Faculty & Staff

College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences

Quality and Commitment

WSU Tri-Cities is a campus of Washington State University, which shares one central administration and one faculty. The campus strongly values the quality of its faculty, staff and students. As a campus of a land-grant institution, WSU Tri-Cities is committed to excellence in research, learning, and outreach to all constituents.

Educational Leadership Faculty

Kathleen CowinProfessor (Career Track), Educational LeadershipFloyd 207Xkathleen.cowin@wsu.eduKathleen Cowin, Professor, received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Seattle University. Her research focuses on the development of effective relational co-mentoring practices for educational leader formation and the creation of co-mentoring circles among current and former educational leadership students. Kathleen served as a teacher and elementary and middle school principal for over 25 years and also completed her Superintendent Certification.

John MancinelliAcademic Director and Field Services DirectorFloyd 207Rjohn.mancinelli@wsu.eduJohn Mancinelli, Ed.D., Scholarly Associate Professor, joined Washington State University Tri-Cities as Chief of Staff and Operations in July 2014. Dr. Mancinelli has 26 years of experience in teaching and educational leadership. Dr. Mancinelli brings a deep understanding of Washington State’s educational system, organizational structures, and management best practices. His experience in both teaching and administering in public schools from kindergarten to university contribute to his courses and mentorship.
Dr. Mancinelli serves as Educational Leadership and Teaching & Learning faculty to the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences. He teaches educational leadership and Teaching & Learning courses to undergraduates, masters, and doctoral students. Additionally, Dr. Mancinelli advises, mentors, and sits on committees for masters and doctoral students. Dr. Mancinelli’s area of scholarship focus includes educational leadership and role theory as it relates to building academic capacity.

Teaching and Learning Faculty

Yuliya ArdashevaAssociate Professor, Teaching & LearningFloyd 207Syuliya.ardasheva@wsu.eduYuliya Ardasheva (2010), Associate Professor, received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with specialization in TESOL from the University of Louisville. Her research interests include contributions of individual differences to second language development and on the interplay between second language and academic development.

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Yichien CooperAssistant Professor (Career Track)Floyd 207Hycooper@wsu.eduDr. Yichien Cooper is an artist/educator/author/arts advocate. Her research interests include integrating arts into the curriculum, STEAM education, concept mapping, data visualization, social justice, arts-based and narrative inquiry, mixed identity, and community-based art education. She has published six Chinese books on integrating arts education. She currently chairs the Asian Arts and Culture Interests Group of the National Art Education Association and has previously chaired their Data Visualization Working Group. Dr. Cooper has also served as President of the World Chinese Arts Education Association and as art commissioner for the City of Richland.

Jonah FirestoneAssociate ProfessorFloyd 207Qjonah.firestone@wsu.eduJonah Firestone (2011), Assistant Professor, received his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in Science Education with a specialization in Geology Education from Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. His research examines the Social Norms of Education on Beginning Science Teachers’ Understanding.

Tyler HansenAssistant Professor, Teaching & LearningFloyd 207Utyler.hansen2@wsu.eduTyler Hansen (2025), Assistant Professor, received his Ph.D. In Education from Utah State University. His current research focuses on how we engage students with environmental issues through designing curricula and instructional strategies that reflect the lived experiences of their communities. His broad research interests include science education, environmental education, educational technology, computer science education, and Indigenous ways of knowing in STEM education.

Yun-Ju HsiaoAssociate Professor, Special EducationFloyd 207Lyhsiao@wsu.eduYun-Ju Hsiao (2013), Associate Professor, received her Ph.D. in Special Education from University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her areas of research interest include autism spectrum disorder, emotional and behavioral disorder, early childhood special education, and culturally responsive teaching preparation and practices in special education.

Eric JohnsonProfessor, Teaching & LearningFloyd 207We.johnson@wsu.eduEric Johnson (2008), Associate Professor, received his Ph.D. in Sociocultural/Linguistic Anthropology from Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. His research focus is on ethnographic approaches to language-minority education programs and language policies in public schools. His interests include language policy and planning, the application of policy as practice, immigrant communities, parent and community engagement, bilingual education, and Hispanic Serving Institutions.

Lindsay LightnerAssistant Professor (Career Track), Teaching and LearningFloyd 207Mllightner@wsu.eduLindsay Lightner (2022), Scholarly Assistant Professor, received her Ph.D. in Mathematics and Science Education from Washington State University. Previously, Dr. Lightner had served on staff at WSU Tri-Cities as an academic advisor and project coordinator. She also serves as coordinator for the campus’s Alternative Route Teacher Certification program. Her research interests include science teacher identity, elementary science education, and work-based models for preservice teacher education.

Robin Ebert MaysAssociate Professor (Career Track), Department of EnglishCIC 125Srobin.mays@wsu.eduRobin Ebert Mays, Associate Professor (Career Track), received her masters degree in English from The University of Southern Mississippi and her Ph.D. in education from Washington State University. She enjoys a joint appointment in both the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences. She has much experience teaching English and writing in higher education.

Sarah NewcomerAssociate Professor, Teaching & LearningFloyd 207Ysarah.newcomer@wsu.eduSarah Newcomer (2012), Associate Professor, received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Language and Literacy from Arizona State University in Tempe. Dr. Newcomer joined WSU Tri-Cities in 2012. Her research interests include language policy and policy negotiation, school-family-community relationships and school community agency, and language and literacy education, particularly for culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Ethan SmithAssistant Professor of Mathematics Education | Floyd 207Tethan.p.smith@wsu.eduEthan P. Smith (2023), Assistant Professor, received his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Delaware. His research focuses on teachers’ noticings of and discourse around students’ writing in secondary mathematics classrooms. His interests also include student engagement in secondary math, teacher and coach experiences with mathematics coaching, culturally responsive mathematics curriculum materials, and curriculum-embedded professional learning programs.

Social Work Faculty

RoseAnne DroeschFloyd 101Dtricities.socialwork@wsu.eduDirector of Social Work; Clinical Assistant Professor

RoseAnne Droesch received her DSW from Tulane University and is a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of practice experience. She serves as the Director of the Bachelor of Social Work Program at WSU Tri-Cities, and her research focuses on evidence-based, culturally responsive interventions for trauma survivors and marginalized populations. Her work also examines integrating scalable interventions, such as the WHO’s Problem Management Plus (PM+), into social work education to address the mental health treatment gap. Dr. Droesch is actively engaged in her local community through advisory and board roles on population health committees and hospital foundations.

Jill Young-McMurchieFloyd 101Aj.young-mcmurchie@wsu.eduSocial Work Field Director; Teaching Assistant Professor

Jill Young-McMurchie received her MSW from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in 2008. She has held a range of clinical, supervisory, and community-based roles, including serving as a HUD-VASH Supervisor at the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center, Chaplain at the Benton County Jail, and mental health therapist at the Hanford Site Employee Assistance Program, the Emmaus Center, and Tri-Cities Community Health. Earlier in her career, she worked in higher education and service-learning as the Volunteer Center Coordinator at Pepperdine University and as an AmeriCorps member coordinating service-learning projects for Azusa Pacific University and the Azusa Unified School District.

Amy Ashton-WilliamsFloyd 101Bamy.ashton-williams@wsu.eduClinical Assistant Professor

Amy Ashton-Williams, PhD, LCSW, brings extensive experience in social work practice, education, and leadership to her teaching. Her professional background spans clinical social work, tribal health, nonprofit administration, and regulatory board service. In the classroom, she prioritizes ethical decision-making, critical thinking, and the integration of theory with lived professional experience.

Her scholarly interests include harm reduction, abstinence-based substance use treatment, counselor identity formation, and social work ethics. She has presented widely on these topics and currently serves in national and state-level leadership roles within the social work profession. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, her practice is grounded in trauma-informed and evidence-based approaches.

Naishuo SunFloyd 101Bnaishuo.sun@wsu.eduClinical Assistant Professor

Naishuo Sun (2025), Clinical Assistant Professor, earned her Ph.D. in Social Work from Fordham University. She previously completed an MSW at Washington University in St. Louis, specializing in Children, Youth, and Families, and holds a LMSW. Her research interests include parent–child relationships; immigrant parenting and child well-being; gender-based violence; rural social work; integration of social work theory and practice; and community-based health services and university–community collaborative research.

Nick Winges-YanezFloyd 101Enick.winges-yanez@wsu.eduClinical Associate Professor

Nick Winges-Yanez (she/her), Clinical Associate Professor, received her PhD in Social Work and Social Research from Portland State University in 2018. Her scholarly interests include Disability Studies, pedagogy, and abolition work.