History 80 Notable Alumni

Prepared for Westmont's 80th Anniversary in 2017.

Andy Alsup ’93, who graduated as Westmont’s first computer science major, is director of technology for the Templeton Unified School District. After working with a defense contractor in San Diego, he moved to the Silicon Valley where he quickly rose to prominence within numerous tech giants, including Sun Microsystems and VeriSign. He recently left the high trajectory of a career in Silicon Valley to live in San Luis Obispo with his wife, Brendy, and seven children. Andy and his wife are passionate about helping foster children and have adopted five thus far.

Stan Anderson ’62, vice chairman of Accretive Exit Capital Partners, serves on the boards of Physicians Realty Trust (DOC), Blue Ridge Networks and several nonprofits. In 1969, he graduated Willamette University Law School with honors and as a member of the Law Review. He has practiced law in Washington, D.C., since 1969, serving in the Nixon White House, leaving in 1973 to join Secretary Henry Kissinger as deputy assistant secretary of state. He founded his own law firm in 1981 and later served as executive vice president and chief legal officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Alec Avedissian ’08 and Aric Avedissian ‘12 co-founded Rareform, a business that reuses highway billboard signs to create backpacks, wallets and surfbags. The Agoura Hills-based startup launched in 2013 and quickly gained popularity, especially after being featured on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” Now, they’re in 350 retailers across the country, in addition to 10 Whole Foods in California, a few Patagonia shops in Japan and on BestBuy.com. Environmental friendliness is one of Rareform’s key selling points, repurposing 10,000- 20,000 pounds of vinyl a month. Alec came up with the initial concept for Rareform after moving to El Salvador and seeing old billboards serving as roofs.

James Banks ’84, whose books include the bestselling “Prayers for Prodigals,” has encouraged millions around the world through his writing on prayer. His books have been translated into Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and Japanese. He writes for Our Daily Bread Ministries and has been a pastor and church planter for nearly 30 years. He earned a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Divinity from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminaries. He and his wife, Cari (Dotres ’85), met at Westmont and make their home in Durham, North Carolina. They have two adult children and a 2-year-old grandson.

Paul Betancourt ’81, born in New York City and raised in San Diego, has farmed in the San Joaquin Valley since graduating from Westmont. Betancourt, cofounder of the local food bank, has served on the local church board and various community and government boards. He served 21 years on the Kerman School Board and is a past president of the Fresno County Farm Bureau. Paul and his wife, Sheryl ’81, who led Potter’s Clay in 1981, are now involved in cross cultural ministry with their church’s youth group in Mexicali. Paul has written four books, including political philosophy, history and about life on the farm.

Lisa Repko Borden ’84 and Byron Borden ’82 launched Wema Ventures: Transformation and Sustainability for Africa, a non-profit that empowers and assists men and women to provide for themselves via entrepreneurial endeavors. The Bordens have been in full time cross cultural ministry for 33 years. Lisa grew up in Europe and California, arriving in Africa the week she turned 22. Byron, the son of missionaries, was raised in Kenya. The Bordens have four children, who all came toWestmont: Jesse ’09, Trevor ’11, Colin ’16 and Heather ’20, as well as daughters in law, Annie Mason Borden ’10 and Karly Dowling Borden ’11.

Jennifer Brady ’04 is a program director at Geneva Global, a philanthropic advisory service. She leads initiatives in China, working with clients to identify opportunities and implement effective strategies across a range of health and development issues. She has been based in Shanghai since July 2016 and is enjoying her new home city immensely. Before joining Geneva Global in 2010, she produced creative content for a social enterprise in Laos, taught English and helped launch a start-up in Shenzhen, China, and held marketing and production positions in several fine arts organizations in the U.S. She earned a Master of Business Administration from Eastern University.

Julie Cain ’96 founded Seattle SCORES, a soccer and poetry program that serves at-risk children. For more than 20 years, she has served as managing director of Cornerstone Advisors, an investment management firm. . She earned graduate degrees in tax law and commercial real estate development. She oversees a soccer camp in Mazatlan, Mexico, sharing Jesus with more than 1,500 children annually. She contributes to the development of Green Lake Village, an urban village that has become the heart of Seattle’s Green Lake community. She and her husband, Andrew, have three boys.

Tyler Castle ’12 is director of academic programs at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a public policy research organization in Washington, D.C. He manages AEI’s educational programs for undergraduate college students at more than 100 campuses across the country. He is a former John Jay Institute fellow and a former intern for Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI). He started at AEI as an intern in 2013. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, and– most importantly--a Spring Sing title with his fellow Clark men (2009).

Lawrence Chen ’12 is co-founder and CEO of Sooma, a meal kit social enterprise, addressing food insecurity in Washington, D.C. After graduating Westmont with a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and communication studies, he earned a certificate in business administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He encountered poverty, human trafficking and the power of social enterprise to change the outcomes of disadvantaged and underserved communities while on a social justice study abroad trip to India while a student at Westmont. Chen has dedicated himself to become a leader in the social sector.

Priya David Clemens ’97, a former KTVU Channel 2 and CBS News national reporter, has been selected as the new spokeswoman for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. Clemens was born in Chennai, India. Growing up, she spent time in Virginia, California, Brussels and London. She graduated with honors from Westmont College in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Southern California in 2002.

Melody (Miles) Daly ’09 is a program officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle. In her role, she supports the foundation’s efforts to eradicate malaria, including managing $80 million to invest toward the elimination for the disease in Africa. Her work involves close engagement with African Ministries of Health, U.S. and U.K. government agencies and non-profit partners. Melody earned a master’s degree in public health from Emory University and a certificate in theology and work at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Jamie DeVries ’95, an AP economics teacher at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, created the student-run nonprofit organization Kids Helping Kids (KHK), which has raised more than $2.5 million since being founded in 2002. The organization invests in the lives of kids needing socio-economic and physical support, both locally and globally. The KHK model has spread to two other high schools in Sacramento and Dana Hills. In recognition of his innovative teaching, DeVries was named 2010-11Santa Barbara County Distinguished Educator. Jamie is married to Tiffany (Schoemaker) DeVries ’99, dean of the Music Academy of the West, where she has served for more than 15 years. 

Joy Eggerichs ’04 founded Punchline Speakers, an agency for that represents speakers. She served as conference director for her parents Love and Respect marriage conferences from 2005-15. She created the Love and Respect Now website and the Illumination Project, a small group study resource on the topic of singleness, dating and marriage. In 2014, Christianity Today named her one of 33 leaders under the age of 33 shaping the next generation. Over the course of the last decade of creating content and speaking, Joy has discovered a love for learning through interviewing. She and her husband, Matt, live in Paris.

David Eldred ’63, a Westmont trustee for 22 years, was a pioneer of the Southern California self-storage industry. Born to a hardworking, entrepreneurial family, he became a barber during high school and used that skill to pay his way through college and dental school. After serving with the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, he founded the family storage business 45 years ago outside San Diego while simultaneously running his dental practice. As a trustee, he spearheaded the approvals for water rights and the 41 faculty homes now known as Las Barrancas.

Steve Fratt ’76, professor of history and department chair at Trinity College, is a national leader in the reenacting and wargaming communities and brings these experiences into his classes for a hands on approach to learning. He is an expert in 19th-century military tactics. He is the colonel commanding the Federal 1st Brigade, Illinois Volunteers of Civil War reenactors, and president of the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society-Midwest, which runs the Little Wars convention in Chicago annually. He earned a Master of Arts degree and doctorate from UC Santa Barbara. He taught at Sterling College and Westmont before joining the faculty at Trinity in 1990.

Judy (Brinkman) Gaede ’70 and her husband, Stan ’69, have partnered together in Christian higher education on the East and West Coasts throughout most of their 50-year marriage. Judy serves as assistant to the president of the Christian College Consortium and scholar-in-residence at Gordon College. Stan has served on the faculty and administration at Gordon and as provost and president at Westmont. Judy has taught and worked as administrative assistant for the academic dean and president, registrar, and sidekick to Stan. Judy and Stan enjoy visiting their three children, Heather, Nathaniel ’98 and Kirsten ’06, and their four grandsons.

Tyler Gibbs ’91 is senior vice president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development, where he has worked for the past 21 years. After graduating from Westmont, Tyler, an avid auto racing fan, went to work for  Cosworth Engineering, where he worked for four years. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2006, and served on the Westmont Board of Advisors between 2014 and 2016. Tyler and his wife, Kris ’91, have been married 25 years. Their son, Connor ’19, is a junior at Westmont and their daughter, Ireland, is freshman at Gordon College.

Randy Giusta ’71, who has worked for Young Life in Encinitas for 44 years, was called by Christ to pursue full-time ministry during his freshman year at Cal Poly. He transferred to Westmont in the fall of 1968 and changed his major to preministerial major. He served as a volunteer Young Life leader at Santa Barbara High School for two years, and started a new Young Life club at Carpinteria High School. He finished his master’s degree at Fuller Theological Seminary while his wife, Judy, earned a teaching credential at California State University, Los Angeles.

Rachel Goble ’05 is president of the Freedom Story, a grassroots organization preventing child trafficking in Northern Thailand. The Freedom Story was founded in 2008 through a documentary film, “The SOLD Project.” She also produced two other films, “Travel With Us” and “Five Years.” Today, thanks to the power of these stories, the Freedom Story sponsors 140 at-risk students in Northern Thailand, provides human rights trainings to thousands of vulnerable youth and has seen the drop-out rate plummet. She earned a master’s degree in cross-cultural studies from Fuller Theological Seminary and was a finalist for the Edna Social Justice Award in 2012.

Don Goehner ’60, a member of the Westmont Board of Trustees from 1986 to 2017, started the Goehner Group in 1984 to help non-profits with fundraising and executive coaching. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University and served as an administrator at Azusa Pacific University and director of development at Westmont. After graduating from Westmont, he spent 14 years in youth ministry, directing Youth for Christ in Ventura County and Long Beach. He lost his first wife, Bev, in 2006 and has been married to alumna Caryl ’64 since 2010. Don has three children and three grandchildren.

David Grotenhuis ’63, a founding partner of real estate investment groups Santa Barbara Capital and Cascade Investment Capital, has been involved in real estate for more than 50 years. He received the Wall Street Journal Award as the outstanding graduate in Economics and Business. He was a founding board member of the Bank of Santa Barbara and past board member of Birnam Wood Golf Club. He enjoys spending time at Jalama Canyon Ranch and Vineyard, which he purchased with his partner, Wayne Siemens ’62. David and his wife, Anna, have two children and six grandchildren, who all live in Santa Barbara.

Cynthia Grutzik ’83 is the associate dean for undergraduate and post- baccalaureate programs in the College of Education at CSU Long Beach. She oversees credential and undergraduate programs, accreditation and assessment, and outreach and district partnerships. Her research focuses on teacher preparation policy and student success. Previously, she served on the faculty of Pacific Oaks College, and later CSU Dominguez Hills, where she chaired the liberal studies department and directed College of Education. After graduating from Westmont, she taught for three years in Cameroon before moving to Tucson, Arizona, where she taught and earned a Master of Arts in education. She earned a doctorate at UCLA in 1997.

Barry Hamann ’84, who practices medicine in Grants Pass, Oregon, is CEO of Mountainview Family Practice Clinic. He graduated from Loma Linda Medical School in 1990 and completed a UCLA residency in family medicine in Ventura. He and his wife, alumna Maritza (Carrera ’85), have three children: Blaze ’19, Aria ’16, who is earning a doctorate in physics at Harvard, and Serena (Calvin College ’15), who is in her second year at the University of Washington School of Law. Barry and Maritza are extensively involved in leadership and missions at River Valley Church.

Tine Hardeman ’55 has taught and coached at Faith Academy in the Philippines, a school for the children of missionaries for the past 59 years. He serves as sports chaplain, meeting with teams who come to play against Faith Academy and sharing the love of Christ. Hardeman, who played on Westmont’s basketball team and earned honorable mention All American, was inducted into Westmont’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2013, Westmont honored the Hardemans as Educational Family of the Year. Tine and his wife, Janet Rice, have four children, all of whom graduated from Westmont, and two of their grandchildren also graduated from Westmont.

Dan Harter ’81 helped launch a nonprofit organization that has sent people throughout the world to serve and love Muslims. Dan went with his wife, Paula, to learn Arabic in Jordan and begin their 18-year role as team leaders. They moved to Syria where Dan became an English teacher to many adults and university students. Dan, Paula and their three children spoke Arabic and shared Jesus with Muslims to invite them to drink living water during their 15 years in Damascus. Currently, the Harters serve in Syrian refugee work, mobilization of cross-cultural workers and prayer movements. 

Maury Hayashida ’95 holds dual board certification in both orthopedics and sports physical therapy and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. His career has consisted of a blend of clinical, entrepreneurial and academic/research endeavors. In addition to his ongoing clinical practice, he is the founder/co-founder of seven companies, holds numerous patents and is co-creator of several health and technology innovations. He is commonly featured in physical therapy and sports journals regarding emerging practice and technological advancements in the physical rehabilitation industry. He is an adjunct professor of Kinesiology at Westmont and is the executive director for the Research Institute of Human Movement.

Rev. Douglas Hayward ’63, whose research interests focus on anthropology and missions, taught more than 18 different classes at Biola University, supervising more than 30 doctoral dissertations. After graduating from Westmont, he and his wife, Joanne ’64, traveled to West Papua, Indonesia, to work among the Dani people. He has written three books on the Dani people, as well as “Serving Jesus with Integrity.” Hayward, who started 80 churches after leaving Indonesia, earned a Master of Arts from Fuller Theological Seminary. He earned a Master of Arts and a doctorate from U.C. Santa Barbara.

Holly Huffnagle ’09, co-leader of Westmont’s Europe Semester this fall, served as the policy adviser to Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the U.S. Department of State from 2015-2017. Previously, she was a researcher for the Mandel Center of Advanced Holocaust Studies at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. She earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in global, international and comparative history, focusing on 20th-century Polish history and Christian-Jewish- Muslim relations before, during and after the Holocaust. She has lived and worked in Poland to conduct research on ethnic minority relations before World War II.

Jason Huffnagle ’09, who worked for his local U.S. senator for six years, is working to complete a Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies as a graduate student at the U.S. Naval War College. He is co-leading Westmont’s Europe Semester program this fall. He worked for Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) from 2011-17, most recently as digital content manager on her U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources committee staff. He also served in a variety of capacities, including as a research assistant and executive assistant at the committee and as a legislative correspondent and staff assistant in the senator’s personal office.

Josh Jensen ’96 travels internationally as a trouble-shooter for robotics projects. He and his wife planted a church in Goleta, which meets on the beach and serves food to surfers and the homeless. After 19 years in industry, he and his family spent a year in Mahajanga, Madagascar, working with two non-governmental organizations: Eden Reforestation Projects, an organization that employs over 500 Malagasy workers in remote areas to replant decimated forests; and Sarobidy Maternity Center, a women’s health and maternity clinic that provides vital prenatal and postnatal care to women and infants. Josh and his wife, Amanda, have three children, Selah, Caleb and Joanna.

Joe Karabensh ’85, earned a bachelor’s degree in missionary aviation technology at Moody Aviation, is president of Missionary Flights International (MFI). His passion for missions began with Westmont’s Urban Program and Kenya mission trip. He joined MFI in 1996, piloting a Douglas DC-3, and became president in 2015. MFI serves 480 mission organizations that spread the Gospel and help the poor in the Caribbean, primarily Haiti. MFI flies missionaries, work teams, mail and cargo. They are on call for medical emergency flights and have provided disaster relief for hurricanes and the devastating Haiti earthquake.

Shane Kelly ’07 is an attorney at the law firm Wiley Rein, focusing his practice on white collar criminal defense and government investigations. Kelly, who graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., is passionate about fighting human trafficking. He volunteers as the legal and policy director of the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Initiative. He coordinates with area law firms to provide legal services to survivors of human trafficking. Shane also serves on the board of directors of People Reaching People, an organization supporting the education, economic development and evangelism work of the Anglican Diocese of Toliara in Madagascar.

Bill Kliewer ’60 served in executive positions at World Vision for more than 35 years before becoming interim CEO for Operation Smile, an international children’s medical charity. He served as executive vice president for World Vision U.S., as well as other senior leadership positions with World Vision in Vietnam, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. During his time at World Vision, he helped to grow the charity from a $4 million organization to a nearly $3 billion global nonprofit. He helped launch programs that galvanized support around global disasters in Ethiopia and Bangladesh. He pioneered the development of global marketing and fundraising programs in developing nations.  

Sharon Koh ’00, executive director/CEO of American Baptist International Ministries, attended Fuller Theological Seminary after graduating from Westmont. She pastored in Los Angeles for 16 years before joining A.B.I.M. Her passion to facilitate God’s mission around the world is well suited to this role, and she enjoys caring deeply for the missionaries her organization sends out. Her hobbies include global travel, photography and enjoying the people and foods of other cultures.

Valerie (Cronk) Kushnerov ’92, City of Goleta community relations manager/public information officer since 2010, is passionate about making a difference in the world. She has worked in all levels of government, provided communications consulting for several non-profits, and served on the school board. Kushnerov, who lives in Santa Barbara and has two adult children, has always been driven to lead and contribute. While walking through life’s challenges, she leans strongly on her faith and has learned the freedom in living an authentic, transparent life. Her motto: I will look forward. I will trust God. Today is a new day.

Teresa Law ’81 is co-founder and chief financial officer of Mountain Hazelnuts (M.H.), a for-profit impact venture in Bhutan. M.H. is planting 10 million hazelnut trees on degraded mountainsides, doubling the income of thousands of subsistence farmers. In this Himalayan kingdom, M.H. is providing a sustainable income for up to 15 percent of the nation while rehabilitating fragile ecosystems and sequestering carbon dioxide. Law spent the first 20 years of her career as an international banker in the U.S., Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and China. After graduating from, she earned a Master of Business Administration at Columbia University.

Dave LeMieux ’93 has led and sent “musicianaries” to Russia, Nepal, India, Thailand, Ethiopia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates and Israel as executive director of More Than Music Inc., based out of Denver. The trips have produced more tangible outcomes, including the construction of a water well for a remote special-needs school in Uganda, creating a new school for orphans near the Durgapur brothel in India, organizing a first-of-its-kind open-air Christmas concert with the Naval Staff Officer Orchestra at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, and giving away more than 600 instruments to talented, under-resourced musicians around the world. Dave and his wife, Tina ’93, have two children, Grace and Charlie.

Cindy ’84 and Jamey Lewis ’84 are mentors and coaches for young leaders and social entrepreneurs, helping them to thrive and succeed. For more than 20 years, they participated in the life of Muslim-majority communities in Indonesia. They also served as Southeast Asia regional senior leaders for a faith-based organization. Now back in the U.S., they are engaged in the lives of family members, younger leaders and cross-cultural mission workers on home leave or in life transitions. Jamey and Cindy love to extend hospitality, to sing and to lead from simplicity and intimacy with Jesus.

Bruce Lewolt ’77, who earned a doctorate from Fielding Graduate University in 2009, is an award-winning designer of intelligent systems with two technology patents. His latest creation is an artificial intelligence assistant for salespeople called JOY and the development of JoyisJOY.com. Since graduating from Westmont, Bruce has been actively involved in his church, running mission teams, leading men’s Bible studies, Awana youth ministries and a media outreach ministry. Bruce and his wife, Kim, have been married for 36 years and have two adult children, who are involved in ministry, and two grandchildren.

Bob Lonac ’67 is the president and CEO of CRISTA Ministries, a worldwide Christian ministry headquartered in Seattle that serves in four distinct areas: education, media, senior living, and international relief and development. Prior to joining CRISTA, he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of International Justice Mission. From 1967 to 2000, Lonac served in various capacities in Young Life, including senior vice president for the Western division field. Lonac and his wife, Kathleen, have four adult sons and eight grandchildren. He is an avid fly fisherman, woodworker and runner.

Cliff Lundberg ’65, a member of Westmont’s board of trustees from 1993- 2002, is vice president emeritus at Westmont. He earned a Master of Business Administration and a professional designation in contract management from UCLA and became CEO of General Offshore Corporation, a multinational telecommunications and data network company. Under his leadership, General Offshore became the world leader in shallow water installation of fiber optic infrastructure. He serves on the boards of Sports Outreach Institute, the regional United Way, the Cold Spring School Foundation, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Advisory and Research Institute of Human Movement. He and his wife, alumna Diane ’66, are active in Montecito Covenant Church.

Judilee Marrow ’02, who earned a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, is a staff veterinarian at the Houston Zoo. She completed separate, year-long internships in small animal medicine and surgery in Chicago and exotic animal medicine at Kansas State University. She completed a three-year residency in zoological medicine at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and became board certified in zoological medicine in 2015. Marrow, a diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine, lives with her husband, Rob Henry, in Houston.

Daniel Martins ’73, who earned a master’s degree in music history at UC Santa Barbara, is bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield, Illinois. After graduating from Westmont and UCSB, he spent the next decade in various business endeavors in Oregon. In 1989, he completed a Master of Divinity from Nashotah House, a theological seminary of the Episcopal Church, and subsequently served as a parish priest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Stockton, California; and Warsaw, Indiana. Martins, who was elected bishop in 2010, married alumna Brenda (Hansen ’72) in 1972 and they have three adult children and three grandchildren.

Angie Mays ‘90, a tenured professor of leadership at Trinity Western University’s School of Graduate Studies in British Columbia, mentors and teaches transformational servant leadership to graduate students from around the world. She is passionate about values/virtues in leadership development, and how Jesus practiced leadership. Her qualitative research on the subject led to her writing the book “Courteous Rebel: Jesus Model of Leadership.” She has served as a consultant in developing online leadership programs in Kenya and in China and is involved in community leadership on the board of directors for two hospices. She earned a Master of Education and doctorate from the University of San Diego.

Ron McCarley ’92, director of jazz studies at Cuesta College, performs on saxophone and flute and owns a small music store. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music and earned a Master of Fine Arts at the California Institute of the Arts. At Westmont, Ron says he studied under professors with a pastor’s heart for their students and a deep dedication for their area of study. He has tried to emulate this concern for his students and dedication to excellence in his field. He married Laura Anderson McCarley in 2001 and they have four children in San Luis Obispo.

Heather McDowell ’00, owner and CEO of Tickle Water, earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Westmont while minoring in fine arts. After living in Madrid for two years, she moved back to the United States and worked as head of the bid department for Antiquorum Auctioneers. After having her child, Jayger, she came up with the idea of Tickle Water, a sugar-free, bubbly water alternative to sodas and juices. 

Jennifer Powell McNutt ’00, a tenured associate professor of theology and history of Christianity at Wheaton College, is a fellow in the Royal Historical Society and a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church. She earned a doctorate from the Reformation Studies Institute, University of St. Andrews, and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. She won the Overseas Research Student Award, the Sidney E. Mead Prize, the Leland Ryken Award for Teaching Excellence in the Humanities, and the Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize for her first book, “Calvin Meets Voltaire: The Clergy of Geneva in the Age of Enlightenment, 1685-1798.”

Vince Nelson ’63 left Illinois in 1959 to attend Westmont, graduating in 1963 with a major in history. After receiving an MBA from Columbia University in 1965, he served as a naval officer with two combat tours in the Gulf of Tonkin. After the Navy, Nelsone worked in sales for IBM and then pursued a career in financial services and board leadership. In 1975, Vince married Cathy McKinley. They have three children, two of them Westmont graduates. In 1983, Vince joined the Westmont board of trustees. He has served as chair of the academic committee and served as chair of the board from 2009-2014.

Alison Noble ’97 is associate professor of chemistry and the special assistant to the provost at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. She earned a doctorate in chemistry at the University of Illinois in 2002 and worked as a senior development engineer for Intel Corporation in Portland. Her research interests focus on materials chemistry and chemical education. She recently served as chair of the faculty and won Messiah College’s Outstanding Teaching Award in May of 2017. She attends Grantham Brethren in Christ Church and enjoys reading, the outdoors and traveling with her family.

Lisa Norlander ’02 is a clinical diabetes researcher at Stanford University and an emergency room physician. She attended medical school through a joint program at Dartmouth and Brown Universities, completed a residency in family medicine in Ventura and a fellowship in emergency medicine in Jackson, Tennessee. She volunteers as a director for medical staffs at camps for diabetic kids and serves as a medical volunteer in the U.S. and abroad. She serves on the board of directors for two non-profit organizations: Diabetes, Youth, Families, supporting those affected by Type 1 diabetes; and Counsel to Secure Justice, pursuing restorative justice for children harmed by sexual abuse in New Delhi, India.

Dave Odell ’89, a former Westmont basketball player, successful businessman and longtime Warrior supporter, has served as Westmont athletic director since 2009. Odell, who served as an adjunct professor in the economics and business department for six years, has been a part of several successful business ventures, including TynanGroup Inc., Anchor Point IT Solutions, and MedBridge Development Company LLC. Odell served as the chair of the Warrior Sports Advisory Board, providing advice for the athletics program and assisting in fundraising, from 2002-05 and 2007-2009. Odell and his wife, DeAnna (Morfoot ’88), have three children Walker, Raynee and Rallie.

Pablo Otaola ’07, who emigrated from Argentina when he was 10, is metro developer for Denver Young Life. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years before attending Westmont, where he met his wife, Anna (Kershaw ’07). In 2009, he was hired by Young Life Urban Chicago, where he completed the Christian Community Development Association’s Leadership Program and earned an Urban Ministry Certificate at North Park Seminary. He expects to finish his Master in Theology at Western Seminary in May 2018, and he continues doctoral work in creating equitable systems and business leadership at the University of Colorado.

Marty Ozinga ’99 is president of Ozinga Brothers Inc., a fourth-generation family business with operations in five states, employing almost 2,000 people in the construction materials industry. With locations across Northern Illinois, Indiana, Southwest Michigan and Southeast Wisconsin, Ozinga’s goal is to consistently provide the highest quality products and unparalleled service at a competitive price. Marty and his wife, Amy (Bucka) Ozinga ’98, met at Westmont and, along with their six children, live in Chicago. Marty earned a master’s degree in communications from Northwestern University. He serves on several non-profit boards, and his family attends the Moody Church.

Abigail Pellegrini McBride ’96, a nationally recognized plein air and portrait painter, teaches at the prestigious Chesapeake Fine Art Studio, Anne Arundel Community College and selected workshops. She co-founded the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association (MAPAPA) and the Paint Annapolis plein air competition to launch Paint the Town, the first plein air event in Chesapeake City, Maryland. Her work is featured in the book “100 Plein Air Painters of the Mid-Atlantic” by Gary Pendleton as well as other national publications, galleries and museums. She has received honors from MAPAPA, Plein Air Easton, Oil Painters of America, RayMar Art, Baltimore Watercolor Society and the Portrait Society of America. 

Melinda (Pullen) Pierson ’92 chairs the department of special education and directs the center for international partnerships in education at California State University, Fullerton. She has led more than 500 students on inclusive study abroad programs and has led an online international teacher training research project. In 2014, she was named Outstanding Professor in the College of Education at CSUF and the Leading Contributor to Polish Education by Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan in 2016. Pierson, who earned a Master of Science at CSUF and a doctorate at UC Riverside, has written more than 75 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and state and federal grants focusing on international teacher training.

Craig Prins ’91, inspector general for the Oregon Department of Corrections, is responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct filed by employees, inmates and others within the state’s second largest agency. Prins, who grew up in Grants Pass, Oregon, served as research director for the Pew Charitable Trust’s Public Safety Performance Project in Washington, D.C., for two years before becoming inspector general in 2016. Before that, Prins had spent a decade in various criminal justice roles in Oregon, including executive director of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. He works with middle school boys at his church and volunteers with Salem’s Children’s Educational Theatre.

Lauren Purvis ’13 brought her love of tea (and massive tea collection) with her to Westmont in 2009. During her senior year, a trip to Japan changed her life. Soon after, Lauren founded Mizuba Tea Co., which loosely translates to “Living Water” in Japanese. Lauren works directly with three family matcha farms and manufactories in Uji, Japan, and by sharing their tea with the world, Mizuba helps support a house church in Tokyo of the same name. Mizuba Tea has received accolades from the Pacific Coast Business Times and the U.S. Small Business Administration, and been featured in Vogue Magazine, Vanity Fair and Food52.com.

Katie King Rumford ’06 has traveled the globe with her husband, Pete (’06), living in San Francisco, Italy, India and New York City before returning to Southern California this summer. King earned an MFA in graphic design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and has experience as a graphic designer, illustrator, hand letterer, art director and design director. She has collaborated with a wide array of clients providing services ranging from branding a food truck, creating editorial illustrations for the New York Times, rebranding an international film festival and designing a cookbook. She has received multiple awards, including a coveted Art Directors Club Cube. 

Sherry Saylor ’72, who chairs the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee (AFBWLC), has served as a guidance counselor at Buckeye Elementary School in Arizona for the past 30 years. She and her husband, Rick, a third generation farmer, are partners in R&S Farms, a diversified row crop farm that grows sorghum, wheat, alfalfa and barley. Sherry serves on the board of the American Farm Bureau Federation. She has represented the AFBWLC on the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s board of directors since 2012 and has served on the AFBWLC since 1990. Sherry speaks for the Christian Women’s Club in the Southwest.

Brent Searway ’85 and Allison Brubaker ’85 Searway met at Westmont and served together on Potter’s Clay. Sharing a heart for missions and for Mexico, they quit their jobs as teachers in 1993 and sold all their belongings to move to Ensenada.For 20 years, they have directed Agua Viva Ministries, which is committed to reaching Mexico for Christ. They have seen thousands come to faith through their camping ministry and more than 20,000 Americans participate in short-term missions to assist Ensenada churches. Agua Viva’s intensive Ministry Training Institute has prepared more than 550 Mexican nationals to serve as pastors and missionaries.

Ron W. Shelton ’67, is an Oscar-nominated film director and screenwriter, is known for the many films he has made about sports including “Bull Durham,” “Tin Cup” and “White Men Can’t Jump.” A former minor league baseball infielder in Baltimore’s farm system, Shelton played with the Bluefield Orioles (Rookie), Stockton Ports (A), Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs (AA) and Rochester Red Wings (AAA) between 1967-1971. Shelton, who earned a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona, directed “Jordan Rides the Bus” in 2010 for the 30 for 30 TV Series. He was inducted into the Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame last July.

Wayne Siemens ’62 graduated from Westmont College in 1962 and one year later married another Westmont grad – Sharol Walen. They have resided in Santa Barbara since 1969 and their sons – Ryan and Jason – also live in the Santa Barbara area with their collective five children. Wayne and Dave Grotenhuis formed their own company – Santa Barbara Capital – in the late 70’s. The company has primarily concentrated on the acquisition and construction of multi-family communities in Oregon and California. Westmont College has been a superlative and highly-respected neighbor during our tenure in Santa Barbara and it’s an almost daily pleasure to share Westmont’s positive impact here and abroad.

Diana Lynn Small ’09, who earned an Master of Fine Arts from the Michener Center for Writers at UT Austin, is co-artistic director of Salvage Vanguard Theater in Austin. Her new play, “House Play,” was developed at Berkeley Rep’s The Ground Floor in 2017 and will premiere in the fall of 2018 in Austin. “Mad & a Goat” has toured seven cities since it was developed in 2013. Her play “Good Day” was selected for the 2015 Great Plains Conference PlayLabs, Kitchen Dog Theatre’s New Works Festival and was a finalist for the 2015 Play Penn Conference. She is pursuing a Master of Divinity at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Ron Smith ’58, who teaches an adult class at Church of the Valley in Apple Valley, attended Fuller Theological Seminary for two years before earning a Master of Divinity and Master of Theology at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. He taught bible and other courses at Ontario Christian High school for 35 years and served as program director for Laurel Pines Camp in the San Bernardino National Forest for 20 years. He has served as youth pastor for three churches, and as an associate pastor and minister of visitation at Bethany Reformed Church of Redlands for 15 years.

Amanda Mathisen Stylianou ’06 left Westmont for a semester to work full time at a domestic violence shelter and discovered her calling. After graduating with a double major in sociology and religious studies, she completed a Master of Social Work and a doctorate at Rutgers University in New Jersey. As senior director for research and program development at Safe Horizon, a New York City organization that serves victims of domestic violence, she digests data gleaned from staff and clients to identify gaps in service and fix them, rooting her work in empathy and compassion. “I focus on solutions and seek to sustain that place of compassion,” she says. Her parents, Ken ’76 and Shelley Spencer ’78 Mathisen, met at Westmont during Europe Semester. Ken is a psychologist in private practice in New Jersey, and Shelley works as the administrator at their local church. Amanda and her husband, Chris, a police officer, live in Hamilton, N.J., with their young daughter.

Jim Taylor ’78, philosophy professor at Westmont since 1994, has published a new book, “Learning for Wisdom: Christian Education & the Good Life.” Taylor earned a Master of Arts at Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Master of Arts and doctorate at the University of Arizona. He also taught at the University of Arizona and Bowling Green State University. He has published philosophical essays in professional journals and the book “Introducing Apologetics: Cultivating Christian Commitment.” He and his wife, Jennifer, have three adult children: Sarah, Benjamin, and Nathaniel. Jim attends Montecito Covenant Church, and enjoys cooking, playing guitar, reading and walking on Santa Barbara beaches and trails.

Eric Trautwein ’94 practices internal medicine in Santa Barbara and palliative care at Serenity House and Cottage Hospital. He and his wife, alumna Rachel Wilson Trautwein ’96, enrolled in medical school after graduating from Westmont. Eric earned his medical degree from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine and completed his residency program at Cottage Hospital. He serves as a medical director for the largest hospice organization in Santa Barbara County, and cofounded Doctors Assisting Seniors at Home (DASH), which provides in-home medical care to medically frail patients in Santa Barbara. He and Rachel have two daughters, Grace (born 2005) and Lilly (born 2010).

Niva Tro ’85 was born and raised in Culver City, Calif., after his parents emigrated from Havana, Cuba, in 1959. Tro has taught at Westmont since 1990 earning a doctorate in chemistry from Stanford for researching optical techniques to study the adsorption and desorption of molecules in an ultra- high vacuum. He also conducted postdoctoral research on ultrafast reaction dynamics in solution at the University of California, Berkeley. He has been honored as Westmont’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year three times and Outstanding Researcher of the Year. Tro is best known for his chemistry textbooks that are used at more than 600 colleges and universities worldwide and translated into five different languages. A third of all college students taking chemistry today use a textbook authored by Tro.

Allison Trowbridge ’08, author of “Twenty-Two: Letters to a Young Woman Searching for Meaning,” has fought human trafficking and modern- day slavery, first at Not For Sale and then with The Freedom Fund. She was an early partner at Just Business, an impact investment firm addressing the root causes of slavery, and today she advises social enterprises and nonprofits on strategy, branding and partnerships. Trowbridge earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and an MBA at the University of Oxford.

Timothy Tucker ’84, one of the elite high school basketball coaches in Southern California, is executive director for Bourne Inc., a residential treatment center for boys and girls ages 6 to 18 years old in Altadena. He and his business partner took over the non-profit to help provide direction, nurturing, life skills and love for those placed with children services. Tucker, head coach for Pasadena High in 1995-2013 and Maranatha High in 2013-present, has seven CIF finals appearance with three CIF Championships, four All CIF Coach of the Year Awards, and in 2014 was named Southern California Coach of the Year. 

Robin Wainwright ’64, who directed the first Westmont Urban Program in 1969, taught discipleship, evangelism and social ministries at Bethel Theological Seminary in Minnesota. Since 1992, he and his wife, Nancy, have developed ministries throughout the Middle East by working with local church leaders. They founded Middle East Fellowship in 1996, making connections with Christian communities in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine. They organized the Journey of the Magi 2000: A Pilgrimage for Peace, a team that traveled 1,200 miles by foot and camel and arrived in Bethlehem on Christmas Day 2000 to honor the 2,000th birthday of Jesus.

Jon Walker ’91, co-founder and CTO at AppFolio, loves technology and entrepreneurship. AppFolio, which develops software for property managers and lawyers, went public in 2015 thanks to the work of more than 600 employees including many Westmont graduates. He has taught computer science courses as an adjunct professor at Westmont and UC Santa Barbara. Walker, who played basketball at Westmont, coaches the JV boys basketball team at San Marcos High School. He lives in Santa Barbara and enjoys watching his three children, Soren, Kerick and Kaelie, compete in volleyball, basketball and swimming.

Andrea Warren ’96 launched her career while at Westmont in San Francisco (formerly the San Francisco Urban Program), taking an internship in the Walt Disney Pictures art department for the film “James and the Giant Peach.” The South Dakota native joined Pixar Animation Studios in 1998 and has worked on “A Bug’s Life” before serving as an art department coordinator and a digital painter for the Academy Award-winning features “Monsters, Inc.,” and “Finding Nemo.” She was art department manager for the Golden Globe-winning “Cars” and production manager for Academy Award-winning features “WALL•E” and “Brave.” She co-produced “Cars 3,” which has grossed $368 million worldwide.

Laura (Schambers) Watters ’06 graduated from Westmont with a degree in neuroscience and a minor in chemistry. During her obstetrics and gynecology residency, she traveled to rural Guatemala to serve the impoverished population of Santiago Atitlan. In 2014, Laura accepted a private position in Sacramento to serve the area’s MediCal patients. She serves as vice chair of Methodist Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, striving to ensure that patients’ rights and quality of care remain the top priority in the increasing complex health care environment. She lives in Sacramento with her husband, Kyle ’06, whom she met freshman year in Clark Hall.

David Wellik ’09 began a career in banking following a Westmont internship in Santa Barbara. Eventually, he made his way back to his hometown in Ventura, where he is center manager for Citizens Business Bank. He focuses on serving needs of small to midsized businesses in Ventura County. He serves on the Oxnard Boys & Girls Club Board of Director and directs youth services for the Ventura Rotary, where he supports numerous local projects, as well as a housing project in Mexico similar to Potters Clay. Dave and his wife Becka have 3 wonderful children: Blake, Brooklyn, and Brynn.

Sharon Wilcox ’74, a communication and learning specialist, works as a neuro-acoustic therapist, providing specially engineered music to improve the brain’s architecture. She worked as a speech language pathologist and psycho-educational therapist after earning a teaching credential and master’s degree. Her work in the emotional intelligence field led her to be a head coach in business and leadership communication. She also taught at a university. “Regardless of the role,” she says, “I see my work, as Finley Peter Dunne put it, ‘To comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. I am the unseen support, with a servant’s heart and God’s love.’”

Rev. Roy A. Wingerd Jr. ’81 has equipped church leaders in 120 countries through Disciple Making Movements (DMM) to make disciples of Jesus. Winegerd, married to alumna Sheryl Montgomery ‘80, served One Challenge Ministries in Guatemala from 1982-89. He was research director and South Asia coordinator for Dawn Ministries from 1989-2005. In 2005, he founded South Asia Now, and seven years later, partnered with Cityteam International to teach leaders about a simple, sustainable and scalable way to reach people who have not heard of Jesus. These disciples are transforming their own communities and creating movements that are spreading around the globe.

Dave Yuen ’81, director of Kids International Ministries (KIM), works to break the cycle of poverty in the Philippines and around the world. In 2009, his life changed during an NBA Cares trip to Manila with the Miami Heat coaching staff. He witnessed how KIM served about 600 children at an orphanage and a free Christian school. Dave retired from his job in 2014 to raise funds for KIM, which builds homes, distributes food and offers prenatal care throughout the country. As director, he works with other organizations, builds partnerships and coordinates short-term teams in Asia and the U.S.