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Rhonda Harris is relatively new to the Pacific Northwest. She says that the numerous tall trees and refreshing green bushes are a delightful change from the brown hills and drought-parched plants of Southern California. As graduate of La Sierra University, she brings an accounting background from her work in the Association at the Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, based in Riverside, California. A quilting enthusiast, she has made quilts for her family, friends, LLU Hospital and the SACHS Clinic. Her sport is racquetball and she is looking forward to finding new partners as skillful as the ones she left behind. Her passion is her mission trips to Mexico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Fiji. The loves of her life are her husband, Jerry and their little Chinese Crested Powder-Puff dog, Pumpkin, often found curled up under Rhonda’s desk.
She feels God led her to this beautiful place and she is looking forward to serving Him, the faculty, and students of Portland Adventist Academy.
Maybe the most important thing to know is that Shawna keeps a candy bowl filled on her desk. But more important than that, Shawna keeps PAA in order. She’s had lots of practice as a wife that manages a family of active boys. She keeps up with them, too. She’s a roller skater, a rollerblader, and a great softball player. She’s even played on various softball teams around Portland and Vancouver for many years. Shawna’s also into hiking. One of her proudest climbs is Mt. St. Helens. You can probably find Shawna at most of our sports games with her camera. She absolutely loves taking pictures of her kids even though they don’t appreciate it. Her time at PAA has taught her that teenagers are fun! She loves watching them grow into young adults during their short time here and seeing the miracles God works in their lives. Shawna loves Jesus and it shows through her energy and efforts at PAA.
If Mondays (or Tuesdays through Fridays) get you down, be sure to pass through our front doors for a bit of sunshine. Mrs. Dawn Johnson is the antithesis of a humdrum day. Besides her gift of greeting each person who walks through our front doors, she’s also the campus know-it-all, because, well, if you don’t know it, she likely does. She keeps our calendar, our names, and our faces straight and, best of all, it seems she has a PAA history book tucked away inside her beautiful, blonde head. Dawn grew up in Portland and graduated from PAA in 1987. She later returned to PAA and has been here for more than 20 years. During that time, she has taught Health and PE, coached volleyball, and girls’ golf and she is currently coaching the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team. She also spent nearly a decade as Student Association head sponsor. She has a wonderful family with two children, both recent grads of PAA. She loves all sports but her favorites are volleyball and softball. She’s actually been playing in softball leagues since she was 15 years old. She gets a lot of enjoyment out of camping, spending time in nature with her family, and getting lost in a good book.
Click here to see Mrs. Peinado’s website.
Mechelle Peinado is a trusted source of wisdom. You’ll find her busy teaching our seniors Personal Finance as well as guiding them through the challenging process of the Senior Project. “Guide” is the perfect word for Mrs. Peinado. She is our V.P. of Academics and serves our school as an advocate for students and families. Mrs. Peinado is one of the most well-rounded people you’ll ever meet. You can often find her in the mountains skiing or camping with her husband and two sons, both PAA students. She’s also a fantastic cook and enjoys traveling when she can. She’s incredibly experienced and educated! She is actually an attorney and used to serve as the legal counselor and attorney for HIV+ clients at the AIDS Project. She has also worked in Mozambique for Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). Her colleagues and leaders respect, Mechelle very much. In fact, she was awarded the 2014 Adventist Alumni Foundation Teacher of the Year prize as well as the 2014 Blueprint Award. Most importantly, her students can back up her abilities. They sing her praises because of her genuine desire to help them grow academically and through Christ.
As our Girls’ Health and PE teacher, living actively and happily is one of the most important ways Mrs. Johnson demonstrates a healthy life. She loves to ski, wake-board, water ski, bike, run, golf, hike, play tennis and run marathons, half marathons or 5ks. Coaching brings Mrs. Johnson joy and deepens her bond to her students. She believes the experience of a loss is as important as a victory. But she also focuses on helping her teams foster friendship and memories because she knows they’ll remember each other more than they’ll remember every win or loss. Mrs. Johnson is known for teaching her students compassion and concern for the world through awareness experiences (Disability Day, Pink Out Walk for Breast Cancer, Flour Sack Babies and more). Amid this busy life, Mrs. Johnson knows when it’s time to seek solitude. She loves to experience God in nature; in the quiet on a mountain or walking the beach. This is where she hears the still small voice of our Creator who, she knows, is clearly guiding her path. Thankfully that path led her to PAA in an amazing way. Although her formal education is in Dental Hygiene, it was Divine leading that opened the doors to PAA and into a field of education. PAA holds a massive part of her heart. She is an alumna, a parent of two PAA graduates and a part of the teaching staff. She adores each student and cares for each staff member. Her husband is her best friend and being a mother is one of the greatest blessings of her life.
Lance Judd has been our Athletic Director for 15 years. It’s also important to note that Mr. Judd is an alumni in more than one way. Not only did he graduate from PAA, but he also spent much of his childhood running the halls while his father coached the varsity team. During most of his career at PAA he led our Boys Varsity Basketball team as Head Coach. In 2009 he achieved OSAA’s 3A Athletic Director of the Year award. For good reason. He is a quiet and Godly leader for our young men. Although basketball is a big part of what he does, baseball is his favorite sport. He adores his three children and spends as much time with them as he can; especially playing water sports. You’ll find that Mr. Judd loves the Lord and it shows through his work at PAA.
Liesl Vistaunet calls herself a professional pedestrian. She’s also a songwriter, a singer, a ukulele lover, a whole food chef, and a volunteer addict. As our Public Relations Communications Director she serves as our story teller. She loves to share news about PAA and the wonderful ways it makes an impact in our community. One of her favorite things to do is to listen to people tell their stories. Her stories begin and end with listening ears and an open heart. When she’s not writing or listening to students, staff or parents, she is busy with responsibilities at her church, at her son’s school, and as a volunteer at organizations that deal with social-justice issues. For fun, she loves exploring Portland as a pedestrian and walking across beautiful bridges. Exploring, seeking adventure, and spontaneous fun with friends and her family renew her spirit. She gets giddy about the adventures of traveling the United States by train, car, or on foot with her husband and their young son. As a family, their mission is to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. Liesl’s work at PAA helps her fulfill this mission.
Mrs. Sperl has a kind smile for anyone and a genuine “hello.” Her approachable spirit helps students, parents, and alumni feel at ease. Mrs. Sperl is a helper. She’s been turning chaos into perfection for most of her life and she says that working in education brings her a lot of self-satisfaction and it even feeds her soul. She has spent the last 14 years either volunteering or working at Scappoose Adventist Elementary School. She and her husband found Scappoose Adventist Church when their oldest daughter was just five. They were soon baptized and became active and faithful members of the church and school. Mrs. Sperl can boast (or maybe bemoan) that she has one child in college, one in high school, and one still in elementary school. Juggling three academic calendars, keeping her home in order, and working at two schools part time is quite the balancing act. But Mrs. Sperl thrives. She says that someday she will be glad to get back into reading, singing, and camping. Until then, she’s loving her very busy life. She enjoys the energy of teens and connecting with them on both an academic and spiritual level.
Monte Torkelsen, or Pastor Monte, as he is called around here, loves working with young people. After a career dedicated to teens – 24 years of youth ministry, including 13 as Director of Big Lake Youth Camp – he felt called to serve PAA. His greatest joy is seeing the dreams of young people begin to become a reality. We’re blessed to have his love of Christ and his character-driven personality helping to fulfill our goal to someday meet every student in heaven. It’s important to note that Pastor Monte has a rich history with our school. He graduated from PAA in 1980 and his three sons are also a part of the PAA alumni family. In Pastor Monte’s spare time he loves to spend time with Darla, his wife and the love of his life. They like riding bikes, going for hikes, taking pictures, and playing an occasional round of golf.
David Huckaby, or Huck as he’s called, keeps our technology in working order. His favorite people are his wife and their two year old daughter. He enjoys cliches, fiddling with electronics and gadgets, playing the ukulele, and he is always on the hunt for someone who can challenge him to a game of Rook.
If he can’t fix it, no one can. He’s the jack of a nearly all trades and knows our campus – every nook and cranny – like the back of his hand. He’s usually the first one here and often the last to leave. And no matter how difficult the job, Steve has a smile on his face. His hard work and positive energy are motivating. He models a character-driven life and his contagious smile let’s you know that Jesus is working along side him.
“We are what we eat,” says Chef Stef. This awareness is what drives her philosophy in the PAA kitchen as she feeds healthy food to her guests – our students! To Chef Stef, “healthy food” is food that has been created with integrity. From its source in the earth, to the kitchen where it is prepared by loving hands, food sustains us to be active, smart, and energetic people; people who are Christ-centered, character-driven! Chef Stef has big dreams for PAA! Imagine a campus garden where students not only learn the basics of gardening and growing food, but where they take that same food and learn to cook healthy meals that students get to eat during lunch each day. This is her hope and while she feeds our students daily, she sets goals to make this dream a reality for future students. Stephanie’s food and service roots were homegrown at her parents ski lodge in Colorado. She began working there as a teenager managing the everyday responsibilities of guest services. She continued to work seasonally at resorts all over the U.S. Even after earning a History degree in college, service remained the theme of her career. Her excellent organizational skills took her all over the world in military service. She spent years organizing itineraries for visiting VIP’s: Senators, Congressional leaders, Generals, Governors, and even celebrities such as Chuck Norris. After her military service, she continued doing what she loved. She found work in food service and backed up her passion with education at the Culinary Institute of America. She became “Chef Stef!” While the kitchen sustains her in more ways than one, it’s always a joy for Chef Stef to step away from work for rest and rejuvenation. She does that by hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and curling up with a good history book.
Rita Barrett, or Profe as she is known around here, has a passion to inspire and empower students to make connections with people from Spanish-speaking cultures and to become life-long language learners. Although Spanish is her first love, she also speaks German and is even working a few other languages. She finds adventure through traveling to Spain and Latin America and she enjoys sharing the experience with students during short-term mission trips. In fact, nearly every year she organizes a mission trip or service project. The students who join her missions come away from their experiences with knowledge of a new culture and a love of service. Profe wears another hat. Her second “job” was inspired by her experiences raising a child with many medical needs. It led Profe to Randall Children’s Hospital, where she works part time entertaining and healing patients through clowning. Her love of language often comes in handy at the hospital as she connects cross-culturally with children and families who speak other languages. Christ is at the center of all she does for PAA, for sick children, and for the organizations she gives back to. We recently celebrated with Profe after she completed a Masters Degree in Teaching Spanish and certification requirements. Now that she’s checked that off her to-do list, she is finally looking forward to spending more time hiking and working in her large vegetable garden.
Our International Student Program is energetically led by Maria Bibb. Her enthusiasm doesn’t pause at graduation. In fact, her favorite way to spend summers is showing the Northwest to new International Students both in the classroom and on field trips. She also enjoy riding her motorcycle to National Parks with extended family and friends. To say she loves to sing is an understatement. She occasionally breaks into song during class and singing along is encouraged!
Dr. Tim Erich is head of our Social Studies department. He recently completed his doctorate of education making him the most educated man on campus. He passes on this love of learning to his students in his Government, Economics, Modern World History, and U.S. History classes. He also spends his energy coaching our Boys’ Junior Varsity Soccer team. Growing up in Asia and spending a year of college in Europe helped him gain an appreciation for the variety of cultures and languages that add to the beautiful diversity of our society and our world. Dr. Erich has been active in religious liberty issues for many years. He has also served as a City Historical Commission Member and was once a candidate for Congress. In his free time, Dr. Erich enjoys photography, historical gaming, singing, and playing & coaching soccer.
Miss Goh, a PAA graduate, attended Walla Walla University where she completed a B.A. in Chemistry. If that wasn’t hard enough, she also took the time and energy to complete a minor in Music and Biology both! Next to Engineering, those subjects are some of the most difficult in which to succeed. But she did and now she shares her super-brain with PAA. She enjoys spending time in nature as well as at her gym. She also likes writing (and receiving) letters the old fashion way. What she enjoys most about PAA is working with a staff family that is genuinely invested in the students’ well-being; their past, present, and future. She loves the process of watching students grow into young adults and seeing what legacies they leave behind.
Bob Johnson has loved PAA since the day he stepped onto campus as a transferring freshman in January of 1971 (when it was still called Portland Union Academy). Then in 1989 he was thrilled to be asked to join the staff of PAA. Over the past 25 years, he’s loved working with the students, parents, pastors, staff, and friends of PAA. There are some things that might surprise you about Mr. Johnson. Notice the mysterious door in his classroom. It leads to one of PAA’s treasures: the music recording studio. It is a professional music studio with top of the line instruments and industry standard equipment. It is partially (and sometimes fully) funded and completely cared for by Mr. Johnson. Bob’s talent and love of gardening are also visible throughout our campus landscaping. Look closely and you’ll find trees, flower beds, and even grapevines that were carefully planted by him. Mr. Johnson and his wife Rhonda love eating, fixing up their home, and traveling around the Oregon and Washington coasts as well as Great Britain. They adore all their animal children; two young cats as well as a young Portuguese Water Dog.
Lance Judd has been our Athletic Director for 15 years. It’s also important to note that Mr. Judd is an alumni in more than one way. Not only did he graduate from PAA, but he also spent much of his childhood running the halls while his father coached the varsity team. During most of his 15 year career at PAA he led our Boys Varsity Basketball team as Head Coach. In 2009 he achieved OSAA’s 3A Athletic Director of the Year award. For good reason. He is a quiet and Godly leader for our young men. Although basketball is a big part of what he does, baseball is his favorite sport. He adores his three children and spends as much time with them as he can; especially playing water sports. You’ll find that Mr. Judd loves the Lord and it shows through his work at PAA.
Art is a lifestyle for Mr. Kooy. He likes making “stuff.” Anything, really. He says that even if it is cheaper to buy something, he’d rather make it. He even made a working flashlight from the 3D printer in PAA’s industrial workshop. Working at PAA gives him the opportunity to work on 48 or more different ideas and projects at the same time. He loves inspiring and watching his students get hooked on imagination and creation. Away from PAA, Mr. Kooy is an accomplished artist. His work has been featured in downtown galleries and you can even find one of his bronze sculptures at the Oregon Zoo (“Oscar” is the most lovable metal otter you’ll ever meet!). Mr. Kooy and his wife Nancy enjoy kayaking, traveling, and building straw houses. And he’s a water guy! He scuba dives, boats, paddle boards and loves swimming. As an artist, Mr. Kooy sees God’s loves for him in a truly unique way. He adores his Creator and says he can only imagine in a small capacity how much God loves us – His creation. He shares this beautiful belief with his students and encourages them to walk with their Designer through the creative process.
Steve Lemke loves to introduce young people to Jesus. The roots of this passion, and ultimately his career path, most likely began as a boy. Steve was a camper at Big Lake Youth Camp and he was inspired by his counselor, Lance Judd who later grew up to become our Athletic Director. Steve eventually became a Camp Counselor at Big Lake, just like Lance, where his leadership skills, his love of Jesus, and compassion for young people fused together and paved the path to his future as a teacher and youth pastor. Besides his love for Christ and kids, Mr. Lemke loves sports, good friends, and he adores his family; wife Laurel, and their two young children.
At seven years old, Jeremy’s mother “forced” him to take piano lessons. Five years later he finally thanked her. By the age of 12 he was obsessed with music and songwriting. Even at two-hours away from his home in Tillamook, Oregon, PAA was his destiny. After all, there are Long roots at PAA. Four out of seven siblings have graduated from PAA while two have taught here. More importantly, PAA had a professional recording studio and master teacher.“I was incredibly fortunate to take four years of classes from the legendary Tim Ellis,” said Jeremy. “I had heard stories of his “shredding” on the guitar, but I cannot describe in words how blown my mind was as I witnessed it for the first time.” After graduating from PAA in 2011, Jeremy attended Musicians Institute, a contemporary music college in the heart of Hollywood. The classes focused on songwriting and music production, live performance, and how to navigate the ever-changing music industry as a do-it-yourself artist. During his time away from Oregon, he gained wisdom and experience through music writing, production, and performance. God was preparing Jeremy for PAA. After the loss of Tim Ellis, PAA needed someone with unique and special talents to stand in those great shoes. Jeremy’s early passion for music, his life-long education, his recently enriching experiences, and his love for PAA paved the way back home. “To me,” says Jeremy, “the ideals of our “Christ-centered and character driven” values are best represented in humility, hard work, and honesty. For that reason, I am thrilled and humbled by the opportunity to teach this class. It not only allows me to share my love for music with others but it also grants me the chance to grow in my own artistry.” Jeremy does continue growing. He recently built a recording and production studio where he records musicians and his original music. Also growing is his love for his soon to be wife, Alisa. Together, they love coffee, road-tripping, concert-going, and exploring cities as well as country sides. They adore their 20-pound, rescue dog, Jude.
Caroline was born in Jamaica, the third of five children. She came to the United States as a young adult and dove into her education. She has a natural curiosity and desire to continue learning. Even with a B.S. in Biology and a Master’s degree in Education concentrating on Curriculum and Instruction Design, she’s also in the process of completing a second Master’s degree in Math! What a wonderful example she is to our students. She adores her students. “I am fascinated with their thought process,” she says. “I enjoy an interactive classroom where I can build good relationships with them. I believe that they can contribute a lot to society and they can persuade the thoughts of others.” Her passion for teaching is sincere as is her devotion to Christ-centered and character-driven education. “I hope to one day open a school that provides Christian education to underprivileged children,” says Lipman. “If children are given the right environment, they really can become successful. Because of my strong belief and experience in the Lord, I share my experiences with my students. I encourage them and always refer back to God as our greatest Teacher, Scientist, and Mathematician.” Caroline is married to her wonderful husband, Christopher and together they have seven children. She enjoys sewing, biking, hiking, cooking, making new friends, and the great outdoors.
Christ-centered and Character-driven, Pastor Stephen does everything with purpose and care. It took discipline and intention to train and finish the Ironman Triathalon of Cour d’ Alene in 2012. We are blessed that he brings triathlon training qualities to PAA. He also brings friendship. His fellow staff members and students know him as trustworthy, loyal, and wise. His wife Kyndre and daughter and son are the loves of his life. And it would be a shame if we forgot to mention Norman, his faithful old Boxer and furry family member. Pastor Stephen and his family love exploring the Oregon Coast, trying new restaurants and spending time at a family cabin on Wallowa Lake. Pastor Stephen is a runner, a water skier, and a cyclist. Most importantly, Pastor Stephen’s lifestyle and his compassion for our world is a source of inspiration to everyone he meets.
PAA is home to Mr. Petersen. Besides teaching here for 19 years, he also attended PAA all four years of high school and now works side by side some of his former teachers. He has a B.S. in Bio-engineering as well as an M.B.A. Mr. Petersen never wastes a summer with his family. His wife and three children are the most important people in his life and they’re frequently seeking out summer fun. He loves playing golf, basketball, and pretty much any other sport you could name. He’s a traveler and is always up for an adventure! As a scuba diver, he once did a wreck dive in the Truck Lagoon in the South Pacific. He also has a Private Pilots License as well as a Seaplane Rating. But there are other adventures that are just as thrilling to Mr. Petersen. The adventure of curiosity is the catalyst to learning and Mr. Petersen loves to learn. These values are essential in his classroom and he is gifted at passing this spirit on to his students.
Mrs. Rosenquist and her husband Todd were great friends when they were students here at PAA. They later fell in love, married, and now have three beautiful children. When Mrs. Rosenquist isn’t teaching at PAA, she’s actively involved at her kids’ schools leading out at PTA meetings and heading up big events. The Rosenquist family loves to get outside to hike and camp. Mrs. Rosenquist’s secret power is her serving arm. She’s a fantastic volleyball player and stays very active. She recently compteted in teh Portland to Coast event with a team of PAA alumni (from the classes of ’93, ’94, and ’96). Mrs. Rosenquist’s love of math, her students, and teaching shine through her instructions and inspire the desire to discover and learn. Tests may show their knowledge but this quality is immeasurable.
Mark Smith is the famous one. In 2011, he won a “Teacher of the Year” award from the Alumni Awards Foundation, a national organization recognizing exceptional teachers at Adventist schools. His fame also comes from a book about his ascent of a previously unclimbed route on El Capitan, America’s most famous big wall. “Wings of Steel,” by Richard Jensen, is the written account of Mr. Smith and a friend who hold the world record for longest big wall climb. And THAT is the real claim to fame. He spent 39 days on the face of El Capitan and endured the worst summer storm season on record. Mr. Smith, his wife, and two kids, enjoy long road trips where they visited National Parks and Monuments. They all love to rock and mountain climb. As a family, they recently climbed Devil’s Tower – taking a full eight hours to complete. He and his daughter also climbed Half Dome in Yosemite via a 1000’ rock climb and Mt. Hood. They are on track to be the first parent/child team to climb the high point of each county in Oregon. Mountaineering is not just a hobby, it’s a way of life that feeds his soul. And this benefits PAA. Students are blessed by Mr. Smith’s guidance not just in the classroom, but also through PAA’s Climbing Club which he has sponsored for 20 years! Because he recognizes that not all kids enjoy team sports, he uses his passion for climbing to inspire them to push themselves, stay physically active, make new friends, connect with God’s creation, and to develop skills that help them navigate life. This gift is invaluable.
Deanne Sparks brings her students a wealth of knowledge and experience (Check this out!). Besides having taught at several different University and high schools, she continues her own professional growth very seriously. She is currently earning her Ph.D. in English from the University of North Dakota, she has Master’s degrees in both English and American History, and has a B.S. in Social Studies from Pacific Union College. She strives to lay a strong academic foundation for her students. “I believe in creating a classroom environment that provides multiple opportunities to discover and explore new ways of critically analyzing and engaging with the world,” says Sparks.
Dimitra Weinstein is a Portland native and even graduated from PAA. She grew up attending both Your Bible Speaks and Sharon SDA churches, where she is now a current member with her husband, Aaron. As a student here, She was active and engaged! She played soccer, basketball, and was a part of the cross country team. She also loved her time in band as an alto saxophone player. She was active with the Worship Committee and hosted a lot of fund raising efforts for the school and her class. “My friends used to tell me I would one day teach in the Mac Lab,” she says. “I secretly wanted it to be true but never believed it. Now I’m here!” Mrs.Weinstein has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), one of the top art schools in the country. After graduating from SCAD, she lived in New York wear she was a freelance photographer and photography assistant for various magazines and photographers. Today, in addition to teaching, she produces commissioned and personal art as a fine artist, and is challenging herself in new areas by exploring other mediums such as painting, drawing and mixed media. If that doesn’t keep her busy enough, she’s also earning her Master’s degree in Secondary Education for Art. Dimitra is a life-long learner. Even as a young person, she loved to study beyond school. In fact, she studied aviation so much that she eventually earned her aviation pilot’s license. She was flying planes both real and remote controlled before she could even drive a car!