Our Faculty
Nikki Daniels
Program Director, Assistant Professor
n-daniels@bethel.edu
Education: B.A., Trinity College; M.A., Bethel University
Experience: With 30+ years of leadership experience and non-profit board membership, Daniels consults and speaks within the profit, non-profit, public service, and educational sectors. She uses her certification in the Clifton StrengthsFinder and DiSC to conduct corporate training and executive coaching—including leadership analysis, team building, motivation, conflict management/problem solving, and organizational development.
Rob Abel
Education: B.A., University of Nebraska; M.Div., Bethel Seminary; M.A., Bethel University
Jentine Arkema
Education: B.A. Dordt College; M.A., Bethel University
Experience: Arkema has an M.A. in Communication and 10 years teaching experience in communication. She has consulted both individuals and businesses such as 3M Company to improve communication, and is a member of the Strength Finder Advocacy group with Best Buy, Carlson Companies, and YMCA. Arkema has been a board member for Women Venture and has received two Phi Theta Kappa awards from Minnesota State and Community Colleges.
Hannah Asfaw
Education: B.A., University of Westminster; M.A., Bethel University
Experience: A teacher at Bethel for 6 years, Asfaw specializes in teaching communication classes, including Interpersonal Effectiveness, Persuasion, Cross/Multi-Cultural Communication, Negotiation and Conflict Management, and Leadership Communication. She has also been a consultant for Twin Cities organizations including the Ceridian Company, University of Minnesota, and Care Providers of Minnesota.
Cheryl Bostrom
Education: B.S., Northwestern College; M.A., Bethel University; Ed.D., Bethel University
Gregory Bownik
Education: B.A., Bethel University; M.A., Bethel University
Richard Daniels
Education: B.A., Trinity College; M.A., Loyola University; M.A., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; M.Div., Bethel Seminary; D.Min., Bethel Seminary
Experience: Daniels is founder and president of the Leadership Development Group, an executive coaching firm that helps senior leaders establish comprehensive management systems, and advises companies on developing leaders. The organization is the third firm he has founded as an entrepreneur. Daniels is also organizer of a monthly CEO roundtable in Minneapolis, addressing the need for leadership development, and is a member of the Center for Creative Leadership’s Leading Insight’s online panel.
Leslie “Sam” Helgerson
Education: B.S., University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse; M.A., Bethel University; Ph.D., Capella University
Experience: Helgerson seeks to equip students to integrate their faith with life. He is Director of Ministry for Christian Student Fellowship at the University of Minnesota, as well as a writer, speaker, and consultant.
Ron Hultgren
Education: B.A., Bethel University; M.A. and Ph.D., Leadership Development, University of Sydney
Experience: Hultgren has 30 years of consulting experience in leadership and strategy. He is president of ATL Leadership International and a former senior associate with Pilgrim international, Australia. Working with an approach called Authentic Action, Hultgren helps his clients and students become holistic leaders by engaging employees.
Paul V. Johnson
Education: B.A., Bethel University; M.A., University of Minnesota
Experience: Johnson is Supervisor of Bereavement Services for HealthPartners Hospice and Palliative Care in Minneapolis, where he helps ill patients and their families cope with loss. He also filled that role for Bradshaw Funeral Homes for 14 years following 10 years on the sociology faculty at Bethel’s traditional undergraduate college. Johnson helps students learn and practice the basic social science research model.
Christina Kaiser
Education: B.A. Bethel University; M.A., Bethel University
Experience: Kaiser has had an eclectic career in education, radio broadcasting, agriculture, and the airline industry, including co-managing a family business. She is currently owner of a consulting company that offers leadership development and professional growth, with emphasis on emotional intelligence and conflict management. She is certified administrator of the Bar-On EQ-I emotional intelligence assessment. She is also a trained mediator through the Hamline University School of law, and volunteers as a mediator for the Dispute Resolution Center in Ramsey County.
Sandie McNeel
Education: B.A., Westmont College; M.A., Southern Illinois University
Matt Putz
Education: B.Mus.Ed., University of North Dakota; M.Div., North American Baptist Seminary; Ed.D., Nova Southeastern University
Experience: Putz is the Director of Teaching and Learning Technology at Bethel University. For more than a decade prior to coming to Bethel, he was a pastor, focusing primarily on adult education, leadership development, worship, and technology integration. His dissertation at Nova Southeastern University studied the support and development of adjuncts teaching in a hybrid instructional environment.
Ron Robinson
Education: B.A., Bethel University; M.A., Bethel University
Kenneth Smith
Education: B.S., University of Illinois: M.A., Bethel University
Experience: Smith worked in the IT field at 3M Company for 36 years, gaining firsthand experience in both effective leading and following as computer technology and communication advanced. He has taught the Modern World Trends class for 10 years, and has also developed and teaches courses in the B.A. in Communications program at Bethel’s College of Adult & Professional Studies.
Andrea Sorensen
Education: B.A., Bethel University; M.A., Alfred Adler Institute of Minnesota
Bernard Walker
Education: B.A., University of Illinois; M.A. and Ph.D., Loyola University
Experience: Walker has taught philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, Bethel University (including the seminary), Loyola University, National Louis University, and Chicago State University. His specialties include meta-ethics, normative ethics, applied ethics, apologetics, philosophy of religion, critical thinking, logic, and comparative religions.
Scott Yorkovich
Education: B.S., North Dakota State University; M.A., Regent University; Ph.D., Regent University
Experience: Yorkovich was a technology consultant for many years, including ownership of his own firm. As he worked with clients on technology, he also observed their need for guidance in leadership and organizational development. Besides teaching at Bethel, Yokovich is an independent consultant and coach in leadership development, focusing on assessment and development, organizational alignment, succession management, and teams.
