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 11 books including, “The Shaping of an Effective Leader: Eight Formative Principles of Leadership” and "The Crucibles That Shape Us: Navigating the Defining Challenges 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 nearly $500 million dollars for various projects and new academic programs and added 390,000 square feet in new or renovated facilities on campus and in downtown Santa Barbara. 

David Brooks
New York Times Columnist and Author

Brooks is a New York Times columnist and author of several books, including the #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. His most recent book, "How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen," reflects on the topic of human connection and its importance in today's society. 

“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 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. 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. Dr. Dean was the subject of bestselling author Michael Lewis in The Premonition: A Pandemic Story. The story follows three central characters, one of which is Dr. Dean and details her story of confronting the pandemic. 

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. 

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). 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
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. 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, 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 Behavior; Science & Christian Belief; and Theology and Science.

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