Our professors are distinguished scholars, active researchers, published writers, and faithful Christians who demonstrate what it means to be both Christ-followers and leaders in their academic fields. As mentors and role models, they play a huge role in the integration of faith and learning at Bethel.
Department Chair
Sarah Tahtinen-Pacheco
Department Chair | s-tahtinen@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2006
30 years experience in teaching & research in: Teacher Education, Bilingual-Bicultural and Languages and Cultures Ed.; Pre-K -Adult, Curriculum, Assessment, and Instructional Design, ESL/Bilingual/Foreign Language Program, Development & Evaluation, Faculty Development/Teaching Mentor, and Doctoral/Masters Thesis Advisor
Faculty
Linda Bahr
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education | lbahr@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2006
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education
Lisa Bekemeyer
Adjunct Instructor of Education | ldb86486@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2001
Bekemeyer is passionate about teaching language through CI (Comprehensible Input) and TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling). She bases her courses on these tenants and strives to help her learners gain a variety of strategies for teaching language through content.
Steven Bennett
Associate Professor of Education | s-bennett@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017
Areas of expertise include biology, chemistry and environmental education. Steve taught these subjects in high schools and community colleges in Michigan and Wisconsin. His research interest is the bridging of science teaching methods and cognitive science.
Susan Brooks
Professor of English | susan-brooks@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1998
Dr. Brooks works primarily with the Communication Arts and Literature Education major, preparing students to be high school and middle school English teachers. Her scholarship focuses on best practices in reading and writing--particularly how people's underlying ideas about the nature of literature affect the ways they read, write and teach. She specializes in young adult literature and recently had a chapter published in Teens and the New Religious Landscape: Essays on Religion in Young. . . read more.
Scott Brown
Professor of Mathematics Education | sbrown@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1996
Brown has years of practical classroom experience as a mathematics teacher in the public schools of Cody, Wyoming. He teaches a wide range of courses in both mathematics and education and oversees Bethel's 5-8 and 5-12 math education programs, ensuring compliance with Minnesota teacher licensure requirements.
Becky Carlson
Adjunct Instructor of Education and Elementary Teaching Intern Placement Coordinator | becky-carlson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2003
Becky Carlson formerly served ten years as a fourth and fifth grade elementary teacher and began at Bethel University in 2003 serving as a supervisor for student teachers and practicum experiences. Carlson's work focuses on placing student teachers and practicum students in elementary schools and working with local Twin Cities school districts. Her current partnerships focuses on research on induction support for new teachers.
Traci Cox
Adjunct Assistant Professor | tjc35238@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2019
Traci's interests include reading instruction at the secondary level, instructional coaching, and teacher preparation. Her teaching specialties include middle and high school language arts, reading, instructional coaching, Six Trait Writing, and literacy integration.
Patricia Danforth
Assistant Professor of Education Emerita | danpat@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1991
Assistant Professor of Education Emerita
Adele Greenlee
Professor of Education Emerita | a-greenlee@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1993
Professor of Education Emerita
Larry Gronewold
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education | llg39694@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education
Dan Gruhlke
Adjunct Instructor of Education | dag89379@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: Spring 2020
Dan Gruhlke, fondly referred by preschoolers and kindergartners as Mr. G., serves community members in central Minnesota as an educator of the young, resource for their parents, and influencer of preservice teachers' development, particularly science education. Dan is married to Sandy who is full of wisdom and touches and shapes people through her writing, blog, and social media interaction. They live in the oak savanna's of the Hardwoods Biome along the banks of the Mississippi River.. . . read more.
Dorothy Haugen
Assistant Professor of Physical Education Emerita | haudor@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1995
Assistant Professor of Physical Education Emerita
Steven Henkel
Professor of Physical Education | s-henkel@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1986
Henkel speaks and writes about creative movement, motor skill development, character development, and developmentally appropriate games for children and youth.
Sandi Horn
Associate Professor of Education Emerita | sandi-horn@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1997
Horn's research interests include charter school development, experiential learning for teacher education candidates, and integration of social studies concepts into elementary curriculum. Her teaching specialties include introduction to education and elementary social studies methods.
Nadine Johnson
Education Licensing and Advising Specialist | n-johnson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2012
Johnson focuses primarily on advising incoming first-time students and transfer students to the education department while also advising seniors through the licensure process as they journey forward into a teaching career.
Heather Johnson Ross
Partnerships Coordinator in Education | heather-ross@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2016
Heather's role is to support community partnerships, including the charter schools authorized by Bethel.
Lisa Kepple
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Education | patlis@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2015
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Human Kinetics and Applied Health Science
David Klostreich
Associate Professor of Physical Education Emeritus | klolois@comcast.net | Started at Bethel: 1970
Associate Professor of Physical Education Emeritus
Paul Koenig
Adjunct Instructor of Education | pak34748@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2014
Adjunct Instructor of Education
Merry Kowalchuk
Adjunct Instructor of Education | mek26382@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017
Adjunct Instructor of Education
Donna LeGrand
Associate Professor of Spanish Education | legdon@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1999
LeGrand developed and directs Bethel's Spain Term and oversees the Languages and Cultures education program at Bethel. Her interests include teaching all levels of Spanish, teaching about and applying theories of second language acquisition, and researching 16th and 17th century literature from Spain and Latin America. LeGrand is on the board of the Minnesota Council of Teaching Languages and Cultures and has been president of the Minnesota chapter of the Association of Teachers of Spanish. . . read more.
Elisabeth Lefebvre
Assistant Professor of Education | eel54258@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2018
Dr. Elisabeth E. Lefebvre is an assistant professor in the Department of Education at Bethel University. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative and International Development Education with a minor in Sociocultural Studies in Education from the University of Minnesota, and an M.A. in International Studies from the University of Oregon. Before attending graduate school, she worked as an elementary school teacher in Louisiana, USA, and in Morocco. Lefebvre's interdisciplinary research examines the m. . . read more.
Amie Lorence Grubidge
Adjunct Instructor of Education | amie-lorence@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2020
Adjunct Instructor of Education
Jill Martin
Associate Professor of Education | jmartin@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1996
Martin’s scholarly interests include content area literacy, reflective teaching, and teacher’s use of metacognation. Her teaching specialties include secondary social studies, middle level philosophy and pedagogy, and educational psychology.
Michael Mignard
Associate Professor of Education and Director of Education Clinical Practice | m-mignard@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2002
Introduction to Education
Jan Mrozinski
Adjunct Instructor of Special Education | j-mrozinski@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2016
Professor Mrozinski's education and experiences are in the fields of both mental health and special education. Given this background, she is interested in being a part of preparing teachers to serve students and families in ways that are professional, focused, and compassionate.
Breanna Mueller
Adjunct Instructor of Education | brm22425@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2015
Adjunct Instructor of Education
Sara Nelson
Adjunct Instructor of Education | smn49478@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017
Adjunct Instructor of Education
Peggy Novak
Adjunct Associate Professor of Education | p-novak@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2015
Adjunct Associate Professor of Education
Lisa Ouren
Adjunct Instructor of Education | Lmo72847@Bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2016
Lisa Ouren is an adjunct professor in the CAPS/GS Special Education Program.
Patricia Paulson
Professor of Science Education Emerita | patricia-paulson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1999
Paulson focuses her research on trustworthy practices for teaching and learning, focusing specifically on integrating scientific practices. She has led the GEMS program, coordinated the STEM program, and taught Life Science Concepts, Applied STEM Practices, and Science Curriculum and Methods at all levels. With the completion of her phased in retirement in June 2020, Paulson serves as an adjunct instructor in the Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership program, teaching the Curriculum and Inst. . . read more.
Jolene Pearson
Associate Professor of Education and Program Director of Early Childhood Education | jolene-pearson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2012
Dr. Pearson has focused her research on pre-service teacher preparation. Her dissertation was entitled: Too Important to Ignore: Teaching Pre-Service Teachers about Infants and Toddlers. Her current research is focused on analysis of student's reflective journals to understand how they interpret their experiences in early childhood classrooms during practicums. In Fall 2018 her sabbatical research will take her to the University of Iceland, Queen Maud University in Norway, Roehampton Univ. . . read more.
Kari Peterman
Adjunct Instructor of Education | k-peterman@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017
Adjunct Instructor of Education
Allison Petersen
Adjunct Instructor of Education | allison-petersen@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2018
Adjunct Instructor of Education
Mark Rhoads
Professor of Music Education | rhomar@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1988
Rhoads teaches courses in church music, music education, and gen. ed. arts courses. He is a member of the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada and is active in discussions on music and worship, with current research in American hymnody, especially the reform movement in the American Protestant church in the early 19th century. Rhoads is active in church music as director, hymn and tune writer, and worship planner. He also writes and publishes poetry.. . . read more.
Steven Thompson
Professor of Music Education | s-thompson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2002
Thompson teaches courses in instrumental conducting, instrumental pedagogies, private trumpet instruction, and conducts the Bethel Wind Symphony. Thompson maintains an active performing schedule as a trumpeter in the Upper Midwest and the Eastern United States. He is sought after as a clinician and as an adjudicator for numerous contest events.
Lauren Van Gomple
Adjunct Instructor of Education | lsv89686 | Started at Bethel: 2018
As a Bethel Alumni, Van Gomple is proud to contribute to the learning that takes place at Bethel. After many years in the special education classroom, Van Gomple is thrilled for the opportunity to educate educators! her personal areas of expertise include literacy education, behavior interventions, formal and informal assessment, program design for students on the spectrum and teacher education.
Geri Von Grey
Associate Professor of Education | geri-vongrey@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2012
Associate Professor of Education
Louise Wilson
Associate Professor of Education Emerita | louise-wilson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1999
Associate Professor of Education Emerita
Sarah Wolfe
Adjunct Instructor of Education | sew79427@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2015
Adjunct Instructor of Education
Jodi Wolkerstorfer
Adjunct Instructor of Education | woljod@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2015
Passionate about supporting students and families of those with special needs, including educating soon-to-be teachers on ways to collaborate and find success for all.
