Lisanne Grant, PhD
Department Chair, Professor, Communication
I have been a member of the Doña Ana Community College (DACC) community since 2015 and currently serve as the Department Chair for the Humanities and Social Sciences Department. I hold a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Kentucky, where I specialized in Health Communication. I also earned a Master’s degree in Communication Studies from New Mexico State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Wittenberg University.
In addition, I completed a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on Educational Learning Technologies, reflecting my passion for designing engaging and accessible online learning experiences. I am particularly interested in integrating innovative technologies into courses to support student success and foster meaningful learning. As a communication faculty member, I am deeply committed to helping students develop their public speaking skills, build confidence, and become effective communicators in both academic and professional settings.
Adelina Holguin, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychology
I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Biology from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). I developed expertise in teaching and research through my graduate training. I earned a Master of Arts in Psychology and a Doctorate in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Colorado at Boulder. I transitioned to a postdoctoral position that morphed from animal research (University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE), into human trials in the field of NeuroAIDS (University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, NE). With the opportunity to live and work in different States and internationally (Zambia, Africa), I had a rare experience to teach / train students of various cultures, socioeconomic status, genders, and career trajectories. No skill was more beneficial in my trajectory than the ability to form objective ideas and assess information from different perspectives. Now I am committed to training students in understanding human behavior, i.e., psychology through developing skills in applying psychological concepts and building critical thinking from a research perspective. Gathering from my training and expertise over the years, I authored a book titled, The Novel Researcher, What You Need to Know Before Doing Research. The book is a guide for students to think critically and a method to organize, digest, interpret, apply, and arrive at novel ideas.
Amy Collins, MS, MA, CHES
Professor, Public Health
I have the honor of serving as a professor of Public Health at Dona Ana Community College for over 18 years. The field of public health is my passion, and I love sharing this impactful field with students. I earned a Masters of Science from the University of El Paso, Texas. In addition, I am a Certified Health Education Specialist. After joining the academic world, I earned the Online Teaching and Learning Certificate from NMSU, which then encouraged me to complete a second Master’s Degree of Art in Education with an emphasis in online course teaching. I serve as a Digital Faculty Fellow for the Teaching Academy at NMSU, providing mentorship and guidance to faculty. Related to community involvement, I serve on the Southern Area Health Education Center (SoAHEC) board, and the Paso del Norte Society of Public Health board.
What I love about the field of public health is how vast the opportunities are for students. It is very rewarding to have the opportunity to work with many community partners and help our students connect with the workforce in our community.
Andrea Severson Lopez, PhD
Assistant Professor, History
I have taught History at DACC full-time since 2019. I have a Bachelor's in Anthropology from New Mexico State University (NMSU), a Master's in History from NMSU, and a Ph.D. in History from UTEP. My field of study is gender and material culture, with a specific focus on historical clothing. My goal as an educator is to empower students to take charge of their own learning and develop a passion for history by making personal connections to the subject and seeing its relevance in their everyday lives. I also work with a public history nonprofit called Enchantment Historical Productions, which seeks to educate the public by bringing history to life in a fun and entertaining way.
Becky Corran, MPH
Professor, Public Health
I received my Master of Public Health in Community Health Practice and Policy from The University of Arizona. Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Anthropology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Since starting at DACC in 2009, I have taught courses focused on personal and community health, with a particular emphasis on equity and environmental health. I love to challenge myself and my students to assimilate new information about personal and community well-being and apply that to our everyday lives.
As a first-generation college student, my faculty members’ care and support shaped my life path, and now I work to create welcoming, supportive spaces for my students. In 2022, I was elected to serve as a City Councilor for the City of Las Cruces, where I represent District 5 and strive to bring a public health perspective to local policy decisions like transportation and housing.
Corey Purcell, MA
Professor, Communication Studies
I love teaching and have had the privilege to teach for Dona Ana Community College full-time since 2012. Though I could spend all day chatting about Communication Studies to anyone that will listen, I love focusing on student growth and creating a space for students to be heard and to develop lifelong skills. I want my students to leave with principles and practices that will stay with them after they leave my class.
I completed my undergraduate degree in 2008 at New Mexico State University and received my M.A. in Communication Studies from New Mexico State University in 2010. My academic interests include culture and persuasion.
Doug Layer, MA
Professor, Sociology
DLayer@dacc.nmsu.edu
My master's degree is in Comparative Sociology from Florida International University in Miami, and I also hold a master's in Counseling and Educational Psychology from New Mexico State University. Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, I lived in Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale before landing in Las Cruces in 2003 where I began teaching at DACC. I find the culture, landscapes and people of New Mexico to be a serene respite from our hectic society. My favorite jaunts include Cloudcroft, Jemez Springs, Taos and the hot springs of T or C. Sociology helped me to answer many of life’s most daunting questions and I’m sure it can do the same for you! Why wait? Register today. #SociologyIsEverywhere
Dr. Erik Braeden Lewis, PhD
Instructor, History
I have been at DACC since January 2024. I earned my PhD in History from Florida State University where I specialized in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Era, with teaching fields including Early Modern Europe, the Middle East, and Gender and Sexuality. I enjoy teaching and research centered on the individual and the family, migration, and international politics, with a focus on what it means to experience history for regular, common people. Particularly, I look at developments along the Franco-Spanish border during the Revolutionary Era, especially regarding political refugees. In my free time, I enjoy playing the clarinet, playing tennis, riding my bicycle, traveling, and cooking.
Heather Williams, MA
Assistant Professor, Sociology and Anthropology
With over 20 years of experience in education, I have dedicated my career to fostering learning and growth in diverse environments. My journey includes teaching within the NMSU system and making impactful contributions in the private sector as an education coordinator, program evaluator, and contract anthropologist. I am deeply passionate about community advocacy, having had the privilege to advocate the rights of individuals with disabilities and children in foster care. I believe that education is a powerful tool for empowerment, and I strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those I serve.
Mayra Valadez-Barnet, PhD
Professor, Philosophy
I graduated from NMSU with a B.A. in English and Philosophy and got my M.A. and Ph.D. from Arizona State University. I have been teaching Philosophy all over the region since 2008 and have taught at DACC since 2014. I have lived in the Southwest all my life and consider the borderland my home.
I love introducing students to philosophical perspectives that have informed and continue to inform beliefs, laws, cultural movements, politics, and societies. The magic of Philosophy courses is that they help students practice civil discourse and critical thinking, while also providing a space for them to reflect on their own beliefs and consider viewpoints that differ from their own.
Dr. Paul Vonnahme, PhD
Professor, Psychology
My educational backgrounds are in the fields of Biopsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience. In addition to forensic psychology, my recent research interests have been in the domain of political psychology exploring how progression through early developmental stages can influence political views and affiliations later in life. In the PSYC courses I teach, we cover how human activities are influenced by the complex interactions of social, biological, and personality factors. Course activities include studying the brain, immune system, developmental influences, technological impacts, and genetic predispositions with the objective of relating them to the systematic analysis of better understanding human behaviors.