Rebekah Burch Basinger
Director of Program Development, In Trust
In Trust Governance Mentor

Two half-time positions -- program director for In Trust and director of congregational relations with the Brethren in Christ Church -- make Dr. Rebekah Burch Basinger a busy but happy woman. She notes that the opportunity to work with seminaries focuses her on the churches that will be, while the denominational connection grounds her firmly in the church that is.

Basinger has numerous articles on fundraising and board life to her credit, and is the coauthor with Thomas Jeavons of Growing Givers' Hearts: Treating Fundraising as Ministry. She also is the lead author of "The President's Role in Institutional Advancement" in the recently released ATS Handbook for Seminary Presidents.

Basinger holds a B.A. from Trinity College, Illinois, an M.A. in English from Wichita State University, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy studies from Temple University, Philadelphia. She currently serves on the boards of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, MAP International, and Lifeline Women's Shelter.

Delores Brisbon
Chair of Strategic Planning, Eastern University Board of Trustees
In Trust Governance Mentor

Delores F. Brisbon is retired chief operating officer of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Beginning as a head nurse in 1959, she progressed to a nurse supervisor and then to strategic planner before being named to the senior role of chief operating officer.

Shortly after retiring in 1987, Brisbon founded a management consulting business. Her clients have included medical school hospitals, foundations, municipal unions, and municipal departments. Her portfolio has included organizational development and redesign, program and systems design, executive coaching, program advice for bond financing, health care delivery and human resources management, and leadership training. Her experience in governance training for not-for-profit organizations is extensive.

Brisbon has served more than 40 organizations as a director or trustee. Currently, she is a trustee of Eastern University, the Mercy Health System, and the Southeastern Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. She has been recognized as a distinguished graduate of Tuskegee University for her contributions to professional and community leadership.

Brisbon is an elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Previously, she served the Monumental Baptist Church for 30 years, including 10 years as chair of the board of trustees.

George K. Brushaber
President Emeritus, Bethel University
In Trust Governance Mentor

Brushaber served Bethel College and Seminary for 27 years, leading the institution to university status and a name change to Bethel University. Before being called to the presidency, Brushaber served as vice president and chief academic officer at Bethel and at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Brushaber has also had a dual career in religious journalism, including a decade as executive editor and chair of the editorial committee of Christianity Today. He has chaired the Minnesota Private College Council and the Consortium of Minnesota Theological Seminaries, and he has served on various national boards and organizations in higher education and ministry.

Brushaber is an ordained minister of the Baptist General Conference.

Robert E. Cooley
President Emeritus and Chancellor, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
In Trust Governance Mentor

Dr. Robert E. Cooley was president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, from 1981 to 1997, and then became its first chancellor. Prior to his Gordon-Conwell tenure, he taught on the faculties of several Midwestern colleges. In addition to teaching, he held administrative posts ranging from assistant to the president at Dropsie University in Philadelphia to academic dean of Evangel University, and director of the Center for Archaeological Research at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.

Cooley is the past president of the Association of Theological Schools and is a recipient of its Distinguished Service Award. He has given time and energy to the ministry of Christ's church around the world, including the leading of more than 40 workshops on institutional governance and effective trusteeship. He is lead author of "The President's Role in Governance" for the ATS Handbook for Seminary Presidents. He received a Ph.D. in Hebrew studies and Near Eastern archaeology at New York University.

Paul J. Dovre
Chair of the Board of Directors, Luther Seminary
In Trust Governance Mentor

During his 24-year presidency at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, Dr. Paul Dovre was named one of the 100 top chief executive officers in higher education. In 1963, he had joined the theater and communications faculty of the college and later served as dean and academic vice president before being named president in 1975.

An active layman of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Dovre has served as vice chair of the Lutheran Council in the USA, a member of the Commission for a New Lutheran Church, and a member of the ELCA delegation to the Lutheran World Federation Assembly. He co-chaired the ELCA Task Force on Education from 2003 to 2007 and is currently a member of the Regents Candidate Advisory Council for the state of Minnesota and the Minnesota Humanities Commission. He serves on the boards of the Oak Grove Lutheran Schools Foundation and the RDO Company.

Dovre earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Northwestern University, and was granted honorary degrees from Wartburg, Luther, St. Olaf, and Concordia colleges as well as Capital University. He is also co-director of the Lutheran College and University Leadership Program and a hospice volunteer.

John Gilmore
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Princeton Theological Seminary
In Trust Economic Vitality Mentor

John Gilmore has been a vice president at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey since 1999. Previously he worked for nearly 12 years in a similar capacity for Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. Gilmore has practiced law with Gomel & Davis in Atlanta and has worked as a certified public accountant for Crowe, Chizek & Company and Arthur Andersen. He has a law degree from the University of Illinois, a master of divinity degree from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and an undergraduate degree from Manchester College in Indiana. He enjoys sports and music and serves on the board of Princeton Community Housing.

Adolf Hansen
Vice President Emeritus and Senior Scholar, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
In Trust Governance Mentor

After serving as vice president for administration and a member of the faculty at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary for 21 years, the Rev. Adolf Hansen retired, though he continues to teach there. He also serves as Theologian in Residence at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, a congregation of more than 5,500 members in Indianapolis, Indiana. In that capacity he mentors numerous individuals, including 15 members who are currently enrolled in ATS seminaries. Earlier in his career he was a tenured professor and a department chair at the University of Indianapolis.

Hansen has a number of publications to his credit, and he is the lead author of the "Administration and Personnel" chapter in the ATS Handbook for Seminary Presidents. His expertise in governance has emerged from positions he has held in higher education, from leadership he has exercised on numerous boards, from consulting he has carried out, as well as from his research, writing, and teaching.

Hansen holds a bachelor's degree from Taylor University, an M.Div. and S.T.M. from New York Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

Curtis A. Haynes
Vice President for Finance and Operations, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
In Trust Economic Vitality Mentor

The Rev. Curtis A. Haynes has been chief financial officer for the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia for eight years, during which time he has automated the school's accounting systems, financial forecasting and modeling for 3-5 year strategic planning purposes. He has also designed and implemented budget models that continue to be used as ongoing tools for both administration and the board. Prior to joining the seminary, he spent 15 years working for Caesars Atlantic City, ITT/Sheraton, and DuPont in the capacities of either controller or financial manager.

Haynes holds an undergraduate degree in accounting and an M.B.A. in finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University. In May 2005 he received an M.Div. from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and he is now associate minister at Zion Baptist Church in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

Jack Heimbichner
Vice President of Finance, Denver Seminary
In Trust Economic Vitality Mentor

Jack Heimbichner has served as vice president of finance at Denver Seminary since 1993. He directs all business management functions for the $10 million operation, and specifically oversees for auxiliary services, facilities, accounting, technology services, and human resources. During his tenure, the school has more than doubled in size to nearly 900 students and recently constructed a new campus comprised of seven buildings on a 20-acre site in Littleton, Colorado.

Heimbichner has served his peers as chair of the CFO steering committee of Association of Theological Schools, president of the Denver chapter of the Christian Management Association, and finance chair of the Centennial District of the Boy Scouts. Previously he spent 18 years in banking, rising to branch president for two banks of Norwest Banks.

Heimbichner holds a B.S. in business administration from the University of Northern Colorado. He and his wife, Beth, have two grown children and are members of Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

Martha J. Horne
Dean and President Emerita, Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia
In Trust Governance Mentor

Martha Horne served for 13 years as dean and president of the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, the largest of 11 accredited Episcopal seminaries in the United States, having previously served on the faculty for eight years, with a six-year tenure as associate dean. She was president of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada from 1990 to 1992 and has served on several ATS committees and task forces. A member of the executive committee and board of the Washington Theological Consortium for many years, she received its distinguished service award in 2007. She has also served on the boards of many civic, community, and church-related organizations, as well as the boards of an independent school and the National Association of Episcopal schools.

Since retiring in 2007 she has joined the faculty of CREDO, a vocational wellness initiative for clergy and lay leaders in the Episcopal Church. She also serves as dean of ATS leadership development initiatives for presidents of theological schools in the U.S. and Canada and as a research assistant for an Auburn Seminary consultation with two theological schools. She is a frequent speaker and retreat leader for congregations and organizations within the Episcopal Church.

Horne earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University and an M.Div. from the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia. She has received honorary doctorates from three theological schools. Ordained in the Episcopal Church, she served on the staff of two congregations in northern Virginia, where she supervised seminarians in their field education. She is deeply committed to the work of theological education and to excellence in teaching and learning.

Christa R. Klein
President, In Trust Inc.
In Trust Governance Mentor

Historically educated in American Christianity, Dr. Christa Klein values her work with In Trust because it serves the wider church and challenges her to explore how the varied patterns of governance in theological schools contribute to shaping the church's ongoing life. The combination of governance mentoring and her responsibilities as In Trust's president keep her focused on what matters most for seminary leaders. She enjoys working on issues of shared governance, board orientation, and planning for board development. She knows theological education from all sides because of her experience as seminary faculty member, trustee, and administrator.

Over the past 25 years, Klein has worked as an independent consultant on governance and on teaching and learning in theological education with Lilly Endowment Inc., the Bonfils Stanton Trust, the Association of Governing Boards, the Association of Theological Schools, and with several dozen theological seminaries. She is a senior fellow of the Cheswick Center, a research and education trust for study and improvement in nonprofit governance. She holds a bachelor's degree from Valparaiso University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Robert S. Landrebe
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
In Trust Economic Vitality Mentor

Robert S. Landrebe is executive vice president and chief financial officer of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a multidenominational school serving more than 2,000 students on three campuses. About 20 years of his overall professional experience have been devoted to working with nonprofit organizations in financial planning and management. Landrebe has served a variety of college and seminary clients in consulting engagements designed to improve their financial vitality, economic models, and strategic planning. He has been a conference speaker to other chief financial officers at their annual meetings sponsored by the Association of Theological Schools.

As a speaker and In Trust mentor, Landrebe explores with educational leaders and their governing boards methods to improve the "economic engine" in their schools. He holds the office of treasurer on the board of directors for World Relief. In addition, Landrebe serves on the National Association of Evangelicals board of administration and on the board of elders at Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts. His M.B.A. is from DePaul University in Chicago.

G. Douglass Lewis
President Emeritus, Wesley Theological Seminary
Chair of the Board of Directors, In Trust Inc.
In Trust Governance Mentor

Having served 20 years, the Rev. G. Douglass Lewis was named president emeritus of Wesley Seminary in Washington, D.C., upon his retirement in 2002. He helped to transform Wesley's board of trustees and created a program of trustee development for the United Methodist seminaries. Currently he directs a program on Seminary Presidential Leadership for the Association of Theological Schools and consults widely with seminaries in the areas of governance, leadership, strategic planning, and development. He has taught and written in the area of leadership, including a book, Meeting the Moment: Leadership and Well-Being in Ministry.

Lewis was the co-editor of the ATS Handbook for Seminary Presidents. He received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Tennessee, a bachelor of divinity degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School, and a doctorate from Duke University. He was a World Council of Churches Fellow at the University of Hamburg, Germany.

H. Lee Merritt
Vice President for Finance, Fuller Theological Seminary
In Trust Economic Vitality Mentor

H. Lee Merritt has served on Fuller Theological Seminary's administrative staff since 1971. During these years, the seminary's annual enrollment grew from fewer than 400 students to almost 5,000.

At an awards ceremony in which Merritt was honored for his service, seminary president Richard J. Mouw stated, "Lee Merritt has been instrumental in the shaping of our seminary's financial health over these last 35 years. A man of humility, practicality and insight, he has assiduously given strong leadership to Fuller's business and financial management."

Previous to his tenure at Fuller, Merritt worked as a tax auditor for the State of California and a certified public accountant. He holds an undergraduate degree in accounting/business from the University of Colorado. His M.B.A. is from Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California.

William R. Myers
Retired Director of Leadership Education and Accreditation, The Association of Theological Schools
In Trust Governance Mentor

William R. Myers served ATS for eight years, during which time he was instrumental in building its leadership education program for presidents, academic deans, development officers, financial officers, and student services personnel. While at ATS he also staffed accreditation visits, the Henry Luce III Fellowship Program, the Lilly Theological Research Grants Program, and numerous consultations for ATS institutions on degree programs, consortia, and governance.

Myers came to ATS from eighteen years as a faculty member at Chicago Theological Seminary, where he also served as Academic Dean for eight years. Author of several books, Myers is perhaps best known for "Research in Ministry" and "Black and White Styles of Youth Ministry". His most recent book is "Closing the Assessment Loop; Nurturing Healthy, On-Going Self-evaluation in Theological Schools."

Myers holds an educational doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Loyola at Chicago and an MDiv from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Married, with two grown children, he has served in ministry positions in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Illinois. He and his wife, Barbara, currently live in Pittsburgh.

Dorothy S. Ridings
Former Chair of the Board, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
In Trust Governance Mentor

Dorothy S. Ridings has served as a trustee of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary for more than 16 years, including six years as board chair. In 2005, she retired as president and CEO of the Washington-based Council on Foundations, the membership association for grantmaking foundations and corporate giving programs. During her 10 years as president, Ridings was annually named one of the "Power and Influence Top 50" leaders in the nonprofit community, as selected by NonProfit Times magazine. She regularly lobbied the White House, the IRS, and Congress and offered expert testimony before Congress on many governance issues concerning nonprofits.

Before joining the Council on Foundations, Ridings' professional career was as a journalist, working as a newspaper reporter and editor in Charlotte, Louisville and Washington and as a daily newspaper publisher in Bradenton, Florida. She holds a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University, a master's degree from the University of North Carolina, and several honorary doctorates.

Ridings' interest in governance was piqued early, as a young mother who became active in the League of Women Voters, and she served as national president of the League in the early 1980s. She has served on the boards of the Ford and Benton foundations and numerous nonprofit civic organizations, and on national accrediting councils for journalism schools and law schools.

Eugene F. Roop
President Emeritus and Wieand Professor Emeritus, Bethany Theological Seminary
In Trust Governance Mentor

Eugene Roop served for 38 years as professor of biblical studies and for 15 years as president of Bethany Theological Seminary. When he came to the presidency, the seminary was facing a financial crisis. Roop led the school's relocation from the western suburbs of Chicago into a partnership with the Earlham School of Religion and Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. As a result, when he retired, Bethany had a longstanding balanced budget and an endowment capable of supporting half the school's annual operating expenses. A shared, centuries-long peace witness in both the Church of the Brethren and the Religious Society of Friends, together with a similar philosophy of ministry education, enabled Bethany and Earlham to design a cooperative academic program that maintained the distinctive character of each tradition. Convinced of the value of a strong board of trustees, Roop frequently brought trustees to In Trust's seminars to increase the board's effectiveness in institutional governance and fund development.

Roop is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren. He has served on many institutional boards, including boards overseeing higher education, study-abroad programs and the Human Rights Commission. While much of his writing has been focused on understanding and interpreting biblical narrative, Roop also has published books in teaching, stewardship, and prayer. He holds a bachelor's degree in history and education and a D.D. from Manchester College, an M.Div. from Bethany Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from the Claremont Graduate University.

Tracy Schier
Director, Institute for Administrators in Catholic Higher Education, Boston College
In Trust Governance Mentor

Dr. Tracy Schier is cofounder of the Institute for Administrators in Catholic Higher Education at Boston College. She has a background in higher education, having served as a senior administrator, faculty member, and trustee. She has served as consultant to Lilly Endowment Inc. since 1986 and is founding editor/writer of Initiatives in Religion. Currently she writes a series of interviews for the Endowment's Web site, www.resourcingchristianity.org, and is the evaluator for a number of colleges and universities that have received Lilly grants for programs that encourage religious vocations.

Schier directed the Project on Colleges Founded by Women Religious at Yale University that resulted in the book Catholic Women's Colleges in America (ed. Schier and Russett, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002). She maintains an active consulting practice in strategic planning and board development and evaluation and has served over 50 institutions and organizations in 15 states. She is a graduate and trustee emerita of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and holds master's degrees from Ohio University and Rivier College and a Ph.D. in the history and philosophy of higher education from Boston College.

Randall Thomann
Former Executive Vice President for Business Affairs, Bethel University
In Trust Governance Mentor

Randall Thomann has served in the faith-based, nonprofit community for over 35 years. During that time he worked on the accounting staff of an international Christian missionary organization and spent approximately 18 years in public accounting focused on the nonprofit sector. Most of that time was with CapinCrouse, LLP, a CPA firm that specializes in the nonprofit arena throughout the United States and internationally.

For the past 18 years, Thomann served in finance and administrative roles in Christian higher education and ministry with eleven years as Executive Vice President for Business Affairs at Bethel University (formerly Bethel College & Seminary) in St. Paul, Minnesota. Now retired, he continues to work in part time and volunteer activities.

Thomann is currently on the Board of Directors of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and chairs the Standards Committee for ECFA. He is also providing consulting support for the Latin America region (in Quito, Ecuador) of a US based ministry organization.

David L. Tiede
President Emeritus, Luther Seminary
In Trust Governance Mentor

The Rev. David Tiede holds the Bernard M. Christensen Chair in Religion and Vocation at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. He served Luther Seminary for 35 years as professor of New Testament, including 18 years as president of the school. An ordained pastor, he is past president of the Association of Theological Schools and a consultant for Auburn Seminary's "Leadership That Works" research project.