Education, Child and Family Studies

Heidi holds a master’s degree in educational psychology with an emphasis in human development, as well as a bachelor’s degree in child development from California State University, Northridge. She also holds an associate’s degree in nursing health science from Moorpark College, California. Her past and current licenses and certifications include: Registered Nurse, Program for Infant-Toddler Caregivers (PITC) trainer, Gottman Institute (child, parent and family relationship facilitator), International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), International Certified Childbirth Educator (ICCE), Perinatal Support International (PSI) facilitator for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, Basic Life Support/CPR Instructor (BLSI), and Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI). She has worked in the fields of health care, early child development, human development, individual–family resiliency and life management education at the following California-based academic organizations and academic institutions: Community Memorial Hospital, Ventura; Enloe Medical Center, Chico; California State University, Channel Islands, Camarillo; Moorpark College, Moorpark; and Butte College. Her work has consistently followed her mission and passion to educate all those who care and educate young children and their families, and to build healthy adult relationships through supportive education that promotes resilient individuals, families, and communities.

Dr. Choflá is a faculty member within the Education, Child, and Family Studies Department with a background in early learning, early intervention, antibias education, and lifespan development. A wide range of personal life challenges brought Dr. Choflá to early care and education: first to understand himself and later to support others on their paths. He serves as the First 5 Butte County Children and Families Commission chair and Executive Director at Empathy Therapy, a private mental health practice he co-founded in 2011. Dr. Choflá takes considerable pride in receiving several teaching awards, including the 2019 Teacher of the Year award and the 2018 Butte College Rotary Educator of the Year award. He has earned a doctorate in education and a master’s degree in human development. Before teaching at Butte College, he served on the faculty at Pacific Oaks College and the National Hispanic University. Through the support of others, Dr. Choflá found his voice, navigated through a range of personal life struggles, and now works exclusively as a teacher and

Jean Christine Cowell, or Kristy for short, began working with young children in 1976 at Idaho State University. While attending classes at Idaho State, she completed her Montessori training. She graduated on the dean’s list in 1980 with a BA in early childhood education; she also has a K–3 Idaho teacher’s credential, and a Montessori diploma from London, England. After working in the public schools, she moved to California in 1987 and began her job teaching at a local Montessori school in Chico. She taught in a classroom for three- to five-year-old children for nineteen years before moving on to a Montessori elementary school and teaching in a K–third grade classroom for a few years. Kristy completed her master’s degree in human development with an emphasis in early childhood and published her thesis in 2008. She then began teaching teachers at Butte College. Kristy has previously been a mentor teacher for Butte College and enjoys mentoring students. Kristy currently owns and operates a successful Mommy and Me business in Chico called Sunny Garden Montessori and Music Together Chico. She works extensively with infants, toddlers, and families while teaching child development classes at Butte College.

Kelly is an instructor at Butte Community College in the Education, Child, and Family Studies Department and teaches in both face-to-face and online modalities. Kelly has also worked with families and young children in nonprofits in Butte County for over fifteen years. Kelly has her master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Phoenix and her undergraduate degree from California State University, Chico. She has two boys who have helped shaped her views on why child development is so important. She is very involved in the community and serves on many committees, such as the Child Abuse Prevention Council and the Local Childcare Planning Council. Kelly is committed to sharing information and hopes to make strides in preventing adverse childhood experiences.

Irma started her career as an elementary school teacher in Mexico, where she worked in Michoacán and Baja, California, teaching grades one through six. She immigrated to the United States in 1990. Irma has a BA degree in liberal studies from her native country; she also attended Butte College and earned an AS degree in child development. In 2009 she received a BA degree equivalence through Pacific Oaks College, and in 2010 she obtained a master’s degree in human development with specializations in infant and toddler care, college and adult teaching, and leadership in education. Irma‘s professional career involves working with diverse populations. She has worked abroad in rural and urban elementary school settings. In the United States, Irma worked for over fifteen years with Head Start in multiple capacities that included those of teacher assistant, center director, coordinator, and regional manager. Irma also worked as an associate faculty member before becoming a faculty member at Butte College. Irma teaches in classroom and online settings. She was pivotal in creating the college's Early Childhood Education Spanish Program and served as the coordinator until recently. She partners with Glenn County to advocate for quality childcare services. Irma has created several open education resources (OERs) to minimize students’ financial challenges, and her teaching style is student centered. Her classroom is a community of learners where all involved—students and instructor—learn from one another, respecting cultures and valuing one another’s strengths.

Nicole LaGrave has been teaching since 1997. She earned bachelor’s degrees in English and French, a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in reading, and single subject teaching credentials in English, French, and social studies, a multiple subject credential, and a specialist instruction credential in reading. She has taught English and social studies at middle and high schools in Butte and Glenn Counties and has taught education, reading, and composition at Butte College since 1998. At present, Nicole teaches writing courses in the English department and an Introduction to Education course in the Education, Child and Family Studies Department. Nicole loves teaching, especially here at Butte. She enjoys watching students challenge themselves and feels honored to take a small part in each student’s educational journey.

Kimberly is an associate faculty member in the Education, Child, and Family Studies Department with a focus on curriculum and instruction. She also works for the Butte County Office of Education as an early learning quality specialist. Kimberly attended California State University, Chico, where she received her BA in child development and her MA in education. Kimberly has worked for the past twenty years to promote quality early childhood programs. She is passionate about promoting family-strengthening work and supporting the implementation of effective approaches to teaching young children, as well as parent, family, and community engagement. Kimberly has extensive experience in training and professional development. She is an advocate for the child development programs in our community and the Butte College students, teachers, children, and families who spend their time in them each day.

Sharon serves as an associate faculty member within the Education, Child, and Family Studies Department supporting future teachers in Northern California. She began her career working with at-risk junior high and high school students in Butte County after graduating with a BA in social work from California State University, Chico. She has since worked in college enrollment while earning her MA in education with a concentration in adult education and training from University of Phoenix. Sharon has been a K–12 substitute teacher throughout Butte and Glenn counties and currently works as a credential analyst with the Butte County Office of Education. In this role, she works closely with Butte County school districts to ensure all teachers and school service providers hold the appropriate certifications for the courses they teach and services they offer.

Mari serves as an instructor in the Education, Child and Family Studies Department. She obtained an undergraduate degree in psychology at UC Davis, specializing in child development, and then continued her education at Sacramento State University, where she received a graduate master’s degree in education with an emphasis on special education and cross cultural and linguistic development. Mari has worked with children in various capacities: counseling at-risk youths, bringing university students together with school-age children in an after-school program, and teaching in both general and special education settings. She has been teaching courses at Butte College since 2005. Her hope is to create an educational environment that gives students the knowledge they need to feel confident and the desire to work with children in whatever capacity they please—in careers working with children, as parents, or as members of society.

Carrie has been teaching courses full time at Butte College in the Education, Child, and Family Studies Department since 2003 and currently serves as a northern representative for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. She graduated with an associate of arts in liberal studies and subsequently obtained a bachelor of arts in liberal studies and child development; she then continued her education to receive a master of science in education with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction. Carrie’s primary goal is to provide students an opportunity to create realistic and successful visions for themselves through educational experiences that are accessible, valuable, and relevant considering various life dynamics. To accomplish that, she finds it is crucial to engage in ongoing endeavors that enhance her pedagogy and maintain her currency through professional development.

Bettye-Ann is a fourth-generation Butte County resident (two children are fifth-generation residents, and two grandsons are sixth-generation!). She has proudly taught as an adjunct at Butte College since 1985 and at Yuba College since 1999. Bettye-Ann is an alumna of Butte College, having graduated in 1969. She also graduated with a BS degree from Chico State in 1973 with a double major in child development and psychology. She then graduated with her graduate degree from the University of San Francisco in 1987 with a double major in education and counseling. She was a marriage and family therapist (MFT) intern from 1987 to 1989. Bettye-Ann has worked as a program director developing day-treatment drug programs for women and children for the chancellor’s office in Butte (Touchstone) and Glenn (Discovery House) Counties. She has also been a program director developing state-funded programs through the State of California Public Health Department to identify and counsel HIV/AIDS clients in seven Northern California counties. Additionally, she has been a project manager for an independent living program for foster teens for the chancellor’s office in Yuba and Sutter Counties, and she has been a project manager for AmeriCorps, working with forty-five military mentors from Beale Air Force Base for forty-five local foster teens.

Cate is an adjunct faculty member at Butte College and a director of a local nonprofit preschool. She is a graduate of Chico State University’s Bachelor of Arts in Child Development program and taught for several years at the Associated Students Child Development Lab. Cate earned a master’s degree in human development at Pacific Oaks College, where she completed her thesis on resiliency and risk across the lifespan. She speaks and writes about inclusive practices and diversity opportunities for preschool-age children. She is currently working with the California Department of Education as an administrative participant in the implementation of Embedded Instruction for Early Learning.

Bethany Vader began her schooling at Butte College and then went on to Chico State to complete her bachelor’s degree in child development. She completed her master’s degree in child development at San Jose State. Bethany has been teaching preschool and working in the field for seven years. Bethany developed an outdoor writing curriculum to promote literacy and learning in combination with large motor skills. She has helped lead classroom transitions to a more emergent style of learning, helping to promote play and creativity in children. Bethany is passionate about helping current and future teachers to develop their abilities. She is interested in using literacy and social stories to help children learn new skills and practice social abilities. She is looking into authoring a series of social stories to help children with behavioral challenges understand how their actions and reactions affect others.