Luanne, a native of Yoder, Kan., has many years of national, state and local experience in health and human services having held positions in the governmental, academic, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. She currently serves the people of Texas in a position responsible for assuring children who are involved in the state’s child welfare system have access to behavioral health services. She recently worked for the University of Texas System where she served as executive director of the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium which brings together 12 academic health related institutions across the state to improve access to pediatric mental healthcare. The focus of her career has been to improve outcomes for children and youth with mental health needs.

Education:

• A.A., Hesston College
• B.S.W., Goshen (Ind.) College
• M.S.W., University of Texas at Austin

“My years at Hesston College were foundational and set the course for the rest of my personal and professional life. I have lifelong friends from Hesston who continue to give me strength, support and joy. The pre-social work courses at Hesston and cross-cultural interterm experiences gave me invaluable insights and learning that I carry with me to this day. There is a saying, “the best thing we can give our children are roots and wings” – as a member of the board, my hope is that Hesston College is a place that provides students with the opportunity to continue to grow academically, spiritually and socially as they spread their wings and fly.”

Tim is the president and board chair of Harper Industries, a manufacturer of bale handling, hydraulic and lawn and turf equipment in Harper, Kan. He is a past chair of the Mennonite Economic Development Associates board and has served Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in several roles including as agricultural extensionist and community development worker in Bolivia, country director for Bolivia and interim director for Latin America.

Member of Pleasant View Mennonite Church (Harper, Kan.)

Education:

• B.S., Goshen (Ind.) College
• M.B.A., Eastern College (St. David’s, Pa.)

Tim and Faith Hershberger Penner (Hesston College, 1974) have adult children.

Paula worked in public elementary schools as an educator and as an instructional coach. She now enjoys selling fair trade goods through her mobile store, Just Cause. She spent three years with Mennonite Central Committee in Mexico and has served on the leadership board for Mountain States Mennonite Conference, the Mennonite Women USA board and the Leadership Discernment Committee for Mennonite Church USA.

Member of Portland (Ore.) Mennonite Church

Education:

• A.A., Hesston College, 1979
• B.A., University of Colorado Colorado Springs, 1987
• Elementary teaching license, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, 1989

Paula and her husband, Bruce (Hesston College, 1978), enjoy living close to their son (Hesston College, 2002), daughter-in-law (Hesston College, 2003), and twin grandsons (Hesston College, 2029?).

“My years at Hesston College set a trajectory for my life through academic and spiritual growth as well as lasting relationships. I was encouraged to be actively engaged in the world, and I value that the college has continued growing into an academic community with global impact. I am honored to serve on this board and look forward to discerning new directions as Hesston enriches the hearts and minds of its current and future students.”

Ivannia is a CPA and has been working in public accounting for over 15 years. She has experience working with many different industries but currently focuses and specializes in tax-exempt organizations.

Member of East Goshen (Ind.) Mennonite Church

Education:

• B.A., Goshen (Ind.) College, 2008

Ivannia and Ben Graber have three young children: Lucas, Sebastian and Isabella.

“I really value and support Christian higher education and so I am honored to serve on the board of directors of Hesston College. I have already felt so welcomed and look forward to continuing to meet everyone in this community.”

Scott leads the Office of Assessment and Decision Support in providing strategic coordination in data collection, analysis, institutional research and assessment in support of university planning and continuous improvement of educational programs. Scott has more than 20 years of experience in higher education settings, with more than a decade of service to Mennonite higher education. He was previously the vice president for institutional strategy and chief information officer at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU). Prior to that position, he held roles as vice president for institutional effectiveness and strategic planning and director of institutional research and effectiveness at EMU. His main areas of responsibility were strategic planning, assessment, institutional research, accreditation, analytics and oversight of campus technology. Scott has also served as the director of assessment and institutional research and the interim vice president for enrollment and marketing at Goshen College. He gained early experience in institutional research (IR) serving in a variety of roles including research analyst over five years in the IR office at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition, Scott served on the board of LCC International University in Klaipeda, Lithuania, from 2011 through 2023.

Attends Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Education:

• B.A., Goshen (Ind.) College, 1999
• Ed.M., higher education, Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass.), 2006
• Ed.D., higher education, Harvard University, 2011

Scott and Nessa Stoltzfus Barge live in Harrisonburg, Va.

“My time at Hesston College was formative, giving me the opportunity to be part of a wonderfully warm academic community and preparing me well for my further studies. I continue to believe that Mennonite colleges and universities have an important role to play in offering a distinctive model of higher education for students from all backgrounds that is grounded in our counter-cultural Anabaptist-Mennonite values.”

Education:

• Diploma, Firestone School of Nursing at Akron (Ohio) City Hospital, 1975
• B.S., business, Kansas Newman College (Wichita), 1991
• M.B.A., Baker University (Baldwin City, Kan.), 1999

Val and Monty are the parents of four adult children.

Ken (goes by Kenji” but spells it “Ken G”) serves as a Senior Consultant at Japan Intercultural Consulting, a global firm providing cultural-competency, human-resources, and leadership consulting to multinational companies and organizations.

He also serves as Advisor to the CEO of Narita Manufacturing, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of a Japanese manufacturer that supplies critical parts to the passenger-rail-car industry. He previously served as COO of Narita Manufacturing for six years, through the end of 2024.

With nearly two decades of executive-leadership experience, Ken G has held chief marketing officer roles in all three sectors of the economy — the private sector (McDonald’s Japan), the public sector (Chicago Transit Authority) and the nonprofit sector (National-Louis University and Lions Clubs International). Beyond his work on the board at Hesston, he serves on the board of directors of the Japan America Society of Chicago.

Member of Lombard (Ill.) Mennonite Church

Education:

• A.A., liberal arts, Hesston College, 1981
• B.A., behavioral science, University of Chicago, 1985
• M.B.A., marketing, University of Chicago, 1992

Ken G has two children, Joe (b. 1996) and Alice (b. 1999), and is an avid cyclist and a passionate fan of Arsenal Football Club in addition to Hesston Larks.

“As an alumnus of Hesston College, I have benefited enormously from the intellectual, social and spiritual formation I experienced at the college over thirty years ago. It was only for two years, but Hesston was a time and place that gave me a significant growth experience. It may be a small place, but Hesston can give a big experience to young people who are making a critical transition in their lives. I want to help the college continue to thrive as an institution that can provide such a positive experience to future generations.”

A native of Harper, Kansas, Joanna (Osborne) Masingila is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in mathematics education. She serves as the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence at Syracuse University, where she holds joint appointments in the Department of Mathematics and the School of Education as a professor of mathematics and mathematics education. Over her career, Joanna has held administrative positions such as department chair and served as the Dean of the School of Education at Syracuse University for more than seven years. Beyond campus, Joanna has held influential positions on the Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching for the New York State Education Department, including co-chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee.

Internationally, Joanna has worked extensively in Kenya through Fulbright and USAID-funded initiatives, partnering with Kenyatta University and University of Embu to strengthen teacher preparation and doctoral education. Her scholarship includes numerous books, journal articles and funded research projects that bridge mathematics, culture and teacher development. Her work has been recognized with awards such as the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professorship for Teaching Excellence, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Unsung Hero Award and the Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Recognition Award.

Member of University United Methodist Church in Syracuse, N.Y.

Education:

• A.A., Hesston College, 1980
• B.A., Goshen (Ind.) College, 1982
• M.S., Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 1987
• Ph.D., Indiana University (Bloomington), 1992

Joanna and her husband George Nyagisere enjoy spending time with their nine grandchildren and traveling in general, as well as to their home in Kenya.

“My two years at Hesston College supported me in growing spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. I treasure the relationships that I developed at HC and value the role that faculty, staff and peers had in my growth. I’m honored to serve on the Hesston College board and have a role in supporting today’s students in their growth and development.”

Scott is a Boeing 737 Captain for United Airlines. Based in Houston, he operates flights across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and several destinations in South America. He previously flew for ExpressJet and Continental Airlines, prior to the merger with United.

Education:

• A.S., Hesston College, 1989
• B.A., Goshen (Ind.) College, 1993

Scott and his wife have three children. He enjoys mountain biking, boating, skiing, riding motorcycles and traveling with his family.

“My experience at Hesston was very transformative and allowed me the opportunity to grow socially, intellectually and spiritually all while acquiring the skills necessary to be successful in my chosen profession. Years later, the great memories I made are still fresh and I still care deeply about this institution. I’m happy to give back, and it is my goal to assist Hesston as it moves forward, continuing to be a place for young people to thrive and grow into the best version of themselves.”

A native of Moundridge, Kan., Jerol brings more than two decades of financial leadership experience in the banking and nonprofit sectors. He serves as chief financial officer at Bluestem Communities where he is part of the executive management team and oversees all financial aspects of the organization. He is deeply committed to his church and community, serving over the years as a high school youth sponsor, stewardship chair, congregational chair and on numerous committees.

Member of the Whitestone Mennonite Church, Hesston, Kan.

Education:

• B.S., Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.), 2002

Jerol and his wife, Becky, have three children and have lived in Hesston since 2008.

“Hesston College is a wonderful gift to the Hesston community. It is my privilege to serve on this board alongside so many other great people.”

Jessica is also on the teaching team with Movement Leaders Collective, which is an international community for movement leaders and catalysts for leaders of Jesus Movements. She also consults with a variety of organizations on the intersection of co-vocational ministry in business and ministry. Previously she was the director of the Center for Anabaptist Leadership and Learning at Hesston College.

Education:

• A.A., Hesston College, 2002
• B.A., Goshen (Ind.) College, 2004
• M.Div., Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, 2012

Jessica and her husband Shem own a heating and cooling company in the Kansas City area, where they live with their three children.

“Hesston College changed my life and set me in a trajectory I could never have accomplished by myself. I am passionate about the mission of Hesston College and I am honored to participate in its future.”