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Associate Director of Clinical Operations / Director of Training / Counselor | Counseling Services | jfadden@plu.edu | 253-535-7206 | I am very excited to be back on the PLU campus!  I graduated from the PLU MFT program in 2012, and am looking forward to assisting the PLU community through our amazing counseling services. I have over 12 years of experience as a therapist, along with an extensive professional history within the social work and social justice field.  I have guided many people throughout the years, and feel it is my calling to be present for those who need support through this grand adventure called LIFE! My main goal is to help you cut through the minutiae of your own mind, implement tools that will help you take back the authority of your life and propel you forward on the path of your choosing.  I believe in creating “brave spaces” within the therapy room.  My style of therapy is a little different as I believe therapy does not have to be a long drawn out process, nor a deep dive, in order to make significant changes in your life.  Sometimes, you just need a place to breathe, focus and figure out your next steps.  I combine various therapy techniques, in order to challenge you, keep you focused and allow space for you to discover your authentic self.  Humor is also an important element of the process! If you are ready for deep and lasting change, then contact PLU Counseling Services and let’s get started! .

Contingent Faculty of Marriage and Family Therapy | Marriage and Family Therapy | youngsy@plu.edu | | I have been a part of the PLU family since 2008, where I provide supervision to Master Degree students at the PLU Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic.

Lecturer - Cello | Music | finkelm@plu.edu | 253-535-7602 | Mara Finkelstein studied cello at the Gnessin College of Music and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow before coming to the U.S.

Professor Emeritus and Faculty Fellow in Humanities | Religion | torvensa@plu.edu | 253-535-8106 | Samuel Torvend teaches courses in the history of early, medieval, and reformation Christianity as well as historical courses on the reform of social welfare, Christian responses to local and global hunger, Christian art and architecture, and Christian rituals.

Poetry | MFA in Creative Writing - Low Residency | David Biespiel is a contributing writer at The Rumpus, Partisan, American Poetry Review, Politico, New Republic, Slate, Poetry, and The New York Times, among other publications.  He is the author of numerous books of poetry, most recently Charming Gardeners and The Book of Men and Women, which was chosen one of the Best Books of the Year by the Poetry Foundation and received the Stafford/Hall Award for Poetry.  His books of essays include A Long High Whistle: Selected Columns on Poetry and a book on creativity, Every Writer Has a Thousand Faces.  He is a member of the board of directors of the National Book Critics Circle.  Recipient of Lannan, National Endowment for the Arts, and Stegner fellowships, he has taught at Stanford University, University of Maryland, George Washington University, Portland State University, and Wake Forest University, in addition to other colleges and universities.  He is a longtime faculty member in the School of Writing, Literature, and Film at Oregon State University and is the founder of the Attic Institute of Arts and Letters in Portland. Mentor.

Assistant to the Dean of the College of Liberal Studies | College of Liberal Studies | williamson@plu.edu | 253-535-7321

Associate Professor of Psychology | Department of Psychology | finleysr@plu.edu | 253-535-7660 | I primarily teach Introduction to Psychology and upper level experimental classes, such as Neuropsychology and Learning.

Assistant Athletic Director for Recreation | Recreational Sports | thompsrw@plu.edu | 253-535-7495 | Robert Thompson arrived at Pacific Lutheran University in August of 2013 as the Coordinator of Recreation and was elevated to Assistant Athletic Director for Recreation prior to the 2017-2018 academic year. Under Thompson’s leadership, student participation in intramural programming has increased by 40 percent through innovative marketing to students and partnerships with several departments on campus.

Associate Professor of English | Department of English | jamesja@plu.edu | 253-535-7217 | Jenny James was born and raised in Michigan, the home of the Great Lakes and the Michigan Wolverines.

Clinical Instructor of Nursing | School of Nursing | noglerla@plu.edu | Arisa (she/her) has worked in acute care as a Registered Nurse since 2012.  Her experience includes work in acute mental health, the operating room, hospice, and progressive care.  She hopes to help students understand the importance of compassionate care, and navigate the ethical and moral questions underlying equitable nursing care delivery. .