DAVID KINNAMAN
David Kinnaman is the author of the bestselling books Faith for Exiles, Good Faith, You Lost Me and unChristian. He is the CEO of Barna Group, a leading research and communications company that works with churches, nonprofits and businesses ranging from film studios to financial services. Since 1995, Kinnaman has directed interviews with more than 2 million individuals and overseen thousands of U.S. and global research studies. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas, and has three children.
DR. DEANA PORTERFIELD
Dr. Deana L. Porterfield is Seattle Pacific University’s 12th president and the University’s first female president since its founding in 1891.
She joined SPU in July 2023, after nine years as president of Roberts Wesleyan University and Northeastern Seminary. President Porterfield has more than 36 years of experience in Christian higher education.
President Porterfield served on several boards and was recognized with numerous awards for community and organizational leadership. President Porterfield is known as a visionary leader with a passion for faith-based higher education which promotes transformational learning and hope.
President Porterfield earned her bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in organizational management from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. She earned a doctorate in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne in La Verne, California. President Porterfield and her husband, Doug, have been married for 34 years. They have two married daughters and five grandchildren.
DR. PHIL COOK
Phil Cook serves as president of the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP). Prior to his role at NACCAP, Phil was employed for 28 years in a variety of roles at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. For most of his tenure there, he served in student recruitment and admissions. Most recently, he was the vice president for enrollment in which capacity he supervised undergraduate admissions, graduate enrollment, financial aid, international students, veterans affairs and a drama ensemble called The Kingdom Players.
Cook, a native of western Pennsylvania, was reared in a minister’s home and has been involved in church ministry for most of his life. He is an ordained minister who spends many weekends speaking at churches and conferences across the country.
Cook graduated from Lee University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business. He then went on to earn a Master of Divinity at the Church of God School of Theology. He also holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.