Faculty

Jered Ataky

Helen Burn

I am proud to be part of the Highline College faculty and to serve our wonderful students. I primarily teach courses related to statistics and data, drawing on my background in mathematics and education. My teaching approach is shaped by research on the benefits of active learning, building community, and connecting course material to students' career and educational goals.

In addition to teaching, I direct the Curriculum Research Group, where I conduct research and collaborate on state- and national-level projects aimed at improving undergraduate mathematics education. You can learn more about this work at crg.highline.edu.

Outside the classroom, I enjoy spending time outdoors, staying active through hiking and exercise, and playing music. These personal interests help me stay balanced and bring creativity and energy into my work with students and colleagues.

Razmehr Fardad

Thank you for visiting! I’d like to share a bit about my journey, which I hope will inspire and resonate with you. Let me tell you—my path to becoming a math teacher was anything but a straight line!

Raised in Iran during a time of revolution and war, my early years were shaped by challenges. My family faced food shortages, the loss of our home, and long stretches without my father, who was often away. At just 15, my brother had to leave the country to avoid being  conscripted, and I didn’t see him again for 12 years. Yet through these hardships, my family’s unwavering love and commitment to education became my foundation. After high school, I made the life-changing decision to move to Southern California.

Today, as a proud educator, I am passionate about helping others discover their potential and navigate their own educational journeys. My story is a testament to the power of perseverance, the importance of support, and the belief that struggles are steppingstones to success.

Barbara Hunter

Math is one of my favorite subjects in school along with Physics and Chemistry.  I love math for several reasons. First, I don’t have to memorize a lot of things.  It keeps my brain sharp and helps me develop logical/critical thinking skills as well as problem-solving abilities.  Math is challenging but rewarding.  It teaches me to be patient and think logically in order to figure out the solution to the problem. When I grapple with a difficult problem and finally find the solution, I feel a deep sense of euphoria, satisfaction, and accomplishment.  

I am originally from the Philippines.  I earned my master’s degree in mathematics and taught at the University of the City of Manila for five years. In 1992 I came to the U.S. and in 1995 I started teaching at Highline College.  I have two sons.  They are both proud graduates of WSU!  My eldest son earned his bioengineering degree in June 2020 and my youngest son earned his degree in digital technology and culture in August 2024.  In my spare time I like to garden – I love growing flowers and vegetables. I also enjoy solving Sudoku puzzles and doing karaoke sessions with my sons and friends.  I hope to see you in a math class someday!

Shane Kibler-Trimboli

I started at Highline College back in 2012 as adjunct math faculty.  I got to know different people and programs across campus, which developed into me running math placement workshops in the Testing Center for a couple years, I had the opportunity to teach introductory medical math for potential nursing students in a summer healthcare program for high school students, and I got to work with the UMOJA program teaching statistics. Eventually I applied for and accepted a position as a Lecturer in the math department.  I now teach math full time to a wide range of math students.

I came to Highline with a Bachelor’s Degree in Pure Mathematics from the University of Washington (Seattle) and love teaching the power and beauty of mathematics to my students. I love the outdoors and have been mountain biking for the last 30 years. I’m also a ski enthusiast and have skied for the last 35 years, including 10 years when I lived in Lake Tahoe, California. Recently I’ve learned how to DJ and love playing music with my other DJ friends at private events. In the rest of my spare time, I try to relax, eat good food, and travel outside the country at least once per year. My last international trip (not counting Canada) was to Oaxaca City, Mexico. I sampled so many different mezcal flavors and ate so much good food. The people were so friendly and amazing. I can’t wait to go back!

Patrick Kwon

When I'm not working, I enjoy some of the following things: hiking, swimming, stuffing my face with copious amounts of food, listening to music, cooking, baking, going to the movies, tennis, pickleball, camping, board games, running, and spending time with loved ones.

Some things that I am passionate about: I believe that everyone deserves access to a quality education, Costco, and eating all the food I can.

Han Lim

A curious learner.
Enjoys helping students know
math in simple terms.

George Lopez

Terry Meerdink

My Husband Ken and I have an adult son Matthew, daughter-in-law Chylee, and grandsons Xander and Hollis, an adult daughter Laura, and a teenage daughter Haley.  We also have two cats Oliver and Siren.

Academic Stuff: M.S. and Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Idaho, specializing in combinatorics.  M.A. in Education and B.S. in mathematics from Stanford University

Places I have lived: Mt. Edgecumbe, AK; Portland, OR; Sitka, AK; Palo Alto, CA; Woodinville, WA; Moscow, ID; Kenmore, WA; Federal Way, WA

Other Countries I have visited:  Canada, Bulgaria, Vietnam, an airport in Istanbul, Turkey, and an airport in Seoul, South Korea

Hobbies: Math, math and logic puzzles, bicycling, binge watching Netflix

Favorite Quotes: Some of you may have had occasion to run into mathematicians, and to wonder therefore, how they got that way - Tom Lehrer

Teachers who count numbers are the scariest kind there is. - Junie B. Jones (Barbara Park)

Khoi Nguyen

Khoi is a longstanding faculty member at Highline College.  He joined the math department in 2013 as an adjunct faculty member and was selected for a tenure-track position in 2014.  Khoi is currently a full-time tenured faculty member. He holds bachelor’s degrees from Vanlang University and Vietnam National University, and from Washington State University, he received a Master of Science in Math and is also a PhD candidate. Khoi teaches a wide range of math classes, including the full calculus series (Calc I to Calc IV) and statistics. He also manages the Richard Plagge Mathematics Scholarship.

Steven Nguyen

I am a proud graduate of Highline College! After graduating, I transferred to UW Seattle and got my BA in Mathematics. I liked it so much I continued on at Oregon State University, where I earned an MS in Statistics. I love math because it’s like a big puzzle. You get to see how all the pieces fit together, and how they relate to other math problems. You get a real sense of satisfaction when you see the puzzle pieces fitting together.  In my spare time I like to play with my dog (a Biewer Yorkie named Truffles) and play board games.

James Peyton

James Peyton teaches economics and statistics at Highline College. Professor Peyton's interests include economic education, environmental economics, and labor markets. He earned his Ph.D. in environmental and resource economics from the University of California, Davis.

I am available to meet during my office hours listed below and I'm also happy to meet by appointment on Zoom at other times. 

Jason Ramirez

Student's learning and mathematics is my passion. Stop by my office on campus for help with your homework, class lectures, self-assessments or just to visit about what you are learning this quarter. Office hours are Student hours. Come make the most of them!

This is my 20th year at Highline College. I was born and raised in Riverside CA and I am a first generation college graduate. I graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (aka Cal Poly Pomona) with degrees in Pure Mathematics. After graduation I began my teaching career at Cal Poly Pomona-it was interesting taking courses from instructors while in college and then after graduation working with those same instructors who were now colleagues. I also taught at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut CA. My interests include early punk rock music, legos, cooking, growing my own food and spending time with my family.

Kate Skelton

I’m passionate about helping students succeed in mathematics. I’ve been at Highline College since 2004 and hold both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Applied Mathematics from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Over the years, I have taught a wide range of math courses from prealgebra to multivariable calculus and statistics in high school, university, and community college settings. My own early struggles with math taught me the importance of persistence, curiosity, and asking questions, which I strive to bring into my classroom every day. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and dog, hiking, gardening, baking, and listening to music.

Michael St. John

My name is Michael St. John and I am originally from Rochester, New York. I have lived in the Puget Sound Region for the past 30 years. I have been at Highline College since fall quarter 2019.

I like working with students and helping them reach their math potential. I enjoy hiking and listening to Jazz and Blues music.

Dusty Wilson

I was raised by hippies in a log cabin in the woods. I home schooled, did two years of Running Start in Olympia. After this I earned my BA in 1999 from TESC in political science, literature, and mathematics. In 2001 I completed my MS at WWU in mathematics. I've held lots of roles at Highline in addition to teaching with recent highlights including serving as Chair of Math and Science for six years and now directing our Math Resource Center.

This is my 25th year teaching. I enjoyed teaching when I came to Highline and love it more each year as I grow as a teacher and get the privilege of working with students and impacting our culture through education. I enjoy teaching mathematics at all levels although have taught a bunch of calculus and linear algebra in recent years. I’ve taught most of the classes we offer at Highline (except statistics and teacher ed) and I guess that is because I am amazed by all of mathematics!

If you want to know the rest of my story, you can read about it.