Communication Department Faculty
Lisa Gates - Communication Department Chair
Dr. Lisa Gates (Ph.D. University of Southern California) is the Chairperson of SDCC’s Department of Communication. She has taught for over 20 years at universities such as the University of Southern California, San Diego State University and Point Loma Nazarene University. The primary difference in the approach to education here at SDCC is that we have the opportunity to know our students well and witness not only their intellectual development, but also their spiritual and character development as well. As Dr. Gates puts it, “We are intentional every day about developing our students in all the important ways—heart, mind and soul.”
She is the recipient of numerous outstanding teaching, academic and community service awards including the International Communication Association’s Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (both at SDSU and USC) awarded by faculty to the top two student instructors based on teaching excellence, the Most Influential Professor Honor at SDSU, selected by the Outstanding Student in the School of Communication, and the Rose Award, given in recognition of exceptional service to education in the La Mesa Spring Valley School District.
Josh Cangelosi - Instructor/Speech and Debate
An interdisciplinary humanities instructor, Josh teaches college philosophy, communication, and English composition. In the spirit of the studia humanitatis, Josh values education’s guidance of intellect toward wisdom, will toward virtue (i.e., motivation toward efficacious self-interest and goodwill), speech and writing toward eloquence, and spirit toward God.
Josh graduated summa cum laude in the top five of his undergraduate class at PLNU after double majoring in philosophy and literature and debating competitively. He earned his MA in humanities and social thought from the John W. Draper Interdisciplinary Master’s Program at New York University.
Currently, Josh coaches the Speech and Debate team in competitive Parliamentary Debate and Individual Events. He also teaches “Argumentation and Debate” and “Rhetorical Criticism” in the Communication Department and “English Composition II” in the English Department. He has taught “College Composition” at Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU), “Introduction to Philosophy” at MiraCosta College, and several sections of both “Introduction to Ethics” and “Introduction to World Religions” to Navy sailors aboard a deployed aircraft carrier, the John C. Stennis, through Central Texas College’s at-sea education program.
A longtime tutor as well, Josh has taught language arts and math at several tutoring agencies, including Score and Kaplan. Currently, he privately tutors students of all ages and offers his Writing Adventures after-school program to third-through-sixth graders at several schools in the Del Mar Union School District.
A freelance writer and editor as well, Josh has published about twenty pieces and edited many more. He also composes and edits real-estate advertisements as the Director of Marketing for Masterpiece Reality’s Corporate Benefits Program. Josh even recently founded his own hair-product company, SoCali Style, which specializes in Ocean Spray, an all-natural styling spray from the ocean.
In his spare time, Josh likes to surf, play many musical instruments (including the theremin, ukulele, and Native-American flute), and make his own Native-American-style bamboo flutes.
Phillip Van Saun - Instructor
Phillip Van Saun is the Director of emergency services at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and co-chair of the campus behavioral threat assessment and management team. Prior to UCSD Phillip was an Assistant Chief in the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. From 1987-1991 he served with Marine One and was assigned to the emergency response mission. He is a graduate and served as an instructor of the White House Military Office Executive Support Program. He is a visiting professor of crisis management at Saint George’s University, an adjunct professor of communication and management at San Diego Christian College and a guest lecturer in the urban studies program at UCSD. He holds an MA in communication, summa cum laude, from Trinity International University.
Kaitlin Brooks Wilbur - Instructor
Kaitlin Brooks is a graduate of San Diego Christian College, receiving her BA in Communication, and her MA in Communication from San Diego State University . While at SDCC, she was awarded the Communication Department Outstanding Junior and Senior awards, was on the dean’s list for all of her eight semesters, and was an award winning speaker on the SDCC Speech and Debate Team. She is currently completing her third semester at San Diego State University toward a master's degree in communication and currently teaches upper and lower division communication classes at both San Diego State University and San Diego Christian College.
Kyle Ferguson - Adjunct Instructor
Kyle Ferguson is a graduate of Spring Arbor University (Michigan) with a Master of Arts in Communication. His primary research was based in media effects on the millennial generation. Kyle also obtained a bachelor’s degree from York College (Nebraska) in communication with a minor in religious studies.
Kyle is currently an admissions counselor at San Diego Christian College in addition to adjunct faculty in the communication department and the Adult Professional Studies (APS) program. He has taught public speaking and communication concepts in business within the APS program. In addition, Kyle is an online teaching assistant for Ashford University.