Margaret Contreras
Editor-in-Chief
Katy Tangenberg took the helm as the dean of the University’s newest college, the Cástulo de la Rocha College of Health and Community Well-Being with the start of the fall semester. She replaced interim Dean Kathy Duncan, who retired in May.
Tangenberg, who has spent the last two decades in education and health leadership, is the first permanent dean for the college established in 2022.
Tangenberg was most recently dean of the school of psychology, family and community at Seattle Pacific University.
“This made it a nice transition,” she said.
Tangenberg served at Seattle Pacific University for almost a decade, prior to that she was an associate dean at Azusa Pacific University.
“At Azusa Pacific University I moved into broader administration,” Tangenberg said. “Because I was a hospital social worker, I saw a lot of connections between health, mental health and wellness. The combination in the programs that La Verne offers, I just felt there was a natural extension of what I’d been doing.”
She earned her doctorate in social welfare from the University of Washington, and also had a clinical practice.
Megan Granquist, director of the athletic training program and professor of kinesiology in the college said she’s enjoyed working with the new dean so far.
“I think she’s going to be really good for our college and for our university,” Granquist said. “She just brings a wealth of experience from her previous institutions and work that she’s done there(that) we need in our college and University.”
In addition to overseeing the college’s established programs, Tangenberg’s job will involve envisioning and establishing new health education programs.
“The plan is to continue to establish a strong identity in terms of how we can serve in the San Gabriel Valley and beyond, providing more holistic health and mental health services,” Tangenberg said. “Like in our athletics, kinesiology and child life.”
“Also to promote effective, inclusive, more diversity, conscious services across this area. Because we have students coming from all over.”
She said she plans to enhance the programs, possibly to include more online and hybrid options.
“The kinds of programs we’re looking at are like (a) wellness coaching certification…,” Tangenberg said. “Then we have marriage and family therapy, and anxiety, which are more the mental health grad programs. And we have our undergrad psychology and kinesiology, that are both sensitive to mental health and psychology connected to physical health.”
Tangenberg shared an opportunity to explore onsite training opportunities at the Pomona Valley Hospital. She discussed how they still plan on meeting the needs of students that need online options.
Jerry Kernes, professor of psychology and interim associate dean, said he’s enjoying working with Tangenberg on planning more.
“I think we are a good team,” Kernes said. “She brings lots of good ideas, lots of kindness to her position and is very supportive of other people.”
Tangenberg said one of the biggest challenges she sees is the continuous evolution of higher education.
“(It) has been changing so much, with standards and expectations. Like with AI and virtual therapy,” she said.
“I think that we have the right people and programs here to really expand. But there’s just so much we don’t know. We have faculty who want to lean in and really create a strong identity for the college.”
Margaret Contreras can be reached at margaret.contreras@laverne.edu.
Magaret Contreras is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is editorial director and LV Life editor of the Campus Times and previously worked as editor-in-chief and a staff writer.
