Gayle D. Beebe

Gayle Beebe

Gayle D. Beebe, Ph.D.
Westmont President

Westmont president since 2007, Beebe has spent more than a quarter century in higher education. He has authored or edited more than 40 articles and 10 books including, “The Shaping of an Effective Leader: Eight Formative Principles of Leadership.” Leading unprecedented growth at Westmont while facing significant challenges, he has loved attracting new resources to build out the campus, developing new academic and co-curricular programs, and pursuing the next horizon. Under Beebe’s leadership the college has raised more than $400 million dollars for various projects and added 390,000 square feet in new or renovated facilities on campus and in downtown Santa Barbara. He received master’s degrees in divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, in philosophy of religion and theology from Claremont Graduate University, and in business administration in strategic management from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University. He completed a Doctor of Philosophy in the philosophy of religion and theology at Claremont Graduate University.

David Brooks

David Brooks author

David Brooks
New York Times Columnist and Author

Brooks is the New York Times columnist and author of a of a number of books including the two #1 New York Times Bestsellers, The Road to Character and The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life. Brooks is one of America’s most prominent political and social commentators. He writes a bi-weekly, op-ed column for the New York Times and regularly appears on PBS News Hour and National Public Radio’s All Things Considered.

“Westmont has become my home away from home…and the kind of conversations that we have here, the kind of people I’ve gotten a chance to be with year after year have become valuable to me.” - David Brooks

Charity Dean

Charity Dean

Charity Dean MD, MPH&TM
CEO and Co-Founder of The Public Health Company

As CEO and Co-Founder of The Public Health Company, Dean which brings together the best expertise in public health disease control with private sector tech innovation to build autonomous disease control decision capabilities in scalable software. Prior to this, she was the Assistant Director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and part of the executive leadership team directing California’s strategy and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Dean served as Co-Chair of the California Testing Task Force which successfully executed a strategy to rapidly scale up COVID-19 testing and exceeded the Governor’s goal of 60,000 diagnostic tests per day, reaching over 100,000 tests per day in under 12 weeks. In her role with CDPH, Dr. Dean provided strategic direction and oversight for the Center for Health Care Quality and led public health and healthcare policy development and implementation to benefit all Californians. Dean completed an M.D. at Tulane University School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. 

Kim Battle-Walters Denu

Kim Denu

Kim Battle-Walters Denu, Ph.D.
Provost and Dean of Faculty, Westmont College

Kim Denu has more than 25 years experience in executive leadership in Christian higher education. Previously, Kim worked as vice president for educational programs for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C. She spent much of her career at Azusa Pacific University as vice president and chief diversity officer. A two-time Fulbright alumna, she has conducted research projects in South Africa and Ethiopia. She has published in the areas of African-American issues, women and family matters, leadership, welfare reform and international relations. She speaks on these topics at various national and international forums and conferences. In addition to serving on local and national committees and boards, Kim has taught undergraduate and graduate students on five continents. As a professor and a scholar, she seeks to model a life of service outside the academy. Kim earned a Doctor of Philosophy in sociology at the University of Florida, a Master of Social Work from Temple University and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology at Vanguard University. 

Marcus "Goodie" Goodloe

Lead Where You Stand Conference Goodie Goodloe

Marcus "Goodie" Goodloe, Ph.D.
Speaker, Author, MLK Jr Scholar, Leadership Development Consultant

Goodie Goodloe travels the country mentoring students, educators, business professionals, athletes, entertainers, and faith communities about cultural and interpersonal relationships, leadership, character formation and faith. He has written three books: “King Maker: Applying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Leadership Lessons in Working with Athletes and Entertainers” (2015), “Habits: Six Steps to the Art of Influence” (2017), and his most recent “The Next Level: Growing with God … in His word, your walk, and your worship” (2022). He earned a doctorate of philosophy with an emphasis on leadership and social movement theory from Dallas Baptist University. Goodloe’s research examined the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his work with athletes and entertainers during the Civil Rights Movement. 

Matthew Luhn

Matthew Luhn

Matthew Luhn
Disney/Pixar Veteran behind Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo and more
Fortune 500 Storytelling Consultant
Award-Winning Writer & Director

Matthew Luhn is a master of the art, practice, and business applications of storytelling. A writer, animator, director, author, and sought-after speaker, he draws upon his 25-year career working on The Simpsons and Disney/Pixar blockbusters including Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, Cars, Up, and Ratatouille to help audiences sharpen their storytelling skills for business success [and embrace new technologies as a catalyst for innovation.] Matthew also works with Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, and others to craft and tell stories that bridge the gap between business and heart—building stronger brands and more impactful business communications. 

Jeff Schloss

Jeff Schloss 2010

Jeff Schloss, Ph.D.
T.B. Walker Professor of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Director, Center for Faith, Ethics and Life Sciences

Schloss, whose Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology is from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, often speaks to public, church-related, and secular academic audiences on the intersection of biology and faith. Among his many academic publications are The Believing Primate: Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Reflections on the Origin of Religion (Oxford University Press), which he edited with philosopher Michael Murray. Schloss has also participated in a number of invitational collaborations on topics in evolutionary biology, emphasizing various aspects of what it means to be human, hosted by several universities, including Cambridge, Edinburgh, Emory, Harvard, Heidelberg, Oxford, and Stanford. He has held fellowships at Notre Dame’s Center for Philosophy of Religion, St. Anne’s College Oxford, and Princeton’s Center for Theological Inquiry, and serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Religion, Brain, and BehaviorScience & Christian Belief; and Theology and Science.

Reed Sheard

Vice President Reed Sheard

Reed Sheard, Ed.D.
Vice President of College Advancement
Chief Information Officer

Reed Sheard graduated from the University of Sioux Falls, earned a masters of divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in higher education leadership from Seattle University. He joined Westmont in 2008 after serving at Spring Arbor University in Michigan as a Vice President and CIO. Sheard serves as the vice president for college advancement as well as on the executive team of Westmont College. Sheard has authored articles on innovation and technology, digital transformation, and AI in nonprofit fundraising. He serves on numerous boards, most recently the Higher Education practice group of the CIO Executive Council, CIO Innovation Council at Salesforce, along with chairing the AI in Advancement Advisory Council. In 2015 he was named one of the top 100 CIOs in North America by ITG/Computerworld.

Lead Where You Stand draws upon speakers representing a range of industries and disciplines to provide thought-provoking content and suggest practical application to all leaders addressing perennial challenges and meeting new opportunities. As an attendee, you can anticipate insights for effective and morally grounded leadership. 

David Brooks Lead Where You Stand

To learn more about the Lead Where You Stand conference, contact lead@westmont.edu