The University of Guam welcomes the following new administrators:

Lawrence F. Camacho
Dean, Enrollment Management & Student Services

Lawrence F. Camacho has joined the University of Guam as the dean of Enrollment Management & Student Success. He is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel with more than 21 years of active duty service. He comes to UOG from Drexel University in Philadelphia, where he taught military science and leadership, served as the chairman of the Military Science Department, and was responsible for the recruitment, enrollment, instruction, and leader development of more than 100 ROTC cadets.

Camacho holds a 1997 bachelor’s in public administration from UOG, a 2007 master’s in leadership and liberal studies from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania, a 2009 master’s in military arts and science from the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College in Kansas, and a 2018 master’s in higher education administration from the University of Louisville in Kentucky. He is working toward his doctorate in educational leadership and management with a concentration in higher education from Drexel University.

Rachael T. Leon Guerrero
Director, Research & Sponsored Programs

Rachael T. Leon Guerrero now heads the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs following several months as interim director and three and a half years as associate director of the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center. In her new capacity, she will collaborate with the University’s research centers on research agendas that support UOG’s mission of engagement.

Leon Guerrero has been with UOG for 20 years, the majority of that time as a professor of nutrition in the College of Natural & Applied Sciences. She is the principal investigator of the U54 Cancer Research Partnership Grant and co-investigator of the Pacific Islands Cohort on Cardiometabolic Health Study. She holds a 1989 bachelor’s in biology from UOG, a 1992 master’s in nutrition from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and a 1998 doctorate in nutrition from Colorado State University.

Monique C. Storie
Dean, University Libraries

Monique C. Storie has been named the dean of University Libraries, overseeing the daily operations of the Richard F. Taitano Micronesian Area Research Center, the RFK Memorial Library, University of Guam Press, and the building of the Guam Cultural Repository. She has been serving as interim dean, following her stints as director of MARC and interim director of the RFK Memorial Library.

Storie holds a bachelor’s in Spanish from Arizona State University, a master’s in library science, and a doctorate in language reading and culture, the latter two from the University of Arizona.

 

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The University of Guam welcomes the following new faculty members:

College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

Hope M. Ananich
Instructor, Communication

Hope M. Ananich joins the University of Guam as an instructor of communication. She has been an adjunct instructor at the University for more than 10 years teaching the Fundamentals of Communication and Public Speaking Forum courses. She has also owned and operated several small businesses on island.

Ananich holds a bachelor’s in communication and a master’s in public administration from the University of Guam. Her passions are teaching and helping students overcome their fear of public speaking. She also sponsors several youth and adult sports organizations on Guam and is a Special Olympics Advocate.

Rika Dunlap
Assistant Professor, Philosophy

Rika Dunlap joins the University of Guam as an assistant professor of philosophy. She comes to UOG from Seattle University, where she was an instructor in the Department of Philosophy. She holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Hawaii, Manoa. Her research interests include Asian philosophy, ethics, applied ethics, and aesthetics.

 

 

Michael J. Hemmingsen
Assistant Professor, Philosophy

Michael J. Hemmingsen joins the University of Guam as an assistant professor of philosophy. He comes to UOG from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, where he was a teaching fellow. He holds master’s degrees in international relations and philosophy from Victoria University of Wellington as well as a doctorate in philosophy from McMaster University in Canada. His research interests include social and political philosophy, critical theory, environmental philosophy, ethics, and non-Western and indigenous philosophy.

 

Barbara Gail Jacala-Whalen
Instructor, English and Applied Linguistics

Barbara Gail Jacala-Whalen joins the University of Guam as an instructor of English and applied linguistics. She was most recently working on Washington State’s pilot project called Integrated Basic Education Skills Training, an approach to serve non-native English speakers seeking workforce training. She holds a master’s in education.

Kenneth Gofigan Kuper
Instructor, Political Science

Kenneth Gofigan Kuper joins the University as an instructor of political science. He is a CHamoru, born and raised on Guam. He is in the doctorate program in political science at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Guam and a master’s degree in Pacific Islands Studies also from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. His research interests include decolonization, the militarization of Oceania, critical security studies, indigenous politics, and language revitalization.

 

Chris Rasmussen
Assistant Professor, History

Chris Rasmussen joins the University as an assistant professor of history. Rasmussen comes to UOG from Nebraska Wesleyan University, where he was a visiting professor from 2017–2018. He has also previously served as a docent at Perm State University in Russia and as an American and world history teacher at five different colleges and universities and one high school in Nebraska.

Rasmussen holds a 2000 bachelor’s in history and journalism from the University of Iowa, a 2003 master’s in history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a 2008 doctorate in history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He studies 20^th century American culture with a focus on media and is working on a project on international summer camps in the Cold War.

David A. Ruskin
Assistant Professor, English and Applied Linguistics

David A. Ruskin joins the University as an assistant professor of English and applied linguistics. Originally from Wisconsin, Ruskin earned his bachelor’s in linguistics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a doctorate in brain and cognitive sciences from the University of Rochester in New York. His research focuses on the formation and development of the world’s youngest languages.

 

 

College of Natural & Applied Sciences

Jaeyong Choi
Assistant Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science

Jaeyong Choi joins the University of Guam as an assistant professor of mathematics and computer science. Choi holds a doctorate from the University of Albany – State University of New York. His research interests include ergodic theory, harmonic analysis, probability, statistics, and modeling.

 

 

Hyunju Oh
Associate Professor, Mathematics

Hyunju Oh joins the University as an associate professor of mathematics. Prior to joining UOG, she served for 10 years at Bennett College in North Carolina and for five years at University of South Carolina, Salkehatchie. She holds a bachelor’s in mathematics from Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea, a master’s in mathematics from University of Arizona, and a doctorate in mathematics from New Mexico State University. Her research interests include game theory, mathematical biology, and applied mathematics.

Raymond M. Paulino
Assistant Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science

Raymond M. Paulino joins the University as an assistant professor of mathematics and computer science. Paulino holds a bachelor’s from the University of Guam, a master’s from San Diego State University, and a doctorate from New Mexico State University. His research interests include commutative Algebra, Commutative Ring Theory, and Algebraic Coding Theory.

 

School of Education

Matthew C. Limtiaco
Assistant Professor

Matthew C. Limtiaco joins the University of Guam as an assistant professor in the School of Education. Limtiaco spent seven years in a formal classroom education setting working in the Hawaii State Department of Education, six years working for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration in marine sanctuaries education, and two years working at the Haya International School and American University in Cairo. His research interest is in empathy-driven, place-based, and project-based learning. He holds a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California.

 

KristiAnna T. Santos
Assistant Professor, Counseling

KristiAnna T. Santos joins the University as an assistant professor of counseling. Santos holds a bachelor’s in American studies and psychology from the University of Notre Dame, a master’s in counseling from Seattle University, and a doctorate in counselor education and supervision from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research interests include cultural competence in counseling professionals and the use of peer mentoring and counseling to promote academic persistence. She serves on the board for Sanctuary Inc. and is an active member of the Association of Individual, Marriage, and Family Therapists.

 

School of Nursing & Health Sciences

Rosielyn B. Babauta
Instructor, Nursing

Rosielyn B. Babauta joins the University of Guam as a nursing instructor. Babauta has served as an adjunct faculty member at UOG for 13 years, becoming full time this summer. She earned her bachelor’s in nursing from UOG and completed her master’s in nursing at the University of Phoenix. She has worked as a licensed practical nurse at Guam Renal Care and then as a registered nurse at Guam Memorial Hospital in the medical surgical ward. She is working toward her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Capella University in Minneapolis.

 

Jennifer J. Turner
Instructor, Nursing

Jennifer J. Turner joins the University as a nursing instructor. Turner earned her bachelor’s in nursing from Kent State University in Ohio and proceeded to work in Ohio and Florida in obstetrics and gynecology. She later worked in perioperative setting, including pre- and post-operation, endoscopy, and in the operating room. She earned her master’s in nursing education from the University of Mobile in Alabama and worked in a variety of settings as a nurse educator since, to include nursing, patient, and community education.

 

University Libraries

Carlos Madrid Alvarez-Piñer
Associate Professor, Spanish Pacific History

Dr. Carlos Madrid Álvarez-Piñer joins the University as an associate professor of Spanish Pacific history within the Micronesian Area Research Center. He comes to UOG from the Instituto Cervantes de Manila, where he served as director from 2014–2018. He has conducted research projects on Micronesia, Spain, and the Philippines since 1996 and has previously worked in the International Cultural Cooperation at the Ministry of Culture of Spain and curated exhibits on permanent display in the Museo de Baler in the Philippines and the Belau National Museum in Palau.

He holds a 2009 doctorate in contemporary history from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain. His areas of research include CHamoru cultural expressions in the 19th and 20th centuries, human exchanges in Micronesia (16^th–20^th centuries), cartography, the Manila Galleon Trade, heritage preservation and rehabilitation, and cultural tourism.

Carmen Christine Santos
Assistant Professor, RFK Reference Librarian

Carmen Santos joins the University of Guam as an assistant professor in the library. Before coming to UOG, Santos spent more than 30 years working with the Guam Department of Education teaching social studies at the high school level. She holds a master’s in library science from the University of North Texas. She is studying course design for online learning with particular interest in using and developing digital media for instruction.

Ryan Shook
Assistant Professor, RFK Reference Librarian

Ryan Shook joins the University of Guam as an assistant professor in the library. Shook graduated from UOG with a bachelor’s in fine arts and secondary education and went on to teach visual art for most of his professional career. This year, he completed his master’s degree in library and information science at the University of North Texas with strengths in archival practice and digital content managements.

 

 

Melissa Taitano
Assistant Professor, RFK Technical Services

Melissa Taitano joins the University of Guam as an assistant professor in the library. Taitano has more than 10 years of combined professional experience in the delivery of educational services and library administration. She is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, where she received her doctorate in library and information studies with a specialization in archival theory, cultural preservation, and information seeking behavior. She also received her master’s in Latin American studies and her master’s in library and information science from UCLA. Her research interests include archival theory, collective memory, and cultural preservation.

 

Water & Environmental Research Institute

Barry (Yong Sang) Kim
Assistant Professor, Water Engineering

Barry Kim joins the University of Guam as an assistant professor of water engineering. Prior to coming to UOG, Kim served as a director of the Samsung Institute of Safety & Environment at Samsung Economic Research Institute and as a principal consultant of the Environmental Consulting Team at Samsung SDS. Kim has conducted numerous environmental research and engineering consulting projects in the United States, China, Vietnam, and South Korea.

Kim earned his bachelor’s in chemistry from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea, his master’s in environmental system engineering from Korea University, and his doctorate in civil engineering from Purdue University in Indiana. His research interests include water pollution, water quality monitoring, and environmental remediation.

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The University congratulates the following faculty members on their promotions:

 

Francis S. Dalisay
Associate Professor

Francis S. Dalisay has been promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of journalism and communication within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. He has been with UOG since 2015.

Dalisay presently serves as publisher of the Triton’s Call student newspaper and on the Institutional Review Board Committee. He is also a co-principal investigator for the UOG Campus Climate Survey and a team member of the UOG Cancer Research Center.

He holds a bachelor’s in communication with a minor in English from the University of Guam and a master’s and a doctorate in communication from Washington State University.

Evelyn R. Flores
Professor

Evelyn R. Flores has been promoted to professor of English. She previously had been an associate professor of English for 15 years and has been with UOG for more than 30 years.

Flores is presently the chair for the Master of Arts in English program. She has previously chaired the Division of English and Applied Linguistics, the Senate Committee on Institutional Excellence, and various curricular committees.

She holds a bachelor’s from Walla Walla College in Washington, a master’s from Andrews University in Michigan, and a doctorate from the University of Michigan.

Kevin K.W. Ho
Professor

Kevin K.W. Ho has been promoted from associate professor to professor of management information systems. He held his previous title for five years but has been with the University for a total of nine years.

Ho presently serves as chair of the Standing Committee University Budget and Planning in the Faculty Senate. He holds a bachelor’s in applied chemistry from Hong Kong Baptist College, a master’s in chemistry from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, a master’s in managerial economics from the University of Oklahoma, a master’s in information systems management from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and a doctorate in information systems from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.