September 2012 Insider - South Piedmont Community College

Jason Jones is a new Chemistry instructor on the L.L.Polk Campus. Previously, he taught chemistry at Francis Marion
University in Florence, S.C. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, and his Ph.D.
in Physical Chemistry at Middlesex University in London. He has been married for 11 years and has a 4 ½-year-old son.
Outside of work, he enjoys home improvement projects, chess, following soccer and tennis, and road cycling “to keep in some
sort of condition,” he said.
Mathematics Instructor Susan Lauer has been named Mathematics Department chair.
Leo Maganares has switched from Basic Skills recruitment/assessment/retention coordinator to Mechanical Engineering
faculty.
Katie Mayer is a new Communications instructor on the L.L. Polk Campus. She recently moved to the area from Milwaukee
when her husband, Brady, was transferred to Charlotte in February. Prior to the move, she was communications specialist for
Roundy’s Supermarkets and also was an adjunct Communications instructor at Concordia University. She earned her B.A. with
a major in Communications Studies and a minor in Human Resources at Marquette University, and an M.A. in Organizational
Communication, also at Marquette. She has a 14-month-old daughter and is expecting the birth of son in November. Outside
of work, she enjoys cooking and yoga.
Katrina McClain is the new liaison for the Anson County Early College. Previously, she was an assistant professor in the
General Education Department at the Art Institute of Charlotte. She has a B.S. in Sociology and an MLA in Cultural Studies
from UNC Asheville, an Ed.S. from Walden University and lacks only her dissertation to earn an Ed.D. from Walden. A native
of Kings Mountain, her interests include writing poetry, playing trumpet and managing two bands. She also plays for one of the
bands, as well as for her church, The Park Ministries in Charlotte.
Susan Miller has been promoted from Institutional Research analyst to Institutional Data coordinator.
Ginger Pope is a new Psychology instructor on the L.L. Polk Campus. She worked in public schools for 34 years in South
Carolina – teaching grades two through eight, school psychologist, principal – and had been retired for seven before working
last year with a company in Cabarrus County that works one-on-one with special needs students. A native of Lancaster, S.C.,
she earned her B.A. in Elementary Education at Erskine College and her master’s in Education at Clemson. She and her
husband, Mike, moved to Union County four years ago and he coaches football at Wingate University. Outside of work, she
enjoys volunteering for Union Family Services as a rape crisis companion and at the Tree House (for abused children), and as
a literacy coach for the Literacy Council of Union County. She is active at Lakeview Baptist Church and also enjoys following
Wingate football.
Amanda Secrest has been promoted from Admissions evaluator to assistant director of Admissions.
Lauren Sellers has been promoted from assistant director of Human Resources to director of Human Resources.
Karen Elizabeth Smith has been promoted from Continuing Education lead program coordinator to Continuing Education
registrar.
Basic Skills Instructor Kelly Stegall has also taken on the job of Accelerating Opportunity coordinator.
William Truett has been promoted from director of Facility and Property Services to assistant vice president of Facilities.
Biology Instructor David Wheeler has been named Natural Sciences Department chair.