Todd Dunfield - Assistant Director of CCASL

Todd Dunfield is the Assistant Director of the Center for Community Action and Service-Learning (CCASL) which oversees the academic service-learning program. He works to sustain the academic service-learning program through grant writing, coordinates events to educate and train faculty and community partners, leads the service-learning advisory board and works with the Inland Northwest Service-Learning Partnership (INSLP) to increase service-learning efforts with 4 other higher education institutions, school districts and community partners in the Spokane community. He started working at Gonzaga in fall of 2004 after finishing his masters degree in Student Development Administration at Seattle University. Todd Dunfield can be contacted at 509.313.6396 or dunfield@gonzaga.edu

 Molly Ayers - Service-Learning Coordinator

Molly helps service-learning students find appropriate placements, develops courses with faculty members, conducts trainings for faculty, community partners and students, and helps coordinate any efforts of the service-learning program. Molly is from Boise, Idaho and a graduate of Gonzaga University. Molly served in AmeriCorps as a Service-Learning Coordinator in a Seattle area middle school, and has taught English in Korea. Most recently she worked at the ARC community center providing leadership for their after school program. She started working at CCASL in the fall of 2004 and is currently working towards her masters in Philosophy here at Gonzaga. Molly Ayers may be reached at 509.313.6487 or ayers@gonzaga.edu

 Mary Frier - Community Outreach Coordinator

Mary Frier is the Community Outreach Coordinator at CCASL.  She advises student leaders on the development and coordination of a variety of co-curricular service projects and social justice programs.  Mary also responds to community volunteer inquiries and places student volunteers who are not part of a service-learning course.  Mary joined us at CCASL in 2006 from West Virginia after finishing her bachelor’s degree in International Studies at Virginia Tech and master’s degree in College Student Personnel Administration at James Madison University.  Mary can be contacted at 509-313-5543 or frier@gonzaga.edu.  

Katie Kaiser - Mentoring Programs Coordinator

Katie is the Mentoring Programs Coordinator.  She oversees Gonzaga's campus and site-based mentoring and tutoring programs for youth in the local public schools.  These programs include Zag Study Buddies, S.M.I.L.E., Campus Kids, Shaw Connection and G.A.M.E.  Katie came to CCASL in June 2008 from St. Margaret's Shelter where she served as a Jesuit Volunteer and later a full time staff member.  She is originally from Vermont and graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in American Studies.  She can be contacted at 509-313-6821 or kaiserk@gonzaga.edu.

 Janelle Axtell - Program Assistant

Janelle can be contacted at 509-313-6879 or axtell@gonzaga.edu.

 Leah Preston- Program Assistant

Leah Preston is the Program Assistant II to CCASL's Mentoring Programs.  A 2003 graduate of Gonzaga University, Leah earned her B.A. in Journalism with a minor in Political Science.  As an undergraduate, she co-founded a street newspaper, The Rising Times, through CCASL in 2001.  Leah worked as a journalist for Spokane's weekly newspaper, The Pacific Northwest Inlander, where she covered social service issues.  She served briefly on the board of directors of Portland's homeless newspaper, Street Roots, before returning to Spokane with hopes of obtaining her Master's of Initial Teaching at Gonzaga. Leah can be contacted at 509-313-6898 or prestonl@gonzaga.edu.

 Jace Bylenga - Environmental Outreach Program Coordinator

Jace, actually short for James Cornelius, joined CCASL this fall. He is working to connect the GU community to the impoverished community of the area focusing on the intersection of poverty and environmental degradation. Jace was born and raised in Southwestern Michigan and is a recent graduate of Western Michigan University with a B.S. majoring in biology and environmental studies with a minor in chemistry. He has worked at a bio-diesel cooperative and interned with a resource conservation program. Contact him with thoughts or ideas for the community and/or environment at: bylenga@gonzaga.edu or (509)313-5524.

Matt Pollard  - Campus Kids and Shaw Connection Coordinator

Matt Pollard is the AmeriCorps VISTA who coordinates the Campus Kids and Shaw Connection programs.  He is a 2008 graduate of Gonzaga University where he majored in Political Science and minored in Criminal Justice.  He has served as a mentor with both the S.M.I.L.E. and Campus Kids programs as well as participating in many other volunteer activities on campus.  Matt can be contacted at 509.313.6486 or pollardm@gonzaga.edu

Julia Brady - SMILE, Zag Study Buddies and GAME Coordinator

Julia Brady is serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the Gonzaga Mentoring Programs.  She coordinates the SMILE, Zag Study Buddies and GAME programs.  Julia graduated from Gonzaga in 2008 with a B.A. in International Studies and a minor in Spanish.  She worked at CCASL with the Partner's Project (now Zag Study Buddies) and participated in several other service activities on campus. Julia can be contacted at 509-313-6828 or at brady@gonzaga.edu

Emily Paulson - Campus Kitchen Coordinator

Emily Paulson is the coordinator for the Campus Kitchen at Gonzaga University.  The Campus Kitchens Project utilizes food recovered from on-campus dining facilities to strengthen bodies, empower the minds of student volunteers, and build communities.  Emily graduated from Gonzaga in 2004 with a B.G.S. and an Elementary Education Endorsement.  Contact Emily for current volunteer opportunities at 509-313-6939 or at ckgu@campuskitchens.org.