MESSIAH - Key Persons

Carla Gross

cg..@messiah.edu

Job Titles:

Special Assistant to the President for Communication

Carla assists President Phipps with a variety of internal and external communication issues, special projects and events.

Derek Guissanie

de..@messiah.edu

Job Titles:

Campus Ministries Graduate Assistant

Derek Guissanie is a second-year graduate student and Graduate Assistant for Campus Ministries. In his current position he assists with Student Ministries and works with our student leaders, mentoring them and helping with their events. He recently completed his undergraduate degree here at Messiah in the spring of 2022 with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. His graduate degree will be a Master's in Higher Education with a concentration in College Athletic Leadership. During Derek's undergrad experience he was involved with the ministries of AROMA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Young Life. He also competed on the cross country and track and field teams during his four years and is still involved with the team now.

Douglas Curry

Job Titles:

Worship Ministries Pastor

Dr. Curry serves as Worship Ministries Pastor and faculty member in the Department of Music, where he serves as professor and academic advisor to the Music and Worship degree program. Students mentored under Doug's tutelage bring leadership to chapel and other worship events on and off campus. He provides guidance, support, and oversight to the Worship Community, a co-curricular group of students committed to developing "skillful hands and integrity of heart," and connecting the arts and theology in contexts of private and corporate worship. Additionally, Dr. Curry is a faculty member at the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, where he directs the internship course for all Master's level grad students.

Dr. Alan Robinson

Job Titles:

Trustee

Dr. Craig Sider - Chairman

Job Titles:

Chairman
Member of the Trustee Leadership Team

Dr. Jerry Wenger

Job Titles:

Trustee

Dr. Joe Jones

Job Titles:

Trustee

Dr. Kimberly Thornbury

Job Titles:

Trustee

Dr. Stephen Gallaher

Job Titles:

Community Pastor for Employees

Rev. Dr. Stephen Gallaher lives in Mechanicsburg and serves as the Community Pastor for Employees at Messiah University. As an ordained clergyperson within the United Methodist Church, Stephen has served churches within the Susquehanna Conference for 43 years. Stephen recently retired after 21 years serving as Professor of Christian Ministries, Youth Ministry and Pastoral Leadership at Messiah. Stephen also serves as an Associate Pastor of Preaching/Teaching ministry at the Camp Hill United Methodist Church where he has been on staff since 1997. He taught youth ministry and practical theology at Evangelical Theological Seminary, the Russian Theological Seminary in Moscow, and for ten years at Wesley Theological Seminary. He is the Founder/Executive Director Emeritus of Salt ‘n Light Youth Ministry, Inc. Gallaher serves to equip adult and student leaders to reach and disciple youth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Stephen, along with his wife Anne, have three adult daughters and sons-in-law who have blessed them with six grandchildren. Stephen enjoys multiple outdoor pursuits and along with his brothers, maintains the family farm.

Emily Bingham

eb..@messiah.edu

Job Titles:

Director of Campus Ministries / Teaching Ministries Pastor

Emily Bingham has been serving with the Messiah University Campus Ministries team since 2021. As Director of Campus Ministries and Teaching Ministries Pastor, Emily oversees campus-wide spiritual formation opportunities, offers pastoral care for students, teaches in a variety of cocurricular settings, and works with the rest of Campus Ministries staff to plan and lead chapel services. A licensed local pastor in the United Methodist Church, Emily has wide-ranging experience in youth and young adult ministry. She loves preaching, podcasts, the Green Bay Packers, and road-tripping with her trusty doodle, Archie.

Hon. Sherrie Bailey

Job Titles:

Trustee

Joanna Hadley-Evans

Job Titles:

Administrative Assistant

As a 1996 alumna of Messiah University, Joanna has provided administrative support to the campus community in a variety of academic settings. In her Campus Ministries role, she supports the pastoral staff, as well as oversees chapel attendance planning and protocols. Joanna and her husband, Brian, met while students at the University, and they continue to be avid men's and women's soccer fans. They have two grown children and share hearts for marginalized people. Joanna is a Certified International Tour Manager and is passionate about travel, culture, music, food, puzzles, and the game show Jeopardy.

Julia Wittel

Julia Wittel is a 2023 graduate of Messiah and joined our team in June as our Campus Ministries Fellow in partnership with the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO). Julia was a student leader in Campus Ministries all four years at Messiah, and now she serves as a mentor for our student leaders and as a supervisor of Student Ministries alongside our Graduate Assistant. Julia loves the enneagram, all things visual and fine arts, and spiritual conversations over a quality cup of coffee.

Karin L. Bisbee

kb..@messiah.edu

Job Titles:

Executive Coordinator for the Office of the President & Board of Trustees

Karin is responsible for office oversight, budgets, Board of Trustees meetings and communication, and maintenance of official University records and documents.

Kim S. Phipps - President

Job Titles:

President

Kim S. Phipps, Ph.D., was named the eighth president of Messiah University in December 2004. She is the first woman president in the University's history. Kim S. Phipps, Ph.D., was named the eighth president of Messiah College, now Messiah University, in December 2004. She is the first woman president in Messiah's history. Prior to her appointment as president, Dr. Phipps served as interim president, provost and academic dean. She holds a Ph.D. in communication studies from Kent State University. An advocate for academic excellence and holistic student learning, President Phipps is an accessible leader who builds shared vision and authentic relationships with colleagues and students, and fosters a strong, nurturing academic community as a result. As president, she demonstrates Messiah University's commitment to civic engagement by serving on numerous regional and national boards, including the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and the Council of Independent Colleges. During her tenure at Messiah, President Phipps has led many significant institutional initiatives including: the implementation of a School of Graduate and Professional Studies, the successful completion of five major fundraising campaigns totaling more than $185 million, and the increase of the University's visibility throughout the region and the nation. She recently led the University through a revision of the General Education curriculum, a process that was last undertaken in the 1990s. Kim S. Phipps, is named the eighth president (and the first female president) of Messiah College. View a timeline of Messiah College presidents.