SNU's History, Vision & Values

Dr. Stephoni Case has served as Director of the Master’s in Educational Leadership and the Director of the Doctor of Education in Administration and Leadership at SNU since 2014 and 2018. Her commitment to building strong education leaders runs deep,and she has experienced growth and professional success with learners in the Master’s program. Dr. Case also led the way to launch the Doctor of Education in Administration and Leadership (DEAL) in the Spring of 2019. With the help of an incredible group of leaders in higher education, she welcomed more than 100 students into their doctoral journey in the program’s first year.

Outside of the classroom Dr. Case is an active member in the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and National Education Finance Association (NEFA). Her research agenda of intersections of religiosity and decision making, as well as culture and school finance.

Dr. Case brings a variety of experience to our students serving as:

- Assistant Professor in English at SNU from 1992 - 2009

- Program Director and Instructor for The Center for School Business Management at Oklahoma State University from 2010 - 2014

-  SNU Professor and Program Director for Master's in Educational Leadership (MAEL) (since 2014- to present)

- Program Director for Doctor of Education in Administration and Leadership (DEAL) (since 2018 -to present)

scase@mail.snu.edu 

Dr. Scott Drabenstot joined the faculty of SNU in Fall 2013. Scott completed his pre-doctoral internship with the Northeastern Oklahoma Pre-doctoral Internship in Psychology (NOPIP) at the Indian Health Care Resource Center in Tulsa, OK and his doctoral training at University of Oklahoma. Prior to completing his doctoral program he worked as a Licensed Professional Counselor in community mental health agencies in the Oklahoma City metro area. Scott enjoys playing trumpet, being outdoors, and spending time with his family. Scott and his wife, Kym, live in Mustang with their three children.

Scott's research interests include developmental approaches to positive psychology in children, adults, and families.

Scott Drabenstot shares his love of research by serving as a McNair Scholar faculty mentor, and overseeing both undergraduate and graduate thesis. He recently contributed to a book chapter that should be published next year. He also serves as a member of the Oklahoma County Indian Child Welfare Act Post-Adjudication Review Board (ICWA-PARB).

Education:
PhD – Counseling Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, August 2009 – December 2013.
Predoctoral Intership -- Northeastern Oklahoma Predoctoral Internship Program (NOPIP) Consortium.
Certificate -- Interdisciplinary Training Program in Child Abuse and Neglect, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Program, Oklahoma City, OK, August 2011 - May 2012
MS – Counseling Psychology, Southern Nazarene University, Bethany, OK, September 2001 - December 2003
BS – Chemistry, Southern Nazarene University, Bethany, Oklahoma, August 1995 – May 1999

sdrabens@mail.snu.edu 

Dr. Anne Ghost Bear treasures her work at Southern Nazarene University and has served as the Tulsa Campus Director since 2002. She is a Professor and provides academic support for SNU's Criminal Justice degree program. As SNU-Tulsa Director, Anne loves her close work with home campus colleagues as she oversees on-site operational and facility functions and implements or supports academic functions. She is passionate about working with adult learners, adjunct faculty, and her talented teammates. Anne is also the Home Campus Liaison, Weather Person, Security Officer, Equipment Mover, Mail Pickup/Deliverer, and occasional handy person, so the variety and element of surprise that each day at a satellite campus can bring is what she describes as fun!

Anne is thankful for very meaningful work representing SNU on the Greenwood Cultural Center Board of Directors (Education and Strategic Planning committees). She also enjoys her work on the Family Hope House Board of Directors and with the National Association of Branch Campus Administrators, Council of Oklahoma Extended Campus Administrators, and the Christian Adult Higher Education Association.

Anne and her husband, John, have three extraordinary grown children and four perfect grandchildren. A cradle Episcopalian whose father was an Episcopal bishop, Anne and John love their long-term involvement in their St. Luke's Tulsa Episcopal Church family.

aghostbe@snu.edu 

Upon completing my Masters degree, I began my professional career at Eastern Nazarene College where I served as a faculty member and Head Athletic Trainer for 20 years.  My service experience includes working as an athletic trainer for the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center, the Pan Am Games, the Olympic Games, the US Figure Skating Championships and the Boston Marathon.  I also served for many years as a Drug Control Officer for USADA and WADA.  These experiences have provided great insight into national and international sporting events. While living in the Boston area, I completed my doctorate at Boston University. Since coming to SNU in 2001, I have served as a faculty member, Athletic Training program director, Department Chair, Dean and now as Chair of Graduate Programs in Rehabilitation and Sport Sciences which include the Master of Arts in Sport Management and Administration and the Master of Science in Exercise Science.

sgoodman@snu.edu 

Christiana Horn graduated in 2020 from the University of Oklahoma with a Ph.D. in Adult and Higher Education. Following graduation, she worked as an adjunct at OU, teaching adult education courses, while also working at the K20 Center for Community and Educational Renewal at OU. In that role she worked with school leaders and teachers across the state organizing and leading college campus tours and lessons. At the K20 Center she was worked with student scholar recipients, a school leadership workshop, various grants, and center budgeting. Christiana has taught bachelors, first-year experience courses as well as masters, and doctorate courses and presented at state and national conferences. In her role at Southern Nazarene University, she works with doctoral students in the DEAL program where she assists in the development of their research and completion of their degree. Her research interests include university research centers, leadership, women in graduate education, and first-year experience.

chorn@snu.edu 

As a life-long educator, Dr. Houston brings 20+ years of higher education experience to the Master of Leadership program at SNU. As the program developer and director, Dr. Houston seeks to help learners journey through a graduate leadership program that takes a different approach to leadership education and training. He believes that leadership is rooted in a love for others and that the principles of Imago Dei govern our influence and relationships with others.

Prior to coming to Southern Nazarene University, Dr. Houston has served in various positions in Student Life at Azusa Pacific University and Pepperdine University in southern California, and Seattle Pacific University in Washington state. Dr. Houston is passionate about helping learners understand more about who they are, and how they may have an impactful influence on those around them.

Dr. Houston's research interests are technology, distraction and the impacts on student learning, and innovative leadership practices.  He also models healthy leadership by walking alongside his wife of 20+ years and fellow educator, Tara, as they parent their two boys, Caleb and Nathan.

Dr. Hutchings-Wedel has served as the Director of Organizational Leadership at SNU since 1989. Prior to SNU Dr. Wedel served as the Staff Development and Training Coordinator at Oklahoma City Clinic, Professor of Communication at Northwest Nazarene University, and a speech teacher at Western Oaks Jr. High. 

 Alongside guiding SNU graduates to their future careers, Dr. Wedel has served on the Governing Board for Christian Adult Higher Education Association (CAHEA) and is a Zig Ziglar Certified Trainer.

Her husband has been a senior pastor in the Church of the Nazarene for over 40 years and is now retired. One of her greatest joys is getting to be Meme to her granddaughter and grandsons. A favorite scripture is Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” God is a faithful and powerful presence and is anxious to reveal marvelous and amazing truths to us...we just must listen and receive!

chutchin@mail.snu.edu 

I have worked with SNU for most of my adult professional life. Through the years, I have held various positions and been blessed to have learned much from colleagues and learners alike. I have been provided immeasurable opportunities and have made many cherished memories. In many respects, higher education and SNU has truly become my home away from home. I believe that the gift of working in higher education has certainly been a worthwhile place for me to invest a full measure of my life. In my world away from SNU, one will find a loving husband, grown children, grandchildren, extended family, and many precious friends.

There is a thought that I treasure that has influenced me deeply by John Wesley. Wesley is attributed to having cultivated the idea of faith-mentoring pairs and twin souls in relation to the spiritual journey. It has been written that John Wesley "discovered what Italian author Lucian de Crescenzo knew: 'We are, each of us angels with only one wing, and we can fly embracing each other'" (Tracy, 2003, p. 19). In our mission in higher education, we have the privilege and great honor to come alongside our adult learners for only a short season but it is my earnest prayer that in our season together, we will help our learners find their other wing and be provided the opportunity to fly.

djoiner@snu.edu 

Dr. Paul Jones became Director of the Graduate Program in Counseling in 2012 and began teaching at SNU in 2008. Prior to joining the SNU faculty, he completed his doctoral internship with the Oklahoma Health Consortium and a postdoctoral fellowship with University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Student Counseling Services. He is licensed in the state of Oklahoma as a Health Service Psychologist and served for four years as the Executive Director of the Life Counseling Center, SNU’s community mental health center and training clinic for the Graduate Programs in Counseling.

Dr. Jones’s research interests include the integration of psychology, philosophy, and Wesleyan theology. He is particularly interested in the role of ethics and virtue theory as it relates to clinical practice. In addition, he is interested in the theory and application of relational psychoanalysis and attachment theory.

pajones@mail.snu.edu 

Melissa Lewis is a proud graduate of Southern Nazarene University (‘93) and joined the SNU faculty in 1999. Following the completion of her B.S. in Viola and Piano Performance, she completed a Master’s and Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Viola Performance. After teaching for 19 years in the School of Music, Melissa transitioned to Professional and Graduate Studies in fall 2018 as the General Education director for Professional Studies programs and currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for PGS. Continuing a lifelong goal of being a “perpetual student,” Melissa completed an Ed.D. in Education and Administrative Leadership from S.N.U. in 2021 and has focused her research on the use of social power in adult education environments.

Melissa is married to Chuck and is the proud mom of Natalie, who shares her mom's love of music and baking.

mlewis@snu.edu 

Dr. Marsee joined the SNU faculty in 2019. He currently serves as the Associate Vice President for the Center for Learning and Innovation. In this role he strategically leads the CLI as the department provides instructional design support and delivery of quality online and face-to-face learning. Dr. Marsee also serves as a Professor and Director of the MS in IDT program. Prior to coming to SNU he served in various capacities in higher education including Academic Dean, Program Director, and Director of Online Education.

Dr. Marsee and his wife live in Ohio. They have two adult children and one grandchild. He is also an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene and has led church ministries in Ohio and Michigan. He continues to be involved in the local church and prison ministry.

B.A., 1996, Asbury University

M.A., 1998, Asbury Theological Seminary

Ph.D., 2016, Capella University

smarsee@mail.snu.edu 

Loren is the Program Director for the Physical Therapist Assistant program. She graduated from SNU with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology in 2011. She earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Northwestern University (Chicago, IL) in 2014. She returned to SNU in 2016 as a full-time professor. Since then, Loren has continued to work in outpatient clinics, rural hospitals, and her own private practice at Andiamo Physical Therapy, PLLC.

lmartin@mail.snu.edu 

Shawn Pendley graduated from The University of Oklahoma in 2015 with a PhD in the History of Education (Intellectual History). His previous professional experience includes academic manuscript editor, high school English teacher, summer college instructor for Upward Bound/TRIO at Oklahoma City Community College, and Assistant Professor of English Literature and Chair of Humanities and Sciences at Southwestern Christian University. He has served as the Academic Chair of the Oklahoma Educational Studies Association, Session Chair for the AERA 2017 Annual Meeting, and has served in a number of ways for the Society of Philosophers and Historians of Education (SOPHE). He was a major contributor to The Encyclopedia of the Social and Cultural Foundations of Education (2008) and edited Susan Laird’s seminal intellectual biography of Mary Wollstonecraft titled, Mary Wollstonecraft: Philosophical Mother of Coeducation (2008). He is currently a member of the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church. 

He designed the Organizational History and Development module and has taught several other courses here at SNU for the DEAL program. His passion is helping doctoral students conceptualize their research, and he views his work as a form of mentorship. The purpose of the DEAL program is to build a community of scholar-leaders, and communities are built up from personal relationships.

Dr. Pendley’s research interests include education in classical antiquity, first century epistolary pedagogy, supporting and retaining doctoral students, and late acquisition of critical reading and writing skills among adult learners.

spendley@mail.snu.edu 

Shawna Richardson graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2014 with a doctorate degree in Education Administration. Following graduation, she assisted doctoral students in the development of their dissertations and dissertation proposals. She edited manuscripts for content, organization, APA style, and structure to ensure that each student was effectively prepared for their dissertation proposal hearing or dissertation defense. She taught courses at OSU as an adjunct professor in 2016 and then accepted a full-time position as a Visiting Assistant Professor from 2016-2017. She has taught masters and doctoral courses in education administration and research, served on dissertation committees, collaborated with colleagues on written manuscripts for education journals and presentations at national conferences, and most recently, contributed as a coauthor in the development of a dissertation proposal manual. In her role at Southern Nazarene University, she has the opportunity to work with the doctoral program to assist learners in the development and COMPLETION of their doctoral degrees! Her research interests include teacher retention and attrition, school and organizational culture, and supporting and retaining doctoral students. 

srichardson19@mail.snu.edu 

Scott Secor graduated with his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Oklahoma in May 2018. He completed his dissertation on the interaction between sexual assault, posttraumatic stress disorder, and negative health outcomes and has published one peer reviewed journal article and three book chapters.

Dr. Secor completed his pre-doctoral Clinical Psychology internship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, working specifically at the VA Medical Center and Children’s Hospital. He completed rotations in Trauma and Deployment Recovery, Clinical Neuropsychology, Substance Treatment and Recovery, and Health Psychology at the VA Hospital. At the Children’s Hospital, he completed rotations in the Pediatric Assessment Clinic and in the Childhood Obesity Multidisciplinary Clinic. He is a licensed Health Service Psychologist in the state of Oklahoma. He is also a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor Approved Supervisor in the state of Oklahoma. He was a clinic supervisor at the University of Oklahoma’s Counseling Psychology Clinic for two years and was a counselor at the OU Health Sciences Center Student Counseling Center. Currently, he practices at SNU’s Renew Counseling Center seeing children, adults, and couples. In addition, he conducts neuropsychological assessment for both adults and children at the clinic.

Dr. Secor is the Director of Clinical Training for the Graduate Programs in Counseling at SNU and is an Assistant Professor. He has been an instructor in SNU’s Graduate Programs in Counseling since 2012. He currently teaches Introduction to Counseling, Professional Orientation, Marital and Family Systems Theories, Theories and Techniques of Counseling II, Psychological and Career Assessment, and Neuropsychopharmacology. He also teaches Sport Psychology in SNU’s Master of Science in Exercise Science program. In addition, Dr. Secor oversees all clinical activities for SNU counseling graduate students in both the Bethany and Tulsa campuses.

ssecor@mail.snu.edu 

Kent Shellenberger, Ed.D, Oklahoma State University, is a career educator with 45 years of professional experiences in common and higher education.  He currently serves as an instructor in the traditional and graduate SNU programs.  His career path includes:  classroom teacher, principal, superintendent of schools and university instructor.  Dr. Shellenberger’s professional involvement includes:  active state involvement as the elected member of the American Association of School Administrators’ governing board and Oklahoma Federal Relations Representative; member of the State Superintendent Advisory Council; Legislative Liaison for United Suburban Schools Association; Cooperative Council of School Administrators (CCOSA) Innovative Leadership Academy and a governor appointed board member of the Oklahoma Educational Quality and Accountability Commission (OEQA) and the Specials Needs’ Task Force Legislative Committee.  Dr. Shellenberger’s dissertation was “PRINCIPALS’ AND TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF LEADER SUCCESSION IN SELECTED PUBLIC SCHOOLS.”  He has been involved with course development and instructional experiences at both the traditional and graduate level.  He has been a presenter at the First Year Superintendent’s Academy and breakout facilitator of OSSBA/CCOSA annual convention.  He also authored quarterly articles for Better Schools while president of CCOSA, OASA and Federal Relations Representative.  Dr. Shellenberger was recognized as Oklahoma State Superintendent of the Year and is a member of the Oklahoma Educator’s Hall of Fame.

kshellen1@snu.edu 

Professor Jeff Slattery has served at SNU since 2020 as the Title III Program Director for Computer Science. Jeff brings a wide variety of experience into classroom providing exceptional future career development for SNU professional and graduate students.

Prior to serving at SNU Jeff:
Vice President: Infra Tech Lead Analyst 09/2014 - Citigroup | Irving TX
• Utilize MS Project to schedule, track and coordinate global cross-functional projects (PMP certification in process)
• Coordinate end-to-end pilot testing and certification of OS code versions for Cisco, Nexus and Arista network devices
• Migrating and standardizing the Systematic Trading Infrastructure of 700+ devices to CTI.
• Served as a Level 3 Network engineer troubleshooting, resolving and implementing 200+
ServiceNow Incident and Change tickets per year
• Administrator for ServiceNow, Trellis, HPNA, and NetBrain
• Complete process re-engineering projects to increase efficiency by 50% saving time and resources
• Utilize NetBrian to complete network diagrams and automation efforts
• Schedule, coordinate and obtain full change approval for CTI and STI network devices (35k globally)

jslattery@mail.snu.edu 

Dr. Leah Spurlock has served at SNU since January of 2023 in the Physical Therapist Assistant program. She brings real-world experience to this program as a currently practicing physical therapist, specifically in the world of pediatrics. Through her time as a practicing clinician, she works with children of all ages and abilities. She also has clinical experience in other settings, including acute care, school-based services, and orthopedics. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Administration and Leadership (Ed.D.) from SNU.

lspurlock@mail.snu.edu

Dr. Keith Toles Jr. is an Assistant Professor at Southern Nazarene University in the College of Professional and Graduate Studies. His areas of speciality are strategy, entrepreneurship, and business administration. He is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. Prior to joining the SNU faculty, he operated his businesses full-time, and worked in the financial services and information technology industries. Dr. Toles is always looking for his next business venture and has founded businesses in the sports apparel, marketing, transportation, online retail, and lawn & landscape industries. He also consults for small startup companies in the Oklahoma City metro area.

Dr. Toles holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Master of Ministry degree, both from Mid-America Christian University, and completed a Doctor of Business Administration degree in Strategy & Innovation from Capella University.

Rev. Dr. Keith Toles Jr. is a licensed and ordained Baptist minister. He serves as the Youth & Young-Adult Pastor at Greater Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church. Dr. Toles also serves as a member of One Church, One Child’s Board of Directors. He resides in Newcastle, Oklahoma with his wife, La’Keesha, who also teaches at SNU.

Dr. Toles played collegiate basketball and still loves playing to this day. In his spare time he likes spending time with family, watching Law & Order: SVU, and rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers.

He has a great zeal for teaching business courses and helping students become one step closer to completing their degree. His purpose in teaching at SNU is to help students develop a deeper understanding of business. Business helps construct ways to understand and analyze the world. Dr. Toles believes the SNU environment not only helps to achieve academic goals but develop Christian business leaders.

Hobbies or fun facts: Hobbies: playing basketball, watching Law & Order: SVU, and rooting on the Los Angeles Lakers/ Fun Fact: I have a Pomeranian dog named Kobe who is an Instagram influencer.

ktoles@mail.snu.edu 

Dr. Ron Wright has served at SNU since 2010. Ron is a licensed therapist, Chair of the College of Undergraduate Studies Psychology and Counseling program, and is also a professor in SNU's College of Professional and Graduate Studies.

Hobbies and Fun Fact: Born in Anchorage, Alaska; Taught a semester at the University of Bucharest, Romania; Vienna, Austria is my favorite place in the world.

rwright@mail.snu.edu