Our Faculty and Staff

Seminary Administration

Office of the President

• Randal R. Roberts, DMin; President
• Bert E. Downs, MA, DD; Chancellor
• Andrew Peterson, PhD; Vice President for Educational Innovation and Global Outreach

Office of Advancement

• Robert Jones, MDiv; Senior Vice President for Advancement
• Bonnie Ekholm; Gift Officer
• Allison Murphy, J.D.; Director of Admissions
• Cole Atkinson; Admissions Counselor
• Tirzah Radford, TESOL; Admissions Counselor
• Karen Lopez; Admissions Office Manager

Office of Academic Affairs

• Charles Conniry, PhD; Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty
• Julia Mayo, MA; Assistant Dean of Academics
• David Thommen, ThM; Associate Director, Doctor of Ministry Program
• Karen Hedinger, MA; Administrative Assistant to Global Leadership, Doctor of Intercultural Studies Program, and Doctor of Education Program
• Laura Miltenberger; Coaching Program Assistant
• Sandy Phillips, MA; Administrative Assistant to the Counseling Program

Office of Business and Finance

• Wing-Kit Chung; Vice President of Administration and CFO
• Jonathan Gibson; Controller
• Ashley Mitchell, MA; Director of Human Resources, Title IX Coordinator
• Diana Ball; Payroll and Benefits Administrator
• Char Rose; Finance Associate
• Cliff Stein; Director of the Physical Plant

Office of Student Services/Information Technology

• Reid Kisling, PhD; Vice President of Student Development/Chief Information and Effectiveness Officer
• Sandra Foster; Registrar/Director of Institutional Effectiveness
• Blake Kidney, MA; Director of Enterprise Application Development
• Greg Moon; Director of Placement
• Ben Olsen; Student Services Associate
• C. Andrew Peloquin, MA; Dean of Students/International Student Coordinator
• Luke Todd, MA; Director of Financial Aid
• Brenna Tunnicliff; Director of Student Communications and Events
• Weston Werner; Help Desk Technician
• Michelle Workman, MA; Dean of Student Success

Library and Information Services

• Matthew Thiesen, MS, MA; Director of Library and Information Services
• Donna Greenhut, MLS; Regional Librarian, Sacramento Campus
• Andy Lofthus; Information Services Librarian
• Vivian J. Woo; Access Services Coordinator
• Ola Ostapiuk; Library Assistant

Portland Campus

Academic Programs

• Kay C. Bruce, PsyD; Director, Master of Arts in Counseling program, System-wide Unit Leader, Counseling programs
• E.D. Burns, PhD; Director, Master of Arts in Global Leadership program
• Jerry Essary, DMin; Director of Coaching
• John Johnson, PhD; Director, Master of Divinity degree
• Ron Marrs, PhD; Director, Master of Arts in Ministry and Leadership program; Director, Kairos program
• Steve Mathewson, DMin; Director, Doctor of Ministry program
• Patrick Schreiner, PhD; Director, Master of Theology program
• Jan Verbruggen PhD; Director, Master of Arts (Biblical and Theological Studies) program
• Enoch Wan, PhD; Director, Doctor of Intercultural Studies program; Director, Doctor of Education program

Center for Leadership Development

• Bert E. Downs, MA, DD; Director
• Adam Christian, PhD Candidate; Director of Operations
• Derek Hiebert, MA; Assistant Director
• Hannah Woo; Media Production Coordinator

Women’s Center for Ministry

• Phyllis Bennett, DMin; Director
• Amanda Zentz; Administrative Assistant

Online Campus

• James E. Stewart, MEd; Executive Dean
• Mark Baker, MDiv; Instructional Support Coordinator, Online Campus
• Keane Collins, MDiv; Director of Student Services, Online Campus
• Drew Holmes, MA; Academic Advisor, Online Campus
• Jon L. Raibley, ThM; Assistant Director, Online Campus
• Adrian Tijerina; Academic Advisor, Online Campus
• Bethany Urbano; Media Production Coordinator

San Jose Campus

• Wes Ehrhart, MA; Executive Dean
• Morene Chow; Student Services Associate
• Jessica Clark; Administrative Coordinator
• Williana Purnama; MA; Director of Student Services
• Amanda Reid; Admissions Counselor
• Judy Richards, PhD; Coordinator of San Jose Counseling and Addiction Studies
• Lauren Werner; Administrative Coordinator

Sacramento Campus

• Wes Ehrhart, MA; Executive Dean
• Donna Greenhut, MLS.; Regional Librarian
• Anita Hermsmeier, MA; MAC Program Assistant
• Zack Myers; Admissions Counselor
• Lindsay McKinnon, MA; Director of Student Services
• Sherri Thome; Coaching Coordinator
• Doug Locke, MFT; Addiction Studies Coordinator

Seattle Teaching Site

• Derek Hiebert, MA; Director of the Seattle Teaching Site 

Faculty

Hannah Acquaye, Assistant Professor of Counseling

• BA, MA, University of Cape Coast, Ghana; PhD, University of Central Florida
• Western Seminary, 2016-

Mary Aguilera, Associate Professor of Counseling

• BS, Multnomah University, Portland; MA, Western Seminary; PhD, Oregon State University
• Western Seminary, 2019-

Laurie Bloomquist, Assistant Professor of Counseling

• BA, The College of Idaho; MA, Western Seminary; PhD, Oregon State University; Oregon Licensed Professional Counselor
• Clinical supervisor, Oregon State University, 2014-2015; Western Seminary, part-time 2014; full-time 2015-

Gerry Breshears, Professor of Systematic Theology

• BA, University of New Mexico - Albuquerque; MDiv, Denver Seminary; PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Part-time faculty, Biola College, 1979-80; Mission Associate, CBFMS, 1969-72; Western Seminary, 1980-

Kay Bruce, Professor of Counseling; Chair, Center for Personal and Spiritual Formation

• BA, Portland State University; Graduate Diploma of World Ministry, Western Seminary; Certificate of Graduate Studies in Bible and Theology, MA, PsyD, George Fox University
• Certified QPR Instructor for Suicide Prevention Training, 1997- ; Founder & Executive Director, Charis Counseling Associates, 1997-2003; Western Seminary, 1996-

E.D. Burns, Director, Master of Arts in Global Leadership Studies

• BA, Moody Bible Institute; MA, Wheaton College; MDiv, Western Seminary; PhD, The Southern Baptist Seminary
• Missionary with Pioneers, Turkey and China, 2008-2012; Asia Biblical Theological Seminary, Southeast Asia, 2012- ; Deputy Director for Collaboration and Content, Lausanne Movement, 2017- ; President, Great Commission Alaska, 2017- ; Western Seminary, 2015-

Charles Conniry, Vice President of Academic Affairs

• BA, American Christian School of Religion; MDiv, Bethel Seminary; PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Pastoral ministry, 1982-98; George Fox University, 1998-2018; Western Seminary, 2018-

John E. Johnson, Professor of Pastoral Theology; Director, Master of Divinity

• BA, San Diego State University; MDiv, ThM, Western Seminary; PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary
• Pastoral ministry, 1978-99, 2002-; Western Seminary, 2000-

Reid Kisling, Vice President of Student Development

• BS, Oregon Institute of Technology; ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary; PhD, Regent University
• Dallas Theological Seminary, 1998-2005; George Fox University, 2005-10; Pastoral ministry, 2011-12; Missions leadership, ARM Ministries, 2012-2015; President, ARM Ministries, 2015-; Western Seminary, 2013-

Steve Korch, Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry

• BA, Biola University; MDiv, DMin, Western Seminary
• Pastoral ministry, 1978-99; Western Seminary, 1999-

J. Ryan Lister, Associate Professor of Theology

• BA, The Citadel; MDiv, PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Adjunct Instructor, Biola University, 2010; Assistant Professor, Louisiana College, 2011-13; Assistant Professor, Charleston Southern University, 2013-14; Western Seminary, 2014-

Ronald Marrs, Professor of Pastoral/Youth Ministry; Chair, Center for Ministry and Leadership Studies

• BA, University of Oregon; MDiv, ThM, Western Seminary; PhD, Talbot School of Theology
• Pastoral ministry, 1973-2003; Western Seminary, 2003-

Josh Mathews, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies; Chair, Center for Biblical and Theological Studies

• BA, Multnomah University; MA, Wheaton College; PhD, Golden Gate University
• Golden Gate Seminary, 2009-2013; Western Seminary, part-time 2013-2015; full-time 2015-

Todd Miles, Professor of Theology

• BS, MS, Oregon State University; MDiv, Western Seminary; PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Western Seminary, 2003-

David Nystrom, Professor of Biblical Studies

• BA, University of California, Davis; MDiv, Fuller Theological Seminary; PhD, University of California, Davis
• University of California, Davis, 1987-1992; North Park University 1992-2004; North Park Theological Seminary, 2004-2006; Fuller Theological Seminary, 1997-2010; William Jessup University, 2006-2010; Biola University, 2010-2015; Western Seminary, 2016-

Judy Richards, Professor of Counseling

• BS, Pennsylvania State University; MA, University of San Francisco; PhD, Oregon State University
• Mental health practitioner, 2003-; Adjunct Instructor, Bethany University, 2003-2007; Adjunct Instructor, Palo Alto University, 2015; Adjunct Instructor, San Jose State University, 2015-2016; Western Seminary, 2018-

Randal Roberts, Professor of Spiritual Life Development; President

• BA, University of California, Davis; MDiv, ThM, Western Seminary; DMin, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
• Christian School Teacher, 1979-80; Pastoral ministry, 1985-87; Western Seminary, part-time, 1985-87; full-time, 1987-

Patrick Schreiner, Assistant Professor of New Testament Language and Literature; Director, Master of Theology

• BS, Western Kentucky University; MDiv, PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Western Seminary, 2014-

Norm Thiesen, Professor of Counseling

• BA, Biola University; MA, Pepperdine University; MA, Talbot Seminary; MA, PhD, Rosemead School of Psychology
• Counseling faculty, Biola University & Talbot Seminary, 1973-80; Director and faculty, Graduate Counseling Program, Grace University, 1994-2004; counseling faculty, Western Seminary, part-time 1989-2000, full-time, 1986-89, 2004-

Gary Tuck, Professor of Biblical Studies

• BA, Fresno Pacific College; MDiv, Western Seminary; STM, PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary
• Pastoral ministry, 1978-84; Interim pastoral ministry, 1988, 1991-92; Western Seminary, part-time, 1988-94; full-time, 1994-

Jan Verbruggen, Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature; Coordinator for Israel Study Programs; Director, Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies

• BA, Northeastern Bible College; MA, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; PhD, Johns Hopkins University
• Chesapeake Theological Seminary, 1989-93; Evangelische TheologischeeFaculteit/Belgian Bible Institute, 1994-2000; Part-time pastoral ministry, 1997-2000; Western Seminary, 2000-

Enoch Wan, Professor of Intercultural Studies; Director, Doctor of Education and Doctor of Intercultural Studies

• BA, Nyack College; MTS, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; MA, PhD, State University of New York
• Alliance Bible Seminary, 1978-81; Canadian Theological Seminary, 1982-93; Reformed Theological Seminary, 1993-2001; Western Seminary, 2001-

Bryan Warren, Instructor of Counseling

• B.A., Ohio University, 1993; MDiv, Multnomah Biblical University; MA, Western Seminary; PhD student, The University of the Cumberlands
• High School Teacher, Firm Foundations Christian School, 2010-2017; Adjunct Instructor, Multnomah University, 2010-2018; Western Seminary, 2018-

Beverly Wiens, Professor of Counseling

• BA, MA, San Jose State University; MA, Santa Clara University; PhD, Northern California Graduate University
• Instructor, San Jose State University, 1974-79; Professor, William Jessup University, 1982-2014; Adjunct Instructor, Western Seminary, 1995-2014; full-time, 2014-