» Wilkinson College Dean's Directory

photo of Dr. Jennifer D. Keene

Dr. Jennifer D. Keene

Dean of Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
(714) 997-6947
Dr. Jennifer D. Keene is a specialist in American military experience during World War I. She served as President of the Society of Military History 2018-2019. She has published three books on the American involvement in the First World War: Doughboys, the Great War and the Remaking of America (2001), World War I: The American Soldier Experience (2011), and The United States and the First World War (2000). She is also the lead author for an American history textbook, Visions of America: A History of the United States that uses a visual approach to teaching students U.S. history. She has received numerous awards for her scholarship and has served as an associate editor for the Encyclopedia of War and American Society (2005) which won the Society of Military History's prize for best military history reference book. Learn more about Dr. Keene!
photo of Dr. Stephanie Takaragawa

Dr. Stephanie Takaragawa

Associate Dean for Academic Programs
(714) 532-7771
Dr. Takaragawa is an Associate Professor in the Sociology department, and teaches Anthropology courses. Outside of the department she helps to oversee the Social Science areas in Wilkinson College along with the Graduate Programs, Centers and Institutes, interdisciplinary outreach and Faculty/Student research. Dr. Takaragawa’s research and teaching centers on the areas of Asian American studies and Visual Anthropology.
photo of  Dr. Charissa  Threat

Dr. Charissa Threat

Dean for Student and Faculty Advancement
Associate Professor of History. Charissa received her Ph.D. from University of Iowa and taught most recently at Spelman College. Her research focuses on the intersections of civil-military relations and race, gender and conflict.
photo of Erin  Berthon

Erin Berthon

Wilkinson College Career Manager
(714) 628-7255
Erin Berthon is an experienced Career Development professional in higher education. She has a 12-year history of working in education, including the last 5 years in higher education with the Office of Disability Services and in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Chapman University. Erin is passionate about working with students and helping them reach their career and academic goals. Erin has a master’s degree focused in School Counseling and is skilled in Career Development, Higher Education Leadership, and Team Building. Erin enjoys building relationships and partnerships, teaching and growing within the university setting, and encouraging students to reach their full potential.
photo of Allison DeVries

Allison DeVries

Manager of Grant Development & Administration
(714) 997-6752
Allison holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Brandman University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communication from University of California, San Diego. Allison joined the Wilkinson College Dean’s Office at Chapman University in 2011 after working in Research Planning and Government Relations at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Allison enjoys yoga, cooking, hiking, and reading. She also takes pleasure in traveling- whether it is a short weekend trip from Southern California or a faraway exotic location- and has been to twenty-one countries on six continents!
photo of Talisa Flores

Talisa Flores

Academic Operations Manager
(714) 628-2767
Talisa joined Chapman University in 2017 working for the office of Disability Services. Before her role as Academic Operations Manager, she served as the Senior Administrative Assistant, and before that as the Administrative Assistant to the Department of Political Science. She holds a bachelor's degree in History, and is currently working towards earning her master's in War, Diplomacy, and Society.
photo of Sarah  Gordon

Sarah Gordon

Director of Operations
(714) 997-6678
Sarah Gordon is Wilkinson's Director of Operations. Sarah comes to us with substantial administrative and operations experience outside of academe, working most recently for Amazon. She has a passion for streamlining processes, providing innovative solutions and creating collaborative teams. Sarah was born and raised in the United Kingdom but now calls Southern California home where she lives with her husband Ryan and daughter Amelia.
photo of David  Krausman

David Krausman

Graduate Programs Coordinator
(714) 516-7116
David joined Chapman University in 2016 as administrative assistant to the Departments of English, Peace Studies, and the office of the Dean. Currently David holds the Graduate Programs Coordinator Position in the Dean's Office and is an avid reader and writer. His current go-to recommendations are Joy Harjo’s Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings and Whereas by Layli Long Solder.
photo of Mary  Shockey

Mary Shockey

Events and Development Coordinator
(714) 532-6017
Mary has been at Chapman University since 2014 working in the Wilkinson College Dean’s Office as well as being the liaison between the College and University Advancement. Mary and her husband, Scott, have been married for over 25 years and have a passion for sports and their four children.
photo of Maggie Sandoval

Maggie Sandoval

Academic Advisor
Maggie Sandoval joined Chapman University in March of 2020 when she began working at the Registrar’s Office. Maggie has worked in higher education for over eight years and has worked directly in Advising for two years. Maggie is a resource and advocate for Chapman students as they navigate college academics. Maggie earned her B.A. in Sociology from Cal State University, Dominguez Hills and a M.S in Counseling Psychology from Mount Saint Mary’s University. Outside of work, Maggie enjoys gardening, hiking, and traveling.
photo of Laura Silva

Laura Silva

Communication Coordinator
Laura first joined Chapman University in the summer of 2006. Since her time at Chapman she has been responsible for many areas in the dean's office, such as - recreating and maintaining the Wilkinson website, managing the Voice of Wilkinson, launching the Wilkinson Review, and overseeing promotional material for various programs and events on the college's social media platforms, helping to carry out objectives of the college through her writing. Laura earned her B.A. at the University of La Verne in Journalism and comes to us from The Orange County Register where she worked as a reporter for eight years.

Dean's Office Student Workers

no photo available for Ava Brandt

Ava Brandt

Student Photographer
photo of Fiona  Bumgarner

Fiona Bumgarner

Dean's Office Student Worker
Fiona is a sophomore at Chapman University where she will be majoring in Graphic Design. She is from a small town in Northern California, right between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe. She started working in the Dean’s Office in Fall 2022, where she is working as a Generalist in the front office. In her free time she loves to paint and draw portraits, and it’s rare you’ll find her without a cup of coffee or tea.
photo of Bernadine Cortina

Bernadine Cortina

Dean's Office Student Worker
Bernadine Cortina is a senior majoring in English literature, rhetoric, and cultural studies. She also has two Interdisciplinary minors: Africana Studies and Ethnic Studies. She is a Pinay immigrant from Manila, Philippines who immigrated to Hayward, CA in 2018. She joined the Dean's Office staff in September of 2022, and works as a Peer Advisor, specifically as a generalist for all majors and minors in Wilkinson. In her free time, you can catch her brewing another cup of jasmine tea and making her way through her endless "to read" list.
no photo available for Aleks Lam

Aleks Lam

Dean's Office Student Worker
no photo available for Isabella Mohr

Isabella Mohr

Dean's Office Student Worker
photo of Lisa  Wong

Lisa Wong

Wilkinson Social Media Coordinator
Originally from NYC, Lisa Wong ’25, is a broadcast journalism and documentary major with a double minor in Chinese and Visual Journalism. She joined the Wilkinson Dean's Office staff in August 2022 working on maintaining its social media. She's also the video and podcast editor for The Panther on campus and loves to rock climb in her free time!