Theme: Innovations

TEDxAzusaPacificUniversity is a half-day university event in which speakers will share meaningful ideas and current innovations.

Azusa Pacific University
901 E. Alosta Ave.
Azusa, California, 91702
United States

Deshonna Collier-Goubil

Professor of Criminal Justice

Dr. Deshonna Collier-Goubil takes a holistic perspective of the criminal justice system, those with whom the system interacts (victims, offenders, communities), and the challenges the criminal justice system faces in today’s rapidly changing climate. Deshonna encourages her students to think critically and ethically about the criminal justice system, challenging them to study the system from differing perspectives while maintaining a core principle of integrating their faith with their career goals. Her research interests include race and crime, gender and crime, and prisoner re-entry. She has also served as a fellow for the National Institute of Justice and the College Board.

Keith E. Hall

Executive Director, Undergraduate Academic Success Center

Dr. Keith E. Hall currently serves as the Executive Director of the Academic Success Center at Azusa Pacific University. Keith also provides consultative services aimed at assessing, developing, and maximizing human capacity and potential in an effort to increase engagement, well-being, and sense of belonging with an institution. Keith earned his doctorate in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University.

Regina Chow Trammel

Professor of Social Work

Dr. Regina Chow Trammel has a background in clinical social work practice, which includes more than a decade in private practice in the Chicago area, as well as experience in psychiatric and medical social work settings. Her area of clinical focus has been in the treatment of depression, anxiety, postpartum mood disorders, sexual abuse history, family conflict, self-injury, and eating disorders. Regina is an assistant professor in the Master’s of Social Work. Her research focuses on the effects of a Christian-informed mindfulness intervention as an alternative to traditional Buddhist-informed mindfulness on stress management.

Robert R. Duke

Dean, School of Theology

Dr. Robert Duke has been a foster parent since 2011. During that time, he has served on the Director's Council for the Department of Children and Family Services in Los Angeles County, which serves the largest community of foster children in the nation. He also received grant funding from the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles to organize an interfaith foster care summit for clergy in Los Angeles County in 2014. Additionally, Robert currently serves as the dean of the School of Theology at Azusa Pacific University.

Ryan R. Montague

Professor of Communication Studies

Dr. Ryan R. Montague is a professional “people watcher” and lifelong student of human development. Ryan firmly believes that we, as a collective, need to approach conversation as if it has the potential to change the trajectory of either our life or the life of the person with whom we are communicating. Ryan is the author of two books: Communication Virtuosos and Divine Opportunity. Ryan does keynote talks in areas of emotional intelligence, marital and pre-marital communication, communication in the digital age, and several other requested topics. Ryan lives in Southern California with his wife and three kids.

Skyla M. Herod

Professor of Biology

Dr. Skyla M. Herod is a behavioral neuroscientist and Fulbright scholar. Skyla’s laboratory examines the role of early life stress exposure and availability of various neurotransmitter systems in the neuroplasticity of fetal brain development and in determining susceptibility stress-induced disorders in adulthood. Skyla earned her Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience from Oregon Health and Sciences University and previously worked at the Oregon National Primate Research Center in Beaverton, Oregon. At Azusa Pacific University, she continues her work in the neuroendocrinology of the stress response in genetics.

Verónica Gutiérrez

Professor of Latin American History

Dr. Verónica A. Gutiérrez spent her Fulbright year researching indigenous-Christianity in Cholula, Puebla, México, residing in a former Franciscan convento (friary), built upon the remains of a pre-hispanic teocalli (“god-house”). Each time it rained, ancient pottery and obsidian shards would be unearthed in the backyard. An Associate Professor of Latin American History at Azusa Pacific University, Gutiérrez is passionate about challenging myths pervading native peoples of the Americas. She has presented her research at dozens of academic conferences and provided keynote addresses in both the US and Mexico.