Elizabeth Flater is originally from Wisconsin but has lived in Redlands since her husband started working for local company Esri in 2008. Flater worked as a librarian for California Baptist University in Riverside for 11 years prior to joining the Bulldog community.
“I was ready for a change and a challenge and wanted to work closer to home because I have young kids – and the commute was draining my life force,” she said.
Flater said she is most looking forward to collaborating with coworkers and students, along with developing as a teacher, researcher and librarian. She encourages students to stop by the library for research help or “just because.”
“It’s a great place to study or relax, everyone is friendly and helpful, and we try to have fun things going on every month: coloring, games, snacks, crafts, and special events,” she said. “Also, we have a games collection, a popular books section, and graphic novels if you’re looking for fun.”
Dreana Holloway is from North Carolina, where she earned a bachelors in elementary education from Western Salem State University. She comes from a family of educators and has been in the education system for ten years. She became an elementary school counselor in 2016, then earned her PhD in counselor education and supervision in 2023. Holloway said she decided to come to Redlands because of the high level of diversity and expansive teaching-outreach program.
“When I went to the interview here, I knew that the University of Redlands would support my dream: not only to be a professor at a university, but to also work [closely] with school counselors,” she said.
The last new faculty member this year will not be seen here, but at Redlands’ San Francisco School of Theology in Marin. A native Californian, Rev. I. Pearl Player will be the Interim Program Director and a full-time visiting lecturer in Christian spirituality this semester.
Player, a three-time alumna, said she is excited to teach courses that align with her interests, oversee the development of her students’ spiritual direction and assist in student recruitment. She also enjoys the Northern California scenery.
“I am most looking forward to working and living within the soothing and rejuvenating environment of our stunning Marin campus,” she said.
These new faculty members bring fresh perspectives and diverse experiences to the University of Redlands. Let’s make sure to give these individuals a Bulldog warm welcome!
McKenzie Rose is a freshman at Redlands with interests in Environmental Studies and Journalism. She worked for the last three years as a freelance journalist with the Hermiston Herald, a newspaper near her hometown of Echo, Oregon. She is looking forward to covering the interesting, the exciting, and the intriguing happenings at the university for the Redlands Bulldog!
