OAKDALE - Key Persons
Mr. Jones came from Florida in 2014 to Oakdale. He loves living in the community and says that "everyday living in this community" has been his favorite moment of his time here. He is glad to be able to connect with students on a regular basis and teach them about a wide range of things. One of his favorite things is being able to mentor the young men in the dorm.
Job Titles:
- Dean of Students / Athletic Director
Mr. Powers came to Oakdale from Northern Kentucky in 2020. He and his family contemplated a move to Oakdale for almost 2 years before it became a reality. In his time on campus, he has really enjoyed getting to know some of the students and hearing their stories and the testimonies of how their lives have been changed while being at Oakdale in just a short amount of time. He hopes that his life can be an example of Christ and that his family, although not perfect, can represent what a true Godly family can look like.
Job Titles:
- Director of Administrative Services
Mr. Rigby joined the Oakdale community with his wife in 2019 from Kansas. Originally a native from New York, he enjoys the interactions he has with the students and loves trying the new foods at the International Dinner. Taco Tuesdays are one of his favorite days at Oakdale! Chris loves helping the students develop into adulthood through participating in some of the exciting activities we offer.
Job Titles:
- Retired Pastor and Director of Free Methodist World Missions ( Wilmore, KY )
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- Vice President, Business Affairs ( Retired ) Asbury University ( Wilmore, KY )
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- Head of School, Westlake Christian School ( Palm Harbor, FL )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Chairman / Bishop Emeritus, Free Methodist Church - USA Stanwood, WA
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- Physician / Managing Medical Director, Elevance Health ( Riverside, CA )
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- Pastor, Walker 's Chapel United Methodist Church ( Scottsville, KY )
Mrs. Rigby comes to Oakdale from Kansas and arrived to work on campus in 2019. She loves seeing the students under her care hit their "learning curve" and yet keep pushing themselves. She thoroughly enjoys working with and inspiring the teenagers on campus. She hopes to be able to give enough love and encouragement to the students for them to learn something new and to inspire the students to keep going or stay positive and try to put a smile on their faces.
Job Titles:
- Boys Dean / Activities Coordinator / Basketball Coach
Mr. Driskill started work at Oakdale in 2020. Mr. Driskill was excited about the chance to get to minister to students and loves the opportunity to connect one on one with the students and staff. He enjoys getting to know people and help them in their Christian walk. He really wants the students to know that they are loved and wants them to learn that conflict, although not always pleasant, can be healthy and helpful at times.
Mr. Hall moved to Oakdale with his family in 2019 from New York. He enjoys being able to go along the journey with the students as he helps to either plant or water the seeds of the Gospel. He loves to see the students faces and reactions when they receive revelation from God and are excited to share it.
Job Titles:
- Director of Health Services / Nurse
Mrs. Powers came to Oakdale in 2020 from Northern Kentucky and is serving in the Health Services Department as a Registered Nurse. She loves seeing the students encourage one another during social times and to experience a Christian community where she can serve the students and help them to grow and learn from one another. She wants to be able to point others to Christ in how she interacts with the students and staff and show an example of how Jesus served.
Mrs. Mead first came to Oakdale in 2005 and stayed until 2007 before some family commitments drew her back home to Michigan, but returned in 2014 and has been at Oakdale ever since then. She has so many fond memories of the people and relationships she has built while at Oakdale. She says that she has never experienced anywhere else like Oakdale, where a community of Christ-followers all work together for a common purpose - that of leading teenagers. She loves that moment when the light of understanding dawns on students' faces and their lives are changed, whether in the classroom, around the dinner table, in church, or at play.
Mr. Driskill was born in North Carolina and came to work at Oakdale in 2007, but has lived in the area since 1991. He loves to see students worship together and minister to each other at student-led worship. He loves the shared sense of mission among the staff at Oakdale and experiencing the deep, sincere Christian community that is present on campus. He wants to be able to inspire as well as instruct students while they are at Oakdale. Mark also serves as the campus pastor at the Oakdale Free Methodist Church.
Mary Ashlyn came to Oakdale in 2021 from Greenville, IL. One of her favorite things has been hiking with the students in the Red River Gorge. She loves connecting with the girls in the dorm and learning their perspectives and stories. She loves being able to have a positive impact in their lives in developing who they are becoming.
Mrs. Driskill has volunteered and worked on and off with Oakdale since the mid-1990s with her husband. She enjoys seeing students and staff experience life changes, physical, mental, and spiritual. She hopes to be able to help students and staff see that they are whole people, body, mind, and spirit and that they must be tended to in order to best serve the Oakdale community.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of FF & E, SB Capital Group ( Worthington, OH )
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- Member of the Officers Team
- Treasurer / Retired, Free Methodist World Ministries Center Indianapolis, in
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- Architect, Elevate Studio ( Grand Rapids, MI )
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- Vice President of Estate and Gift Planning, Free Methodist Foundation ( Indianapolis, in )
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- Director of Seminary Advancement for Northeastern Seminary ( Allegany, NY )
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- Vice - President of Care Management St. Luke 's University Health Network ( Bethehem, PA )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Vice Chair / Associate Dean of the Catalyst Center for Applied Learning, Asbury University Wilmore, KY
Job Titles:
- Church Planter / Founder, Christ Community Church ( Columbus, GA )
Mr. Kline arrived at Oakdale in 2014 from Michigan. He strongly believes that God led him to Oakdale and that he will continue his ministry on campus. He appreciates the opportunity to teach the students life skills and directing them to Christ. One of his favorite memories of Oakdale was when the 2017 boys' basketball team won the AA Championship, winning 4 games straight at the state tournament.
Peter Bohan is no stranger to Oakdale, having graduated from Oakdale in 2020, he returned this Spring semester to help fill in as a Dorm Dean. He really enjoys evenings when he can spend one-on-one time with the boys in his care and talk with them about their lives. Peter wants to influence the students in a way that would be pleasing to the Lord and help them with their short-term goals, eventually setting them up for long-term success.
Mr. Mead, with his wife, had a short stint at Oakdale from 2005-2007 before returning in 2014 to the campus from Michigan. He enjoys all aspects of campus but some of his favorite memories are of watching students perform the drama productions. He says that in his job he has new experiences almost weekly, where he finds himself learning something new. He works diligently to help support the other staff on campus so that they can minister to the students.
Job Titles:
- Pastor, Winton Community Free Methodist Church ( Cincinnati, OH )
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- Executive Pastor - Leadership Development, Chapel of Change Christian Fellowship ( Paramount, CA )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Secretary / Elder, Free Methodist Church Columbus, OH
Mr. Coates came from Indiana in 2012. One of his favorite things to do is read his students' discussion responses in his Christ in Film and Culture class and watch as they process their thoughts about Jesus as they encounter him in new and fresh ways. One of the things that keep Mr. Coates at Oakdale is that he knows that "God is in the business of transforming lives here bit by bit". His desire is to reveal more of the person of Jesus to his students every day.
Mrs. Jones moved to Oakdale from Michigan in 2015. She really is drawn to the incarnational living that can be experienced at Oakdale, living in a community of like-minded believers. She says she was also drawn to the mission of the school and the value of each staff member and student. She loves to have students in her house for tea and to discuss class projects. She wants all of her students to know that they are unconditionally loved and valued.