Faculty

Teri Balkenende

Dr. Balkenende teaches classes in American and World History as well as a class on World War II. She earned her undergraduate degree in economics as well as a master’s degree in history from the University of New Mexico. She then migrated to the Pacific Northwest to complete her PhD in history at the University of Washington. She joined Highline in 2007, and she still loves helping students see how the choices, conflicts, and ideas of the past continue to shape the world they live in today. When she is not teaching, Dr. Balkenende enjoys gardening, hiking, running, and hanging out with her dogs.

Rachael Bledsaw

I am a former Chicagoan who moved here in 2013. I studied history at Eastern Illinois University, leading to an undergrad publication on the transition of wool to cotton in Victorian underwear. I went to Illinois State University for my Masters degree, where I completed my thesis on the conspiracy theories around the accusations of Erzabet Bathory, a 16th century Hungarian countess who may or may not be the most prolific serial killer ever.

I started teaching at Highline in 2017. I adore showing that history is not dry and is not just names and dates. History is the agreed narrative of humanity; it's not clean or nice, and it is incomplete as we continue to add previously lost voices and perspectives.

Outside of teaching, I continue to research the supernatural in history and the impact the belief in things like witches, werewolves, and vampires had on laws, cultural norms, and even wider historical events. I also enjoy knitting, synth goth metal, and being a devoted Dog Mom!

Tim McMannon

I was born in Dayton, Ohio, but I moved to Idaho when I was eleven and have been a Westerner ever since. I am a proud graduate of the College of Southern Idaho (AA, Liberal Arts), Pepperdine University (BA and MA, History), and the University of Washington (PhD, History).

After working for a nonprofit educational research institute and teaching part time for many years, I joined the faculty of Highline College in 2000.

I love teaching history because it explains so much about who we are as individuals, as nations, and as humanity. Everything has a history, and every day we help to create a new history. As William Faulkner wrote, “The past is never dead. In fact, it’s not even past.” Helping students understand that is my life’s work.

When I am not in the classroom or sitting in front of a computer, I enjoy hanging out with my family, reading and listening to audiobooks, taking road trips, volunteering with Scouts, solving word puzzles, and following the Mariners, Seahawks, and Huskies.

Diego Luna

Dr. Diego Luna is tenured faculty in Ethnic & Gender Studies at Highline College. Born and raised in rural Northern California, Diego is a Chicano/Anglo who knew he wanted to be an ethnic studies professor after his first Chican@ Studies class.

Encouraged by his Chican@ mentors to pay it forward, Diego earned a Ph.D. in Education, Culture, and Society from the University of Utah. When he is not in the classroom teaching EGS 100 Introduction to Ethnic Studies, EGS 150 Latino/a Histories: Race, Migration, and Resistance, EGS 295 Ethnic Studies: Special Topics, EGS 352 Ethnic Studies for Educators, and HIST 148 Modern U.S. History, Diego pursues his love of running, gaming, and speculative writing.

Monica Stenzel

Monica Stenzel has taught history at Highline for five years. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Leeds, UK, in History of Science, where her dissertation details the history of laboratory research on wool fiber. She has also studied the renaissance witch trials and the function of Greek mythology in European opera. When not teaching, she enjoys the outdoors, knitting, and a lot of coffee.