Dr. Kara Lyons-Pardue has taught New Testament and Greek courses at Point Loma Nazarene University since 2011. Dr. Lyons-Pardue earned her Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary and an M.Div. from Nazarene Theological Seminary. Her research interests in the Gospels, particularly Mark, and women in Scripture combined in her 2020 book Gospel Women and the Long Ending of Mark (T&T Clark). She contributed the commentary on Philemon in the New Beacon Bible Commentary on Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon. Dr.

Dr. Rebecca Laird teaches Christian formation and pastoral ministry courses. She had a first career in publishing while she was actively involved in urban church planting in San Francisco. An ordained minister, she has served churches in New Jersey and California and led more than 40 spiritual retreats. She has written or co-written seven books including Ordained Women in the Church of the Nazarene: The First Generation and four books on the writings of Henri Nouwen: Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Direction, Discernment, and The Heart of Henri Nouwen.

Dr. Brad E. Kelle, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, has served at PLNU since 2004. His academic work focuses on the Old Testament prophets, warfare in ancient Israel, trauma studies, moral injury, and the history of ancient Israel and Judah.

Dr. John Wu has taught at PLNU since 2001 in the developmental and clinical areas of psychology. His research interests center on improving relational satisfaction and stability. Prior to joining PLNU, Wu worked for over a decade in university counseling centers, providing counseling to undergraduate and graduate students at UCSD and Northeastern University. He received his master's and doctorate degrees in counseling and consulting psychology from Harvard University.

Dr. Diana Sjostrom has 32 years of experience in private practice treating people struggling with depression, anxiety, and stress-related illnesses. She also has been counseling couples, families, and pre-marital relationships. Sjostrom is a certified bioenergetic analyst; she understands how the body is the outer expression of the unconscious and how this can be related to health and relationship issues in marriage. She works with individuals and couples to find resolution to unresolved emotional and thinking conflicts.

Dr. Kim Schaeffer has served in PLNU's Department of Psychology since 1989, as department chair from 1996 to 2001 and acting-chair during 2006. He completed his Ph.D. in biological psychology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and his Ph.D. equivalent in clinical psychology from Oklahoma State University (OSU). Prior to joining PLNU, Schaeffer completed his clinical psychology internship at the VA Medical Center in Memphis, TN.

Dr. Joel Sagawa is a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY 23683) who began at PLNU in 2016. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology and master’s degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. Prior to joining PLNU, Dr. Sagawa worked in college mental health for nearly 10 years, proving psychological services at Azusa Pacific University and the University of Southern California. Dr. Sagawa’s areas of interest include character formation, Christian spirituality, and integrative psychotherapy.

Dr. Ross Oakes Mueller began teaching at PLNU in 2007. He is married to Dr. Kendra Oakes Mueller, with whom he has four children: Nolan, Nash, Nora, and North. His research and teaching interests lie in the domain of moral psychology and character development. He and Dr. Leffel currently advise students who research the formation of virtues, including gratitude and empathy, among others.