Kary Bosma came to the Hope Western Prison Education Program from the Calvin Prison Initiative, where she was director of operations and had been on staff since 2016, and provided leadership in establishing the statewide organization of colleges and universities that operate such programs. In addition to her eight years with the Calvin Prison Initiative, Bosma has actively supported the flourishing of prison education programs (PEPs) across Michigan, including HWPEP. Beginning in 2021, she convened a monthly gathering of Michigan colleges and universities involved in PEPs alongside leaders from the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) to share best practices. In 2023, the group formally organized as the Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison, with the goal of promoting higher education opportunities for incarcerated students, sharing best practices, developing shared educational standards, and learning from one another’s experiences. 

Bosma graduated from Calvin University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.  Prior to joining the staff of the Calvin Prison Initiative, she worked at Calvin serving students in student life and academic departments.

Dr. David Stubbs is Professor of Ethics & Theology at Western Theological Seminary. He is Co-Director of the Hope-Western Prison Education Program. His newest book, Table and Temple: The Christian Eucharist and its Jewish Roots, was published in 2020. After receiving B.S. and M.S. degrees at Stanford University, David worked as a seismic engineer in San Francisco. While pursuing his engineering career, he also worked full and part-time in churches and ministries and eventually decided to change paths, go deeper in his faith, and explore his call to ministry. He received a M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in theological ethics from Duke University. He is an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA), for many years acted as co-chair of the Christian Systematic Theology Section of the American Academy of Religion, is a member of the Society of Christian Ethics and the Association for Reformed and Liturgical Worship, and has worked on many committees on the local and national level for the PC(USA).

Pam has been a member of the Western Theological Seminary Formation Team since 2016, caring for students, facilitating formation courses and peer groups, and creating opportunities for student growth and discipleship. Pam has also been a member of WTS Hebrew Team, teaching interactive Hebrew courses, designing embodied, collaborative pedagogy, and co-creating an innovative program for student leaders. Previous to working full time at WTS, Pam spent 10 years with Campus Ministry at Grand Valley State University as a small group designer and campus minister. Pam graduated from WTS with a Master of Divinity degree in 2006 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2017. Before seminary Pam and her family lived and served at Camp Manitoqua and Inspiration Hills Camp. Prior to entering seminary, Pam worked as an RN in Pediatrics, OB, home health, school and camp.

Amy graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work and a major in psychology from Calvin University, where she interned with the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI). This experience provided a broad picture of the work that goes into a higher education program in prison. She also assisted in facilitating the first inside-out class in the history of the program. Ten students from the Calvin Knollcrest campus went to the Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility once a week to participate in a class with the CPI students. Amy also helped plan CPI’s long-awaited graduation that took place on Monday, May 9, 2022, where the cohorts of 2020, 2021 and 2022 were honored.

Mary Bauman is a recently retired attorney, practicing in the ERISA/employee benefits area for more than 34 years as a partner in the law firm of Miller Johnson in Grand Rapids. A Hope graduate, she and her husband Ken, also a Hope grad, have two adult sons, two daughters-in-law and two grandchildren. Mary is a former trustee of both WTS and Hope and has been committed to each institution's mission for many years.

Jim Boerigter is well known and well respected for his dedication to providing help to those who otherwise would not be able to afford legal services. His great passion for pro bono work and equal access to justice has helped him develop a keen awareness of the tremendous unfulfilled legal needs of the financially disadvantaged.

Boerigter served as president of the Board of Directors of Legal Aid Bureau of Southwestern Michigan, which eventually merged into Legal Aid of Western Michigan. He was awarded the Legal Aid of Western Michigan’s John N. Vlachos Award in 2007. He maintains a successful family and criminal law practice as managing partner of Kreis Enderle Hudgins & Borsos, PC. Jim’s motto is: “But for the grace of God go I!”

George Julius is one of the earliest friends of HWPEP. A former member of the leadership team at Brooks Beverage, George now serves as a member of the board at Comfort Research in Grand Rapids. Originally from Pittsburgh, George holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Phil Miller has a long history with both Hope College and Western Theological Seminary. The Chairman Emeritus of the Howard Miller Clock Company, Phil serves on the WTS Board of Trustees, and has prior experience as a Hope trustee as well. Phil and his wife, Nancy, are involved in too many local philanthropic efforts to list here. Their impact on the community is extensive and impactful. Phil previously served as the president of the National Association of Housewares Manufacturers, Christ Memorial Reformed Church consistory member and vice president; Bethany Christian Services Board of Directors; and ODL Inc. Advisory Board. Phil has also served the community as a member of the Holland Board of Public Works Board, Partners for Renewal Board Chair, and City of Holland Audit Committee Chair.

Steve Spoelhof joins the HWPEP Circle of Advisors after a career in manufacturing, non-profit development, and consulting.  Busy in the community and church, Steve enjoys an active engagement as a trustee at both Western Theological Seminary and Park Township. He is also a partner in a growing pretzel business, Knot Spot Pretzel.

Sean Sword was a member of HWPEP’s pilot program in 2019 before it was accredited or degree-granting. He transferred to the Calvin Prison Initiative at Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, where he was a model student. Now released from prison, Sean is completing his BA at Calvin’s main campus in Grand Rapids. Sean has served as a member of HWPEP’s Admissions Committee since 2022. He has published an article in Plough Magazine: My Liberal Arts Education in Prison. Here is an excerpt from Sean's article that expands our imagination for the power of the liberal arts to not only instruct, but to transform:

“The confines of prison compel individuals who seek a path of rehabilitation to engage in a soul-searching process and reflect on various aspects of a life gone astray. Most of that reflection is done in isolation or solitude where human qualities such as kindness, civility, and love are absent. Because we are relational beings, those missing qualities severely restrict a proper reception of any type of education. When the Michigan Department of Corrections allowed the opportunity for prisoners to participate in a faith-based education, the liberal arts were liberated – freed from their confinement to schools, they broke through prison walls.”

Leanne Van Dyk is president emerita of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, where she served for seven years. Previous to that, she was the dean and vice president of academic affairs at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Her seventeen years at Western included roles both as theology professor and dean.

Leanne is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Her graduate degrees are an M.Div. from Calvin Theological Seminary, an MA from Western Michigan University and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. She taught a theology course in the HWPEP in the fall semester of 2023, an experience which deeply impressed on her the high calling of prison education. She lives in the core city of Holland and enjoys hiking adventures, walking her dog, cooking, reading and quality time with family and friends.

Bill Wörtz is one of Lansing’s most intelligent and politically savvy public policy advocates. If there’s a battle to be fought outside of the House or Senate Chamber, there isn’t an operative in town you’d rather have at your side. Bill joined Public Affairs Associates in 1996, and has been one of the firm’s two managing partners since 2014, with a special focus on energy policy, healthcare policy, and education reform. Bill has been at the forefront of every education reform initiative for the past 20 years. A member of the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics, Bill is an advocate for transparent lobbying practices and sunshine on the political system.

Kristen Deede Johnson serves as WTS Dean and VP of Academic Affairs and Professor of Theology and Christian Formation. Kristen provides wisdom and leadership to the academic affairs of the seminary and represents Western in significant and impactful ways through her writing and speaking. Kristen's teaching and scholarship engage areas of theology, discipleship and formation, justice, culture, and political theory. In 2018, Kristen was named as one of “10 New or Lesser-Known Female Theologians Worth Knowing” by Christianity Today.

Sandra Visser serves as a professor of philosophy at Hope College. In her previous work as dean of arts and humanities, Sandra supported faculty and staff development, facilities and other elements of nine of Hope College’s 24 academic departments: art and art history, dance, music, theatre, English, history, world languages and cultures, philosophy and religion. She had the same responsibilities for a number of Hope College institutions and programs including the Kruizenga Art Museum, Van Raalte Institute, Center for Ministry Studies, Mellon Scholars, and interdisciplinary programs in Women’s and Gender Studies and in Asian Studies. She has taught in prisons in New York and Indiana.

John Brogan serves as WTS Associate Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament. John directs the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts programs. He was Dean of Students and Student Life at Northwestern College in Iowa for eight years before coming to Western the summer of 2013. He was a Northwestern religion faculty member from 1997 to 2005, department chair from 2002 to 2004, and held the Marvin and Jerene DeWitt Professor of Religion endowed chair. In 2000, he received Northwestern College’s Teaching Excellence Award. At Northwestern, he served in numerous administrative roles and on a variety of campus-wide committees. Before serving at Northwestern, John taught at Calvin College, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Reformed Theological Seminary – Charlotte, NC, and Meredith College.

Carl Heideman serves Hope College as Director of Process and Innovation. In addition to leading the college's Department of Computing and Information Technology, Carl's fingerprints can be found anywhere on Hope's campus where systems are being improved to serve people more effectively and efficiently. His "outside the box" thinking is invaluable to the HWPEP as it attempts to shape a college education in a prison environment where all of the rules are different than they are on the campus.

Jared Ortiz serves Hope College as Professor of Religion. Jared teaches Catholic theology in the Department of Religion and is founder and executive director of the Saint Benedict Institute, the Catholic spiritual and intellectual center that serves Hope College. Jared teaches courses on the Incarnation, church history, Catholic Christianity, the theology of the human person and early Christianity. He is currently researching the themes of politics, holiness and disability in Augustine’s City of God. Jared has experience teaching religion in the Calvin Prison Initiative at the Richard Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan.

Dr. Starkenburg came to Western Theological Seminary in the summer of 2022 from Trinity Christian College. At Trinity, he served as a faculty member for 14 years, including 3 years as director of new faculty formation. He is a graduate of Northwestern College (Iowa), Western Theological Seminary, and the University of Virginia. He has three children and is married to Becky Starkenburg, who is the dean of students at Hope College. 

His doctoral work focused on glory and the church in Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics, and his more recent research interests include explorations of land, place, resurrection, new creation and belonging. He is ordained in the Reformed Church in America, serves as book review editor of Reformed Journal, enjoys teaching in multiple contexts (including high school catechism), and is involved in NAAITS An Indigenous Learning Community (formerly the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies).