2025 Regent University School of Business & Leadership Research Roundtables

Dr. Jason D. Baker, Associate Provost & Senior Technology Strategist, is an engineer who walked into a classroom and found a calling — using technology to help people and helping people use technology. He’s been a satellite communications engineer, senior systems engineer, startup CTO, technology consultant, professor, and currently serves as Associate Provost and Senior Technology Strategist at Regent University. He holds degrees in electrical engineering, educational technology, communication, and computer & information technology. His current focus is harnessing artificial intelligence from a Christian perspective to promote transformational learning an increasingly digital world.

Dominic Frank is a Commander in the United States Navy with over 30 years of service. He currently serves as the commanding officer of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal high-risk training command. Dominic earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Saint Leo University, an MBA from Texas A&M, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University.

Dr. Paul Palma has taught Biblical Studies and Christian Ministry at Regent University for over ten years. For the last five years, he has served on the teaching faculty training Indigenous leaders at SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary (CA). Dr. Palma is a co-editor for the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership. He is the author of several books, including Beyond the Evangelical Gender Roles Gridlock (Lexington), Italian American Pentecostalism and the Struggle for Religious Identity (Routledge), and, with Doris Gomez, Bridge-Building Leadership (forthcoming with Palgrave’s Christian Faith Perspectives in Leadership and Business series). Dr. Palma is also a contributing writer for the Christian Broadcasting Network, writing on spiritual life and leadership topics. He holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Wheaton College (IL) and an M.A. in Christian History and a Ph.D. in Renewal Studies from Regent University.

Alex G. Wright is the Assistant Professor of Management and MBA Program Director at Houghton University. He previously served in a variety of pastoral ministry roles in mainline, evangelical, and non-denominational church settings. He is very passionate about issues of social justice. Alex holds a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University. He and his wife Rachel have three kids and a Labradoodle named Ziva.

Dr. Emilyn Cabanda is the Professor & Ph.D. in Business Program Director in the School of Business & Leadership and Institutional Research Board Member at Regent University. From 2002 to 2008, she served as a professorial lecturer at the Graduate School of the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. She also served as a visiting professor at International Christian University (2007) in Tokyo, Japan, and at the International Graduate School of Social Sciences at Yokohama National University (2006), Japan. She published scholarly books, including Faith-Based Entrepreneurship: An Empirical Analysis of Christian Faith-Based Firms (Eds). Palgrave Macmillan, 2024; Managing Service Productivity – Using Frontier Efficiency Methodologies and Multicriteria Decision Making for Improving Service Performance (Eds). International Series in Operations Research and Management Science. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer, 2014; Privatisation and Performance of Asian Telecommunications: Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Germany: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing AG & Co., 2010; Performance Management: Application of Data Envelopment Analysis in the Philippine Setting (Eds). Manila, Philippines: University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, 2008. She also published numerous book chapters and articles in peer-reviewed scholarly business-related journals during her 22 years of academic work and invited speakers to international academic and professional conferences. Her research interests and publications focus on faith-based entrepreneurship, efficiency and productivity measurements, financial economics studies, and global business studies. Dr. Cabanda also received the Faculty Excellence Award in Scholarship from Regent University in Fall 2013 and two Distinctive Service Awards. She was also awarded the Outstanding in Reviewing award for the 2017 Global Conference on Services Management, Italy, and Excellence in Reviewing at the 10th International Conference on Business and Management Research 2016 in Indonesia. She received her Ph.D. in Business and Economics at Monash University, Australia. She went to Baylor University in Texas as a Fulbright scholar and received her Master of Arts degree.

Raushan Gross is the Associate Professor of Business Management and Leadership, Chair of the Department of Business Management and Leadership, and Program Director of the BMAL Program at Pfeiffer University. He earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University, focusing on entrepreneurial studies. He later entered the corporate world in management roles. In addition to his academic career, he has spent over two decades in banking, multi-unit management, fuel pricing and analytics, and government finance. Aside from his corporate experiences, his entrepreneurial ventures allowed him to learn the business of several industries and travel across the United States. Later in life, Raushan traveled nationally and abroad. While on travel, he studied how cultures affect market societies and the influences of institutions of various economies on entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership. He teaches multiple topics in his current academic position, including management, entrepreneurship, global economy, corporate entrepreneurship, strategic management, effective leadership, and consumer behavior. His research interests include the study of entrepreneurship, economic sociology, Austrian economics, managerial economics, business history, and the history of social thought. In addition to publishing scholarly journal articles, Dr. Gross published books such as Basic Entrepreneurship, Management and Strategy, Managing, and Leading: Considerations for a New Epoch, and two e-books: The Inspiring Life and Beneficial Impact of Entrepreneurs and The Emerging Institutions of Entrepreneurship, and In Pursuit of an Entrepreneurial Culture.

Robert B. Huizinga (Ph.D., Regent University) is an Adjunct Professor at both the King’s University (Leder School of Business, Edmonton Canada) and Manna University (Fayetteville, NC). He is also the CEO of Reformation Consulting Services. He was formerly the Executive Vice-President of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. and led the clinical development of voclosporin which had first year sales of $100 million USD. Prior to that, Dr. Huizinga was the Vice President of Clinical Affairs for Isotechnika Inc. and was a clinical investigator at the University of Alberta. Dr. Huizinga holds a MSc in Clinical Epidemiology, Nephrology certification and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau. He holds a certificate in leadership from EQUIP Leadership. Dr. Huizinga is the author of Organizational Metaphors: Faith as Key to Functional Organizations, and Followership and Faith at Work: Biblical Perspectives (Christian Faith Perspectives in Leadership and Business).

Website: www.reformationsvc.com
LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/roberthuizinga

Michael P. Ferber (PhD, MBA, MDiv, MEd) is Dean of the Leder School of Business at The King’s University in Edmonton, Alberta, where he teaches courses in business, environmental studies, and geography. His scholarship and writing explore the intersections of social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Michael has published essays on topics ranging from the geography of religion to education to international development. He is active in the nonprofit sector, serving as Board Chair of e4c, a social service organization in Edmonton, and as a board member of World Vision Canada. Additionally, he is a long-standing instructor with the Au Sable Institute for Environmental Studies. Originally from West Virginia, he brings together southern storytelling and Canadian perspectives in his work, seeking to integrate faith, justice, and care for creation.

Dr. Virginia Richardson is Chair of the Foresight Roundtable and as a Professor in the Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) and MBA programs in the School of Business & Leadership at Regent University where she has taught since 2009. Dr. Richardson is a noted expert in the fields of strategic foresight, healthcare leadership, and business coaching. She brings a wealth of expertise from her senior leadership roles in human resources, operations, and talent development in private industry and health system administration.

Dr. Richardson leads a private consulting and coaching business serving a wide range of industry sectors including education, healthcare, and military clients. She was a founding member and served as President of a multi-sector business health coalition; served as Technical Advisor of a Governor’s Blue-Ribbon Commission; and Chair of numerous grant reviews for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Dr. Richardson coordinates an annual Foresight Research Roundtable in Virginia Beach, where both scholars and practitioners meet together to engage in strategic foresight and anticipatory leadership discourse. She also designed and led physician leadership training programs and national leadership conferences for the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. Dr. Richardson served in numerous officer roles on the boards of local, state, and national associations; has been a long-term vetted professional in the Association of Professional Futurists, the World Futures Society, and the International Leadership Association; and she is a Board Certified Coach (BCC) through the Center for Credentialing & Education.

Degrees:

• Doctor of Strategic Leadership, Concentration in Strategic Foresight from Regent University
• MBA from William Woods University
• BA in Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/virginiarichardson
Website: www.foresightcenter.com

Dr. Ellie Gates is a seasoned People & Culture leader in High Tech, and an Assistant Teaching Professor in Organizational Development at Colorado University Boulder’s Leeds School of Business.

Gates has over 20 years’ experience in Corporate America working for some of the world’s best companies: Snowflake Computing, Box, Adobe, Microsoft, T-Mobile, and nearly 10 years teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level. She graduated from Regent’s DSL program with her Doctorate in Strategic Leadership, concentrating in Strategic Foresight in May 2025. Gates’ expertise is in compassion as an operating system (COS), organizational development, change management, and leadership.

Her passion is helping people and organizations Align Strategy, Forge Leaders, and Navigate Change through her consulting organization, BusinessTechné. She has worked in 13 different countries with private equity, start-ups, non-profits and multinational organizations. Gates also holds an MBA, an MA in Organizational Leadership, and an MA in Bible & Theology.

Dr. Winner chairs the SBL Human Resource Development Roundtable, is an associate professor at DeVry University, and an adjunct professor at Regent University’s School of Business and Leadership. He consults for The Center Consulting Group, aiding churches, non-profits, and Christian businesses. Previously, he served as a pastor for 20 years in Pennsylvania. Dr. Winner holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University and an M.Div. from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Joseph Dominick Martinez (Dr. J.D.) is a pastor-scholar, leadership ethicist, and prophetic strategist with a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership with a major in Human Resource Development from Regent University. He equips leaders to dismantle toxic systems, reclaim silenced voices, and lead with integrity. As Executive Pastor of The Elements Church and Director of Empire FIT Coaching, he blends Pentecostal spirituality, design thinking, and leadership ethics to catalyze transformation. With degrees from NYU and Metropolitan College of New York, Dr. J.D. brings creative and systemic insight to churches and organizations seeking renewal, resilience, and revival.

Dr. Mulford joined Regent University as a founding faculty member in the Business School in 1982. In addition to serving as a professor, he has served as Dean of the Business School, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Regent University, and founder and director of Regent Center for Entrepreneurship. Through the Center, he has pursued his passion for helping entrepreneurs start and grow businesses in dozens of countries, most notably by creating a model for Business Development Centers that has been licensed in nine countries. He has been active in the Christian business movement, serving on the boards of several key organizations, including Nehemiah Project International Ministries, Fellowship of Companies for Christ International, and C12. Prior to Regent, Dr. Mulford conducted policy research at the Rand Corporation and served as Vice President and Senior Economist at First Interstate Bank of California. He earned the B.S. in Engineering, Magna Cum Laude, from Brown University, and the Ph.D. in Regional Economics from Cornell University, where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow.

Dr. Jeremiah Koshal is an Assistant Professor of Leadership at Chandaria School of Business and also Chair of Faculty Council at the United States International University – Africa, Nairobi, Kenya. He holds a PhD in Organizational Leadership and an MBA in Management from Regent University, USA, and a Bachelor of Commerce from Daystar University, Kenya. Dr. Koshal was also a Senior Lecturer at the School of Management and Commerce at Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya.

At Regent University, Dr. Koshal served in several roles. He started out as a Teaching Assistant at SBL, and instructor at the School of Undergraduate Studies, before taking the role of Research Fellow at the Regent Center for Entrepreneurship.

As a seasoned governance and leadership expert, Dr. Koshal has received several presidential appointments to serve in the public sector in Kenya at the board level. He served as Chairman of Council of Moi University, a public university with over 45,000 students and over 250 academic programs, where he played an oversight role in financial and governance matters of the University. He also served as Chair of Audit Committee at Taita Taveta University Council.

Dr. Koshal is also one of the Lead Consultants at Africa Centre for Entrepreneurship and Leadership (ACEL), an agency that offers consultancy services, as well as training entrepreneurs, managers and leaders for a more transformative corporate and public sectors.

Dr. Koshal has presented in international conferences as well as offering consulting services in entrepreneurship, strategy development, change management, and board leadership and governance.

Dr. Bruce Winston has been part of Regent University since 1991, both with the School of Business and the School of Business & Leadership. He led the School of Leadership as dean for one year and led the School of Business & Leadership as dean for seven years. He currently serves as Professor of Business and Leadership and is the director of the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership program. His research interests include Biblical principles of leading and managing, employee well-being, scale development, person-environment fit, and servant leadership.

Bridget Woodberry earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University, USA. She holds a Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Human Resources Management from Saint Leo University, a Bachelor of Business Administration with a Concentration in Legal Studies, and an Associate in Arts (Business Administration) from Strayer University. Dr. Woodberry has over 25 years of leadership experience in the Federal Government and private sector. She is a United States Military Veteran who received several prestigious honors during her active-duty tours, including the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

Dr. Woodberry is a native of Louisiana who enjoys traveling with her daughter, Moveleah M. Woodberry, and her parents’ Alonzo Jr. and Movelia Brown. Her research interests include Biblical leadership, employee engagement, followership, servant leadership, toxic leadership, transformational leadership, and the spiral of silence.

Dr. Diane Wiater chairs the SBL Professional Coaching Roundtable and brings nearly 30 years of experience training and teaching coaches. A certified Gallup® Strengths Coach and MBTI practitioner, she is recognized as a trusted strategic partner, accomplished business manager, and proven leader developer. Dr. Wiater’s passion is to see leaders grow, thrive, and flourish in their calling. She is also the founder of the Connecting Coaches Research and Writing Collaborative, a virtual community dedicated to advancing the evidence and research of the Christian coaching profession. Dr. Wiater earned her PhD in Organizational Leadership from Regent University, a Christian academic community, where she also serves as adjunct faculty in the School of Business & Leadership.

Website: wiaterconsultants.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diane-m-wiater-phd-759b544

Dr. Kelly Whelan is the Founder and CEO of BelemLeaders, and a globally recognized executive and team development strategist. Kelly is a graduate of the DSL program and returned to serve as an adjunct in the Leadership Coaching concentration. Kelly loves to connect with leaders on her podcast, CONVERSATIONS for Leaders & Teams and is the author of Leadership Excellence by Design: Strategies for Sustainability & Strength. She holds a European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) Team Coaching Sr. Practitioner accreditation and is certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach. In addition, Dr. Whelan is the steward of Christian Coaching Magazine (CCMag), a quarterly digital publication that amplifies the voice and call of the Christian coach and leader.

Brian Moore grew up in Australia and spent three decades in the United States military, working in Special Operations and Foreign Affairs. While serving his country, Moore had the opportunity to live and work in South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Moore earned a B.A. in Math from The Citadel and an M.A. in Public Policy from Regent University. In addition, Moore’s earned Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent spurred his interest in servant leadership, transformational leadership, and mentorship. He currently serves as an assistant professor in Regent’s School of Business & Leadership while managing the School’s Executive Mentor Program. Moore and his amazing wife have a son who is a Regent alumnus of the College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Law.

Dr. Kathleen Patterson is a professor and doctoral program director at the School of Business & Leadership, Regent University, where she has been since 1999. She is noted as an expert on servant leadership and has coordinated 3 Global Servant Leadership Research Roundtables in the Netherlands, Australia, and Iceland with Dirk van Dierendonck, and hosted the annual Servant Leadership Research Roundtables at Regent University for 21 years.

Her research includes over 9000 citations in Google Scholar, she has published over 20 articles in the Christian Post as a guest contributor, co-edited the 2nd edition of “Servant Leadership Theory and Practice” (2025) with Dirk van Dierendonck which is considered the seminal text on servant leadership, and her dissertation (Servant Leadership: A Theoretical Model, 2003) is noted in the “top dissertations” around the world in the ProQuest database. She sits on multiple editorial boards, and on the boards of the Larry C. Spears Center, CareNet (serving as the Vice-Chair), and the MENA (Middle East and Northern Africa) Leadership Center.

Dr. Firestone joined the faculty of the School of Business & Leadership in January 2015 as an assistant professor and currently serves as director for the M.A. in Organizational Leadership. He is a U.S. Navy veteran with 23 years as an officer, naval aviator, and educator. As a pilot, he flew helicopters on two Arabian Gulf deployments and C-130s around the world on a variety of missions and deployments supporting worldwide fleet logistics requirements. He has extensive experience working with foreign military organizations, having served as a liaison officer to Mexico, Canada, and the Bahamas for six years. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in History and an additional B.A. in Political Science. He has a Master of History from Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He earned an MBA from Embry-Riddle University and his Ph. D. in Business Administration, emphasis in Organizational Leadership, from Northcentral University.

Curtis Mullin is a Graduate Instructional Assistant and PhD candidate in Organizational Leadership. He holds an MBA from Washington State University and a B.S. from Montana State University. With over 15 years of global experience in business consulting, sales leadership, and operational strategy, Curtis brings a real-world perspective to the classroom. A U.S. military veteran and entrepreneur, he is passionate about developing future leaders through a combination of academic rigor and practical insight. Grounded in his Christian faith, Curtis believes in leading with integrity, humility, and purpose. In his free time, he enjoys spending quality time with his family.