Speakers and Moderators for 2022
Speakers
Beth Walsh
Director of Student Health Services
“A nurse practitioner by training, Beth savors the opportunity to practice in a Christian setting. ‘At Wheaton, I can treat the whole person,’ she said. ‘It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to go deeper with students and learn about what’s happening in their lives. I can address not only their physical health but also the emotional and spiritual needs that are so intertwined with physical health. With her warm and empathetic nature, Beth has always related easily to students and colleagues alike, but she actualized her leadership potential when she became the Director of Student Health Services in 2019.’ (Excerpt from Wheaton Magazine.)
Beth will be sharing at the roundtable workshop titled “emBODYment”.
Beth Maas
Director of Equity and Title IX
After graduating from Wheaton College with degrees in Sociology and Spanish, Beth began her career as a Victim Advocate and later, Senior Criminal Investigator for the State Attorney’s Office handling cases of Child Sexual Abuse and Severe Physical Abuse. Her time there gave her a level of comfort in talking to students about emotional and sensitive topics as well as a passion to see them make safe choices. Following retirement from the State Attorney’s Office, Beth began working with non-profit agencies (Teen Decision and A&M Resources) as a Lead Educator and Regional Coordinator. There she spent time educating teens about how to build healthy relationships and equipping teachers with resources to educate their own students. When she’s not in the office, Beth loves to be physically active whether going for a run or doing pilates, she is always on the GO. Beth also enjoys leading worship at church and spending time with her husband and their five kids.
She will be sharing at the roundtable workshop “Holistic Community”.
Mrs. Alice Ashton
Wife to Sam, mother to Bertie and Daisy (plus one in the womb!). Born and bred in England - misses the tea and chocolate 'biscuits'. Studied at Oak Hill Seminary, and then in Biblical Counselling with CCEF, followed by training as a Crisis Pregnancy/Grief counsellor - working at a charity in London for three years before moving to the U.S. She also worked alongside husband Sam at their previous church in England. Now she has a ministry of encouragement to her immediate family, and other women she lives life alongside - enjoying the challenge of applying her training to everyday life! She loves the sun and the sea - and can't quite believe this is her fourth Chicago winter!
She will be sharing at the roundtable workshop “Marriage & Motherhood”.
Dr. Christine Colón
Professor of English (she, her)
In her childhood, Dr. Christine Colón discovered two important loves: God and literature. She was able to combine them when she majored in English at Biola where she earned her BA. After teaching high school for two years, she continued her studies, earning her M.A. in English from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and her Ph.D. in English from the University of California at Davis. Currently, she integrates these two loves as a professor of English at Wheaton College where she teaches courses in English literature as well as Christ at the Core and where she also helps prepare students to teach English in middle school and high school. In her life as an English professor, Dr. Colón researches Christian women writers and has published articles on authors such as Jane Austen and the Brontës. She has also published a book on an early 19th-century Scottish playwright named Joanna Baillie and two books on Dorothy L. Sayers. Beyond her academic life, she spent many years as a single woman in the evangelical church, which resulted in the book Singled Out: Why Celibacy Must Be Reinvented in Today’s Church. In this work, she and her co-author Bonnie Field explore the negative messages that Christian singles often receive from the church as well as the secular world, and they search for a deeper understanding of celibacy that affirms singles’ decision to be sexually pure, acknowledges their struggles, and recognizes their importance in the church community. Her work on singleness and celibacy has given her opportunities to write for Christianity Today, to participate in radio interviews, and to speak to various groups of singles and married couples on the place of Christian singles in today’s church.
She will be sharing for the panel titled “Complexity of Physicality”.
Dr. Julie Newberry
(she/her)
Dr. Julie Newberry grew up in Southern California, where she completed undergraduate studies at Biola University. She began graduate studies in English literature at Texas A&M University, where her adviser made the surprising suggestion that she consider seminary. After completing an M.Div. at Duke Divinity School, Dr. Newberry continued in Duke’s Graduate Program in Religion, focusing on the New Testament. She defended her dissertation about what leads to Lukan joy on April 1, 2020—a moment in history when the topic felt at once important and somewhat out of place. In addition to joy, Dr. Newberry’s research has focused on themes related to intertextuality (especially the role of the Old Testament in the New Testament) and embodiment, whether in relation to gender in 1 Corinthians 11 or in relation to age in the Lukan infancy narrative. She has been teaching at Wheaton College since the fall of 2019 and particularly enjoys wrestling with the New Testament alongside students in exegesis courses. She attends Lombard Mennonite Church in Lombard, Illinois and shares her living space with two small dogs, who join her in remaining somewhat skeptical of Illinois winters.
She will be sharing at the panel titled “Complexity of Physicality”.
Esther Han
Undergraduate Student ‘19
‘During my four years here studying Psychology, Business/Economics, and Art, I experienced God’s faithfulness in using my experiences both within the classroom and beyond to shape me into someone more like Jesus while preparing me for life after college… As a student at Wheaton, some of my most formative communities were College Union, Koinonia (Asian American/Pacific Islander student organization), and Student Government. Being involved on campus gave me the opportunity to create a support system of friends and mentors who encouraged me as I learned to serve others, press into hard conversations, and do life together in Christian community. For me, Wheaton College has been a place of transformative learning and growth.’* Esther worked as an admissions counselor for the college for over one year, and has now moved on to become the Associate Director of Recruitment at Northwestern Mutual Chicago.
She will be sharing on the panel “Complexity of Physicality”. *Excerpt from the Wheaton College website.
Dr. Karen Hurula
(she/her)
Dr. Karen Hurula has many roles and relationships that help define her. She is an MK/TCK, sister, pastor's wife, mother, teacher, leader, and friend. She earned her M.A. ’09 and Psy.D. ’12 in Clinical Psychology and an MA ’12 in Theology from Wheaton College. She knew as a senior in high school that she wanted to be a psychologist but her guidance counselor told her she was not smart enough for grad school. It was not until she was 34 years old that she decided she wanted to try anyway and started her undergrad degree at the College of Dupage. She fell in love with psychology in high school and always felt God had gifted her with discernment and other skills necessary to help individuals understand their inner life. Dr. Hurula became passionate about the integration of psychology and Christian faith after her own experience with postpartum depression and eventually the therapy that helped her. Dr. Hurula came to Wheaton to study both psychology and theology because she understood that God was calling her to address mental health issues and how they are handled and spoken about in the church. As director of the Counseling Center at Wheaton she feels uniquely poised to offer education and psychological treatment to future church leaders, whom she believes will change how the Church understands mental and emotional health.
She will be sharing on a panel titled “More Precious Than Jewels”.
Aubrey Buster
(she/her)
Dr. Buster joined the Wheaton faculty in 2018. She received her B.M. and M.A. from Wheaton College, and her Ph.D. from Emory University. Dr. Buster’s research focuses on the Psalms, Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Her primary research interest lies in the shaping of a community’s memory and the way in which textual and oral transmission influences the construction of interpretive communities. This interest, along with her early training in music and English literature has also led to work on the reception of the Old Testament in Jewish and Christian interpretation, and in the music and literature of these communities.
She will be sharing on a panel titled “More Precious Than Jewels”.
Ms. Tanya Egler
Director of Gospel Choir
Tanya Egler has enjoyed the opportunity to serve as the Director of the Wheaton College Gospel Choir for 28 years. She is a native of Cleveland, Ohio where she grew up in a singing family that fostered her love for God and music. Tanya earned a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Kent State University. She and her husband Calvin '95 are co-founders of Passion Ministries. They are blessed to have three young adult children who love and serve God.
She will be sharing on the panel titled “More Precious Than Jewels”.
Brandi Schori
Brandi is the Partner Relations Specialist for Avenue Women's Center, a multi-site nonprofit pregnancy resource Center serving women facing unplanned pregnancies. She is also a community educator for Teen Decision, an organization that serves teens in local public middle schools and high schools to educate on healthy relationships. Brandi has been married 20 years to Neil Schori, co-Pastor of the Edge church in Aurora, where she also serves on the teaching team and many other ministries. They are raising three teenage daughters and are active Advocates for victims of domestic violence. Brandi is passionate about coming along-side women and victims to help them toward empowerment, faith and independence. Currently she enjoys serving at LifeSpring Women shelter in Aurora and with Naomi‘s house, an anti-sex trafficking organization. Some of her favorite hobbies are sipping coffee, hiking in nature, leading yoga classes and teaching dance.
She will be sharing on the panel titled “More Precious Than Jewels”.
Amanda Martínez Beck
(she/her)
Amanda Martínez Beck is a Christian fat activist, podcaster, and author. Her first book, Lovely: How I Learned to Embrace the Body God Gave Me, is a detailed defense of the idea that all bodies are good bodies. Her forthcoming book, More of You: The Fat Girl's Field Guide to the Modern World, offers practical advice for taking up space in a world built for thinness. It is a book born of her experiences as a fat woman in a thin-obsessed world--and Church. She is the host of the Fat & Faithful podcast and the person behind the Instagram account @your_body_is_good.
She will be sharing on the panel titled “Embracing Self”.
Halie Wenhold, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication
Dr. Halie Wenhold is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication at Wheaton College. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan where she studied communication and media psychology. As a communication media scholar, she is interested in bridging the gap between the interpersonal and virtual. Her research explores the possible influence of media on adolescent and emerging adult development, relationships, and values in a fame-centric social media society. Her latest research investigates how emerging adult women's exposure to idealized images and motivational captions on social media impact emotional and mental health including mood, comparison, self-objectification, self-efficacy, and belief that sex is power.
She will be sharing on a panel titled “Embracing Self”.
Dr. Kathryn Maneiro
(she/her/hers)
Dr. Kathryn Maneiro is an Assistant Professor of Geology at Wheaton College, where she is the first female tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science. Dr. Maneiro started college intending to become a high school teacher but over time added a second major in geology and eventually chose to go on to graduate school to pursue a job as a professor. During graduate school, she would tell people her dream job was teaching at Wheaton College, so she is currently living that dream. Dr. Maneiro's research focuses on the use of the mineral garnet to determine the age of some of Earth's oldest rocks and better understand Earth's early tectonic history. She also works to advance sustainability efforts at Wheaton College through work with Student Government's EVP of Sustainability, the Garden Prairie Project, and development of a new Aequitas Sustainability program. Finally, Dr. Maneiro has been learning about the impacts of embodiment on career through diagnosis and treatment of a chronic medical condition.
She will be sharing on a panel titled “The Constraints & Liberties of Femininity”.
Lilianna Quiroa-Crowell
(She/Her)
Lily Quiroa is the Visiting Assistant Instructor of Anthropology and Urban Studies at Wheaton College. She studies violence, memory, and corporate agro-extraction in relation to Indigenous spatial justice in Latin America. Her dissertation focuses on the Caribbean coast in Guatemala, specifically the Q’eqchi’ Maya communities living in and around the port city of Puerto Barrios.
She will be sharing on a panel titled “The Constraints & Liberties of Femininity”.
Aida Isela Ramos
(She/Her)
Dr. Aida Isela Ramos joined The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2019 as an Associate Professor of Sociology. In the three years prior to her arrival, she worked as an Associate Professor of Sociology and Student Success Coordinator at George Fox University under Academic Affairs. Aida's research focuses on race-ethnicity (racialization and Indigenous identity), religion (Latinx religion), education (Latinx and 1st generation student success in higher education). Ramos coauthored the book Latino Protestants in America: Diverse and Growing and is currently writing her next book Faith on the Frontera: Religion and Racialization in the Texas-Mexico Borderlands. She has published articles in a range of journals, including the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (JSSR), Sociology of Religion, and Social Science Quarterly. She will be an Associate Editor for JSSR starting in January 2022. Aida holds a Ph.D. (2013) and master’s degree (2010) in sociology, both from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a bachelor's of science degree in sociology from Texas A&M University (2007). (Information from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor website.)
She will be sharing on the panel titled “The Constraints & Liberties of Femininity”.
Liuan Huska
(she/her)
Liuan Huska is a freelance writer at the intersection of embodiment, faith, and ecology. Her book Hurting Yet Whole: Reconciling Body and Spirit in Chronic Pain and Illness was released in 2020. She has written reports and opinion pieces for Christianity Today, Sojourners, Psychology Today, The Christian Century, and other publications, and also leads embodied prayer workshops for churches and groups. She lives on the ancestral lands of several native tribes, including the Potawatomi, Kickapoo, and Kaskaskia, in West Chicago, Illinois and spends a lot of time hanging out with her husband and three boys, gardening and trying to identify edible plants, and breathing.
She will be sharing as Keynote Speaker.
Moderators
Monik Flores
My name is Monik Flores and I am a Senior here at Wheaton studying Secondary Education and English. Nothing excites me more than hearing other people's stories or getting to take in art of any form. Being born and raised in Chicago, I have been able to see that there is such beauty in the diversity that encapsulates womanhood, and I am so excited to see what these women have to contribute to the conversation!
Christiana Kaleebu
My name is Christiana Kaleebu, and I am a junior psychology major and sociology minor. I’m excited to be moderating a panel with WAW this year because I believe in amplifying women’s voices in Christian circles and creating healthier ideas about what a Christian woman is. I’m very much for the girlies, in any capacity. It’s exciting to hear the different conversations we will be having about womanhood, gender, and purpose.
Sofía Hernandez
Hey! I'm Sofía, and I am a Communications student at Wheaton. I'm originally from San Antonio, Texas, and although I have not yet grown fond of the cold climate, I have still found Wheaton to be a second home for me, blessing me with amazing relationships and connections. I am so grateful for the myriad of opportunities that have been presented to me during my time here, all of which have been crucial to my growth in my identity as Latinx, as a woman, and as a young adult. I look forward to cultivating more conversation in my campus community, as well as simultaneously spreading the love of Jesus to those around me.
Ciara Stuhler
Hello! My name is Ciara Stuhler and I am a senior psychology major. Storytelling through photography and interpersonal relationship building are my driving passions, and not too far behind are Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups. I’m really excited to get to be a part of the Where Are The Women? conference this year because of the encouragement and empowerment that the events bring to our campus!
