Dr. Chip Espinoza, is recognized globally as a leading authority on the subject of generational diversity in the workplace. His mission in life is to help organizations become worthy of human habitation. Recently, he has focused on the integration of Millennials into the workplace.

Dr. Espinoza is the Co-author of Millennials Who Manage: How To Overcome Workplace Perceptions And Become A Great Leader, Millennials at Work: The 7 Skills Every Twenty-Something (and their manager) Needs to Overcome Roadblocks and Achieve Greatness, and Managing the Millennials: Discover the Core Competencies for Managing Today's Workforce. He currently serves as the Dean of Strategy and Innovation at Vanguard University.

Ryan T. Hartwig, PhD (University of Colorado Boulder) serves as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Vanguard University.

As Vanguard’s Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Hartwig provides visionary and strategic leadership for all academic programs and services of the University, encompassing traditional undergraduate, professional, and graduate education programs in Vanguard’s three Schools and one College, a host of services and offices that support the educational mission, and Vanguard’s outstanding faculty.

Prior to his appointment at Vanguard University in 2022, Dr. Hartwig served for many years as a professor and in various administrative roles including dean, department chair, and associate dean at Colorado Christian University and Azusa Pacific University. As a professor of group and organizational communication, he has taught an array of courses in group, organizational, and leadership communication at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. As a practitioner for over 25 years, he has led, trained, and developed teams focusing on community development, discipleship, missions, leadership development, academic excellence, fundraising, and marketing in universities and churches.

In addition to his teaching and leadership in Christian higher education, Ryan also serves as an author, speaker, and consultant regarding senior leadership teams, teamwork, collaborative organizational design, and small-group ministry design and leadership. Drawing from his experiences as a teacher, researcher, leadership practitioner, and minister, Ryan brings a rich, practical lens and academic expertise as he frequently speaks to, trains, and consults with church and non-profit leaders at numerous universities, churches, seminaries, and nonprofit organizations, and writes for practitioner-oriented publications.

Ryan’s most recent book, The Resilience Factor: A Step-by-Step Guide to Catalyze an Unbreakable Team (InterVarsity, 2023) offers a series of practical steps that both inspire and equip teams of all kinds to move from floundering to flourishing. Leading Small Groups That Thrive: Five Shifts to Take Your Group to the Next Level (Zondervan, 2020) shows small group leaders, step by step, how to plan for, launch, build, sustain, and multiply healthy, transformational small group experiences where people grow spiritually together. Ryan’s first book, Teams That Thrive: Five Disciplines of Collaborative Church Leadership (InterVarsity, 2015) – named an Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year and now in its 11^th printing – helps leadership teams grow stronger, healthier, and more productive.

In addition, Dr. Hartwig’s academic scholarship has been published in the Journal of Applied Communication Research, Southern Communication Journal, and Group Facilitation, and the International Encyclopedia of Organizational Communication, and recognized with several awards from the National Communication Association.

Ryan journeys through life with his wife, Jill, and their amazing four children: Halle, Alia, Katelyn, and Matthew. They enjoy a full family life, replete with lots of pool and beach time in the summer, bike rides and skiing in the winter, and hanging out with family and friends anytime of the year. He loves the Broncos, pick-up pickleball games, shooting hoops, playing card and board games, and eating great food with friends!

Connect more with Ryan at www.ryanhartwig.com.

Ms. Kim Johnson returned to Vanguard University in May 2014 to assume the position of Vice President for Enrollment Management. She is responsible for recruitment and admissions for traditional undergraduate students, and Financial Aid and Marketing for the University. Kim served as Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management from 2010-2013 while associate principal with Hardwick-Day, an enrollment consulting firm focused specifically on private colleges and universities.

During the 2013-14 academic year Kim was away, she served as Vice President for Enrollment Management at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Neb. – a United Methodist affiliated institution and her grandmother’s alma mater. Admissions, financial aid, retention, public relations, and marketing and communications were in her portfolio. From 2010-13 while with Vanguard University and Hardwick-Day, Kim conducted admissions and financial aid operational assessments at other private institutions, served in interim leadership roles, and conducted program turnarounds. She has an established record of achieving significant results and developing strong teams for success. Under her interim leadership, Vanguard University experienced record new incoming freshman and transfer enrollment in 2011 and again in 2012.

Kim has 30 years of enrollment management experience that includes eight years in admissions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she managed a budget of over $6 million, oversaw human resources, led the staff development program, and focused predominantly on out-of-state recruitment with a stint as transfer coordinator. Kim then worked for seven years at Creighton University, serving as director of admission in health professions. She redesigned the admission website and print collateral, implemented the use of centralized application services and electronic access to applications, and held a secondary appointment as an academic advisor during which time she was recipient of the annual Outstanding Pre-Major Advisor award and was involved with University-wide retention.

Kim earned her Bachelor of Science in Journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Nebraska. Kim and her husband, Mike, enjoy spending together golfing in California and boating in Nebraska.

Amanda Lebrecht is currently serving as Vice President for Student Development at Vanguard University. Amanda has over 20 years of leadership experience in higher education, including service in Residence Life, Student Engagement, Leadership Development, Student Government Association, Family Relations, Student Success and Retention, and Academic Resources during her 24-year career at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, CA.

Amanda has extensive training, experience and leadership in student success, retention, and leadership development. As a result, over the course of her career in Christian higher education Amanda has engaged leaders, faculty, staff, and students on matters of inclusive excellence. Further, Amanda is a higher education advocate for students from historically underrepresented and under resourced communities, including her fellow first-generation college students.

As the Vice President of Student Development, Amanda provides wisdom and guidance to the university's student development and success initiatives that include Basic Needs, Campus Safety, Residence Life, Spiritual Formation, Student Engagement and Inclusion, and Student Wellness and Health Promotion. In this role she has worked to ensure student thriving by shaping campus culture, promoting community, and fostering student success. She has served as a mentor campuswide and a strategic planning partner and resource for senior leaders, faculty, staff, and board members.

Amanda is currently earning her Doctor of Educational Leadership for Social Justice at Loyola Marymount University. Amanda earned a Master of Arts in Theology Studies with an emphasis in Leadership from Vanguard University, a Master of Arts in Education Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Race and Ethnic Studies from the University of Redlands.

Amanda is married to Phil, a mechanical engineer, and they have two incredible children Cayla and Cooper. They enjoy sports and traveling and can most likely be found cheering their children on from the field or sideline.

Justin McIntee is a Christian business leader, on campus and off. His academic achievements, professional accomplishments and community engagements all speak to his commitment to living and working in accordance with his values. Justin earned his undergraduate degree at Vanguard University before becoming the associate director of major gifts at the U.S. News & World Report-top ranked private Christian university. His Vanguard University MBA helped propel him into other strategic nonprofit development roles in Orange County. As the director of major gifts at Mission Hospital Foundation, Justin and the major gift team spearheaded a landmark $500 million comprehensive fundraising campaign. Justin returned to Vanguard University as the associate vice president of development and campaign management before assuming his current role as vice president for university advancement. His disciplined approach to forming strategic partnerships enabled him to lead teams that have completed 4 capital campaigns and raising over $34 million since he arrived in 2013. Justin’s talent for building a culture of philanthropy is enabling Vanguard University to evolve further as a hub of academic excellence.

Jeremy is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) who holds an MA in Business Organizational Leadership and a BA in Accounting and Finance from Vanguard University. Jeremy is an advocate for Christian Education and believes it is a key influencer for life long decisions that allows students to integrate their faith into all aspects of their lives.

During­­­ 2011 – 2013, Jeremy served Vanguard University as a member of the Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee, the Finance Committee, and as Chair of the Audit Committee. In addition, Jeremy previously held the position of Secretary of the Board for the National Association of Church Business Administration (NACBA), CFO/Treasurer for Tahquitz Pines Christian camp, and Treasurer for various local churches.

Jeremy grew up in an Assemblies of God church in Missoula, MT, and attended an Assemblies of God church in Fountain Valley for thirteen years before moving to Mariners Church in Irvine, CA, where he worked for more than eight years; first as Controller, then as Chief Financial Officer and Pastor of Operations. Currently, Jeremy is a member of the Supervisory Committee for Evangelical Christian Credit Union in Brea, CA. He and his wife Donna, who also attended Vanguard University for her undergraduate studies, are blessed with two children, a son and a daughter.

After having been a student at Vanguard University, then later a member of the Board of Trustees and various Committees, Jeremy felt right at home when he accepted a position of employment with the university. As Chief Financial Officer, Jeremy now serves the Finance and Audit Committees as a non-Trustee and as Treasurer of the Vanguard Foundation. He brings knowledge, experience, and expertise that continue to serve our institution well.