July 23, 2025

Media Contacts:
Lisa Turner, Interim Executive Director, Human Resources, 509-682-6445, lturner@wvc.edu
Marcine Miller, Executive Director, Public Information Office, 509-682-6582, mmiller2@wvc.edu

     

 

Top row: Christa Cacciata, math faculty; Jeff Dykes, science faculty; Jennifer Hadersberger, science faculty. Bottom row: Jade Knell, Veterans Services/Financial Aid; Erika Schenkvonstauffenberg, Workforce Education Grants.

Outstanding faculty and staff members at Wenatchee Valley College received awards and recognition at an end-of-year celebration on the Wenatchee campus on Friday, June 13.

Professor Christa Cacciata of the WVC Math department is the recipient of the Linda Schultz Herzog Faculty of the Year Award. Cacciata will receive a $1,500 monetary award provided by the Frank J. and Loretta Hoff Schultz Endowment Fund, lunch with the WVC Board of Trustees, and recognition at a trustees’ meeting.

Cacciata has taught math courses at WVC since 2012. She has served on the college's Curriculum Committee and the Instruction Council.

Professor Jeff Dykes received the Outstanding Part-time Faculty at Omak Award, and Professor Jennifer Hadersberger received the Outstanding Part-time Faculty at Wenatchee Award. Dykes and Hadersberger will each receive a $500 monetary award from the WVC Foundation, lunch with the WVC Board of Trustees, and recognition at a trustees’ meeting.

Dykes, who is a WVC alum, has taught science courses at the Omak campus for over 30 years. He has served as the Science Club adviser and on the Campus Tree Advisory Committee. He has taken students to Mount St. Helens and Ocean Shores to study the effects of volcanic eruptions, coastal plants, and tide pools. He and his students have participated in a native plant barcoding project; a Quest for Space project, in which they developed and conducted an experiment using computer programming and then sent the experiment to the International Space Station; a hydroponics experiment; and they have tested lakes and rivers to study pollution levels, plant species, and biodiversity.

Hadersberger, who teaches science courses, also serves on the Campus Tree Advisory Committee, as an assessment coordinator, and as a Natural Resources Club adviser.

Jade Knell, a program specialist in Veterans Services/Financial Aid, received the Outstanding Classified Staff Award. She will receive a $1,000 monetary award provided by the WVC Foundation, lunch with the WVC Board of Trustees, and recognition at a trustees’ meeting.

The Outstanding Exempt Staff Award went to Erika Schenkvonstauffenberg, grants coordinator for WVC Workforce Education Grants. She will receive a $1,000 monetary award provided by the WVC Foundation, lunch with the WVC Board of Trustees, and recognition at a trustees’ meeting.

Faculty members who received tenure were also recognized at the event: Gretchen Aguilar, nursing; Kristen Baltz, nursing; Hillary Conner, exercise science; Julie Fitch, transitional studies; Francisco Sarmiento-Torres, agriculture; Dr. Branwen Schaub, math; Julie Smith, nursing; and Nate Suhr, radiologic technology.

Service awards were given to faculty and staff for their years of service to the college. Greg Jourdan, environmental systems and refrigeration technology faculty, received an award for 40 years of service. Angela Russell and Sharon Wiest, both math faculty, received 30-year service awards. Jackie Browning (math), Riva Morgan (Workforce Education), and Bev Warman (chemical dependency studies faculty) received 25-year service awards. Dr. David Bennatt (biology faculty) and Lynne Kottmeier (Developmental Education faculty) received 20-year service awards. Andrew Behler (Transitional Studies faculty), Michelle Cannaday (Residence Life manager), Peter Donahue (English faculty at the Omak campus), Rebecca Hargrove (English faculty), and Craig Vander Hart (philosophy faculty) received 15-year service awards. René Baca (Spanish faculty), Devon Caldwell (custodian), Janna Goodyear (English faculty and WriteLab director), Katie Lantau (medical laboratory technology faculty), Rich Peters (Facilities and Operations director), Modesto Rodriguez (HVAC supervisor), Tracy Shaw (fiscal analyst), and Rob Villa Perez (program coordinator in Student Life) received 10-year service awards.

Tree dedications will be given to those who have served for 25 years or more: Angie Russell (30 years), math faculty; Sharon Wiest (30 years), math faculty; Dr. Ralph Dawes (26 years), earth sciences faculty; Olivia Drakes (26 years), library and archives parapro; Zack Jacobson (26 years), industrial technology faculty; Heather Maddy (26 years), executive assistant to the vice president of Administrative Services; Shelly Pflugrath (26 years), psychology faculty; Angela Redmon (27 years), math faculty; Chad Evans (28 years), system architect in Information Technology; Jackie Browning (25 years), program manager in the

math department; Riva Morgan (25 years), associate dean for Transitional Studies and Workforce Grants; and Bev Warman (25 years), Chemical Dependency Studies faculty.

Rachel Evey shared, "the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation is proud to support this year's award recipients. Staff and faculty work directly with students every day, whether it's in the classroom or behind the scenes. Their hard work makes our mission possible."

###

 

Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington and delivers relevant, innovative, and experiential educational opportunities for thriving and healthy communities. Visit our website, wvc.edu.

Wenatchee Valley College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment and student enrollment. All programs are free from discrimination and harassment against any person because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, parental status or families with children, marital status, religion, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other prohibited basis per RCW 49.60.030, 040 and other federal and state laws and regulations, or participation in the complaint process. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and Title IX compliance for both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses:

To report discrimination or harassment: Title IX Coordinator, Wenatchi Hall 2322M, (509) 682-6445, title9@wvc.edu.

To request disability accommodations: Student Access Manager, Wenatchi Hall 2133, (509) 682-6854, TTY/TTD: dial 711, sas@wvc.edu.