Kevin Bolding
Professor Kevin Bolding earned an MS (1991) and a PhD (1993) in computer science and engineering from the University of Washington. His undergraduate preparation in computer science and mathematical sciences came from Rice University. For two years prior to joining the engineering program at SPU, Kevin was head of the Chaotic Routing Group at UW, where, among other accomplishments, he completed the design of the fault-tolerant Chaos Router. Throughout his years at SPU, Kevin has been an electrical engineering faculty member, but he has also served as electrical engineering department chair and director of engineering and computer science. He led SPU’s engineering senior design year-long sequence of courses for more than two decades. He shepherded SPU’s General Engineering and Computer Engineering degrees through their initial ABET secondary accreditation cycles, and collectively the engineering degrees through six ABET accreditation visits. He has taught nearly every electrical engineering and computer engineering major, and the majority of the computer science majors, who attended SPU during these 25 years. Kevin earned the STEM Faculty of the Year Award in 2014. His expertise and teaching are focused on the areas of microcontroller system design and communication system analysis. His interests extend beyond these areas, though. Kevin has served on multiple campus committees and task forces. He and his family worship and serve at Rainier Avenue Free Methodist Church.
Bruce Congdon
Bruce came to Seattle Pacific University in September 1985 after completing his Ph.D. in Entomology at the University of California, Riverside earlier that year. At SPU, Bruce has served as a Professor of Biology, Director of the Blakely Island Field Station, Associate Dean and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Interim Chief Academic Officer and Interim Provost. Bruce has taught courses in general science, in Biology on campus, at BIFS, and in the Sonoran Desert as well as in UScholars courses on Faith and Science. His published works have focused on the study of predatory mites and their prey and has included the naming of four new species (Amblyseius crowleyi Congdon, Neoseiulus shanksi Congdon Proprioseiopsis antonellii Congdon, and Euseius tularensis Congdon). Bruce plans to spend his time post-retirement visiting with his new grandchild and tending the garden.
Laura Lasworth
Laura came to Seattle Pacific in 2002 after two decades dedicated to building her reputation as an Artist and Academic. Her experience gave her the incentive to create the Illustration/New Pictures major. Laura received her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and MFA from California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California. Her paintings have been exhibited in numerous solo and group shows across the country and have been featured in such publications as Art in America, Artforum, LA Times, and IMAGE Journal. Laura plans to continue practicing and exhibiting her Art, visit with her family and friends, read lots of books, travel to various monasteries, watch episodes of Star Trek TNG, and hang out with her cat Frank.
Julia (Julie) Pusztai, PhD, RN
Julia (Julie) Pusztai joined the School of Health Sciences and the Lydia Green Nursing Program in 2016. Julie completed her BSN (1977) and MSN (1998) from Azusa Pacific University (APU) and her PhD in nursing (2015) from Loma Linda University. Prior to coming to SPU, she served in a faculty role at APU and also help launch and served as the director of the Neighborhood Wellness Center, a collaborative endeavor between APU and the city of Azusa that centered on health promotion, wellness education, and community service. Julie brought her passion for community health and wellness to SPU providing a rich experience for students through teaching courses in health promotion, community engagement, and mental health theory and practicum courses. Julie also serves as one of two faculty scholars for the Living Well Initiative, a multidisciplinary education program addressing the needs and persons and families affected by severe and persistent mental health conditions. While at SPU, Julie continued to advance her scholarship that explores the lived experience of aging. Julie considers her work as a nurse, scholar, and educator part of her ministry and faith journey; “My vocation allows me to walk alongside both patients and students in intimate ways of struggle and joy”. As Julie begins the next chapter in her journey, one of the many things she is looking forward to is spending time with her husband John and her growing family that includes 8 grandchildren—Ian (11), Flynn (8), Paisley (5), Clive (5), Vera (3), Gabrielle (4), Jonathan-Paul (2), and Micah (6-weeks).
Debra Sequeira
Debra Sequeira has been a faithful and fervent citizen of Seattle Pacific University for 37 years. She has worked at SPU from 1978 to 1985 and since 1990, serving in myriad ways, including as chair of the Department of Communication and Journalism, chair of the Faculty Status Committee, and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. She is currently dean of Arts and Humanities in CAS.
Debra has always been in the vanguard of creating dynamic teaching and learning environments, and her excellence in the classroom remains a distinction within the Department of Communication and Journalism. Always a rigorous and approachable professor, she is especially remembered for enhancing students’ relational skills in her Interpersonal Communication courses, as well as introducing upper-division majors to the ethnography of communication.
Debra’s tremendous personal vitality and her commitment to Christian education are evident to all. Her thirst for intelligent, lively, and candid conversation is a treat. She listens intently, argues convincingly, and cares deeply. Debra thrives in her work because she avails herself to all and appreciates the give and take of friendship. Her door is open – literally and figuratively – and her concern and influence border on omniscience. If she’s not in eyesight, you’ll still hear her earthy laugh, streaming down hallways and beneath doors, spreading cheer and lightening the load.
Her curiosity about others is also evidenced in her research, which involves analyzing everything from the verbal shorthand of truck drivers to speaking in tongues in Christian communities. Her scholarship appeared in Text and Performance Quarterly, Research on Language and Social Interaction, Communication Studies, and Research in Christian Higher Education, as well as a range of book chapters in interpersonal, cultural, and spiritual communication. She shares these passions with her husband Dr. Mark Taylor and their church family at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Seattle.
Debra Sequeira is a treasure. She has the audacity of Caravaggio, the collective courage of Sacco and Vanzetti, the compassion of Leo Buscaglia, and the fire of Gina Lollobrigida. In fact, any number of Lollobrigida’s films, with titles like Bread, Love and Dreams; Love I Haven’t . . . But, But; and Me, Me, Me . . . and the Others, will serve as fitting titles of her inevitable, tell-it-like-it-is autobiography.
Lorie Wild
Lorie Wild has had an impactful eight year run as Dean of the School of Health Sciences bringing more than 30 years of nursing practice and leadership to the role. Lorie previously served as the chief nursing officer (CNO) at UW Medical Center, a leading academic medical center. Her vast experience included clinical operations for the medical center, overseeing nursing education, research, and professional practice for the nursing population. Her experience translated well to her academic role as professor and her administrative role as dean.
Shortly after taking on the role of dean, Lorie coined the tag line robust academics, relationship-centered learning grounded in Christian faith and values describing the School of Health Sciences experience. This phrase has embodied her leadership for the school and served as a compass directing the path of growth and excellence.
Under Lorie’s leadership and innovative thinking the School of Health Sciences programs have seen growth including the introduction of the Doctor of Nursing practice (DNP) degree program. The addition of the DNP has kept SPU competitive in the market for APRN education and continual recognition of excellence in graduate nursing education. In addition, the undergraduate pre-licensure program has transitioned to a rolling admission process, admitting smaller cohorts each quarter while overall increasing overall program capacity and enrollment from 128 to 192. The increased capacity not only addresses the national nursing shortage, it also supports SPU continuing enrollment, and most important, our SPU students.
One of the most significant and impactful contributions to the SPU nursing program that has come during Lorie’s term as dean is the new home for the nursing program at 6 Nickerson. The new facility located on the east end of campus features an expanded Clinical Learning Lab that includes a large skills training area, flex classroom, simulation suite, and clinic exam room. Students are well served in the building’s four, 40-person classrooms and two seminar rooms that support the nursing theory courses. The building provides an excellent learning environment that will serve the Lydia Green Nursing Program well for decades to come.
In the days to come, Lorie looks forward to spending more time with her family. Fully committing to her dutiful role of grandma is foremost on her mind as daughter Jennie and son-in-law Kyle live close by with grandson Lucas and a granddaughter that is due in May. Her son Thayer is a travel enthusiast and Lorie looks forward to joining him on many travel adventures. Speaking of adventures, she may even join her husband Silas on a few of his. Silas has a love for the outdoors and travel, and it is fair to describe him as an avid skiing fanatic! While we don’t expect to see her on the slopes, she may tag along on some of the travel excursions. Lorie will continue her work with in the area of global health as the Board Chair for SCOPE (Strengthening Care Opportunities through Partnerships in Ethiopia). She also will give back to the nursing community through teaching and other volunteer roles.