Asbury Welcomes New Faculty Members for the School Year

August 19, 2024

Pulling from a range of distinguished academic careers, Asbury University welcomes eight new faculty members who will further propel the university forward with academic excellence to start the 2024-25 academic year.

“In addition to their spiritual maturity and vision for Christian higher education, our incoming faculty have a variety of academic backgrounds as well as interdisciplinary competencies that make them an ideal fit for Asbury University,” said Asbury University President Dr. Kevin Brown. “They bring specific knowledge to a variety of market-sensitive fields. Moreover, they possess a student-centric mentality — prioritizing the student’s intellectual, communal, moral, and spiritual good — their preparation, maturation, opportunities, and well-being.”

Andrea Gyertson ’96 Nasfell joins the Media, Journalism & Digital Storytelling Department as Assistant Professor in Screenwriting. She received her MFA in writing from Spalding University. Read more about her recent projects and awards.

Rachel Rinehart Taylor joins the English Department as Assistant Professor in Creative Writing. She received her MFA in creative writing with a focus in poetry from McNeese State University.

Allen Benningfield ’10 joins the Ancient & Modern Languages Department as Senior Lecturer in Modern Languages. He received his M.Div. from Moody Theological Seminary, an M.A. in classical languages from the University of Kentucky and is a Ph.D. in classics student at the University of Florida.

Humaira Dale ’90 joins the Ancient & Modern Languages Department as Clinical Instructor of Spanish. She received her M.A. in Spanish from the University of Kentucky.

Stephanie Keeley ’07 joins the Equine Program as Assistant Professor of Equine. She received her MBA from Midway University.

Elizabeth “Lizzy” McNeil ’13 Guthrie (LMFT) serves as the new director of the Equine Program. She received her M.A. in marriage and family therapy from Asbury Theological Seminary. Learn more about her professional background.

Dr. Connie Lamb (RN, CNE, CHSE) joins the Shaw School of Sciences as Nursing Program Administrator and Associate Professor. She received her Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Kentucky. Read more.

Joseph Culbertson joins the School of Christian Studies as Christian Studies Teaching Fellow. He received his M.Div. with a concentration in messianic Jewish studies from The King’s University and is a Ph.D. in biblical studies candidate at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Asbury University faculty continue to provide industry expertise and mentorship to students while also furthering research in their fields. Read Asbury News and listen to the This Is Asbury podcast to keep up with the latest academic updates.