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.

Stanley W. Green is the executive conference minister for the Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference. Prior to the current assignment, he served for 27 years as president and executive director with the mission agencies of the old Mennonite Church and the merged Mennonite Church USA, including Mennonite Board of Missions and Mennonite Mission Network. Earlier, Stanley pastored churches in South Africa where he was born, in California and in Jamaica where he and his spouse, Ursula, served as a mission workers for five years. He has engaged with the church in 83 countries around the world.

Member of Peace Mennonite Fellowship, Claremont, Calif.

Education:

• B.Th., Federal Theological Seminary of Southern Africa, Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa, 1975
• Certificate of Mission Studies - Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham, U.K. - 1980
• M.A., Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, Calif.), 1987

Stanley loves cooking, writing, scuba-diving and eating chocolate.

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.”

Born in Filadelfia, Paraguay, while her parents helped resettle war refugees with Mennonite Central Committee, Kathryn (Kathy) Goering Reid has many years of experience working with churches and nonprofits. She is ordained in Mennonite Church USA and the Church of the Brethren. She served as pastor of Austin (Texas) Mennonite Church, executive director of the Association of Brethren Caregivers and executive director of Family Abuse Center in Waco, Texas. She continues to work in retirement as a consultant to faith-based nonprofits and serves in various capacities for Mennonite Church USA.

Member of Dallas (Texas) Peace Mennonite Church

Education:

• B.S., Manchester (Ind.) University, 1973
• M.Ed., Georgia State University (Atlanta), 1979
• M.Div., Pacific School of Religion (Berkely, Calif.), 1988

Kathy and Dr. Stephen Breck Reid married in 1972. They have four adult children, one of whom is a Hesston College graduate, and seven grandchildren.

“Hesston College provides a unique educational experience. I know that so many of the students who come to Hesston need the quality education, caring environment and Mennonite values that Hesston has to offer. It is a joy to serve on the board, as I can never repay the college for all Hesston has provided for my child. At Hesston, he gained foundational education experience which gave him the confidence to set the course for his future.”

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.”

Karl Swartz is a native of south Texas and was the sixth of the six children in his family to attend Hesston College. He has practiced law with Morris Laing Law Firm in Wichita, Kansas since 1985. Karl is a director of Southwest National Bank and its holding company, Republic Financial Corporation. Karl is very active at Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church, and has served several terms as congregational chair and council chair. He is in his second term as a member of the Stewardship Commission of Western District Conference (WDC) of Mennonite Church USA and serves as the commission’s liaison on the WDC Staff Relations Committee.

Member, Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church, Wichita, Kan.

Education:

• Hesston College class of 1977
• B.A., Wichita (Kan.) State University, 1980
• J.D., University of Kansas, 1985

Karl and his wife, Myra (a 1976 graduate of Hesston College), have lived in Wichita since 1985. They have two children, Cody and Ash, and two granddaughters, Ellie and Quinn.