Fresno Pacific University Speakers Bureau

The Fresno Pacific University Speakers Bureau is a group of faculty, staff and administrators who:

  • Represent FPU well
  • Integrate faith and learning
  • Are experts in their respective fields
  • Consider it a privilege to represent FPU to a service group/church/nonprofit organization/news media/business organization

Each member of the bureau has been nominated by a university leader and has agreed to participate. For any questions or to coordinate contact with members of the Speakers Bureau, please contact Wayne Steffen, associate director of publications and media relations, at 559-453-3677 or Wayne.steffen@fresno.edu.

Schools of the university

The School of Business

  • Suzana Dobric Veiss, Ph.D., assistant professor, business and LEAD program director, on leadership
  • Catherine Peck CPA, assistant professor of business, on accounting and non-profit/church accounting
  • Benjamin Smith, M.A., instructor of business, on applied microeconomics, poverty, behavioral economics and development economics

The School of Education

  • Douglas S. Bartsch, M.A., associate dean, on the power of conversation in an electronically connected world, positive discipline for parents, positive discipline for teachers and schools, coaching employees and colleagues to successful performance, teambuilding and developing shared vision, cooperative learning for student engagement
  • Gary Gramenz, Ph.D., dean, on kingdom work while doing work

The School of Humanities, Religion & Social Sciences

  • Darren Duerksen, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the intercultural and religious studies program, on interfaith dialogue, global Christianity and Islam, world religions and missions
  • Ron Herms, Ph.D., dean, on preaching; biblical studies; pastoral leadership and theology; apocalyptic literature, film and thought; the Book of Revelation; Jesus and the kingdom of God; Paul’s theology; perspectives on Paul
  • Melanie Howard, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the biblical & theological studies program, on preaching; diversity, gender and inclusion; biblical studies; New Testament Gospels; women and the Bible
  • Quentin P. Kinnison, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the Christian ministry and leadership program, on preaching, pastoral leadership, theology of disability and able-ness, church consulting, theology, urban ministry, leading change
  • Eleanor Nickel, Ph.D., professor and director of the English program, on C.S. Lewis and Christian popular culture
  • Jay Pope, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, on reconciliation/forgiveness, psychological and spiritual health of pastors and leaders
  • Brian Schultz, Ph.D., associate professor of biblical and theological studies, on preaching, biblical studies, ancient and modern Israel, learning Biblical Hebrew and the Dead Sea Scrolls

The School of Natural Sciences

  • Ken Cheung, Ph.D., professor and director of the chemistry program, on using waste products to create energy sources
  •  Donald Diboll, Ph.D., associate professor of kinesiology, on what is kinesiology, exercise as medicine, kinesiology programs at FPU, exercise and fitness related to health including the Exercise is Medicine health care initiative, training for sport performance, qualities of good movement (a.k.a. functional movement) including range of motion, strength and neuromuscular coordination. 
  • Michael Kunz, Ph.D., professor and director of the environmental science and environmental studies programs, on the Sierra Nevada, John Muir, Christian stewardship of the environment and shalom
  • Andrew Sensenig, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the biology program, on spiderwebs, invertebrates, creepy crawly things, stewardship of God's creation and shalom, evolutionary biology and religious perspectives on origins

Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary

  • Mark Baker, Ph.D., professor and director of the theology and intercultural studies program, on theology
  • Brian Ross, D.Min., associate professor and director of the Christian ministry, master of divinity and ministry leadership and culture programs, on topics related to the church and culture
  • Lynn Jost, Ph.D., professor and director of the Old Testament program, director of the Center for Anabaptist Studies, on peace and nonviolence, 1-2 Kings, the biblical basis for justice, how Christians can read the Old Testament, how the Hebrew Bible shaped the mission of Jesus

Divisions of the university

Athletics

  • Athletics and related subjects such as faith and learning
    • C.J. Haydock, M.A., head men’s basketball coach, on personal strengths, servant leadership, building culture, on teamwork and transforming broken institutions
    • Jaime Ramirez, M.A., head men’s soccer coach
    • Ray Winter, Ph.D., head men’s and women’s cross country/track coach
  • Experts on their respective sports

Office of Spiritual Formation & Diversity

  • Brian Davis, M.A., campus pastor, on spiritual formation, Christian spirituality

Regional campuses

Campus Life

  • Jesse Torres, Ed.D., interim associate dean of campus life, on success for residential, commuter, low-income, first-generation, historically underrepresented students; parents; high school students considering college; college costs; how Christian higher education changes lives