Academic Vice President Isaiah Walker announced the appointment of Dr. Spencer Ingley and Dr. Amanda Wallace as co-directors of the Edward D. Smith Center for Learning & Teaching (CLT) at Brigham Young University–Hawaii. Ingley began serving in the role on September 1, 2025, and Wallace began her appointment on January 1, 2026.
“The Center for Learning & Teaching plays a vital role in strengthening the learning experience at BYU–Hawaii,” Walker said. “Spencer and Amanda bring complementary strengths, deep respect for faculty, and a shared commitment to teaching excellence. Their combined leadership will help the CLT continue to support inspired teaching that blesses students across the university.”
The CLT supports faculty in developing effective, mission-centered teaching practices and provides resources that enhance student learning. The co-director model reflects a collaborative approach to leadership and faculty development.
Spencer Ingley
Ingley joined the BYU–Hawaii faculty in 2017 and has taught courses in ecology and evolution, natural resource management, biostatistics, and animal behavior. He is a National Academies Education Fellow and a National Geographic Explorer, and has received multiple teaching and research honors during his time at BYU–Hawaii. Since beginning his work with the CLT last fall, he has appreciated the opportunity to connect with faculty across campus.
“It’s been amazing to step into this role at the CLT because that allows me to get to know faculty from across campus and learn how we can better support them in their teaching excellence,” Ingley said. “Our faculty do so much to support our students and the mission of the university, and they deserve to have all the support that they need.”
Reflecting on his appointment, Ingley expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him. “I feel deeply grateful for the trust placed in me to serve in this role,” he said. “This opportunity allows me to contribute to student learning at scale by strengthening the conditions under which faculty can do their best work.”
Originally from Gainesville, Florida, Ingley earned a Bachelor of Science in wildlife ecology and conservation from the University of Florida and completed his doctoral degree at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, as a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellow. He later completed a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship with research appointments at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. He has been a National Geographic Explorer since 2013.
Ingley’s research focuses on conservation, animal communication, and increasing participation in science among diverse populations. His work has taken him across Hawaii, the Cook Islands, and New Zealand, and in 2019, he participated in an Antarctic research expedition documenting microplastics in remote regions of Antarctica. He has published more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles—seven with undergraduate co-authors—and has been recognized for excellence in teaching and mentorship. Ingley previously served as biology program lead, as a member of the Faculty Advisory Council, and completed sabbatical research in New Zealand during the 2024–2025 academic year.
Amanda Wallace
Wallace brings extensive experience in language education, faculty development, and faith-centered teaching to her role as co-director. In addition to her CLT duties, she is an associate professor in the EIL and TESOL programs and coordinates and supervises peer mentors for the English as an International Language Program.
Addressing the role of the CLT, Wallace emphasized the spiritual foundation of teaching and learning at BYU–Hawaii.
“I believe that it is important in this moment for BYU–Hawaii faculty and students to recognize and experience the assurance that God has His hand over this entire valley,” Wallace said. “Through the work of the CLT and the Framework for Learning, faculty and students are empowered with additional divine help to grow academically and professionally and to serve one another and others in positive ways.”
Wallace described her appointment as both a blessing and an opportunity for growth. “It is a blessing and much-appreciated privilege to serve in this capacity,” she said. “I look forward to getting to know more faculty on campus and to all that we will accomplish together with divine direction.”
Raised in Alaska, Wallace lived in Northland, New Zealand for 11 years and has resided in Hawaii for more than 25 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in TESOL from BYU–Hawaii and a Master of Arts in TESL from Hawaii Pacific University and is completing a Doctor of Education in TESOL at Anaheim University Graduate School of Education.
Her professional background includes teaching theater at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and teaching languages, performing arts, English, and music in New Zealand public schools and adult community education programs. She has also served as book review editor for the TESL Reporter and worked as an international editor for the Church’s Ensign magazine, contributing articles to Church publications under the name Amanda Peeni.
Wallace is a mother and grandmother and the granddaughter of local Church College of Hawaii labor missionaries, with deep family ties to the BYU–Hawaii community.
Together, Ingley and Wallace will continue to guide the Center for Learning & Teaching in its mission to support faculty excellence and enhance student learning across the university.