Leah Ruiz is excited to be part the Pathways Specialist who works with students in the Education, Social, and Behavioral Health Pathway. She works toward inspiring and encouraging college students throughout their academic career. Being a first-generation student herself, it is her goal to help students realize that their life story has given them strengths they may not know they already possess, have the potential to overcome obstacles and successfully reach their goals and dreams. During her years as a graduate student in Criminal Justice and Criminology from Washington State University, she completed several publications and worked with WSU Coalition for Women Students, which works to create awareness of injustices for people of all genders and foster a safe and inclusive environment for all students. In her spare time, she likes to read books on personal growth and the juvenile justice system. She also enjoys hiking, playing volleyball, and tennis.

lodie Goodman has been a part of the SFCC community since September 2000. lodie was a French and film instructor and was the Chair of the Communication Arts & Modern Languages Department. After 18 years of teaching and advising students across the campus, she stepped up to the new role as Dean of Social Science, Business, and Human Services. She enjoys the opportunity to collaboratively work with faculty, staff, and students to advance the mission of SFCC. A couple of her passions are mentoring and being actively involved in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging as well as championing professional development for her faculty and staff. Whatever is needed to better serve our students and community, particularly behind the scenes, lodie is game.

In her free time, lodie enjoys spending time with her family including her 4 German Shepherds, teaching and practicing yoga, writing, working in her organic lavender field, and collecting rocks.

Ursula has been an instructor at SFCC since 2013 and is the program lead in the Integrated Behavioral Health Bachelor in Applied Science program. Before transferring to the IBH bachelor’s program, she served as the program lead for the Addiction Studies and Integrated Community Services programs and taught a wide range of classes.

Ursula’s primary interests are in student-centered teaching that acknowledges students’ individuality while exposing them to evidence-based practices that have the highest potential to improve health outcomes for community members.

After a career as a ceramic and textile designer, Ursula received her graduate degree in Applied Psychology from Eastern Washington University and began to work in the behavioral health field in 2007. She continues to educate herself on topics such as health inequities, trauma-informed care, and the integration of social justice in healthcare, behavioral health, and social services.

Christine’s passion has always been in substance use disorder and education fields. Her experience is expansive and includes both teaching and counseling in agency settings, K-12 schools, and higher education institutions including Whitworth University and Spokane Falls Community College. As a substance use disorder professional, Christine brings 23 years of expertise and commitment to the Addiction Studies department. She holds a Masters in Education, Bachelors in Psychology and Minor in Alcohol Studies from Washington State University. Having attended SFCC along her educational journey, she is happy to be part of the SFCC family as both a student and as a faculty member. Christine may be familiar to you as she has been a faculty counselor at SFCC for the past seven years.

When she’s not teaching, you will find Christine on adventures with her boys, riding her horses, snuggling with her Velcro-vizsla dog, or gardening.

Jared Ozaki has been an instructor at SFCC since 2016 and is currently the program lead in the Integrated Community Services program (ICS). He is also co-lead of the Addiction Studies program (AS). Jared has taught a wide range of online, hybrid, and combo/flex classes in the AS and ICS programs.

Jared began his work in the behavioral health field in 2007 and received his graduate degree in Applied Psychology from Eastern Washington University. He continues to educate himself on all issues related to the human services and counseling fields. His primary interests are in evidence-based practices, integrated care, and helping students to learn how to apply these practices to help improve treatment outcomes to the people they serve in the community.

KayDee Steele Ph.D., LMHC, SUDP: I have been a full-time faculty at SFCC since 2006. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and attended SFCC many years ago. I have two bachelor’s degrees (Psychology and Spanish) from Gonzaga University, a master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling from Whitworth, and a Ph.D. from Gonzaga in Educational Leadership with emphasis on co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. My interests lie in social and criminal justice, behavioral health and the integration of these fields with primary care. I have had the honor to work in these fields since 1991 in such roles as educator, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Substance Use Disorder Professional, Juvenile Parole Counselor/Manager/State Coordinator, Director for a county behavioral health agency, and in roles as consultant, mentor, policy and legislative advocate, and more. I love working and training therapy dogs, travelling, and teaching.

Cara has been in the Substance Use field since 2009. She has worked in almost every level of service, and most recently worked as the Clinical Substance Use Disorder Manager for a local non-profit Substance Use and Mental Health treatment clinic. At this clinic, she oversaw all clinical operations and supervised all clinicians to ensure contract requirements were met for a multitude of criminal justice entities. Cara has a Master’s Degree in Social and Behavioral Health and has a deep passion for helping others and empowering positive change. Cara also serves on Whitworth University’s Advisory Board, volunteers with Perinatal Support Washington and hosts monthly Mom’s groups for newly postpartum mothers.