Faculty Directory
Aaron Jensen grew up in the state of Washington. He earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Wyoming. Aaron taught middle school in Oregon for 10 years. During his time in Oregon, he earned his Master of Arts from Walden University, specializing in Educational Technology. Aaron earned his Doctorate in Science Education from the University of Wyoming. At Western, Aaron teaches Classroom Management, Foundations of Education courses, and Teaching with Technology.
In the fall of 2013, Christine Maddy was hired as Associate Professor of Education. As a result, she has taught a full course load each semester until the spring semester of 2017 when she was hired as the half-time Mentorship Coordinator. She then divided her time between teaching and mentoring. Currently, she is a full-time Professor of Education. A native of Wyoming, Christine earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wyoming where she studied elementary education. She taught elementary education for nine years in Colorado where she also earned both a Master and Doctor of Education. Christine has presented at the Cowboy State Early Childhood Conference and Castle Rock Medical Center and currently serves as Chair of Senate; furthermore, her research on self-efficacy has been published. Currently, she is working on another research project that includes teacher leadership and project-based learning. She teaches Literature for Children and Educational Psychology, as well as introductory leveled education, special education, and early childhood courses.
Karen Lackey grew up in Oregon and attended the University of Oregon to earn a BA in Political Science. After graduation, Dr. Lackey moved to Texas to work in the energy industry. With several years of corporate experience, she returned to academia to earn an MEd in Instructional Technology at the University of Houston. With her teaching certificate, she taught K-12 technology classes in Montana, Europe, and the Middle East. While working internationally, Dr. Lackey attended California State University, East Bay, and earned an MS in Online Teaching and Learning. After 12 years overseas, she returned to Texas to attend the Doctoral Program at the University of North Texas. Dr. Lackey earned a Ph.D. in Learning Technologies in 2019. Her doctoral research involved identifying the factors that parents consider when enrolling a child in an online K-12 school. Dr. Lackey’s experience and research focus on technology integration in the classroom and online learning. At Western, she teaches Classroom Management, Foundations of Education, and Teaching with Technology courses.