Office of the Provost Staff
Dr. Denu joined the Provost's Office in 2022, having served as the vice president for educational programs for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, overseeing study abroad, advocacy and programming, interfaith work, leadership development, planning for academic conferences, specific grants, budgets and support services for chief academic officers.
She spent much of her career at Azusa Pacific University, most recently as vice president and chief diversity officer. She served as special advisor to the president and provost, vice provost for undergraduate programs/special assistant to the president, vice provost for faculty support and special assistant to the president, associate provost, faculty moderator and director of the senate, and a faculty member in the sociology department, advancing to the rank of full professor.
A two-time Fulbright scholar, she has conducted research projects in South Africa and Ethiopia, her husband’s native country. She has published in the areas of African-American issues, women and family matters, leadership, welfare reform and international relations. She speaks on these topics at various national and international forums and conferences. In addition to serving on local and national committees and boards, Kim has taught undergraduate and graduate students on five continents. As a professor and a scholar, she seeks to model a life of service outside the academy.
Dr. Denu earned a Doctor of Philosophy in sociology at the University of Florida, a Master of Social Work from Temple University, a Bachelor of Arts in sociology at Vanguard University and is an ordained minister.
Contact: kbwdenu@westmont.edu
Phone: (805) 565-6007
Dr. McQuade joined the Provost's Office in June of 2016 but has been a professor in the Biology department since 2004. She continues to teach in the classroom (Cell Biology and Genetics) and maintains a research program studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of autoimmune disease. She received her PhD in Immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. She was a visiting professor for a one-year appointment at University of California at San Francisco for her last sabbatical in 2010-2011. Since returning, Dr. McQuade has worked closely with the Provost's Office, first as a department chair (2011-2015) and then as Vice Chair of the Faculty (2012-2013).
Contact: mcmahon@westmont.edu
Phone: (805) 565-6117
Dr. Nazarenko joined Westmont College in 2010 as Dean of Curriculum and Educational Effectiveness. She works with all curricular and co-curricular departments on their assessment and program review plans. Prior to coming to Westmont, she served as a faculty and administrator at research universities and junior colleges. She also brings to the position her experience in interdisciplinary teaching and research, global education and curriculum development gained at several educational institutions in the US and Canada. Dr. Nazarenko received her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Alberta (Canada) and her Ph.D. in English Philology from the National University of Kyiv. She holds masters’ degrees in Educational Leadership from the University of Washington and in English Studies and Education from the National University of Kyiv.
Contact: tnazarenko@westmont.edu
Phone: (805) 565-6070
Dr. Everest joined the provost's office in the fall of 2023, having taught chemistry at Westmont since 2011. Dr. Everest graduated from Wheaton College, earned his doctorate in chemistry from Stanford University, and taught chemistry at George Fox University for 10 years before coming to Westmont. His parents, Dan and Sherry Sonneveldt Everest, both graduated with degrees in psychology from Westmont. Dr. Everest’s research in physical chemistry focuses on the use of lasers in chemistry. His numerous grants, fellowships and awards include a grant from the American Chemical Society’s Petroleum Research Fund and Outstanding Teaching Award for the Division of Natural and Behavioral Sciences in 2016. He has contributed scholarly articles to Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal of Chemical Education and Review of Scientific Instruments. He and his wife, Nancy, have three children.
Contact: meverest@westmont.edu
Phone: (805) 565-6850
Jaron joined the Provost's Office in the spring of 2017. Prior to working at Westmont, he worked for over half a decade producing theatre for young audiences . Discerning a call to seminary, he earned his master of divinity degree at North Park Theological Seminary in 2011 and has served on the pastoral staff of churches in Minnesota, Illinois, and California. He and his wife Kirsten are ordained ministers of the Evangelical Covenant Church. In addition to Jaron's work in the Provost's Office, he stays busy keeping up with his wife and four young children.
Contact: jburdick@westmont.edu
Phone: (805) 565-6007
Marilyn joined the Provost's Office staff in the spring of 2021. A member of the Westmont community for many years, Marilyn has worked in multiple offices over the decades, including ten years assisting the faculty of the Biology department. A detail-oriented administrator, Marilyn tracks and processes financial transactions for the Provost's Office and handles the logistics for the many events the office hosts. Marilyn is a graduate of Westmont and the Renovaré Institute For Christian Spiritual Formation.
Contact: mjenks@westmont.edu
Phone: (805) 565-6008