CR's April 4, 2025 Times Standard Education Matters Article

Apr 2 2025

It is always exciting when we are able to bring on new faculty. They provide fresh ideas, new energy, and new perspectives to the College of the Redwoods community. This fall, we will be adding six new, full-time faculty members to the academy who will bring a wealth of experience and expertise in a range of disciplines including music, biology, Spanish, agriculture and nursing.  

I am thrilled to welcome this very talented cohort of new faculty to CR. These appointments reflect our commitment to pursuing academic excellence and preparing students to transfer or enter the workforce successfully. 

Meet our new exceptional CR faculty:

Dr. Matthew Hough (Music) is a composer, performer, and music theorist with fourteen years of college and university teaching experience. A Doctoral graduate from the Manhattan School of Music (New York, NY), he has professional experience as a guitarist, vocalist, and keyboard player and has directed music ensembles in professional and educational capacities. He has also published widely and released numerous recordings, including his 2022 album Solos.

Alissa Sarvinski (Agriculture) currently works at Eureka High School as the Agriculture Chair and teaches a wide variety of classes including Agriculture Earth Science, Chemistry in Agriscience, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, and Advance Agriscience Honors. She grew up on her family’s organic dairy in Ferndale and is a member of the Humboldt County Farm Bureau and North Coast Growers Association. A Ferndale High graduate, she earned a bachelor’s in Agribusiness from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Master of Agriculture Science from Chico State.

Jaclyn Patmore (Biology) is a CR alum who began her academic journey at the college in 2012, earning an Associate of Arts in Science Exploration. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Master of Science in Biology at Cal Poly Humboldt. Jaclyn has six years of teaching experience and over 20 years in professional settings, including work as a pharmacy technician, certified nurse’s assistant, and wildlife technician. She has taught Human Anatomy, Cadaver Prosection, and general biology at CR and served as a graduate teaching assistant at Cal Poly Humboldt.

Angeles Torres Mendez (Spanish) brings extensive teaching experience from institutions including Irvine Valley College, Santiago Canyon College, Saddleback College, and UC Irvine. She specializes in courses ranging from beginner to advanced Spanish, including Spanish for heritage speakers, and is known for her inclusive, student-centered approach that empowers learners from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Torres Mendez holds a B.A. in Spanish from CSU Channel Islands, an M.A. in Spanish and Latin American Literature from Middlebury College, and a Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese with a Latin American emphasis from UC Irvine.

Tiffany Martell (Nursing - Del Norte Campus) is a Del Norte High School and College of the Redwoods alum who began her nursing journey at CR, completing the Certified Nursing Assistant, Licensed Vocational Nursing, and Registered Nursing programs. With over 13 years of nursing experience, she has worked in emergency care, clinical instruction, and leadership roles. Since 2021, she has served as a clinical instructor at CR while also working as an Emergency Nurse at Sutter Coast Hospital, where she thrives in high-pressure, team-based environments. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Chamberlain University. Her professional certifications include Certified Emergency Nurse, Basic and Advanced Life Support, and Trauma Nursing Core Course. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the National League for Nursing.

Julie Przepiora (Nursing Science/Clinical Practice) has a decade of professional experience in nursing in Humboldt County Behavioral Health and as an Associate Faculty of Nursing at CR. Her experience as an Associate Faculty in CR’s RN and LVN programs has prepared her for the fulltime professor position. Her responsibility in clinical supervision has honed her ability to oversee nursing students in practical settings and her teaching and curriculum development experience will be vital to our Nursing Department. Her strengths in collaboration, leadership, and communication will be instrumental in fostering a nurturing and effective learning environment for all students.

These new faculty members will join a cadre of faculty who pride themselves on enriching the lives of every student and contributing to the health and vibrancy of the college community.