Administrative Team
Marlene C. Alvarez
Marlene C. Alvarez
Marlene is an earthen vessel who is blessed and highly favored by God. She strives to serve Him daily. She trusts God and believes that she can do all things through Him who strengthens her. She is married to Gary and her passions are serving God, reading, listening to music and working with young people. She works in Christian education because she enjoys educating and preparing young people for service in this world and wider service for the world to come.
Martha Aastrup Ban
Martha Aastrup Ban
Martha Aastrup Ban is both the editor of Teacher Bulletin and a writer. She has been affiliated with Teacher Bulletin for well over 25 years – the last 10 serving as editor. She is a third-generation educator. Knowing that she wanted to be a teacher, her teaching “career” began in 8th grade as a tutor for 1st grade students learning to read.
Although her Master’s degree is in Education – with an emphasis in Reading, her educational emphasis has migrated to the history and technology area. She loves to teach using anything techy. She has taught all ages – from kindergarten through college. While she loves teaching all ages, she loves grades 5-8 the most. It’s a great age group – and has great content to teach.
Aside from her work with Teacher Bulletin, Martha is currently self-employed. She contracts with Griggs International Academy for webmaster, course development and online teaching and the North American Division TDEC for an assortment of responsibilities.
Martha’s interests are technology, sharing ways to integrate technology, camping, gardening, model railroading, reading, and being with family. She and her husband, Gerry, have been married for 27 years. Gerry is principal at Adventist Christian Academy in Charlotte, NC. They have two children: Kaitlynn, a graduate of Atlantic Union College with a business administration finance/accounting major and Christopher, an incoming freshman to Southern University for a major in computer programming. They live with a menagerie of 3 cats, 2 dogs, fish, and a horse. Martha and Gerry live in Mint Hill, NC.
Larry Blackmer
Larry Blackmer
Larry Blackmer and his wife, Sandy, have one daughter, Melissa, who has graduated from Pacific Union College with a degree in Biology and is currently a veterinary technologist in the Maryland area. Larry’s education includes a Bachelor of Science in biology, a Master of Arts in teaching with an emphasis in biology/physics, and a Master of Arts in secondary educational administration. He is currently working on a doctorate in educational administration from Andrews University, where he also obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Larry has served at Grand Ledge Academy in Grand Ledge, Michigan, as both teacher and principal; at Adelphian Academy in Holly, Michigan, as vice principal and boys’ dean; and as principal at Mount Pisgah Academy in North Carolina and Takoma Academy in Takoma Park, Maryland. Larry recently served for seven years as associate superintendent in the Michigan Conference. His most recent position was superintendent of schools in the Idaho Conference. Currently Larry is Vice President of Education for the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Larry enjoys woodworking, both carving and cabinet making, and nature photography. He is actively involved with technology in many aspects across the division.
Sandy has worked at the General Conference as editorial assistant for the adult Sabbath School quarterly and served in the Michigan Conference as Communications Director. She is currently an Assistant Editor of the Adventist Review.
Carol Campbell
Carol Campbell
Carol Campbell is currently the Director of Elementary Education for the North American Division of SDA. She has been involved in a variety of professional experiences throughout her career as an educator. She has taught students in K-20 settings as well as worked as an Associate Director of Education for the Southwestern Union. Her heart is in the classroom, thus she has a special interest in curriculum, instruction, and assessment issues that will impact our Journey to Excellence. Specific areas of interest include: literacy development across the grade levels, concept-based learning, faith and learning integration, inquiry-based learning, differentiated instruction, and thinking/comprehension strategies. She also enjoys traveling and exploring new places, gardening, and reading.
Millie Felt
Millie Felt
This is Millie Felt's bio.
Jerrell Gilkeson
Jerrell Gilkeson
Jerrell, came to the Atlantic Union Office in 2005. His mission is to help others perfect their "serve" for the Lord as he shares the grace of Jesus Christ with administrators, teachers, and students. Jerrell has taught all grades 1-12. He has been a principal, teacher, minister, chaplain, and counselor in Florida, Mississippi, Washington, California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts. He has enjoyed learning about science, technology, hiking, and reading but finds writing to be a current fascination. He loves to explore and learn with degrees in Religion, History, Educational Administration and Leadership.
Jerrell is married to Evelin Harper, a College Spanish and English as a Second Language teacher. They are very proud of their two daughters. Melody, is an artist (ceramics) and mother of their granddaughter, Violet. Julie, their youngest daughter, is a surgeon.
Davenia Lea Jones
Davenia Lea Jones
Davenia Jones Lea, Ph.D. is currently the Associate Director of Early Childhood Education for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, North American Division, Office of Education. She has over 20 years of experience as an early interventionist where she provided services to children with disabilities and their families as well as experience in higher education. Additionally, she has worked substantially in the field of culturally responsive teaching practices as well as effective programming for adolescent parents and their children.
She is a graduate of University of Maryland at College Park and her research expertise includes building effective relationships within families, culturally responsive practices, and effective communication and collaboration strategies. She is published in the Journal of Early Intervention, she is a contributing author to Culture in Special Education by Maya Kalyanpur and Beth Harry (2012) and has made extensive presentations at local, national, and international professional conferences such as the Association for Educational Research and (AERA), The Division of Early Childhood (DEC) and the International Conference on Education. She has also been an invited participant in the Seventh-day Adventist Integration of Faith and Learning Seminar in Thailand, a presenter for the promotion of Multicultural Education in Capetown, South Africa and for the promotion of inclusion for the SDA North Caribbean Teacher Conference in the Dominican Republic.
Davenia is very active in her church and community as well. Davenia is the wife of Derrick Lea and they have been married for seventeen years and they have two children, Jonathan and Morgan. Next to her relationship with God, her family is her greatest joy.
Dennis Plubell
Dennis Plubell
Dennis L. Plubell considers it a great privilege to equip and empower Adventist educators as guides for bringing youthful hearts and minds to the Savior. For several years prior to joining the NAD, Dennis has been involved with various NAD education initiatives, most notably serving as chair of the Journey to Excellence development process and with the development of accreditation documents.
Dennis holds Bachelor and Master Degrees in science education from Pacific Union College and an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Educational Administration and Leadership from La Sierra University.
Dennis has recently served as Associate Director for Secondary Education in the North Pacific Union Conference, headquartered in Ridgefield, WA, just north of Portland, Oregon. Previous to this position, he served for three years as Superintendent of Schools in the British Columbia Conference in Canada. School site employment for Dennis began at Sierra View Junior Academy, in Central California, followed by service at Lodi Academy and Rio Lindo Adventist Academy, Northern California day and boarding academies, respectively. At these schools Dennis taught science and math, served as academy registrar, vice-principal and principal.
Dennis is married to Barbara (Ledington) an elementary teacher. They have four young adult children, three sons and a daughter. Brent is an academy business manager and Bryan is a mechanical engineer. Brandon and Deanna are students at Walla Walla University.
Astrid Thomassian
Astrid Thomassian
Astrid enjoys her career as a teacher and administrator in the Seventh-day Adventist system of education. Her goal is to share with students the joy of an intimate relationship with God and the peace experienced in His promise of eternal life to all who believe and accept Him as Savior. Astrid focuses on providing teachers with tools to ensure that students attending Seventh-day Adventist schools are instructed for a life of eternal learning at the feet of The Master Teacher.