Meet the Team

Julie Finnern, Ph.D.

Associate provost for teaching and learning 
j-finnern@bethel.edu

Started at Bethel: 2017

Education:
University of South Dakota—Ed.D.
University of Minnesota—M.A.
Wheaton College—B.A.

Todd Harmening

Associate provost for academic systems and planning
t-harmening@bethel.edu

Started at Bethel: 2025

Education:
University of Minnesota—Ed.D.
American University—M.P.
Minnesota State University—B.S.

Tom J. Brown, Ph.D.

Dean of the School of Business
tom-brown@bethel.edu 

Started at Bethel: 2025

Education:
University of Wisconsin, Madison—Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin, Madison—M.S.
Oklahoma State University—MBA
Oklahoma State University—B.S.

Barrett Fisher

Interim dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, & Education
b-fisher@bethel.edu 

Started at Bethel: 1993

Education:
Cornell University—Ph.D.
Cornell University—M.A.
Bowdoin College—A.B.

Peter Vogt

Dean of the School of Theology & Bethel Seminary
p-vogt@bethel.edu 
Started at Bethel: 2001 as a professor; 2019 as a dean.

Education:
University of Gloucestershire—Ph.D.
Bethel Seminary—M.Div.,
American University—B.A.

Cheryl Fisk, Ph.D.

cheryl-fisk@bethel.edu 

Started at Bethel: 2022

Education:
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota—Ed.D.
Crown College—M.A.
Crown College—B.S.

Jeff Olson

Education:
University of St. Thomas—B.A.
St. Paul bible College (now Crown College)—MBA

Brenda Niemi

Education:
Northwestern College—BA

Emily Dehmer

e-dehmer@bethel.edu

Started at Bethel: 2022

Education:
Yeshiva University—MA
St. Norbert College—BA

Amy Fokken

a-niemczyk@bethel.edu

Started at Bethel: 2020

Education:
University of Minnesota—BA

Mary Michener

Education:
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis—Ed.D.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis—B.S.

Jon Nykanen

Special assistant to the provost for artificial intelligence
j-nykanen@bethel.edu

Started at Bethel: 2025

Education:
Metropolitan State University—DBA
University of St. Thomas, St. Paul—MBA
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis—BEE

Matthew Thiesen

University library director
m-thiesen@bethel.edu

Started at Bethel: 2024

Education:
University of North Texas—M.S. 
Western Seminary—M.A. 
Grace University—B.A.

Ray VanArragon

Assistant provost for Faculty Affairs
rvanarra@bethel.edu

Started at Bethel: 2005

Education:
University of Notre Dame—Ph.D.
Calvin College—B.A.

Kara Wicklund

Director of instructional and media design
k-wicklund@bethel.edu

Started at Bethel: 2011

Education:
Bethel University—EdD
Bethel University—MA
Northwestern University St. Paul—BS

Virginija M. Wilcox

Associate dean of International and Off-Campus Programs
virginija-wilcox@bethel.edu

Started at Bethel: 2021

Education:
University of South Dakota—MA
Black Hills State University—BA