日韩AV

The Team

Leadership

 

Ingrid Slikkers, Executive Director

ingrids@andrews.edu
(269) 471-6677
Professional Homepage
 

Charity Garcia, Director of K-12 Initiatives

garcia@andrews.edu
(269) 471-3436
Professional Homepage
 

David Sedlacek, Director of Pastoral Initiatives

sedlacek@andrews.edu
(269) 471-6375
Professional Homepage

Dustin Young,

Director of Strategic Initiatives 

dustiny@andrews.edu
(269) 471-6249
 

24-25 Interns

School of Social Work:

Serika Charles Delfish

Serika Charles Delfish is a passionate advocate for trauma education and healing. With over 7 years of experience working with NYC government on projects from the Mayor’s Office and Department of Social Services, she is dedicated to addressing trauma and fostering resilience. Serika co-founded a nonprofit in Grenada to create safe spaces for young girls to develop holistically through collaboration with government and private sector partners. She has taught short courses on applying trauma-informed principles across various professions and has co-led initiatives at 日韩AV focused on raising awareness of invisible disabilities, fostering a sense of belonging and support within the community. Aspiring to own her consulting firm and therapy practice, Serika aims to help organizations build impactful relationships and become trauma-informed spaces. In her free time, she enjoys sunsets, spending time with friends and family, and pottery making.

 

School of Education:

Sofia Bailey

Sofia Loren Bailey is a dedicated 3rd-grade teacher at Coralwood Adventist Academy in Alberta, Canada. She has over 20 years of international teaching experience in Jamaica, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Her global teaching journey has made her culturally sensitive and adept at engaging students from diverse backgrounds. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Primary Education from Northern Caribbean University and is passionate about creating inclusive, student-centred environments that encourage active learning and critical thinking.

Through a commitment to lifelong learning and the pursuit of God's true education, she aims to inspire her students to grow intellectually, morally, and spiritually, fostering a holistic approach to their development. In addition to teaching, she enjoys travelling, exploring new cultures, and spending time in nature, all of which fuel her personal and professional growth.

Trisha Higgins Handy

Trisha Higgins Handy is a lifelong Adventist educator currently teaching at Greaves Adventist Academy in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Mrs. Handy holds a BSc degree with an emphasis in Zoology and a BEd in Education and is currently pursuing graduate studies at 日韩AV in Curriculum and Instruction. She is married to her high school sweetheart of 21 years, and together they share three wonderful children. Trisha enjoys reading, writing, travelling with family and friends, and dreams of publishing children's literature and educational curriculum one day.

 

 

Current Affiliates

 

Jenica Joseph    

Jenica is an assistant professor of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, graduated from 日韩AV with an undergraduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology in 2007. She received her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2009 from Loma Linda University. She has worked in a variety of settings such as: private practice, skilled nursing/acute care rehabilitation, school-based speech-language pathologist, travel speech-language pathologist, and as a bilingual assessment team member for a school district.
 
 

Lara Malabrigo

 

James Mello

 James is the District Pastor for LaGrange and Carrollton Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Georgia. He graduated from 日韩AV with an MDiv as well as an MSW. He is currently pursuing licensure as a therapist. He has experience as a pastor, chaplain, teacher, and social worker (including foster care and the juvenile justice system). He has given numerous presentations on creating trauma-informed churches and schools.

 

Sarah Reidel

 

Leslie Rodriguez  (23-24)

Leslie holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work (2023) and a Master's degree in Social Work (2024). She has extensive experience working with children as a school counselor and with refugee and immigrant children at Bethany Christian Services. Currently, Leslie is a child therapist in Benton Harbor, dedicated to providing trauma-informed care. She is passionate about trauma work and is committed to bringing trauma-informed care to the Latino/Hispanic community.

 

Ricco Ruiz (23-24)

Ricco specializes in supporting the development of leaders who help hurting people. His background includes teen refugee resettlement services, children's grief counseling, and pastoral ministry- 10 years of which have been with Relove Church in Garden Grove, CA. He holds a Bachelor of Communication from Saginaw Valley State University, a Master of Social Work from 日韩AV, and a Master of Youth and Young Adult Ministry from the S.D.A. Theological Seminary. Currently, Ricco is a program manager for Holy Cross Services, where he is pursuing a license for clinical social work while overseeing a community intervention for youth transitioning out of foster care and the juvenile justice system.
 
 

Emma Vanderwaal (22-23)

Not Pictured:

Laia Burgos
Willis Byas (22-23)
AJ O’Carey
Maci Chen 
Jasmine Johnson
Abi Martin
Erick Pena
Naissa Ndiaye 
Angel Smith
Alvin Waite 
Katelyn Weakley
Jasmin Wilson
 

Advisory Board

Tara Bailey
Torben Bergland
Judy Bitzer-Rowe
Nestor Bruno
AJ O’Carey
David Faehner
Ann Hamel
Angela Pechero
Jennifer Jill Schwirzer
Mary Slikkers
Evelyn Sullivan

 

2023-2024 Interns 
Yailin Contreras  
Serika Charles Delfish 
Isai Ramirez